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Hey Reader,

This past year, I got back into cooking. In the beginnning, I was playing it safe—sticking to recipes and measuring out ingredients like I was taking a high school chemistry test.

After a while, I started getting comfortable. I’d swap out spices, tweak the process, and before I knew it, I wasn’t just following instructions—I was cooking meals that felt like mine.

Directing a film? It’s a lot like that. You start with the fundamentals, learn the basics, and eventually, you get comfortable enough to start putting your own spin on things.

Sure, you need a recipe at first, but as you get better, you start to add your own flavour. And that’s when things really start cooking.

You’ve got the ideas—you just need the tools to cook them up into something delicious. Let’s dive in.

Visual Storytelling (Camera Work & Composition)

Think of your camera work like the main dish. Composition and movement are your spices—used right, they take a basic shot and turn it into something mouth-watering.

Level 1: Telling a Story with Still Images

Start simple. Take your camera (or phone) and shoot a series of 10 photos that tell a story. I don’t care if it’s your coffee cup or your dog chasing a squirrel—figure out how to capture the story visually. This is your basic ingredient prep. No words, no dialogue, just pictures that work together like ingredients in a dish.

Level 2: Camera Movement Basics

Now we’re heating things up. Film a simple scene, like someone making breakfast, but try using pans, tilts, and zooms. How do these movements change the feel of the scene? It’s like stirring the pot—sometimes you want to go slow, sometimes fast. Experiment and see what works.

Level 3: Mastering Composition

Time to season your shots. Learn the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing—these are the “salt and pepper” of filmmaking. Try recreating shots from your favorite films to see how the pros add their flavor.

Level 4: Using Movement and Angles to Tell a Story

Now it’s time to get fancy. Film a 1-minute scene using nothing but movement and angles to tell the story. No dialogue, no frills—just visuals. Can you tell the story with nothing but your camera? It’s like making a sauce reduction—you’re boiling it down to the essentials.

Level 5: Directing Your First Short Film

Alright, chef, it’s time to put everything together. Direct a 5-minute short film using all the techniques you’ve learned. This is your main course, where all the ingredients—the composition, the movement, the pacing—come together to create something you can be proud of.

Working with Actors

Actors are like your key ingredients—each one brings something different to the table. And just like in cooking, you’ve got to know how to handle them to bring out the best flavours.

Level 1: Talking to Actors

Start with something simple. Direct two friends through a scene. Keep it relaxed and focus on getting a natural performance. Think of this as reading the recipe before you start—getting a feel for what you’re working with.

Level 2: Building Characters

Now, let’s get some depth. Talk to your actors about their characters—what drives them, what makes them tick. This is your marinade. You’re adding layers of flavour to the characters, and it’s going to show in their performances.

Level 3: Directing Emotion

Here’s where we turn up the heat. Direct an emotional scene and play with different ways of getting your actors into the moment. Maybe you push, maybe you pull back—each actor will respond differently. Like balancing flavours in a dish, you’ll know when it’s just right.

Level 4: Rehearsing with Flexibility

Rehearsals are like test runs. Let your actors play with the scene and improvise a bit—see what they come up with. Like adjusting seasoning on the fly, sometimes you’ll find a new twist that works even better than what you had planned.

Level 5: Directing a Cast

Now you’re running the whole kitchen. Direct a small cast through a scene and balance each actor’s performance to keep the scene flowing smoothly.

Treat them like the key ingredients they are, and the final dish will be amazing.

Scene Construction & Pacing

Pacing in filmmaking is like cooking your dish at the right temperature. Too fast, and you’ll burn it. Too slow, and your audience might lose interest. It’s all about getting the timing just right.

Level 1: Editing for Pacing

Think of this as adjusting the heat. Film a basic scene and edit it, playing with the timing of each cut. Too quick? Too slow? Like cooking pasta, you want that perfect al dente texture—firm but not hard, smooth but not mushy.

Level 2: Building Tension

Now we’re slow-cooking a scene. Draw out the tension like letting a stew simmer, then release it all at once with a quick cut. It’s all about knowing when to hold and when to push forward. Just don’t let it overcook.

Level 3: Transitions

Transitions between scenes are like plating your meal. You want it to look seamless. Practice different types of transitions—match cuts, fades, hard cuts—and see how they change the flow of your “meal.”

Level 4: Directing Multiple Actions

Now you’re juggling multiple courses at once. Direct a scene where multiple things are happening at once, and figure out how to keep your audience engaged. It’s like making sure all the dishes come out hot at the same time—tricky, but when you pull it off, it’s magic.

Level 5: Pacing a Short Film

Now, let’s pace a full short film from start to finish. Think of it as a multi-course meal—you need to guide your audience from one scene to the next without losing momentum. Timing is everything, like balancing the courses in a fine-dining experience.

For Experienced Directors Out of Practice: Karate Kid Moments

Even if you’ve been doing this a while, you can still get rusty. It’s like not cooking for a few months and suddenly forgetting how to properly chop an onion. But just like getting back into the kitchen, getting back into directing means starting with the basics.

Remember The Karate Kid? Wax on, wax off. The same goes for directing—going back to the fundamentals is what sharpens your skills for the big stuff. Practice taking photos to tell a story. Sit down with your actors and break down emotional beats. Watch your favourite films and pay attention to the little things.

So whether you’ve been out of the game or are stepping into a bigger role, daily practice—even the basics—keeps you sharp.

Directing a film is a lot like cooking. You start with the basic ingredients, follow the recipe, and then, as you get more confident, you start adding your own flair. Whether you’re just learning to chop onions or ready to serve up a gourmet meal, you’re always learning. There’s always a new flavour to discover, a new skill to master.

So, where are you at right now? Let me know—I’d love to hear what you’re cooking up next.

Best,

Anthony (He/Him)

Want to work together? I offer monthly coaching (to help you get unstuck in a script, your marketing plan or movie launch, etc.), pitch deck reviews, a guided "Scratch to Screen" email and live coaching course, as well as budget and scheduling services for your script so you can pitch it to producers and investors. Reply if you'd like to set up a call to chat about your next steps.
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