Dealing With Difficult Directors and Producers
It’s hard for playwrights and actors to deal with directors that don’t understand their talent or their vision of an on screen performance. This happens frequently throughout the industry but there are keys to making your working relationship with your director better. The first tool in working better is understanding when to compromise, when to fight, and when to just drop it.
Screenwriters have a hard time trying to please producers and directors but their input is crucial to the production of your movie. There are always ways to compromise with those in charge of your production if you can understand what their concerns are and where your visions meet. In the case of most producers it comes down to a matter of finances and the quality of the product you are producing.
Working on a limited budget is hard but it has to be done early in your career. Producers keep you in check to make sure you aren’t going to overspend and to make sure the product you are producing is quality for the big screen. Most screenwriters and actors hate to hear that but you are producing a product for consumption and that your vision of your performance or movie could cause issues in post production.
This is why something’s you should just instinctively know to back away from. The little details that don’t necessary effect your artistic vision or your performance but aspects that just aren’t necessary. Some directors are perfectionist and want to be able to film every angle of every piece of dialog so get used to reshooting when you are working with a difficult director. The key is to never lose your cool since this maybe the only opportunity you have to shine. Directors and producers can be hard to work with but if you just understand where they are coming from then you may end up with the best performance of your life.
