asst. direction e-guide

8/10/2019 Asst. Direction E-guide

1/12

AssistantDirectors

The ultimate skillsguide for


2/12

Annapurna International School of Film + Media, Hyderabad.Copyright 2014, AISFM. All Rights Reserved

Skill 1 ......................... 4Scouting out the perfect location

Skill 2 ......................... 5Finding the right cast

Skill 3 ......................... 6Breaking down a script

Skill 4 ......................... 7Dont mess with continuity

Skill 5 ......................... 8The clap

Skill 6 ......................... 8Handling adoring fans

Skill 7 ......................... 9Handling Call Sheets

Skill 8 ......................... 10Keep everyone informed

Skill 9 ......................... 11Cracking post-production

Table of Contents

at Annapurna StudiosRoad No. 2, Banjara Hills,Hyderabad 500 034 India

+91 40 49141234

[email protected]

www.aisfm.edu.in

For more details

call: +91 7893752225

Medium of instruction is English

Admissions NOW OPEN!
http://www.aisfm.edu.in/http://www.aisfm.edu.in/http://www.aisfm.edu.in/


3/12

A I S F M

3

In 1952, director Bimal Roy, along with ayoung editor, began lming the Balraj Sahni-starrer Do Bigha Zameen . The young editorsigned up as an Assistant Director (AD) onthe lm. The movie was a major successand for the young AD the lm served as awindow to the world of lm direction. Fiveyears later, he would make his directorialdebut with Musar , which was not much ofa success, but two years later he directedAnari and the rest, as they say, is history.

He would go on to direct such classics asAnand, Anupama, Guddi and Gol Maal , andbecome one of Indian cinemas legendarynames. But it was on that set back in 1952that Hrishikesh Mukherjee cut his teeth asan AD and heralded the middle-of-the-roadcinema to Bollywood.

Contemporary director, Shaad Ali who hasdirected blockbusters like Saathiya andBunty Aur Babli , still goes back to assistingmentor Mani Ratnam to hone his lmmakingskills. Shaad started his career as an assistantdirector to Mani Ratnam, and assisted himon the lm Dil Se.

The importance of an AD can never beoveremphasized. The director may havethe vision, the production manager may becalculating budget, but the rst AssistantDirector is a directors support, the producersrepresentative the crews inspiration s/heneeds to encourage director, the productionmanager informed and the crew happy.John Frankenheimer, director, The Birdmanof Alcatraz , The Manchurian Candidate.

Across the world, ADs have becomequintessential to the making of a lm. ADsgain invaluable insight into the lmmakingprocess. Association with different lmprojects and production houses will provideyou with a stable launch pad for your careeras a director or as a lm producer. Here weexplain the pivotal roles they play in thelmmaking process.

Introduction

The director mayhave the vision, theproduction managermay be calculatingbudget, but the rstAssistant Director isa directors support,

the producersrepresentative the

crews inspiration.

Did you know that?

Contemporary director, Shaad Ali whohas directed blockbusters like Saathiyaand Bunty Aur Babli, still goes back toassisting mentor Mani Ratnam to hone hislmmaking skills.

Spontaneity is laziness. Dont let any director or crew member convince you otherwise.Creativity lies in the battle plan, not the attack. Wingin it is not an option.

{ Tip
https://plus.google.com/117141598766039696939http://www.pinterest.com/aisfm/https://twitter.com/aisfmhttps://www.facebook.com/internationalschooloffilmandmediahttps://www.facebook.com/internationalschooloffilmandmedia


4/12

A I S F M

4 A I S F M

4

Would Yash Chopras romantic potboilersstill make your lip tremble without themajestic Swiss Alps in the background?The importance of location cannot beoveremphasized. It is imperative to nd theright location, environment, and settingall are critical for a lms believability andsuccess. A lms location is the most activeaspect in lming. The movie viewer willappreciate visually poring over the scenedetails and becoming immersed within thelm. For example, take in a scene from thelm adaptation of Mani Ratnams Roja:

Do you remember the song - Yeh haseenwaadiyaan ye khula aasmaan? The couple inthe song nd themselves in a beautiful yetalien land well, this song is probably oneof the most memorable songs ever lmed.Its impact and believability weighed heavilyon the location where this scene was lmed.The song was pictured in Jammu thus theAD had the task of nd a suitable locationwhich could pass for the beautiful valley

of Srinagar. The location along with actorsand cinematographytranslated into anemotional experience for cinegoers. The power of the perfect location shouldnever be underestimated, and as AD, it isyour job to scout for locations for a lm. Thedirector, scriptwriter and cinematographerwill have the vision of a scene bouncingaround in their heads and its your job tomake that vision a reality. Take their inputs

on board and shortlist locations that besthelp them realize their cinematic dreams.

But scouting for locations comprises morethan just looking up Google Earth. You willhave to travel, sometimes across the globeseeking out these natural canvases. Onceyouve shortlisted possible locations, youwill then coordinate with the LocationDepartments staff, who willthen meet with the director,who, along with thecinematographer, will visitthe locations.

Scouting out the perfect location

Pre-production

Only three things should ever be happening on a lmshoot: rehearsing, lighting, or shooting and nothing else.Tip

Skill 1


5/12

A I S F M

5

So many lms with great storylines, scriptsand amazing cinematography have been letdown by a failure to cast the right people inkey roles: After all would Will Ferrell workas Jack Sparrow, or would Irfaan Khan workas Krrish? Not really. Casting is pivotal tothe believability and hence the critical andnancial success of a lm.

As an AD, you are an important part of thecasting process. While the lead actors haveoften been cast while the project is beingconceived, there are a number of othersmaller roles that need to be lled. Much ofthis will be the ADs responsibility.

Casting begins with reference discussionswith the director. Films with large budgetscan usually afford to hire professional castingdirectors who will help with this process. Onlms with shoestring budgets, however, mostof the work will need to be done in-house,so it is essential that you clearly understandthe directors requirements.

After short listing actors, you will call themin for an audition. Normally, you will recordthe audition on camera and take the bestaudition clips to the director, as he is notaround during the auditions. Actors selectedwill then be called to audition in person, inthe presence of the director.

For minor roles, such as extras ornon-speaking parts, you may beasked to complete the casting

process yourself and make yourown selections. Once the charactershave been cast, the AD also preparesthe actors contracts and will alsoliaise between the Director, the actors,and their agents.

Finding the right castDid you know that?

An Assistant Director is an important partof the casting process and may even beasked to complete the casting process forminor roles.

Keep producers and the director up to date. Constantly stay in touchwith crew heads. Ask for time estimates and make your own basedon what needs to be done.

Tip

Skill 2


6/12

A I S F M

6

In lm and television, a script breakdown isan absolute necessity. It comprises a detailedanalysis of the screenplay. Imagine a scenefrom the lm Jodha Akbar , where queenJodha arrives resplendent on an elephant tothe Mughal court, coy and eager to expressher love for the Emperor. The articulationthat followed was thrilling and effortless;however, each and every aspect of that

scene needed meticulous planning.Scripts need to be broken down into varioussections: props, characters, stunts, wardrobe,locations, sets, etc. Each section often needsto be tackled separately and the breakdownbecomes preeminent. For instance whatgood is a knight of the realm without hissword, how believable is a medieval warriordressed as a US marine?

Make sure you go through the script morethan once and dont hesitate to use a coloror symbol scheme to separate the variousaspects of a scene.

Breaking down a script A script breakdown will help you keep eachaspect of a script in perspective, and allow forseamless production. Your script breakdownwill help you design a clear plan to budgetthe dozens of costs while retaining exibilityto cope with inevitable last-minute changes.

Scheduling can be tricky, but the breakdownswill help you determine how to distributeavailable funds. These breakdowns also

help the Director and Producer understandthe time it will take to shoot the lm. Theprocess involves guring out what scenescan be shot on the same day, schedulingactors to work on consecutive days andtightening the schedule so the lm can beshot in fewer days.

Show, dont tell. Make sure the crew hears AND sees what you and thedirector imply. Keep everyone on the same page. Invite questions.Tip

Skill 3


7/12

A I S F M

7

One of the most annoying things in a lm is alapse in continuity. A star driving to work in aHonda and seen arriving at his destination ina Ford can get the blood boiling and makefor a few red faces when the notoriouslyeagle-eyed internet picks up the gaffe.

Continuity is key to any lm and preservingit is also one of you responsibilities as AD.

You have to coordinate with all departments,monitor the shoot, and make sure that thereare no errors in continuity, with regards tocostume, make-up, and location. Duringthe pre-production stage, at the time ofscheduling and budgeting, you will have tocreate a number of lists based on the script,including a one-line continuity synopsisproviding basic information on each scene,such as the time of day.

These reports will be used by variousdepartments in order to determine themost advantageous shot order and ensurethat all departments, including production,

wardrobe, hair and makeup, are on the samepage with regards to the progression of timein the lm.

All lms, no matter how big budget, aresubject to continuity glitches. Take forinstance the glaring mistake in the gooeyP.S. I Love You. Remember the scene whereGerry gets smacked in the face by thebroken suspender clasp? When Gerry getscuffed, we see the silver clasp land under the

dresser. Yet, when hes moaning and lifting hisleg to get onto the bed, we can actually seethe clasp still intact on the front suspenderthat came loose, which is dangling rightbehind him (just look between his legs). Ofcourse, as it is meant to be, in the next shot,that clasp is gone. Since the silver clasp isone of the main plot points, this is bizarre!

Production

Dont mess with continuity

Anticipate. Production is like doing a jigsaw puzzle on a waterbed planfor the worst. Identify at least ve things that could go wrong during eachscene and plan for them. No shoot is impregnable.

Tip

Skill 4


8/12

A I S F M

8

The ClapWhen making a lm the pictures and soundare recorded separately. The picture isrecorded using a camera, while the soundis recorded on a separate analog magnetictape recorder, or digital tape. Since theseare recorded on two different devices, theyneed to be synchronized. And you will dothis using a clapperboard

You must write the name of the sceneand the take number on the clapper. Thisinformation will help identify the shotduring editing. Once the tape recorder andcamera are rolling, you will have to place theclapperboard in front of the camera; thenyou will clap the board. During editing, it iseasy to synchronize the visual of the clapperclapping, with the clap sound it makes onthe tape. So when Scene 4 Take 3 appearson the screen in the editing room, they canlisten out for the same being called out onthe audio and sync the two.

Handling adoring fansDont you just hate it when someonesconstantly disturbing you while you preparefor a big exam? Now multiply that by athousand and just imagine what a superstargoes through when he has to prepare for ascene and deal with hundreds of fans.

Crowd control is essential on the set, andwhile you cant control the popularity of yourstar you sure can make sure theyre giventhe space they need to prepare for a scene.Most large production hire private securityrms to control fans, but on a small-budgetlm you might need to wrangle a few matesand do it yourself. Theres also the importantaspect of eld clearance. Just ask VidyaBalan who helped director Sujoy Ghoshduring the Kahaani shoot to deal with merrycrowds of star-gazers who followed the unitaround Kolkata and made it impossible forthe director to shoot.

One of the gratuitiesabout being a director isthat you can volunteer

yourself out of difcultdetails. Steven

Spielberg

Did you know that? Vidya Balan helped out director SujoyGhosh, during the Kahaani shoots to dealwith crowds of star-gazers who followedthe unit around Kolkata and made itimpossible for Ghosh to shoot. shoot.

{ }Ask everyone to quiet down politely if you can. And remember: peoplelike hearing their name; if you target the source of the yap by name, thatperson will listen.

Tip

Skill 6

Skill 5


9/12

A I S F M

9

The last thing you need is your stars coolingtheir heels in their trailers waiting on theirscenes. This is where the call sheet comesinto play. This informs the cast and crew of alm production where and when they shouldreport for a particular day of lming. Callsheets include other useful information suchas contact information (e.g. phone numbersof crew members and other contacts), theschedule for the day, which scenes andscript pages are being shot, and the addressof the shoot location. Without call sheetsyou will not have communication system ora schedule and without these two there cantbe any lm.

The director will explain the sceneand the desired action to the mainactors, but you will be required tobrief other actors in the scene.

Handling call sheets You are responsible for the performance ofthese actors. You will tell the actors what ishappening in the scene over and above thedialogue.

Skill 7


10/12

A I S F M

10

Franois Roland Truffaut once said, Makinga lm is like going on a sea voyage: youhope for a pleasant journey and you end upclinging on, praying to survive. This maybe an extreme example but the metaphorof a ship is absolutely accurate and in thisscenario an AD is the rst mate. An assistantdirector (AD) is most importantly verydifferent from an assistant to the director.Assistant tos can end up doing anythingfrom that the director wishes such as runningpersonal errands like picking up laundryto liaising with editors to making dinnerreservations. So a production can moveseamlessly forward without an assistant todirector. However, without an AD there willnot be any communication system betweenthe departments, which will mean therewont be any lms. A good AD can take careof rst-time director or educate a rst timeproducer, but with a bad AD there will be

a catastrophe and jokes aside people canactually die.

Keep everyone informed Communication is key. Talk to all departmentsto ensure that the lm is completed on time,without any undue hassle.

Be a multi-tasker, and balance the directionand editing teams and coordinate theirefforts so that the lm is made on time andmeets aesthetic standards.

Making a lm is likegoing on a sea voyage:

you hope for a pleasant journey and you end up

clinging on, praying tosurvive.

Did you know that?

Without an AD there will not be anycommunication system between thedepartments, which will mean there wontbe any lms!

{ }Start the day off with circle time. Get everyones attention, wish them a good morning, and inspire them. Take control.Remind everyone about safety and identify specic concerns (no matter how small). Make sure no one has any questions.Get the director to talk the crew through the days coverage. Simple and quick. Then orchestrate the rst setup.

Tip

Skill 8


11/12

A I S F M

11

You have to maintain a daily editor log duringthe lm shoot. Once production is nishedyou will compile the logs of each shot andpass it on to the editor, who will use the logsto nd the shots needed for editing.

In post-production, you have to also beinvolved in the marketing of the lm. Youmust work with the publicity designer tochalk out a plan for publicity. With thepublicity designer you must supervise thedesigning of posters, banners, and tie-upswith TV channels to create awareness aboutthe lm.

Dubbing is a post-production process in

which additional or supplementary recordingoccurs, after the original recording stage.During this process the original actors re-record and synchronize audio segments.Occasionally original artists dont know thelanguage or have an accent, so other artistsdub their dialogue. You must keep track ofthis and ensure that the actors or dubbingartists and recording studio are all availableon the same date.

You must work closely with the director, editorand marketing department and ensure that

Maintain edit logs

Helping design posters andcoordinate with mediaMake sure dubbing artists work

together

Getting the 1st cut of thePromo done

Cracking post-productionDid you know that?

An AD must work closely with the director,editor and marketing department and ensurethat the rst promo cut is out at least twomonths ahead of the lms release.

the rst promo cut is out at least two monthsahead of the lms release. You must ensurethat the promo captures the rights aspectsof the lm the stars, the plot twists, and thelocations.

Skill 9
https://plus.google.com/117141598766039696939http://www.pinterest.com/aisfm/https://twitter.com/aisfmhttps://www.facebook.com/internationalschooloffilmandmediahttps://plus.google.com/117141598766039696939http://www.pinterest.com/aisfm/https://twitter.com/aisfm


12/12

A I S F M

12

B a c k e d b y

I n d u s t r y l e g

e n d s

L o c a t e d i n a

w o r k i n g l m

s t u d i o

2 2 a c r e c

a m p u s

I n d i a s r s t n o n - p r o

t p r i v a t e l m

s c h o o l

I n t e r n a t i o n a l f a c u l t y

a n d m a n a g e

m e n t

+91 40 4914 [email protected]
http://www.aisfm.edu.in/http://www.aisfm.edu.in/https://plus.google.com/117141598766039696939http://www.pinterest.com/aisfm/https://twitter.com/aisfmhttps://www.facebook.com/internationalschooloffilmandmediahttps://www.facebook.com/internationalschooloffilmandmedia

asst. direction e-guide

Documents