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Useful insights into some of the very best in the game. Practical directing advice from some of the best.
Directing advice from the best
Steven Spielberg
Whilst addressing College students on graduation. the I dream for a living director- famous for his science fiction, fantasy and other worldly style of directing engages his audiences in a touching sentimental kind of way. From the works of E.T- the extra terrestrial through to Jurassic Park and dramatical pieces of work such as Schindlers list and the academy award winning film Saving Private Ryan in which he nabbed the Oscar for best director in 1999, Steven Speilberg has very clean cut points of advice.
I didn’t have a choice… I didn’t have a choice. When you have a dream and the dream isn’t something you dream and then it happens. The hardest thing to listen to is your intuition. Every day of your life you have to be ready to listen to the whisper it very rarely shouts. If you can listen to the whisper and if it tickles your heart and its something you think you want to do for the rest of your life, then that is what you are going to do for the rest of your life and we will benefit from everything you do
Steven Spielberg
Sir Peter Jackson
Back when NBC interviewed Sir Peter Jackson on film making back in December 2012. There was one very straight forward piece of advice that he gave any upcoming film maker or anyone for that matter who wanted to get into the film industry and get a start. He had one very key piece of advice and he reiterated that the answer to all the questions from students was the simple. How do I get into films?
If you want to make a film. Go and make it. If you want to make a movie, there’s cameras. Go get a camera and start making a film.
Sir Peter Jackson
The key take-aways you get from watching this type of interview are:
- Self sufficiency
- Take the initiative
- Don’t take the easy way.
- Grab a camera
- Film making is a long journey – start small
- Pay for your first film yourself
- Shoot at the weekends
James Cameron
1984 paved the way for a James Cameron masterpiece when The Terminator was released. it catapulted the director into the limelight and was a box office hit not long after Aliens and The Abyss approached our screens with another Terminator movie judgement day.
With humble beginnings as a truck driver and at one point a janitor , James Cameron has long reiterated the need to keep at it. Whilst writing scripts pulling over to the side of the road as a truck driver and working his way up in production design and getting a look in making miniatures from the likes of Roger Corman studios James Cameron determination to make movies is what sets him apart from other film makers. When the original director for the movie sequel to Piranha , Piranha II fell to the way side it lay way for the director to step up to the plate. An entrepreneurial spirit whilst writing the script for The Terminator a young James Cameron mapped out the work for what would be large scale films Titanic in 1997 through to sci fiction box office smash hit Avatar.
Pick up a camera. Shoot something no matter how small, no matter whether your friends or your sisters star in it. Put your name on it as director – now you’re a director. Everything after that, you’re just negotiating your budget.
James Cameron
If you are wanting to check out some great courses from James Cameron and other fantastic film makers you can check out the review of Masterclass here
