One Trait The Best Movie Directors Share
They are all about the details. (Trust me when I tell you that you have to read to the end to see how this all ties in with my toy and action figure photography…)
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting (and even hanging out with) some motion picture directors. I’ve also studied several directors from afar; reading books about them, attending film school classes dissecting their work, listening to them give talks, etc.
I’ve noticed one trait that the good ones seem to share. They are all about the details.
Sometimes, I am sure the pursuit of getting it perfect (or maybe said another way, getting it just right,) might drive some people nuts. But great directors have a vision and if it’s not right — it’s not right. They know exactly what they want and they get it. One way or another. They work the problem until it is solved.
I was watching the documentary called LIGHT & MAGIC about George Lucas and Industrial Light & Magic. It’s streaming on the Disney Channel. (I actually watched it several times.)
In one episode, they are discussing the size of the windows on the Death Star trench from the movie STAR WARS. This is the scene where Luke and his fellow rebels are trying to drop a bomb down a small hole that will destroy the Death Star.
The space ships that are making the strafing run appear to be traveling at a very high rate of speed. So, when they are flying by the tiny windows in the trench on the Death Star, you might see the windows for a fraction of a second here and there.
They were using small stickers for the windows and Lucas wanted the windows to be a different size because the scale was off.
Now remember, the scene isn’t about the windows, it’s about Luke dropping the kill shot that ends the threat to the rebel planet. But this incredibly small detail was important to the director.
It’s that level of commitment that drives the great ones and it’s my practice to try to emulate those people whenever I can.
When I am building my silly toy photo sets (No ILM budgets here, folks) I still try to make as much detail as I can. I had some 3D parts printed for a diorama I was using as a set for a scene I was shooting that included Batman and the Joker.
I wanted some bricks on a pallet and a trash can in the alley and I decided to pay extra so the trash can lid comes on and off. All of this is 1:12 scale. The trash can is something that I put on the set but never even included in the shot. I originally envisioned it there and it fit the setting so I put it there just so I personally would pay attention to detail.
I am trying to operate at the highest level I can, given my experience level and (once again — let me remind you — budgets that do not come close to those at ILM.)
I also found a scale PacMan video game and believe it or not, you can play PacMan on it. It works!
From street signs, lamp posts, crates and trash cans, to front lawns (or lack thereof) including an intentional street layout, background, etc., I think these very tiny details make a huge difference when trying to convey a sense of place.
I also (on purpose) try to throw something in each scene that isn’t quite right. I want to achieve perfect imperfection.
I’ve come to treat each photo I make with the utmost care. After all, it may be the last photo I ever make. So I want it to be a good one.
I will build sets with as much realism as I can muster and even if I am the only person who knows how hard I worked on it, that’s okay.
CONCLUSION
Whatever you do. Do it with intention. Be deliberate. Be demanding (of yourself.) Don’t phone it in. Do things that only you will notice. Do stuff that is hard even though you won’t get credit for it. Do stuff that (when nobody else is looking) lets you know in your heart that you are 100% sold out for whatever it is. In my case, it’s toy photography — as silly as that may sound to some of you.
Remember, toys are joy.
