Our shoot in Asheville, N.C., last week was really good for me. I found myself thinking much more like a director, which is really rewarding. I’m usually in producer mode. For the unfamiliar, those are two very different mindsets.
Directors are directing. Sounds pretty straightforward, eh? They direct the action that happens on camera, watching the story unfold to make sure it’s what they want. To make sure it meets their vision.
Producers are producing, which probably sounds a little less straightforward. Some producers are in charge of making the film happen — and allllllll the things that go into it. Many of them start and finish the project. (There’s typically only one director but there are many kinds of producers.)
What I gained from our Asheville shoot is the chance to feel much more comfortable wearing the director pants. Yes, maybe that’s it. I have thought like a director for a long time, but standing up and speaking out like a director is different.
You see, I tend to feel like a poser. I feel like I’m just this girl who is pretending to be a filmmaker. So, sometimes, directing doesn’t come all that naturally to me. That’s weird to admit, isn’t it?
Especially because logic tells me that’s not true. I actually AM a director, not just the girl dreaming of becoming one. And that’s pretty cool.
I’ve made more than one film now. I’ve sat on panels and talked to students about the films I’ve made. I’ve sold DVDs of the films I’ve made. I’ve even had my film premiere on the state’s largest screen at the IMAX Theatre at Marbles. I write about filmmaking all the time. I try to encourage and help other filmmakers. Those are not the things someone who’s pretending to be a filmmaker does.
So, yeah, our Asheville shoot was really good for me. It helped me step out of the producer pants and into the director pants. (Haha. Apparently I’m digging pants instead of hats today. Whateves.)
The point is, I guess, that I feel a lot more comfortable making director-like decisions. I feel happier speaking up about what I want to capture on camera. And I like that.