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Directing a Visual Aesthetic with Director Michael McCourt
You hear it time and time again in this business: “But what I’d really like to do is direct.”
Today, we’re speaking with Michael McCourt about the art and craft of directing in order to understand just what it takes to be a successful director.
“People want to be a director because you get to call the shots. But certainly in the advertising world, it’s a dance.
Michael McCourt
There’s the craft of the art design, shooting it and directing the performances, and putting everything together. There’s that one aspect.
But there’s also the dance of customer relationships with crew, how to get people to work hard. And how to buy the trust of the client.
It’s all about communication.“
Improve your post-production craft with Insights from production
In our ongoing series, Voices from the Set, I (DIT Rich Roddman) interview members of the production team to deepen and enhance our understanding of the creative choices and constraints that have gone into the images before we see them.
In this Insight, Director Michael McCourt shares how he got started in the industry, what inspired him to become a director, and how he shepherds the look he wants from pre-production to post-production.
Michael discusses his entire process, including:
- Selecting the right location through detailed scouting.
- Creating the right textures with the art department and wardrobe.
- Collaborating with the DP from LUTS to lights and in-camera grain.
- His thought process when selecting an editor or colorist to work with.
We also unpack his unique approach to building the visuals for every scene he creates, and how he communicates with his entire team to cement that aesthetic approach into the final look.
Key takeaways from this Insight
By the end of this Insight, you should understand how to:
Mentioned in this Insight
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Questions or comments? Leave a comment!
What have you learned from the directors you’ve worked with most closely? How has that shaped how you operate in Post? Who would you like to hear from next?
— Rich
