Director's Checklist: What Should You Do After a Take is Over?

"Directing is not easy work, especially if you’ve never done it before. It’s easy to say “action” and “cut,” but everything that happens after a take can be just as important as what happens during a take. So what should you be doing once a take is finished? Director Patrick Tucker, who has been at the helm for more than 400 broadcast TV episodes, recently gave some advice about what a director should do after saying “cut.”

Thanks to Raindance Film Festival for posting this (and FilmmakerIQ for the find), here are a few I think are important:

1. Did you like the take?

On balance, were all the major elements in place?  (framing; camera movement; lighting; design; properties; costumes; make-up; script; editing – will it cut to and from the surrounding shots; and DON’T FORGET TO THINK ABOUT THE ACTING.)

 4. Weigh up the pros and cons of going again

Balance the wishes of the crew/actor requests on one side, and your knowledge of how much must be done today (and what is coming up) on the other. Is it better to correct something now, or wait to fix it in post-production?

7. Stop before you move

Before moving the camera (and so needing changes in lighting, dressings and design), make sure there is no other shot needed for this scene that could be done from here. Also, see if there is any other shot you can squeeze from this set-up for only a few extra seconds of shooting."

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