1.What is your role / contribution to the film in the production phase?
The role as a director on set is a guide for how the shoot proceeds and changes the plan if need to for better result or to minimise the lost of result. I have to work with the talent and DP very closely.
2.What have you learnt in the production phase?
Things always change. People are always late. Bus will be late. Hi there, Murphy and your law.
I have to be very focus and clear of what I want. My description and explanation of a scene needs to be as clear as possible. Nothing ever follow a plan, and this is no news. The line script is what I am very reliant on when shots need to be changed. Communication with the DP must be maintained, but this is what I have not done too well for this shoot. Once communication breaks, all that is left is confusion. With confusion, time is wasted to remedy it.
Preproduction is never enough. It is the best time for everyone to voice out what they think and I am able to think. Once on set, suggestions ,regardless of how good it is, become a nuisance. But then again, nuisance it may be, I still need to listen to them for every suggestions could just make the film better. To carefully select the good ones will require a clear mind. A clear mind will require a good night sleep. A good night sleep will require non-last minute work.
However, many a time, non-last minute work is but a legend.
One Comment
I guess it is more than non-last minute work or a good night of sleep. It is only when you eat, breath and sleep in your work that you infuse your sub conscious with the logic and fundamentals. When Murphy comes visiting your set, your instinct will take over.
Analogy;
When you are learning how to ride a bicycle, you were instructed of the many steps involved. However, when you finally learned to cycle, you were relying on your subconscious and instincts to do so.
It is only when you can ingrain your film into your subconscious, then can you go into production without worrying unduly.