The Role of a Television Director - Essay Example

The Role of a Television Director "Lights, Camera, Action" is what some may think of as the role o0f a television director. All though this is a part of the process, a director has a much bigger role. They must be able to organise a show in such a way that the television viewers will continue to watch. There may be a series of directors on any given show. Some will be responsible for casting, others for light and sound, still others for music and script. However, the main director must be able to bring all these elements together to make the program make sense to the view audience. In most cases, a television director is given a script by the produce of the show and their first job will be to convert the script visually into segments. The show is always geared towards a specific audience and this is of utmost importance because the show must be clarified in such a way that the audience can understand what is going on. Since many programmes are series, the audience must buy into the show enough to want to watch it ever week. The TV director must also understand the technical end of the production. The number o cameras, the types of shots and where they should be placed will depend on what emotion or design the show must present to the viewing audience. All of these add to the balance of the show. Before a show goes into production, a director must start planning. Understanding the purpose of the show, and the message that the producers want to send to a specific audience play a part in the decision the director makes for cast and what will happen during each week. During this phase, a director can also get a feeling for where the programme should be done -- in the TV studio set or on location. This decision will also determine whether the show is live, video-taped or shot with a single or multicamera. All of these decisions are made by the director, in communication with the producer. The production crew will also be picked by the director or the producers, depending on the contract. It is very important to communicate with the production crew because they will be the ones a director must guide to the overall vision of the show. Scheduling of all aspects of the show is equally important. The more detailed this schedule, the better the director can keep on tack with the producers master schedule. The script must be edited and evolved to get the most effective presentation to the audience: [the script] tells what the program is about, who is in it, what is supposed To happen, and how the audience shall see and hear the event (Zettl, 1997, p. 444) There are a variety of script formats, but the script format a director will use will depend on the type of show they are directing. The director will also edit the script for clarity and ease of use. If the director is shooting different episodes within a short amount of time, it is helpful to create a floor plan for each one. This is only when each episode is written within the same studio. If the show is created on a specific outdoor location, it may be impossible to stage the episode using a floor plan. Once the script is edited, the cast is created and the production crew is in place, it is the directors responsibility to create a program that is visually shot in front of the camera to be the most effective for the viewing audience. In the case of a series, as this paper will be mostly about, the director is "hired on a show-by-show basis and have little involvement in the development of the story lines" (Dunkleberger, 2008, p. 63). In this situation, the director is under pressure to adapt very quickly to the style of the show. Also, TV directors have less time to perfect a scene and may have to shoot several pages of script each day. Because of this, some directors find it easier to work with experience actors who can quickly adapt to the needs of the program. Directors also have to remember that they are shooting for television so they have to plot out the action versus dialogue differently. In other words, they must again understand the technical aspects of this so that what they create can fit into the average television screen. Many will use storyboards to organize individual shots. This helps to create a visual for the production crew and others, to make sure that everyone understands the whole project. The actors are an important part of the directors work. Actors must be directed in rehearsals, and they must be shown what is needed for each scene. There is a certain amount of leeway for the actors in terms of their creativity, but they must be willing to listen to the directors ideas and do what his expected. Directors are under constant stress and must work under considerable pressure. In terms of education, a director often starts out as an actor. Some have formal training as directors. However, many TV shows are not as worried about credentials as they are experience. Many shows look for a director to have: "substantial practical experience in television and film, in-depth understanding of the production process, and a network of contacts in the industry" (advice.com, 2008, p. 1) A television directors responsibility is very important in the moving a television production forward under normal television situations, however, the term reality TV has created a different kind if director and a faster cut of opportunity for everyone involved. Reality Television The phenomenon called Reality TV has taken off since 1999, and millions of viewers watch it in many different countries. This phenomenon has changed the role of the TV director. As it is defined, reality television is a genre of unscripted programmes that present real events rather than fiction, featuring ordinary people rather than actors (Jury, 2007, p.1). This phenomenon works for the television viewers in a way that no other television genre has been able to do. The reason is because people enjoy watching the average Joe prepare tasks in front of the camera. One of the reasons reality TV has become so popular is the trend towards participation that our society has created. Websites like YouTube, MySpace and Second Life bring people together and allows them to take part in the action. Reality TV brings this action into everyones living room and they are bombarded by the excitement of the actors. It allows the average person watching television to pursue a dream vicariously or to root for their favourite character. There is no question that reality TV is also a lucrative venture. Because they dont always use a script, many of the programmes are able to work without writers. In reality TV the directors job may be totally different than in regular programming because the footage for the program is shot very quickly. Sometimes the director will need to stage actors. In the shows that are competitive, actors are often told where to stand, what order they should be in for the camera shots and may do a quick rehearsal to see how things look before the scene is shot. In most cases, the director wants to shoot the scene in one take. In contrast, a regular television show will have a script that everyone will work from and this will spell out for the actors what they are to do. According to director Craig Borders ("The Mole", "Cupid", "Married By America"): "As the director in reality TV, youre essentially trying to tell the story visually. Its Is completely different from working on a scripted show. However, you still need The director to run the set and act as field general" (Riet, 2008, p. 1) In reality television the entire programme is more complex than regular television and it requires more cameras. There are a variety of cameras that are capturing all kinds of action. In a regular television program a director may use two or three camera types depending on what they are doing and whether they are in a studio or on location. With reality TV, there are a variety of shots that can include stationary, hidden, mini and a variety of other cameras. The point is to shoot all the action possible from as many angles as necessary. A director may only have fifteen minutes to arrange actors, cameras and take the shoot. This means the director must be extremely flexible. Because the people that are used arent always professional actors, the director must keep a certain momentum going to move the action forward. This kind of work also takes a lot of planning ahead. Chuck Vinson ("Last Comic Standing"), states: "In reality your ratio of usable material may be only 10 or 15 seconds an hour. You Might be shooting 18 or 20 hours a day…" (Riet, 2007, p.2) In reality TV associate directors also have a key role. They may do the scheduling, run the set or work with the actors (talent) to make sure everything goes smoothly. Often the associate director will oversee the post production and the various elements as they are coming in from the field (all reality television is recorded on location rather than in a studio). Because it is such an exacting, the assistant director must keep a log of all the material that is shot during the course of each segment. This may mean keeping track of over 1,000 tapes containing more than 1,000 hours of footage. Focus on The Amazing Race The Amazing Race is a good example of a reality show because it shows average people who are put into two teams to race around the world and complete specific tasks along the way. The incentive for this programme is the million dollars that is awarded to the first team that crosses the finish line. This is a programme where contestants will need to be reasonably fit, be motivated to succeed and be somewhat greedy. Although the show receives about 20,000 applicants for each season, only eleven or twelve couples are chosen (Robinson, 2005, p. 89). The Amazing Race is an example of how everyday athletes are pitted against each other for this competition and how the director must keep them going. The director must be there to talk with actors, but it must be done quickly. All contestants must be at least twenty one years of age, and must go to an open casting call for the show. This is where the casting director comes in because they will be responsible for the interviews, the applications and choosing the teams. In the initial interviews, all team members get two to three minutes to say why they would be a great match for the show. The casting call is intense and the video footage is sent to the casting director so they can make the final decision. The casting director will choose their favourite contestants and pass their video and application on to the producers. The Amazing Race looks for "people who will fight, fight, fight--people who will do anything to win that money and who will never give up, no matter how tough things get" (Robinson, 2005, p. 96). By virtue of this attitude, the director is looking for people who will take directions well and who will be motivated through all the tapings. The director must also be somewhat of a psychologist to understand the total picture of what is wanted versus how the actors fit into that picture. For this programme as with many others, actors must be highly motivated to do what is asked of them without attitude. When cast and director can move quickly together, the show can move quickly to production. In regular television programs, directors must learn to listen to the actors and understand where they are in the process. However, with reality TV, the actors must listen to the director and be quick to move into the poses or directions that the director requires. In regular television, a director may help the actor get into character by evoking a certain emotion from them. However, in reality TV, the director hopes that the actors have already been chosen for their ability to move into emotion without much prodding. Creating Good Programs Directors seem to agree that the key to good programming is organisation, speed and highly motivated people. When these elements are pulled together, everyone benefits. The networks also are a part of the total picture, because the producers will need someone to air the programming. This is the final step of the programme. For networks, reality television is lucrative because they are cheap to produce. Because there is no script, the program isnt affected by writers strikes. Financially, a popular show can provide a strong income to assist other programming. As an example, the show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire "is the most lucrative program in television." In 2001, it earned about $1 billion in a little more than 18 months. (Leopold, 2001, p. 1). Directors also have to have he ability to negotiate with the producers and others involved with the shows. Here are a few tips that may help anyone who wants to direct reality TV: 1. The director and producers must work together to create a strong show. They need to collaborate rather than be at odds with each other. Producers and directors may not always see the same vision, but it is up to the director to bring the vision forward in a way that shows the producer the big picture of the vision is understood. 2. Because Reality TV is such a fast paced arena, trust has to be created with the producers and the actors. Actors must trust that the director has their best interest in mind and must agree to help the director move the programme forward. 3. Great directors have done their homework and understand the makings of the reality shows. Perhaps they have seen several, or have worked on a few, before coming to the one that holds their best interest. 4. Flexibility and the ability to organize are very important in this genre, otherwise there will be chaos. 5. Egos run rampant in Reality TV. Therefore, both actors and directors must understand that the good of the whole program has nothing to do with ego and they must put this aside if they are going to work together effectively. The role of the director is multi-faceted and it means that everyone must work together. In reality television, it is even more crucial to work together because everything is done on location. Instead of going into a studio to shoot, a van with all the cameras are in the field and the taping is fed back to the van. There is only a small margin for error. There are 20,000 people who are applying at any given time to any reality show…there are many more viewers. There are many reasons why people are so interested and involved in these shows. One of the basic reasons is that the human animal is voyeuristic and wants to see what other people do, from the comfort of their own living room. It is up to the director of these shows to show the audience what they want to see -- the drama, the fun and the excitement. Bibliography Bertocci, A. 2008. Directing reality: how reality TV is created Associated Press, 01/27/08 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/39177/directing_reality_how_reality_tv_is.html Dunkleberger, Amy. 2008. So you want to be a film or TV director? NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. Jury, Louise 2007. The big question: has reality television had its day or are audiences still attracted to it?, The Independent, 4 January 2007, retrieved 22/01/08 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-big-question-has-reality-television-had-its-day-or-are-audiences-still-attracted-to-it-430674.html?service=Print Leopold, Todd. 2001. How much reality TV can we survive? CNN.COM Entertainment 22/01/08 http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/01/reality.tv/ Occupational Outlook Handbook, US Department of Labor, Actors, Producers, Directors, 2008-01-27. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos093.htm Oldenburg, Ann. 2008. USA Today, Reality tv faq, 25/01/08, http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2004-o6-10-reality-tv-main_x.htm Richmond, Richard, Directing for Reality TV, 25/01/08 http://www.dga.org/news/v29_2/craft-reality-704.php3 Riet, Hans Van. "Directing Reality Television", 2008 January 25 http://homepage.mac.com/hansinla/DGAMagazine.htm. Interviews quoted for Craig Borders and Chuck Vinson. Robinson, Matthew. 2005. How to get on reality TV, NY: Random House. Weston, Judith 1996. Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television, CA: Michael Wiese Productions. Zettl, Herbert (1997). Television Production Handbook, 6th ed. CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Read More