The Director's Idea

Chapter 2

The Director’s Idea

• The director’s idea is a deep subtextual interpretation that unifies the production. Using an aspect of the main character and his goal, the director finds an existential, relational, or physical dimension that relates to the main character in the deepest fashion. Using the subtextual idea, the director articulates a complementary approach to the performances and to the camera. It is the quality of the director’s idea that differentiates the competent from the good and great director. The director’s idea drives all the many decisions a director makes in the course of the production.

In this book, I am going to say many things about technique, about directors, and about directing. To persuade the reader that what ...