I've noticed lately how so many people with film backgrounds have started branching out into Opera and Theater (Sally of course, Woody Allen, Kevin Spacey, etc.) and I wondered how many people have done the opposite? I've worked in theatre for a few years now and have always wanted to move over to film but found it incredibly difficult, I could never get my foot in the door. And yet it seems that film directors are being asked to work in the world of theatre rather than requesting, I wonder why this is? And why so many accept? Is it more of a challenge? Do directors feel that once they have conquered the film world they should try the theatrical? Or maybe it's the other way around, maybe that's why I can't get into film, because it's a step above theatre. I'm not really sure. I hope Sally blogs about the differences between the two, I find it really interesting as they are two separate art forms that are so similar and yet so different.
Thu, 08/09/2007 - 13:40 — jb
Fassbinder is just one very well known example of a director that started out in theatre and went on to make films, and he did so in a way where there was a lot of overlap, filming plays, often using his same entourage of actors etc etc.
I think Ingmar Bergman also had feet in both places.
However I don't think you can really break into film in the way you are talking about, that just doesn't really happen. People just make films and then people either like them or hate them or both, or possibly they call you weird.
If you want to make films then just make them. See the Tim Burton movie "Ed Wood" for more details.
There isn't really a door to get your foot into, take a piece of chalk and draw your own doorway! :)
love
Freya
I love the comment about taking chalk and drawing your own doorway because I believe that is truly how it is done! And didn't Sally have her early start in theatre and dance? So she has always moved in both of these worlds.
While the two forms share much I believe a person wishing to translate their theater skills to film would benefit greatly by becoming familiar with a camera as this is essential to directing film... without knowledge of camera, lenses, editing basics etc a director will be beholdent to someone else to basically direct those elements for you. I think mastery of these elements makes transitioning from stage to film perhaps a tad more complex, although as a filmmaker the idea of not having a camera and just moving people around a stage scares me!
Luckily in this day and age a minimal video camera and editing set-up is with-in the reach of many... practicing by shooting shorts is a great way to learn and the web gives an audience to these projects as well, a GREAT time for a theater director to hone skills and make the transition.
Another theater cross over director, the woman who was involved with The Lion King and now directed Across the Universe? Julie Taymor?
I too would love to hear Sally's thoughts on this.
Courage!
haverfilms
Is that true? I thought it was the other way round. I'd also be very interested to see what Sally thinks about this.
“The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.”-- Oscar Wilde