What is Film Directing?
Actor Rex Ingram defined the director as the best illustration of the term “ fall guy” (Brownlow, p.3). The director shoulders all of the blame, he is targeted if the picture is bad and applauded if the picture is good. Director Frank Lloyd provides a more enlightening definition, noting that the director is “essentially an interpreter”, and “he must be as fluent with his camera as the author with his pen” (Brownlow, p.5). Unfortunately, talented promising directors have made good movies that have been ruined by “so-called supervision” such as production, and company oversight (Brownlow, p.5).
RITZER'S PRINCIPLES OF RATIONALIZATION
Ritzer’s famous book, "The McDonaldization of Society, " describes how many sectors of today’s society are becoming more dependent on technology, assembly lines, and modern methods propelling production efficiency and success (Ritzer, 2018). The development of the directing industry and the modernization of film, in general, are strongly influenced by Ritzer’s principles of rationalization. Rationalization has brought positive and negative transformations to viewership and filmmaking. This academic report will aim to analyze the significance of the rationalization of film directing and cinema.
Origins of Early Cinema/ Silent Era
During early cinema especially the silent era ranging from 1894 to 1929, directors had the greatest control and authority over financial, artistic, and administrative decisions. The film industry was a fairly new empire occupied by eager, experimental young, white men who were previously employed in other fields outside of filmmaking. For example, many successful directors during this time were initially, pipeline workers in oil companies and railroad workers with “ no impressive references” (Brownlow, p.1). Moreover, the silent era is often categorized as the era of directors. The era before producers took creative control. In fact in the movie pamphlets, the director’s name was often “printed larger than the stars” (Brownlow, p.3).
New Hollywood Cinema
The New Hollywood Era ranges from the mid-1960 to the early 1980s (Heckmann, 2020). This era is defined by the shift “in control from the studio to the director” (Mcfadden, 2022). Before the new age of Hollywood cinema directors, there was extensive studio micro-managing. During this new area, control was loosened, and directors could tell their stories using experimental film methods and avant-garde stylistic techniques. The style of filmmaking gave the directors the freedom to tell stories about real people and counterculture themes. Which were considered taboo topics, “typically unexplored in motion pictures” before this time (Mcfadden, 2022).
Ritzer’s Four Dimensions and Their Impact on Film Directing
Efficiency
The development and implementation of advanced technology and special effects have accelerated film production and allowed the director to create enhanced, controlled films with ease. There are three advantages that digital shooting has brought to the field of directing increasing its efficiency.
1) The first benefit is the director can achieve multiple shots and angles with the use of modern steady-cam cameras (Sharma, 2022). Modern digital cameras contain attachments, that allow the director and camera crew to achieve complex shots like tracking and extreme wide shots.
2) The second contribution of technology is the reliance on post-production systems to quicken the editing and cutting process. Many Hollywood directors use “professional-level video editing platforms” such as “ Avid Media Composer” and “Adobe Creative Suite” (Skillshare, 2023).
3. Another great efficiency within the field of directing is the distribution of filmmaking labor. In today’s modern filmmaking era, “cinema is the art of collaboration” (Robert Sklar, 2023). Before the early 1910’s directors were predominantly responsible for all aspects of film production. However, with the growing movie industry and rapid output of movies appropriate hiring and task delegation needed to be introduced. This creative assembly line and specialized labor promotes great filmmaking efficiency and mobilization.
Control
Technology aids in the director’s control over “crisp filming, precise editing”, and enhanced sound effects (Sharma, 2022). For example, Lion King (2019) director Jon Favreau used CGI technology to recreate the original animated Lion King story into a digital almost life-like version. This resulted in precise attention to detail and realistic computer-animated illustrations of the animals (Ha, 2019).
Lack of Control
On the other hand, it's important to note that during this current new wave of cinema, directors are losing their creative control over the filmmaking process. Although directors have creative oversight over many filmmaking units, they still have to follow the guidelines provided by the major motion companies and production teams. Often the guidelines, are enforced to keep production on a strict schedule and within budget, so the film can be released on time. Unfortunately, production micro management can prevent the director from experimenting with different film mediums or getting their stylistic ideas incorporated into the film.
Predictability
Within the film industry, the director utilizes past movie viewing data and data from audience reviews to predict the public’s taste to create the most appealing movie. It is known that the audience wants a particular experience, especially the evolving modern audience. Given that the audience today appreciates, out-of-this-world cinematic experiences with excessive usage of special effects and CGI, directors are expected to deliver. Directors today rely heavily on special effects as noted above because as the trends forecast visually artificial films do better at the box office. Then films that focus on a complex dialogue-heavy script.
Lack of Predictability
There is a lack of predictability when it comes to predicting how well a film will do financially at the box office due to extraneous variables. The success of a film at the box office or a streaming service assesses the movie’s success and the audience’s perception of the work of art. Box office predictions are always an issue because there are so many underlying factors.
Calculability
There are significant examples of calculability in the field of film directing. Firstly, the production company gives the director a set of rules regarding the film budget and film schedule, often the rules are general indicating that the director can not spend more than an allotted amount. Yet, it is up to the director to allocate the money wisely, selecting the appropriate equipment and post-production tools that will not exceed the budget.
The Irrationalities of Directing
Lack of Authenticity
Lack of authenticity is a situation where someone’s actions are not genuine, especially in terms of relating to the consumer. Unfortunately, there is a lack of authenticity in the film directing industry because directors recognize that star power is important and name appeal is likely to sell a film. As a result, hiring well-known actors to star in films will draw viewers and spark interest. However, a sense of inauthenticity emerges when famous directors are hired to play roles that don’t fit them or are not believable.
Homogenization
Homogenization occurs when there is a disregard for individual differences. Film directing is temporary work, directors are hired for a film and work on that film for a couple of years depending on the type and then move on to the next. This work can be considered gig work. There is an oversupply of directors, with many more directors in circulation than available movies to directors. There is great competition among directors, and some are on the verge of unemployment. Directors are creative, artistic visionaries however, this creativity is placed in jeopardy when directors compete with each other to work on popular projects. The competitive nature of the directing field can lead to homogenization as freelancers may feel the need to conform to industry standards in order to compete with other directors.
Conclusion
The application of rationalized film directing has led to the improved quality and aesthetic of film while also increasing the ease and production of filming. The implementation of Ritzer’s principles: efficiency, control, predictability, and calculability of digital technology and CGI special effects have propelled the filmmaking process to become a streamlined and optimized operation. Additionally, the transition from the singular, hierarchical directing position during early cinema to an open and collaborative position allows for greater inclusive artistic consensus and efficient production work. Furthermore, the latest ability to predict viewership trends and break down what sells and what does not at the box office, helps directors prioritize what needs to be included and emphasized in movies.
Wrapping Up
Although the directing employment outlook appears to be growing amongst all the competition, the irrationalities within the field prevent directors from maintaining full creative control and portraying authentic relationships and characters who can be their truest selves on screen. As the field continues to modernize, I fear technology will sweep forms of traditional cinema under the rug because achieving vintage stylistic footage will be considered a waste of time and less desirable compared to the high-definition shots digital footage captures. I believe it's important to modernize equipment to enhance viewership, however, previous cinematic efforts should never be forgotten. Overall, the benefits of rationalization far outweigh the negatives because rationalization has had an immensely positive impact on the directing industry and production. I predict innovation and improvement within the industry will expand with the integration of director creativity and advanced technology.
References
Credits:
Created with images by Gorodenkoff - "In the Big Film Studio Professional Crew Shooting Blockbuster Movie. Director Commands Cameraman to Start shooting Green Screen CGI Scene with Actor Wearing Motion Capture Suit and Head Rig" • Framestock - "Teenager using computer to edit footage while sitting at desk in obscure room at night at home" • DC Studio - "Senior video editor director talking with creative team in web online meeting on video call editing client footage work. Man getting feedback on movie using post production software on pc" • gnepphoto - "Behind the scenes of silhouette people working in big production studio with professional set and lighting for making movie film or video commercial."