Why all the "directors vision" junk?

[Spiderbri]

Ok, over the last few years I've been getting more and more annoyed with all the talk about "the directors vision" or "how the director intended"

Why? How about the dang writers vision? they are the one that, you know, came up with the whole MOVIE!

ok, ok. Admitedly I have aspirations of being a writer so there is no doubt bias. however if I ever got good and gained some influence I'd like to direct as well. (both pipe dreams that will never happen)

But seriously, I just don't get it. When I make a story I see in my head exactly how it should be. Tha camera angels, the facial expressions, the timing, everything. But writers get no love. Everyone knows actors, and at least half of the directors get a certain level of fame.

But how many normal people know who WROTE the Matrix, or Spider-man or Transformers. They know who directed them, and who stared.

It just seems like BS. It should be the writers vision what they wanted to portray not the director. If nothing else it should be a colaboration, but most scripts get rewritten half the time.

Granted I'm not in hollywood so I don't KNOW anything, maybe the writers are always on set helping the director. But from what I've heard and seen in behind the scenes stuff they aren't.

Who cares if the director wanted grain, maybe the writer didn't. Who cares if the director wanted to make it darker and more edge, maybe the writer wanted it to be lighter with more of a comedic edge.

And we can't say the director is always right because if the writers vision isn't done we don't know how it would have done financially.

*sigh* I don't know. It just has really started to bug me, and I know it will never change. But I wanted to see what you guys thought.

Thanks for listening.

[My_Two_Cents]

For a minute, there, I thought this was going to be yet another annoying "why can't movies fill my new TV screen" threads.

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by Spiderbri

Ok, over the last few years I've been getting more and more annoyed with all the talk about "the directors vision" or "how the director intended"

Why? How about the dang writers vision? they are the one that, you know, came up with the whole MOVIE!

ok, ok. Admitedly I have aspirations of being a writer so there is no doubt bias. however if I ever got good and gained some influence I'd like to direct as well. (both pipe dreams that will never happen)

But seriously, I just don't get it. When I make a story I see in my head exactly how it should be. Tha camera angels, the facial expressions, the timing, everything. But writers get no love. Everyone knows actors, and at least half of the directors get a certain level of fame.

But how many normal people know who WROTE the Matrix, or Spider-man or Transformers. They know who directed them, and who stared.

It just seems like BS. It should be the writers vision what they wanted to portray not the director. If nothing else it should be a colaboration, but most scripts get rewritten half the time.

Granted I'm not in hollywood so I don't KNOW anything, maybe the writers are always on set helping the director. But from what I've heard and seen in behind the scenes stuff they aren't.

Who cares if the director wanted grain, maybe the writer didn't. Who cares if the director wanted to make it darker and more edge, maybe the writer wanted it to be lighter with more of a comedic edge.

And we can't say the director is always right because if the writers vision isn't done we don't know how it would have done financially.

*sigh* I don't know. It just has really started to bug me, and I know it will never change. But I wanted to see what you guys thought.

Thanks for listening.

I've always been of the opinion that the writers get paid to do a job, so do the directors, and unless the director has a great deal of pull in the industry, they're about the same as writers and it doesn't really matter with the end result what their 'vision' was, we'll still end up with a "Super-mecha-special edition' Blu-ray of their works in a couple of years.

And that's ok, because Hollywood isn't about the 'art' and hasn't been for about 30 years {or so} Hollywood is about the money. Anyone who tells you different is selling something.

Logan

[Q?]

The director has the full responsibility of the movie, the director usually oversees every aspect of a production.
It's his/her reputation on the line too, so... it's not "junk" to me

[Sussudio]

In short, because it IS the director's vision, coming from the writer's story.....one is on paper, one is on screen. It is also not uncommon for the director to rewrite or alter the script (usually without receiving any official credit) before or even during production.

[OrlandoEastwood]

The director is given the script to adapt as his own and adapt it the way he and the producers/studio can agree to adapt it. So, in essence, it is the director's vision.

[Spiderbri]

But why? What makes the director any better than the guy/girl that wrote it?

It doesn't make any sense if the director is such a great writer that they can adapt the story so much better than it was originally written then why don't they write it themselves?

That sounded more bitter than it is meant to be, by the way. lol

seriously, if the studio loved the idea enough to buy it, then why does it need to be changed in anyway? (i dont mean little stuff like adjusting because they mentioned Cocacola by name and the studio had to get pepsi to sponsor or whatever)

I still don't see the directors being so all powerful and perfect that they have the right to be given so much liscense over someone elses work.

[Q?]

Originally Posted by Spiderbri

But why? What makes the director any better than the guy/girl that wrote it?

It doesn't make any sense if the director is such a great writer that they can adapt the story so much better than it was originally written then why don't they write it themselves?

That sounded more bitter than it is meant to be, by the way. lol

seriously, if the studio loved the idea enough to buy it, then why does it need to be changed in anyway? (i dont mean little stuff like adjusting because they mentioned Cocacola by name and the studio had to get pepsi to sponsor or whatever)

I still don't see the directors being so all powerful and perfect that they have the right to be given so much liscense over someone elses work.

Originally Posted by Q!

The director has the full responsibility of the movie, the director usually oversees every aspect of a production.
It's his/her reputation on the line too, so... it's not "junk" to me

The writers don't.
Any that's how I see it.

[Mahatma]

All I can say is that the better the collaberation between writer and director,the better the movie will be in all probability.But-you are right-usually the director gets most of the glory,but he takes most of the blame when things go wrong also so it may even out in the end.

Feel better?

[Lord_Stewie]

Writers deserve the props because they created the story. But the issue is how to tell the story, after all it is what matters. So having a good director with a good vision contributes a lot as to how the story is told.

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by Spiderbri

But why? What makes the director any better than the guy/girl that wrote it?

It doesn't make any sense if the director is such a great writer that they can adapt the story so much better than it was originally written then why don't they write it themselves?

That sounded more bitter than it is meant to be, by the way. lol

seriously, if the studio loved the idea enough to buy it, then why does it need to be changed in anyway? (i dont mean little stuff like adjusting because they mentioned Cocacola by name and the studio had to get pepsi to sponsor or whatever)

I still don't see the directors being so all powerful and perfect that they have the right to be given so much liscense over someone elses work.

Because the story can sound great on paper, but whereas the writer has the sole job (and a very important one at that) of getting his thoughts into a coherent story and ultimately a polished script (and even then it might be rewritten or polished further), the director is responsible for translating it visually and carrying the script from beginning to end of the filmmaking process, and there is--as many of you know--a LOT more to the process than simply grabbing a pair of actors and a camera and yelling "action."

Originally Posted by Mahatma

usually the director gets most of the glory,but he takes most of the blame when things go wrong also so it may even out in the end.

Feel better?

Well put

[reallyagi]

It gets more complicated when Hollywood studios or execs start altering the directors' intent, from deleting scenes to changing character structures and critical plot developments.

Also, it depends on whether you are writing a book/novel or a screenplay.

[toef]

The writing and directing are somewhat intertwined. There's a Tarantino quote along the lines of "the final draft of the script is the first cut of the film, and the final cut of the film is the last draft of the script".

But in general, the director is given the most credit because s/he oversees EVERY aspect of making a movie.

A writer just writes the story. Sure, maybe a story is the most important part, but a good movie still requires more than just a good story.

If there's one unsung hero in moviemaking, I'd say it's the editors. They can take the same scenes, with the same script, and completely change the story, just through the way it's edited.

[Porkchop Express]

Writers can earn an Academy Award just like a director. So they get recognition when it's due.

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by reallyagi

It gets more complicated when Hollywood studios or execs start altering the directors' intent, from deleting scenes to changing character structures and critical plot developments.

Yes, however:

It's not the Directors money that goes into the production {for the MOST part anyway} so it's not the Director's call what gets put in and taken out when compared to the studios.

Let's put it this way, if you bought a television, you have the choice of what features you want in a television, if it has 3 or 4 HDMI ports, or if it has a link up for your computer, if it has 720 or 1080p etc.

Same thing goes with a movie in Hollywood, it's the producers and the studios money, so they have the final call.

Assuming that a director has a final call on something when {in essence} he's just a hired gun that's brought in to get a job done, is not only laughable, it's kinda silly.

Logan

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by toef

If there's one unsung hero in moviemaking, I'd say it's the editors. They can take the same scenes, with the same script, and completely change the story, just through the way it's edited.

That is a great point, toef...everything can change in the editing room....there's a saying that goes something like "when you set out to make a movie, you're actually making three: 1) the one you write down, 2) the one you shoot, and 3) the one you edit." Editors definitely deserve to get much more credit than they are given.

[Spiderbri]

lol. I just don't see it.

I get what you are all saying about the Directors getting blame as well as glory. That makes sense. But still a well written story plays like a movie in your mind. when you read a book what pulls you in is you see it all in your head. so what you see in your head is what it should look like on film.

not counting thing that are physically impossible to do, (which only partially matters with special effects being what they are) the movie is done.

I may not be giving directors enough credit, but I think you guys are giving them to much. Of course a movie is more than actors and yelling action. And executives stick thier hands in the already full cookie jar and screw things up further, but the VISION is already there.

a directors vision shouldn't be much different if at all than the writers vision. And you know what? maybe it's not. maybe all these directors ARE giving us the writers vision.

I don't know any directors or writers to talk to about it. I'm just expressing my annoyance at how directors seemingly have carte blanc to do whatever they want with someone else's idea.

Apparently no one shares my feelings. oh well. Not every one can be as right as me.

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by Spiderbri

so what you see in your head is what it should look like on film.

I guess this proves why we aren't on the same page

[Q?]

Originally Posted by Spiderbri

lol. I just don't see it.

I get what you are all saying about the Directors getting blame as well as glory. That makes sense. But still a well written story plays like a movie in your mind. when you read a book what pulls you in is you see it all in your head. so what you see in your head is what it should look like on film.

not counting thing that are physically impossible to do, (which only partially matters with special effects being what they are) the movie is done.

I may not be giving directors enough credit, but I think you guys are giving them to much. Of course a movie is more than actors and yelling action. And executives stick thier hands in the already full cookie jar and screw things up further, but the VISION is already there.

a directors vision shouldn't be much different if at all than the writers vision. And you know what? maybe it's not. maybe all these directors ARE giving us the writers vision.

I don't know any directors or writers to talk to about it. I'm just expressing my annoyance at how directors seemingly have carte blanc to do whatever they want with someone else's idea.

Apparently no one shares my feelings. oh well. Not every one can be as right as me.

Okay, take The Godfather for example, Coppola knew that Al Pacino would be perfect for Michael Corleone, Coppola was basically alone in his opinion, the studio didn't want Al Pacino to play that role, but Coppola FOUGHT for him, not because it said in the script that Pacino would be perfect for the role, it was because Coppola saw it in his mind.

He was right

[SquidPuppet]

I suspect that some of your feelings were also felt by others, resulting in great colaborative teams and individuals that write and direct in order to maintain control.

The Coen Bros
The Nolan Bros
Spielberg
Lucas
Etc etc etc............