Is hiring a second unit director a bad idea?

[Brian Drysdale]

A writer won't put themselves forward as a director if don't want to handle the actors.Being a writer first is a one of the routes into directing, many of the A list feature film directors started out that way.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, but in my case, should I hire someone else to work with the actors on the performances then and I direct that person more so?

[Brian Drysdale]

No, you either let someone direct or you direct. If you don't have the confidence for the job don't do it.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

I get the feeling that Ryan was hoping to get confirmation for what he wants to do, hire a second to direct the acting.

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

No, you either let someone direct or you direct. If you don't have the confidence for the job don't do it.

I could get someone else to if that is best and I just do other jobs like funding, editing and color grading, if that's best. I would want to be there for the shoots though, just to make sure everything is going well and getting done on time, or at least see the footage on a day by day basis to make sure.

[Brian Drysdale]

It's not up to us to make this decision. It's something that you need to decide.

If you don't feel ready to direct a feature film, directing more shorts to get more experience would seem like the way to go. I know directors who made quite a few high quality shorts before making the leap.

Writer/producer isn't unusual..

[Paul R Johnson]

The question you never ask but hover around, is what are you good at. You never tell us. You want to do this, you want to do that, but often you recognise you are no good at some things, but STILL want to find a way to keep that role.

Yesterday I had to do plumbing. I hate plumbing. I have zero talent at plumbing. I have the tools. I know how to use them. I’m quite good with my hands and I understand how it works. I changed the tap. It leaks. The leak is coming from one compression joint. Other pipe work is in the way. I think one extra half turn will sort it but the pipe is old. Will it break? Do I have the spare hardware to fix it? Will my wrench fit the older non-metric hardware. Will the valve that I’d need to shut off actually close? Should I try that?

No. I have given my friend the phone number of a real plumber. It will cost her, and it has cost me in my own personal satisfaction. I know I am a crap plumber. I know my limits and reached them. I would not go on a forum and get help because I know any advice would push me over my limit.

Like this topic, it’s about knowing your limits. Ryan, your questions show you’ve reached that point. You are not able to function in your chosen role, so sort it.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, it's just I don't have the money to direct shorts if I want to use that money for the feature.

But I cannot direct and just fund it perhaps. I was told I was good at editing and color grading so far and those were my best quality so I can just do that as well as fund it.but I was told I was not going at producing and to find someone else to do some of that with me I think.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Like Paul said and what we keep saying. You seem incapable of accepting your limitations and the difficulty of leading a film production. It's a complex and expensive process not many people would want to take on.

You obviously like film making so do something that is related but doesn't involve making a feature. Creating a Youtube channel or vlog where you cover local film making in your area or do movie reviews. Maybe you can offer to film free behind the scenes shorts of other movies. If you did well you could turn it into a business.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh well, I wanted to make films with fictional narratives in though, and wasn't really interested in blogs or things like that. That was my interest. But I was willing to abdicate directing duty and pass it off to someone else, so is that not accepting limitation, since I was advised not to direct it? I was advised on here not to direct and give it someone so aren't I following the advice?

[Paul R Johnson]

Why do you always misunderstand everything people say to you. We have never said DO NOT DIRECT - we tell you to start small, where the process is similar and get experience - but you have done it again, you want to go straight to the main feature, and that you cannot do. You want to make fictional narratives - or in other words, tell a story - so make shorts, not main features. You just want the advice to go straight forward to the big job, but you constantly talk about lack of money, cast, crew, script and costume and set. Can you not see the whole thing here? You simply do not have a product strong enough to attract the people and funding you want/must have. Who cares if you don't want to make these short stuff? It's a learning experience. They are cheap to make and teach you so much.

PS - I'd hardly considers you to be a colourist or grader - you thought the other day you could do it on a phone. You've told us loads of times how grading causes you problems.

Walk before you run - it's an excellent maxim. You, however want to enter the olympics without buying any footwear, or wearing them in. How many years have you been planning now Ryan - 3? 4?

People advise you to try other people when you have demonstrated a total lack of skill in some areas. You want to make a movie, but you can't Direct, shoot, run sound, do makeup, light things or costume or manage money. You say you can edit, but that's caused a few problems too hasn't it? Grading isn't even on the list. If you can't do the rest, why do you think you can grade? You got hung up on teal for months and trying to change the colour of the walls because your set was the wrong colour? Do we need to go on?

[Ryan Elder]

Oh it's not that I misunderstand, one of the pieces of advice on here before was do not direct the feature, but do other things on it, or so I thought that's what was said.

But as for starting out small, I have done short films before as well as worked on other people's but I do not have money to keep going on short films, if I am to have enough for the feature though.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

You repeatedly throw yourself into impossible situations and then ask for advice. You haven't exhibited any exceptional talent to warrant making a feature. Your motivations for making your own movie appear to be more about you trying to work a round your in abilities.

[Paul R Johnson]

We always try to help, assist, encourage and navigate for people Ryan, but there is a point at which people usually click and realise that their aims and hopes cannot be achieved, and sadly, I think we're at this point.

You refuse to work on small projects to gain experience, and want to do your feature. Money is tight and frankly, you'd be better off just burning it now. Wanting something that is out of reach is a horrible thing to suddenly realise is how it is. I feel you're at that point Ryan.

Looking back through the dozens of topics you have started, not one is a positive one. Not once have you ever been in a position to help others, but constantly start posts and behave like a sponge - soaking up the responses. The trouble is you don't seem to learn and develop. You refuse to do the things we know will help build a solid skill base. You never look at yourself realistically, but constantly believe that with just a little help, you'll get there. You now want other people to do the work, because you're finding it tough. This is called life.

I don't believe we can help you Ryan, if you are unwilling or unable to move forward logically,

[Brian Drysdale]

There's no point in having the money for the feature, if you haven't invested in building up the skills required to make the feature. The alternative is to use the feature as a training exercise on which you can learn the skills.

You keep asking questions, yet somehow you don't progress further, it's as if you're caught in a loop.