Things I’ve Learned As A Moviemaker

by Antony Hoffman | Published February 3, 2007

Red Planet

Shooting the Script

You learn to stay true to the page. No matter how hard this movie got in terms of the logistics, I focused on the script. What does this scene mean to me? What does that line mean to me? I knew that if I could make the moment believable, even if there are big leaps-like you could breathe on Mars-if we played it real and I could get the drama right, I'd be okay.

Storyboarding

Storyboards are very helpful. You must forget about them, but if all hell breaks loose, you still know what to shoot-you have a blueprint for your scene. Changes will happen on the set, but if you know what the scene is about and how you want to shoot it, you have your storyboard there.

Directing Actors

You have to keep learning the acting craft to communicate with actors. Most directors, including myself, are not prepared enough for that.

Commercials as Training Ground

Commercials are the best training ground to make big studio movies. They keep me sharp. I hope to keep doing them. If you do one movie every two years, you're lucky, so what do you do in between? It's a great training ground-like a film school for movie guys.

Big Budget Moviemaking

I probably would do another big picture if it had character and said something. If it embodies themes that I like, it doesn't matter how big a film it is.

Being a First Time Director

You've got to start with high aspirations and really understand the material. You've got to have it under your skin so that you can defend certain things that you feel strongly about because you are going to be attacked and questioned on everything when you do movies with $80-$90-$100 million budgets, especially as a first timer. Then, you have to stick to your vision on the things that are really important. Maintain a certainty of "I am making my movie." Not as a matter of arrogance, but if you are making everybody else's movie, it will become a hodgepodge.

Dealing With Studios

You want the studio to love your movie like it's their own. You want them to feel that they are invested in it as well-personally, emotionally, and professionally. The big trick is to get what you want and give them what they want, and hopefully together it doesn't become two different movies. You've got to be able to deal with all of the variables. Whether you're making a movie for $1 million or $100 million, you want people to see the movie. It's all the same game.

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