The Art and Craft of the Director 3 Day Workshop

The Art and Craft of the Director is a 3 day intensive workshop with Peter D. Marshall that discusses Film and Television Directing tips and techniques. This course was designed for any Filmmaker who wants to know the answer to the question, "How do I become a successful, working film director?"

Those who attend this three day intensive workshop will have the opportunity to discover what is expected of a director in pre-production; how to break down your script to understand the story; the secrets of getting a good performance from an actor.

Here are just some of the many insider tips and techniques you will
discover that will help kick-start your film directing career

1) the differences between directing television and feature films
2) why "politics" plays a major role in your success as a director
3) the breakdown of a director's pre-production activities
4) how to effectively communicate your vision
5) why "listening for the truth" is your best directing tool
6) the importance of the actor-director relationship
7) the three qualities of an actor you look for during casting
8) the seven categories of actors
9) how to guide an actor's performance on the set
10) the nine necessary questions an actor must ask

To discover more about the Art and Craft of the Director 3 day workshop,
or to find out how you can bring this workshop to your city, Click Here.

Art and Craft of the Director 3 Day Workshop

"I have taken several directing courses and Peter's course by far, takes the gold star. This impressive, condensed seminar saturates years of experience and learning and presents it in an easy to use package. A definite recommendation." Trevor McWhinney - Vancouver, Canada

"Peter's workshop was a pivotal event in my mostly self taught filmmaking experience. The best 3 days I've spent. After working with Peter and the other participants in the class, I now have the confidence and knowledge to work with both actors and non-actors and help them achieve the best possible performance. In short, I now feel empowered as a director." Larry D. Barr - Stephenville, Texas, USA

"Peter's course in directing is a great insight into the process of film direction from a practical perspective. Combining theory with nuts and bolts, I got a good idea of how to make the emotional content of a scene work - and how to isolate the problems when it doesn't. Great involvement in the process." Chris Baudat - New Westminster, Canada

Art and Craft of the Director 3 Day Workshop

"First, I would like to say thanks to Peter Marshall, he has been an inspiration to me. It was a great course, very helpful and useful. I got a good idea about directing and it's politics and how it works. Peter's workshop was very effective and overwhelming."
Shaima Tahboub, Dubai, UAE

"Very in-depth class with a great way to express the director's role. The role playing was a fantastic way for me to learn to compose a scene, deal with actors and understand what is needed for the story, Peter, you have obviously put a lot of work into preparing and delivering this workshop. I learned a lot. Thank you."
Alexandra Pacheco - Burnaby, Canada

"Peter is a great instructor. He is very willing to share with us his experience in film directing. He creates a very relaxed and cordial environment for the class and gave us the opportunities to ask and share ideas in class. He is quite knowledgeable in the subject and he said many key concepts that left lasting impressions. Its been a great experience learning from him." Kevin Peng - Singapore

Art and Craft of the Director 3 Day Workshop

Here's my definition: "Making a movie (or documentary) is the art of visually telling a compelling story with believable characters."

One of the key elements you need to understand about making films is Editing (Montage), because your job is not just about the scene you are filming, but also about:

1. the scenes that come before and go after

2. the TRANSITIONS between the scenes

3. what is the last shot of the scene before

4. what is the first shot of the next scene

1. Director of Photography (DOP)
- in charge of the "look" of the film
- get to know their shooting style
- will help you with blocking and shots

2. Production Designer/Art Director
- locations
- sets
- colors

3. 1st Assistant Director
- works with you in prep, designs the shooting order, and runs the set

1. Key Scenes (Could be dialogue or action scenes)
- these scenes set the mood of the story and they require more time than "regular scenes" EXAMPLE: (most scenes in Act One that introduce characters, scenes that contain story points)

2. Dialogue Scenes
- these scenes usually move quicker than action scenes

3. Action Scenes/Special FX Scenes/Visual FX Scenes
- these scenes require more shooting time than dialogue scenes

4. Act Break Scenes (only in TV)
- these scenes are important because they are used to keep the audience "hooked" into coming back after the commercial

1. blocking is working out the details of the actor's moves in relation to the camera

2. blocking is the dramatic use of the camera to help find the truth in a scene

3. where the camera is placed is determined by what is important in the scene

4. whenever you start to block a scene, you must know three things:
- what is the last shot of the preceding scene
- what is the first shot of the next scene
- when (and where) were the characters last seen

5. there is never one, definitive, interpretation of how a scene should be blocked

6. blocking is like a puzzle - keep working at it until the whole scene falls into place

7. think of blocking in terms of choreography (like a dance, ballet)