Amateur movie making (1928)

CHAPTER TWENTY DIRECTING THE HOME FILM With the actors upon the set you are ready for rehearsal and direction. You must learn to direct action at your ease, and with all confidence, for good direction is vital to the production of any film. Every film which is worth the celluloid upon which it is printed, is the result of a definite amount of direction and rehearsal. There is little to be said of rehearsal which is not covered by the simple rules of direction, for the two processes are different phases of the same process. Direction is a mental process, the physical application of which is rehearsal. The cinematographer who is his own director, tells his actors what to do. This is direction. The actors follow these instructions, and this is rehearsal. When working with adults it is well to go through the action a few times, actually operating the empty camera. This will accustom your actors to the novelty of their positions and remove a certain amount of self-conscious stiffness. However, beware of too much rehearsal, for it will result in the stiffness of routine work. Thus, it is evident that a happy medium must be found. When working with children about all that can be done is to get the child into the right mood and then crank when the opportunity offers. This procedure is familiar to those photographers who are accustomed to Graflex work with children. The cinematography of wild life is an art in itself, and "direction" consists simply in knowing the habits of the creatures being photographed, and utilizing this knowledge to obtain such action as may be desired. Direction is both an art and a science within itself. A successful director, whether he directs a photo-drama, an orchestra or a stage production, must combine two char 382