Application
Directors of relatively large-scale film and television productions apply the skills and knowledge described in this unit. Even though directors act with a high degree of autonomy and are ultimately responsible for realising the production's creative vision, they are members of a production team and need to collaborate with technical and administrative personnel during rehearsals and on film shoots. A high level of creativity is expected, along with the flexibility to make compromises where necessary. Skills associated with directing television programs are covered in: CUFDRT401A Direct television programs and segments. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Brief crew on shoot requirements. | 1.1. Brief production crew and discuss proposed vision, artistic style and technical requirements for productions. 1.2. Engage production crew in the development of creative or alternative solutions to production requirements. 1.3. Assess input from production crew to resolve difficult or complex shot requirements and adjust as required. 1.4. Ensure technical requirements that may influence production outcomes are available or seek alternatives where necessary. 1.5. Establish clear communication lines between members of production crew. |
2. Rehearse shoots. | 2.1. Provide relevant production documentation to all members of production crew as required. 2.2. Ensure shoot procedures and protocols are planned and executed according to organisational practices. 2.3. Ensure production crew understands its role in realising each scenic unit in the context of the overall required narrative. 2.4. Assist production crew to maximise its technical expertise in the delivery of desired photographic and cinematographic (mise en scene effect) outcomes throughout the production. 2.5. Direct rehearsal of each shot where required and assess for creative or technical problems as they may affect members of production crews. |
3. Direct shoots. | 3.1. Direct performers to ensure they understand their role in assisting production crew to meet planned technical and creative requirements. 3.2. Direct retakes where necessary during production and design innovative and imaginative solutions to resolve problems in collaboration with production crew. 3.3. Provide clear instructions and commands to production crew that are both accurate and artistic where applicable. 3.4. Ensure all required sequences and additional material are recorded correctly in order to guarantee completion of production. 3.5. Ensure OHS practices are implemented in accordance with organisational procedures. 3.6. Evaluate all aspects of the shoot from a director's perspective, including own performance, and note areas for improvement. 3.7. Provide positive feedback to relevant production crew members and invite comment on the shoot. |
Required Skills
|
Required skills |
Required skills: well-developed communication skills in the context of: liaising with a wide range of production staff delivering clear and viable presentations and briefings to production staff providing clear verbal and non-verbal cues during shoots negotiating solutions to problems and conflicts that arise during rehearsals or shoots providing constructive feedback to crew members during shoots working collaboratively with production staff and performers during shoots responding appropriately to feedback about shoots from others high level of initiative, enterprise and creativity in the context of: demonstrating originality and innovative approaches in the creative directing process being open to a wide range of ideas and approaches to planning shots determining how a story can be carried forward from one scene to the next and throughout an entire production experimenting with narrative conventions and elements being flexible enough to make last-minute adjustments to planned performances if unforeseen circumstances arise during a shoot self-management and problem-solving skills sufficient to: show strong leadership qualities solve problems and challenges on set in a timely and collaborative manner manage a number of tasks concurrently work under pressure to tight deadlines literacy skills sufficient to read and interpret documentation and other narrative forms, such as scripts and technical papers technical skills sufficient to: direct a range of professional camera, lighting and sound operations in single and multi-camera environments direct program materials at a high level using a range of film or video equipment use standard word processing and spreadsheet applications in preparing documentation in relation to the directing process numeracy skills sufficient to interpret budgets and cost estimates. |
Required knowledge |
appreciation and understanding of the key elements of screen productions, including: screenwriting screen acting cinematography editing sound design production design industry knowledge, including: roles and responsibilities of personnel involved in production, including camera operators, sound recordists, designers and editors impact of technology on production and post-production operations issues and challenges that arise in directing screen production crews conventions and practices of directing for the screen broad historical and cultural context for types of productions relevant to area of work techniques used to realise visual narrative from written narrative visual story-telling techniques thorough understanding of technical and artistic elements involved in production conditions of industrial awards and workers' compensation in relation to participation of cast and crew in rehearsals and shoots duty of care to colleagues and general public knowledge of communication techniques, including effective listening, questioning and non-verbal cues OHS standards as they apply to directing screen productions. |
Evidence Required
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: directing of screen productions that demonstrate: effective communication with cast and crew ability to produce creative solutions while working under pressure knowledge of all technical, staging and artistic aspects of a production ability to meet production deadlines. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: access to a suitable range of production opportunities for directing production crews access to a range of production facilities, e.g. film and television multi-camera studio access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required the use of culturally appropriate processes, and techniques appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed. |
Method of assessment | The following assessment method is appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance observation of the candidate directing crew members during a shoot to assess candidate's ability to communicate effectively with a production crew evaluation of screen productions directed by the candidate to determine candidate's understanding of, and skills demonstrated in, the directing process written or oral questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUFDRT501A Direct rehearsals of performers CUFDRT502A Direct performers. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Production crew may include: | art directors camera operators continuity staff directors directors of photography editors lighting directors producers production designers production managers sound recordists technical producers vision controllers vision mixers and switchers other technical/specialist staff. |
Technical requirements may include: | camera movement camera type interior or exterior location lens configurations lighting intensity microphone placement pace of filming shooting sequence of scenes sound requirements studio. |
Productions may include: | advertisements/commercials animated productions documentaries, feature films and shorts interactive media promotional presentations television series and serials training videos. |
Production requirements may include: | budget camera coverage codes of practice confidentiality content contractual copyright deadlines duration genre of production intellectual property location purpose schedule style e.g. fashion, historical and contemporary. |
Shot requirements may include: | camera movement - tilting, panning, dollying, zooming and tracking camera position close-up. extreme close-up composition cutaway shot establishing or master shot eye level shot high angle, low angle lens size mid shot, long shot performers' movement point of view shot retakes second unit filming size of image sound recording of atmosphere wide shot. |
Production documentation may include: | cast lists cast, character, costume and props matrix doubling lists extract lists lighting plots notated score quick change lists rehearsal notes rehearsal scene breakdown running sheets scene by scene principals and extras lists script versions shot plans technical notes. |
Shoot procedures and protocols may include: | 'action' to commence acting 'cut' to terminate recording call for end slate where necessary calls for cast and crew to take up positions calls for roll camera calls for roll sound calls for slate and ID recording confirmation of slate and ID recording from camera operator and clapper loader confirmation of speed from camera and sound cue cameras stand-by cues. |
Additional material may include: | cutaways retakes second unit filming sound recording of atmosphere. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Media and entertainment production - directing |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.