TV Director

Working Schedule

• Television Directors may work full-time when assigned to direct a whole season of a series. In this situation, they may also have to put in a lot of overtime, depending on schedules. Not all TV Directors direct every episode of a show, and some don’t direct any series at all. If a director is brought in to do a single episode, or to film a commercial, play, or other relatively short production, they may have to supplement their income with other work. 

Typical Duties

• Review TV show and commercial scripts 
• Discuss ideas with the show’s writers, producers, and other stakeholders 
• Collaborate with sound, lighting, camera crew, the director of photography, the first assistant director, unit directors, and others 
• Ensure the showrunner’s creative vision is understood and captured
• Work with casting directors, if necessary. Most series have their core cast pinned down already
• Work with art departments, wardrobe, hair and makeup, special effects prosthetics, and many other teams to make sure everyone is working cohesively   
• Approve set or stage designs, as applicable (some shows have several regular interior sets they use repeatedly, while others may not)
• Go over budgets and financial considerations before production starts. Work with the unit production manager, as needed
• Help actors and other talent understand desired outcomes for each take, without micromanaging performances
• Direct scenes in a variety of settings including interior sets, outdoor location shots, green screen studios, and many more  
• Ensure filming stays on schedule and within budget

Additional Responsibilities

• Talk with location scouts to find suitable places for filming particular scenes
• Go over anticipated technical or logistical difficulties such as inclement weather or physical hazards requiring stunt coordination
• Oversee post-production, when necessary (i.e., editing, and Foley sound effects, and adding visual effects such as CGI, compositing, and motion capture)

A Sample Day in the Life

• Arrive before 7am
• Answer last minute questions about what the team will shoot that day
• Conduct private, short rehearsal with actors for the first scene
• Show the scene to the crew
• Get marks on every position where the actors stand
• Talk to the DP about how the scene will be shot
• Watch a camera rehearsal with the stand-ins
• Conduct a camera rehearsal with the actors
• Shoot the scene
• Move onto the next scene
• Will shoot on average 5-7 scenes per day

Soft Skills

• Ability to inspire others 
• Active listening
• Ambition
• Calm under pressure
• Collaborative 
• Conceptualization skills
• Confidence 
• Creativity
• Decisiveness
• Detail-oriented
• Empathy
• Flexibility
• Intuitive
• Leadership 
• Patience
• Persistence 
• Persuasiveness 
• Problem-solving skills
• Strong communication skills
• Teamwork
• Visual and written storytelling

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of video camera equipment and filmmaking software, including professional editing tools 
• Technical knowledge of framing and staging shots
• Familiarity with sound and lighting technologies
• Familiarity with design, special effects, and post-production processes
• General understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and challenges of all critical departments and crew members, including production design, wardrobe, art, makeup, sound, special and visual effects, set decor, stunt coordinators, cast directors, etc. 

• TV and motion picture studios
• Independent Productions
• Advertising and PR firms
• Performing arts industries
• TV broadcasting
• Video industries

Without Television Directors, we wouldn’t have anything to watch when we turn on our TVs! Although they don’t have the same level of creative responsibilities as Film Directors, they have complicated jobs that require a huge amount of leadership and multitasking. Luckily, the showrunners, producers, and writing teams take off a lot of the creative burden so that TV Directors can focus on their myriad other duties! 

They don’t have to be away as long as Film Directors when shooting on location, but there are still plenty of sacrifices. Hours can be long, with hectic schedules and untold production problems ranging from budgets to logistics. Sometimes TV Directors even have to deal with unruly actors or crew. 

Another potential sacrifice is that there may not be a steady paycheck if a director is only brought in for one or two episodes or a brief production such as a commercial. That’s why TV Directors often have to do other work to bring enough yearly income. 

TV shows are becoming increasingly sophisticated thanks to the rise of streaming platforms. This has attracted big-name actors who are now more willing to do TV than ever before. Producers have risen to meet the challenge, upping the ante by hiring top-notch Television Directors to make shows that look and feel more like movies. 

From Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max to Disney+, Apple TV, and Amazon, the floodgates have opened and viewers are met with a barrage of exciting new digital content they can binge from their living rooms. While Hollywood is still fighting to reel audiences into movie theaters, streaming has forever changed our viewing habits…which is great news for TV Directors who have more opportunities than ever before! Streaming has also opened things up for documentary makers and independent directors. A few other things: 

• Increase in the amount of product for viewing
• “Binge watching” is growing
• Realignment of release windows
• Increased demand for female-focused films

Television Directors were almost certainly huge movie and TV buffs growing up. They may have enjoyed using camcorders or smartphones to shoot amateur videos for YouTube, showing early indications that they weren’t content to simply “watch” but instead had a burning desire to create! 

Like all good directors, they were likely innovative and driven, good with both people and technology, and comfortable being in charge of things. In school, they might have been involved in student projects, extracurricular activities, and audiovisual clubs. 

Directors tend to know at least a little about a lot of things, and thus might have been voracious readers on a variety of subjects. Perhaps above all, they are storytellers who love to use visual media to share and inspire.