Filmmaking / Directing : Ask Me Anything (AMA) Wednesday 8/7 to Thursday 8/8- Directing TV Movies by Mark Rosman

Hope you're doing great, Mark Rosman! Thanks for having this AMA. How is directing a TV movie different than directing a feature?

Hey Mark Rosman - thanks a ton for having this AMA and spending your day with us. Question: how do you pick your projects?

Mark Rosman hi Mark, thanks for doing this AMA, it’s a thrill to have you here with us today.

Question: what are the main differences between a feature director and a director for TV. In the past I’ve been told that with film, the director has a lot more control (can we call it power) than on an episode for a TV series. Is this true? Or was a jaundiced film director telling me this after a bad experience on the set of a TV series?

Hello, sir.

I wonder if you would count a mini-series as a made-for-TV movie, or is it a different kettle of fish? I have written a feature, but is so involved/complex that it would be prohibitively long to tell. But it is not the sort of story which lends itself to an open-ended telling like those which are characteristic of a series. I think perhaps a two-parter, in the vein of the recent DUNE iterations, would work. which begs the question, what would that project be called?

Thanks in advance for the input!

Kenneth Michael Daniels

LIONLIKE MEDIA, LLC

Hi Mark,

Many thanks for holding a session. Can you please share your insights on how to begin screen writing as a newbie?

Hi Mark, thanks so much for doing this! It's great to get feedback. How is a tv series planned out? How do you go from initial episode to creating an entire series? Who decides the ending (the writer? the director? combo?) Do you "backward plan" from the ending to the beginning? Do the actors have a say in how their character progresses in a series?

Thank you for the opportunity to ask questions Mark Rosman . 2 questions if you wouldn't mind.

What are your 2 top pieces of gear that you can't work without?

Looking back, what would the first 2 pieces of gear be that you buy if you were about to start your first film?

Thank you Mark.

Hi Mark, as a screenwriter, how did you get your first script optioned / sold and do you have any advice for screenwriters looking to sell their screenplay and get representation? Many thanks.

Thank you for sharing your day and expertise with us, Mark Rosman! Can you tell us more about the process of pitching yourself as a director for a TV Movie that you werent involved with developing? Does the process change depending on the type of film?

Hi Mark Roman, we thank you again for giving us this opportunity to learn. My question is when writing a screenplay you know you have to think about scenes that keep up with the whole movie however sometimes I feel like these places I write about here might be difficult to find or doesn't exist. So does the movie director have to find all the spots you talked about, do they just creat them or they edited them in a computer? I'm asking how far can I take my imagination?

Thank you for sharing your time & expertise, Mark Rosman ! My question is, when directing a TV movie or episode, what directing methods & techniques are you able to bring from feature directing, knowing that your schedule is usually much tighter for TV?

Thanks for this AMA, Mark Rosman! Q: In terms of investment, what would be an average budget for the average TV series?

Maurice Vaughan: Thanks for your question. There are a number of differences between directing a TV movie and a feature. The biggest difference is that at TV movie is not the "director's" movie. You are a hired hand, there to deliver all the many requirements the cable network needs (ie. shoot pretty standard coverage of every scene, all dialog lines covered by a medium shot or closeup, deliver a cut that fits into the prescribed time slot, etc.). Many of the other differences are about shooting speed. On a TV movie you are often shooting 6-10 pages a day, and depending on the budget of a feature, you might be shooting 3-6 pages a day. On a TV movie you won't get much, if any rehearsal time and in a feature you probably will. You won't be able to handpick your crew on a TV movie, with limited choices to mainly local crew, whereas in a feature the director will be able to choose their key crew. I could go on, but hopefully you the idea. Directing TV movies are more similar to directing TV series than to features.

You're welcome, Mark Rosman. Thanks for the answer! I didn't know there were so many differences.

Leonardo Ramirez: Interesting question. When it comes to TV movies, they usually pick me. In other words, an executive might offer me a project and if I'm available, I'll probably take it. As far as my focus now, which is directing smaller indie features that resonate emotionally for me, I've been writing my own projects, all based on aspects of my life and experience. I only want to direct movies that are going to have a positive impact on the world and that starts with a subject that deeply moves me. I didn't do that when I started my career. When I began, and throughout much of my directing career, I kept one eye solidly on what would work or "sell" in the marketplace and one eye on subjects/genres that excited me. That's not a bad formula when you are trying to get on the board as a director. But a key element is always that a film must resonate or excite you somehow or you won't be able to do a good job with it.

Geoff Hall: Great question. Please refer to my answer to Maurice Vaughan. But to specifically address your question, that film director you spoke to was absolutely correct. If you are directing a cable TV movie or an episode of a TV series, you aren't there to make that film/episode your own. It can't be completely your directorial voice or vision. You are there to take the style and parameters already set up for that show and deliver the best version of that you can. That doesn't mean a director has no ability to exert any of their own creativity into the TV movie/episode. The job still requires tons of creativity to express that story in the best way possible. And a director can, within boundaries, push at some of the "rules" set up for that show and expand the visual vocabulary of the project -- but not where you break the rule, just bend it. Features typically offer the director much more freedom to make the film they want to make, with the only restriction being the budget.

Kenneth Michael Daniels: Good question. A mini-series, or limited series would be different from the cable TV movies I'm focusing on. Those would be considered more akin to directing episodic television. On a limited series, it's primarily the showrunner/executive producer/writer/creator of the series who's voice and vision dominate the show. Sounds like you are talking about a limited series when you say you need more than on feature length film to tell your story. Good luck!

Shyam Vajani: Wow, that's a big question but a great one. If you want to learn how to write scripts, I would suggest enrolling in classes as a good way to start. Stage 32 has tons of great webinars and classes you can take. You can also take online or in-person classes that either are offered by colleges or that you Google. Reading some good books on screenwriting is also helpful. One of my favorites is "Screenplay" by Syd Field. It breaks down feature structure in a great way. Then of course you should start reading lots of scripts. There are many sites you can find tons of scripts for free, like Scriptorama. When you complete a draft, I suggest getting good feedback. If you know of anyone with any experience in filmmaking, ask them to read the script and give you notes. I would avoid getting notes from people without any filmmaking or screenwriting experience. You can also pay services to "cover" your script, giving you professional feedback. You can try places like Slated, The Black List, and WeScreenplay. Hope that helps!

Thanks so much Mark Rosman - I love it that you want to direct movies with a positive impact. That really resonates with me. For me there needs to be an element that rebuilds driving the script no matter how it's wrapped in entertainment.

Susan Arakawa: Your question is great, but not exactly in my wheelhouse to answer. I can tell you this, directors and actors in TV series have practically no say in the development and writing of TV series, unless they are also a writer or producer. Very generally speaking, someone writes a pilot episode. They are the creator and an executive producer on the show if that pilot gets turned into a series. That person will then hire a writer's room of a handful of writers and they will all break down the arc of the season, the characters, the storylines, etc. But please ask that question to someone involved in TV series writing for a much more definitive answer.

Petri Kleynhans: Wow, what an interesting question. As far as personal gear as a director, I don't really use anything! I do usually download all my shot lists and floor plans and script drafts to my iPad as a simple way to carry that around on set. I always wear a pen on a lanyard around my neck because I'm often needing to write down notes during a shoot day and don't want to search for a pen! I don't use any software to create shot lists or floor plans, I do those by hand. Oh, and I bring along a script bag that is specially made to hang on the side of a director's chair. There is usually already one bag attached to the chair, but I like to have my own that carries my iPad and any other paperwork, and I simply unclip that bag at the end of the day and go home with it.

Now if you meant film gear I like to work with or want on set, I'd say a handheld small monitor, wireless if possible, is a must. Having that gives me the freedom to stand wherever I want and still see the shot the camera is getting. I can also glance over at the assistant camera person's monitor attached to the camera, but I need to be standing very close to it. The handheld monitor gives me a lot more freedom. Sometimes I'll be behind the bigger monitors in video village, but again, I will often want to be by camera so the the handheld monitor is great.

Other filming gear I love to have available to me on set (but I don't own) are: good zoom lenses (gives me the ability to change focal length fast without having to change lenses), the mini Fischer dolly (the camera lives on it and it's great), a second camera and two person crew (love to have a B cam), and steadicam available at the drop of a hat.

As far as what to buy if I was starting my first film, that's a tough question given I don't know what gear would already be there or the budget of the film. As far as personal gear and the equipment I love to have available to me, I'll stick with my answers above. Hope that helps!

@Devika Puri: Great question. I wrote my first film, a horror feature, on spec - no one paid me. Then I set about to raise the money and got connected with a small company in Washington, D.C. that put up a lot of it and family and friends put up the rest. Once that was released, I had my first credit which definitely helped. Then a friend I went to NYU film school with wrote and directed his first movie for The Disney Channel - their first ever movie called Tiger Town. Disney loved it, offered him a producing deal, and he asked if I had anything I could pitch to Disney. I didn't, because I saw myself more as a thriller writer/director, but saw this was an opportunity so I came up with an idea and pitched it to them and they paid me to write it. So that was my first paid writing job.

My advice to screenwriters looking to get their scripts sold is to first get the script vetted. Give it to people who have writing or filmmaking experience and get their notes. And get it professionally covered (getting a review and notes on your script) by services like Slated, The Black List, WeScreenplay. Once you get positive reviews from these sources, then you know you are ready to get the script out there. At that point, it's a multi-pronged approach. Prong 1: create a list of every single person you already know who are in ANY way connected to film industry and send personalized emails to them saying you have this great script and are looking for a) companies/people to send it to and b) representation. Prong 2: Scour credits and imdbpro and find the producers and companies who are making the kind of film you have in your script. And then reach out to them to see if they are open to reading your script (they may request an agent send it in, or often you can get an entertainment lawyer to submit it). Prong 3: Start to find mentors. A mentor is a person who is one step to a thousand steps ahead of you in the business. Make a list of people you would like to connect with, and then find out who their agent is and reach out to that agent's assistant. Tell them you love their client's work and would like to get a short email you wrote to them requesting either their short period mentorship or just one 20 minute call or zoom and would that assistant be willing to send your email to them. My last bit of advice: it's a numbers game. You can't just reach out to five people and expect results. If you want something to fall into your lap, you need to get your lap out there! Good luck!

@Ethan Malomane: Very good question. I'd say that you should not limit your imagination and write whatever works best creatively. My only caveat to that is if you are wanting to write a script that can be made on a low budget. For instance, if you are writing scenes that require huge and elaborate sets, or with lots of visual effects, that's great but you can only sell it to big companies that can afford a big budget. On the whole other side of the spectrum, if you're writing something you want to have the option of it being made for very little (anywhere from under 5mil to under 1mil) then you do need to be conscious of not only what the locations are but also the amount of locations. In a sub-1 mil movie, you don't want more than 5 or so locations because of the cost involved with multiple locations (rental and set dressing) and the fact that you have to move the company to each new location which if that happens in the middle of a shoot day, that will take up a lot of precious time. To answer the last part of your question: yes, the director will have to have their team either find every location or build them. There is now the option to build it digitally but that is also very expensive. Hope that answers your questions.

@William Joseph Hill: That's a really interesting question. Basically what you lose when you are directing TV movies or series vs features is control and the ability to shoot it the way you want. So the skills you use for a feature are about figuring out your vision for the film: what is that film about for you and then what stylistic choices do you want to use to bring that out. On a TV movie or episode, you can take those skills and apply them to the look, style, and parameters of the show. Maybe within those parameters, you can bend some of those rules in ways you might in a feature. Also skills you might have as a feature director working with actors you can certainly apply to TV movies and series but you'll need to shorthand them, communicate very quickly to the actors what you want. Another thing might be post production skills. Directors on features will typically be with the film all the way to the end, which gives you skills working with the sound, music, and mix teams. Taking that knowledge into what you're doing on a TV movie and series might help you understand a little better what your needs are during the shooting and editing of your director's cut. Hope that helps.

@Eon C. Rambally: Great question but I have no idea! I've never worked as a producer on a TV series so I don't know what the budgets are -- they rarely tell the directors! Sorry that I can't be of any help there. Good luck!

Thank you Mark, greatly appreciated.

Thanks Mark Rosman, it's interesting anyhow. Enjoyed the AMA, as very informative. Had a few chuckles with the reply, but again interesting.

Yes! Thanks so much Mark for taking your time to answer our questions!! You get a gold star for supporting the Stage 32 community!!

@Ashley Renee Smith: I didn't see your question above but saw it elsewhere. You asked, "Can you tell us more about the process of pitching yourself as a director for a TV Movie that you werent involved with developing? Does the process change depending on the type of film?" Great question. For the first question, here's my pitching process: Start with building the relationship with the person you're pitching to and talk about why you love that Network's movies. Then talk about the script and give any script notes: starting with positives, then your ideas to improve the script (if you have notes), then talk about your cast ideas (you should know who typically stars in this Network's TV movies), possible location ideas (meaning what city would be good for this that works for the Network), then your look ideas for the film - visual ideas, style, how will you bring out the themes of the movie (all within the context of the look of that Network's movies), then talk about "why you" - why are you the best person to direct this, and of course what your strengths are as a director. As for your second question: the process doesn't really change per film, just the content of what you're talking about.

Thank you for all your answers & insights, Mark Rosman ! So many good points.

Hi Mark Rosman and thank you so much for this great opportunity.

I have a question that is related to the question from Devika Puri. I loved your elaborate answer.

I have written a couple of scripts and started working on a comedy sitcom but then stopped. I found it very hard to connect with people in the Film Industry, whether production companies or agents, etc. When no one has ever heard of you, they don't take you seriously or they require feedback or a recommendation from someone who is already connected to the industry.

At that time I lost hope and stopped writing altogether.

Would you have any advice for me in this situation and how would I get my foot in the door?

Thank you. Melita

Thank you for sharing such detailed answers to everyone's questions, Mark Rosman! It was a pleasure to have you hosting this event yesterday. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week! =)

Geoff, back at Universal Studios in the early 80s, and other places too, TV episode directors were often called by the crew, "Traffic Cops". The Exec Producer [now called Show Runner] and the permanent team made most of the decisions. The director just came in and worked with what was already there. // These days that's certainly not always the case with more innovation and freedom of expression allowed on episodes within a series.