Three things to do before you say the word "action"

Action. Its a word which simplicity holds so much power and emotion. Whether your about to shoot a dramatic death, a first kiss, or epic action sequence, here are some things to do before you say "Action!".

Have an open mind.

When your shooting a film, TV show, advert etc. it's pretty much set in stone that everything will not go as planned. You might not have a full cast, the set might break, the weather might suddenly change. So, make sure you go into shoot with an open mind. Be prepared to make changes at any given moment.

Be the camera.

When you say action, its easy to watch the scene as it unfolds, however, the little details you might be seeing, the camera might not. Its best to use the camera as your second eye, if your looking at a scene, what should be in focus? The glass on the table? A character?

Talk

Its easy to look at the scene as a director and focus on the dialogue, or the set. But its important as a director to engage with your cast and crew. Let them know what you want to achieve with each shot or scene. Communication is key here. The cast and crew cant read minds, if they can, call Professor X.