Filmmaking / Directing

Directing a film is one of the most intensely solitary and intensely collaborative experiences you may ever have. It is not only about visually interpreting the screenplay and creatively handling actors, it also includes the ability to complete a day's work on time and on schedule.

Like any artist, a good director understands the necessity of working from the "inside out." In other words, a good director needs to work on him/herself first so they can develop the artistic, logistic and emotional skills that will enable them to better see and hear “the truth” in their work.

Ultimately, I believe the Director’s main job is to empower their cast and crew to work creatively and collaboratively with one firm goal in mind: to make the best film they can within the budget and time they have.

To be a film director today, you need to know the creative and technical filmmaking skills of what is expected of you when you begin pre-production; when you step on the set; and when you are in the editing room and to do this successfully, you must:

1. Have complete confidence in yourself and faith in your talent and ability: Believe in your vision and skills, even when faced with doubts or challenges. Cultivate self-confidence so you can make bold decisions and take risks. Trusting your talent and intuition helps you to stay true to your creative goals and push the boundaries of what you can achieve.

2. Have the courage and tenacity to stick it out "no matter what": Persevere through difficulties, setbacks, and criticism. True determination involves maintaining your resolve, even when the journey gets tough. Cultivate a mindset that embraces resilience, viewing every challenge as an opportunity to grow and learn. This will help you overcome obstacles and reach your vision, no matter how daunting the path may seem.

3. Have a relentless focus on what is possible rather than what is not possible: Shift your mindset from limitations to opportunities. Concentrate on solutions, innovations, and the potential outcomes of your ideas. By staying optimistic and forward-thinking, you can inspire yourself and others, creating an environment where creativity and problem-solving thrive. This approach will help you navigate challenges with a constructive outlook, leading to groundbreaking achievements.

4. Never stop searching for your unique voice, style, and expression: Continuously explore and develop what sets you apart from others. Embrace experimentation and self-discovery to refine your personal style and artistic expression. Whether through different mediums, techniques, or perspectives, keep evolving your craft. This ongoing journey will help you carve out a distinctive identity in your field, making your work resonate more deeply with audiences.

5. Stay true to yourself: it will guide you to the right people and the right choices: Trust your instincts and values, allowing them to direct your decisions and relationships. By being authentic, you attract like-minded individuals who share your vision and support your journey. This union with your true self ensures that you make choices that are both fulfilling and connected with your long-term goals, creating a career that reflects your true essence.

Peter D. Marshall

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I am a Director and Film Directing Coach. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0551106/. I am also the author of “Making the Magic Happen: The Art and Craft of Film Directing” published by Michael Wiese Productions. https://www.amazon.com/MAKING-MAGIC-HAPPEN-Craft-Directing/dp/1615932658

Hi my name is zakariya and I’m in the process of making a short film as a concept called BLOOD BALLET I was wondering where do I gin next from there and can anyone help me out

My years in the film and TV business have taught me many things, but the main thing I have learned is to “remain human at all costs.” And by this, I mean to simply “treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.”

Making a film is a stressful job. You have to remember that there is a great deal of money and hundreds of careers on the line every time the camera rolls. It isn’t just about you and how much you get paid!

When you enter this business, you step into the world of “entertainment.” Television and movies are just one part of this “make-believe” environment. Dance, theatre and music are some other examples.

This is a business of artistic expression, massive egos and huge amounts of cash - a recipe for disaster if I ever saw one! It’s also a business where you can lose your soul if you’re not careful.

Remember the often cited (and industry-changeable) quote from Hunter S. Thompson: "The (television) business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

With that in mind, I’ve created the following list of “10 Commandments of Filmmaking” which is my way of showing how anyone can (and should) work and survive in this business - without getting OR giving ulcers! This list also gives you some insight into my own personal philosophy and work ethic.

Here are my “10 Commandments of Filmmaking.”

C1. It’s only a movie - no one should get hurt

This one should be obvious. Making any kind of film or TV production can be risky because there are so many natural hazards on a film set: crew members can trip over cables, fall off platforms, the equipment can tumble on them, they can burn and cut themselves and they can slip downstairs.

Then there are the added hazards that are specific to our industry: breathing atmosphere smoke for long periods, accidents involving insert cars or process trailers, accidents involving stunts and special effects and noise hazards such as loud explosions and gunfire.

All crew members should be aware of the safety issues of working on any set. If you have any concerns or suggestions, talk to your shop steward, union representative or the First Assistant Director who, on most productions around the world, is the Set Safety Supervisor.

C2. Ask lots of questions and never assume anything

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. As the expression says, “The only dumb question is the one that was never asked.” Directors and 1st ADs have to listen and ask questions. If something doesn’t feel right, or it doesn’t ring true, or it doesn’t make sense, ask questions. Solve it now.

Assuming it will all work out or be “ready on the day” is wrong. If something in the script doesn’t make sense, or you feel something is not working, deal with it right away. Because if it doesn’t work in the script, it sure won’t work when you are on set. This attitude of “it will be alright when we shoot,” will come back and haunt you.

Never assume anything. Never! Fix it, change it, eliminate it, solve it, get rid of it. Whatever IT is, do something about it before you go to camera.

C3. There are no rules in filmmaking - only sins!

This is probably my best piece of advice. It's not original - it's a quote from the legendary film director, Frank Capra: "There are no rules in filmmaking. Only sins! And the cardinal sin is dullness.” I want you to always remember this quote, and as you get up each morning and walk onto that set, refer to it often!

C4. Listen to the people who know more than you do

When was a Second AD on the TV Series “Hitchhiker” in 1985, I had to run the set for the first AD while he did some scheduling. Well, after a bit I got a little flustered, as this was my first time running the entire set.

Suddenly I heard my name. When I turned around, the dolly grip was waving me over to him. As I came closer, he smiled and said, “It’s block, light, rehearse, adjust, shoot!” Words I will always remember.

The crew works on the set - all the time! That’s what they do. They see directors come and go. They know more than you do about their jobs. Always will. Listen to them and you will become a better filmmaker.

C5. You have to EARN respect - not demand it

The hierarchy of a movie is like the hierarchy of the Army: General at the top and Privates at the bottom. This means there will be people in higher positions that you won’t like or are unable to get along with.

Directors, 1st AD’s and DOP’s form the “Triumvirate” of any movie set. They are the people in charge. And many times you will be faced with the difficult task of working for months with one (or more) of these people who are egotistical, abusive, or sometimes, incompetent at their job.

In my experience, I believe that the majority of any cast or crew who act up on set are just insecure. And because they are in a position of authority working in a “creative environment,” they feel they are “allowed” to have temper tantrums and yell at people.

This will always happen - and sometimes it happens a lot. How I deal with this, and suggest you do the same, is to remember this military expression: ”You need to respect the Rank - but you don’t have to respect the person.”

C6. Don’t abuse your power - use Power Through not Power Over

As a Director, you have a very powerful position in the film industry. The Producers look to you to make sure the movie comes in on time and on budget; the cast looks to you for inspired and creative direction; and the crew looks to you for leadership.

The “rank” of Director means you get to carry “a big stick”. But a few Directors will abuse this power and yell and scream and make everyone’s life miserable. In other words, they will take advantage of their position and take power over people.

Now here’s a good thought…let’s yell at everyone and maybe they will work harder! NOT! I will always remember the dolly grip who told me early in my AD career, “If you don’t like this speed, you’re going to hate the next one.”

My philosophy is to take the other route. In other words, use "power through." What this means is to work with your crew and bring them all together as a team and work it out together. The crew knows you are in charge. You don’t have to flaunt it.

C7. Don’t be afraid to change your mind

I read a self-help book once that also had a set of ten commandments and one of them was "It's okay to change your mind." This makes a lot of sense, especially when you are a Director because you are making decisions all the time. Some of your decisions may need to change after you get more information from other people. The problem happens if your ego gets in the way.

I did that once as 1st AD. I thought I had the right answer and I didn’t want to change the schedule even though the Director and PM thought we couldn’t make it.

Well..we didn’t and I cost the production money because I didn’t want to do the extra work and also because I didn’t want to change my decision for fear that others would feel I didn’t know what I was doing. Lesson learned!

C8. A healthy Ego is necessary – Self-importance is unnecessary

There is an important distinction between Ego and Self-importance. Ego can be defined as “your consciousness of your own identity.” You need an ego in this business because Ego is important for your survival. Ego helps you to believe in yourself, it helps you to get up in the morning knowing that you still have things to learn but you are good at your job and you will get through your day by being fair and respecting others.

On the other hand, self-importance (or what I call “misplaced ego”) is “an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others.” I believe it is this trait (more than anything else) that makes working and surviving in the entertainment industry harder than it has to be.

Here’s my formula for knowing when you are working on a bad set:

(Insecurity + self-importance = people we all hate to work with!)

C9. Have a sense of humor – and learn to laugh at yourself

This rule should probably be #1 on this list.

In my experience, the best film sets are the ones that have a relaxed and professional atmosphere presided over by a creative director with no insecurity issues; an experienced 1st AD with no attitude problems; and a DOP who loves the collaboration process and realizes that “making a film is not all about the lighting!”

Making a movie is hard work, and the occasional break from the stress and intensity of it by a film crew having a laugh pays for itself many times over.

I have found that my sense of humor (and my large repertoire of bad jokes and puns!) has gotten me through some very difficult times. Also, I think it is important to feel that you can say to the crew, “I don’t care whether you laugh at me or about me, as long as you laugh!”

C10. Take 10 at lunch

When I’m shooting, I take 10 - 15 minutes somewhere off-set during lunch to have a bit of quiet time so I can “recharge my batteries.”

And if I can, I take off my shoes for a bit or change my socks. This can be a blissful moment – it actually re-energizes you. There’s probably some psychological or chemical reason for this that I don’t understand, but whatever it is, try it because it works!

As a Director, you have to be on your game all day and make hundreds of decisions with the crew constantly asking you questions. Taking some time for yourself during the day is really, really important to keep your body relaxed and your mind sharp.

Hey there writers! We have a fantastic new batch of Open Writing Assignments (OWAs) is now live! These opportunities come directly from top-tier producers and showrunners, including professionals with major network credits, and are specifically designed to find emerging voices.

But don't wait—these OWAs will be closing for submissions in just two weeks. This is your chance to get your work in front of industry leaders actively looking for their next project.

Here’s a look at the exciting opportunities launching today:

Heartwarming Holiday Content

- Producer/Showrunner seeks Christmas movies

- Looking for festive, family-friendly stories

Educational Youth Programming

- Producer/Showrunner seeks kids & teen content

- Focus on educational and uplifting material

Magical Family Stories

Director of Development seeks family features & pilots

Must include magical elements

Early-Career Writer Opportunity

-Producer seeks non-WGA/novice writer

- For political medical drama adaptation

- Requires authentic South Central voice

- Multi-POV, character-driven stories

Network Comedy

- Television Producer seeks half-hour comedy pilots

- Budget: $1-10M

- No sci-fi or dystopian worlds

Canadian Genre Films

- Award-winning Canadian producer seeks horror/thrillers

- Budget: Under $3M

This is a targeted call for compelling, producible stories. If you have a script that matches these needs, the OWA program is your direct pathway to submission!

This week, I’ve been challenging myself to learn more about the tools, apps, and systems that help keep our creative lives running smoothly. Between personal projects, professional deadlines, and everyday responsibilities, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks, which is why I like to revisit my organization systems every few months to see if there’s a more efficient way to manage it all.

Right now, I rely heavily on Todoist for daily and long-term task tracking, Google Calendar for meetings, events, and travel, and Google Sheets for project management and ongoing records. But with 2025 coming to a close, I’m challenging myself to research new ways to optimize how I plan, track, and prioritize, so that I can step into 2026 with an even stronger foundation for success.

How about you?

What are you doing (or hoping to do) this week that challenges you to grow?

What systems, apps, or tools do you use to stay organized and focused as a filmmaker or creative? Have you found any that have truly changed your workflow for the better?

Even if you’re unsure or in a period of reflection, your voice belongs here. Drop a reply, we’ll be here to cheer you on and celebrate your progress.

"Making a (good) movie is the art of visually telling a compelling story with believable characters who make us feel something." (Peter D. Marshall)

Many scriptwriters, directors, producers and studio executives have tried many times to find a winning formula for making a successful movie by copying films that have worked in the past. Some of these films have been successful – but many have not.

Making a "successful" film depends on your definition of success. You must first decide what "a successful film" means to you: Did the audiences love it? Did the critics love it? Did it win awards? Did it make money? Did you get another directing job because of it?

During my 50-year career in this often intense and challenging business, I've had the opportunity to work on many types of productions, from industrial films to documentaries; television commercials to music videos; Emmy Award-nominated TV series to Hollywood feature films.

I've worked with dozens of directors and hundreds of actors varying from "the great, the good and the bad." I’ve read hundreds of film scripts, some of which were so dreadful I couldn’t get past the first 10 pages to scripts that hooked me from the first page. (One even won an Academy Award for best screenplay!)

As a film directing coach for the past 20 years, I’ve spent countless hours mentoring filmmakers around the world – from giving them creative and logistical notes on their scripts; showing them how to do proper script analysis and scene breakdowns; helping them effectively audition actors and how to creatively block and rehearse actors on the set.

I've also had the incredible opportunity of spending years teaching and mentoring hundreds of international film students as they write, prep, shoot and edit their short films.

I believe that all the years I’ve spent in the “professional film production trenches” plus the years I've been teaching filmmakers around the world, have given me a unique insight into finding an answer to the question:

“Is there a simple guide that any director can follow that will help them to demystify and better understand the craft of filmmaking?"

We all know there's no 100% guarantee of any film being successful in our business, but I believe there is a basic guide that any filmmaker can follow to help them create “compelling movies with believable characters.”

In my opinion, most inexperienced (or lazy) directors spend the majority of their time figuring out how to shoot their films first (cool visual effects, creative shots, camera angles etc.) before they understand (a) what their story is really about and (b) what their characters really want.

From what I have witnessed over the years, this is not the best way to make a good film! WHY? Because I strongly believe that to successfully direct any film, you need to first understand this simple 3-step Film Directing Mantra:

Story - Performance - Cinematics!

1. STORY: The first and most important part of a director's job is to understand every detail of the story you are telling which requires you to dig deep into the story and its structure by analyzing every scene in the script to find out what the scene is about, what works and what doesn't.

2. PERFORMANCE: One of the main responsibilities of every Director on a film is to help actors achieve a realistic performance. Remember, actors want to work with directors who understand their vulnerability, so it’s incredibly important to create a good relationship with every actor in your film – which starts right from the first audition!

3. CINEMATICS (Mise-en-Scene): Originating from the theater, the French term mise en scène literally means "putting on the stage." In cinema, mise-en-scène refers to everything that is shown in front of the camera such as sets, props, actors, costumes, lighting etc.

I believe that without understanding these 3 steps you could set yourself up for “filmmaker mediocrity” which is writing unimaginative scripts with unbelievable characters that create boring and predictable films.

As a visual storyteller, listen to your heart first so your camera can then show us your version of life and art. Your unique perspective is what gives your story authenticity and meaning. By trusting your instincts, you create visuals that speak deeply to the audience, leaving a lasting impression.

From what I have witnessed over the last 50 years, if you follow this “3-step film directing guide” you will see how any director, even someone with very little experience, has the potential to create a visually compelling movie with believable characters.

Indie filmmakers! This is our big opportunity to shine, apparently.

With October 2025 being the worst box-office performance since 1997 (excluding 2020) the folks at No Film School are wondering if this gives indie producers an opportunity to break into the box-office malaise.

“If there's any good to be taken from this, maybe it's that this industry downturn could create opportunities for independent filmmakers willing to think differently. When the major players are faltering, there might be room for original voices to break through as audiences seek entertainment elsewhere.

If you have an original film and would like to take advantage of this slump, here are a few tips to connect directly with viewers who want fresh storytelling.”

Part of the blame is laid at the feet of the studio tentpole fetish and existing IP becoming jaundiced. Which is of course the outcome of the studios being unwilling to invest in original (safe) material. Eventually, it catches up with the industry.

What are your thoughts about this downturn being an opportunity for indie producers?

https://nofilmschool.com/oct-historic-box-office-crash

Vertical filmmaking, anyone?

“Stories aren’t consumed in theatres anymore. They’re consumed in the light, upright, in motion and held inches from the face.

The new frame isn’t horizontal. It’s vertical. Before you dismiss it as a creative fad, look at the economic facts.”

As much as Russo tells us that the cinematic theatre age is over, he then says,

“I'm sure the future of storytelling will still be cinematic. It's just that the cinema fits in your pocket now.”

So much for verticality winner over horizontality. How about you? What do think of Russo’ assertions? And do you plan to move to a vertical format?

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thejohnrusso_the-future-of-storytelling-h...?

Head to the blog to read my latest piece on What makes a collaboration succeed or fail? After having connected thousands of writers with producers, directors, and executives—I'm breaking down the 8 non-negotiables for finding the right creative partner. Learn why chemistry matters as much as talent, how to vet collaborators properly, and what questions to ask before committing. Join Week 2 of November Write Club and enter to win prizes!

https://www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-2-insights-from-th...

Hi friends, I shot a short comedy this summer and I was just reaching out for some feedback. I would really appreciate it. Thank you. https://youtu.be/37Bzo0cTBB0?feature=shared