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Film & TV · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Directing Fiction Films

The Director is the storyteller in chief. This course focuses on the creative leadership required to translate a script onto the screen. Students will explore visual language (blocking and camera placement) and the psychological art of working with actors. The curriculum emphasizes “Visual Subtext”—telling the story through images rather than just dialogue.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Analyze scripts to identify "Beats," "Objectives," and "Super-objectives"
  2. Master the grammar of visual storytelling (The 180 Rule, Screen Direction)
  3. Direct actors using "Verbs" and "Action" rather than result-oriented adjectives
  4. Execute complex Scene Blocking (staging actors and cameras in depth)
  5. Collaborate effectively with the DP (Cinematographer) and Production Designer
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01The Director's Vision: Concept & Tone
  2. 02Script Analysis: Finding the Subtext
  3. 03Visual Grammar: Shot Sizes & Angles
  4. 04The Line of Action (180 Degree Rule)
  5. 05Blocking I: Staging Actors in Space
  6. 06Blocking II: Moving the Camera
  7. 07The Floor Plan: Designing the Set
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Directing Actors I: The Result Trap
  10. 10Directing Actors II: Verbs & Actions
  11. 11Casting: Running Auditions
  12. 12Rehearsal Techniques
  13. 13Working with the DP: The Shot List
  14. 14Continuity & Coverage
  15. 15Post-Production: The Director's Cut
  16. 16Final Project: Directing a Short Scene

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: Directing a Short Scene

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. On Directing Film by David Mamet
  2. Directing Actors by Judith Weston
  3. Film Directing: Shot by Shot by Steven D. Katz
  4. In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch
  5. Making Movies by Sidney Lumet
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