Directors


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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Highlights
Reza Badiyi on his visual style on Mannix
00:39
Ron Howard on his directorial style
02:27
Frances Buss Buch on how she directed a television program
02:37
John Singleton on directing Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" music video
03:48
Jay Sandrich on how good writing inspires him as a director
01:14
Who talked about this profession

Andy Ackerman

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Andy Ackerman on the importance of working with a good ensemble cast as a director
01:23
Andy Ackerman on the pacing changes on Seinfeld and on trying to maintain a realistic tone from the actors
02:19
Andy Ackerman on directing non-actor Jerry Seinfeld on Seinfeld
02:11
Andy Ackerman on the process of directing a Seinfeld episode and on various shooting locations
01:18
Andy Ackerman on the rehearsal process, ad-libbing, and "happy accidents" on Seinfeld
02:27
Andy Ackerman on what makes a successful show
02:57

Debbie Allen

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Debbie Allen on the collaborative effort needed to direct and produce a strong show
02:43

John Astin

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John Astin on his directing style
02:49
John Astin on his influences as a director and actor
08:05

Reza Badiyi

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Reza Badiyi on his start as a cameraman
00:59
Reza Badiyi on his visual style on Mannix
00:39
Reza Badiyi on what a director wants from a producer
03:59

Bob Banner

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Bob Banner on directing televised boxing matches in Chicago early in his career
05:25
Bob Banner on the duties of the director in television 
03:59
Bob Banner on his advice to an aspiring television producer or director
01:46

Paris Barclay

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Paris Barclay on his involvement with the Directors Guild of America
03:00
Paris Barclay on his directing process once he receives a script
02:05
Paris Barclay on the process of directing music videos
01:02
Paris Barclay on directing a pivotal episode of ER
04:43
Paris Barclay on how directors are selected to direct individual episodes
03:39
Paris Barclay on directing comedy
00:51
Paris Barclay on directing difficult actors
02:33
Paris Barclay on his reputation as a director
02:42
Paris Barclay on his directing process
01:22
Paris Barclay on his directing style being recognizable
00:47
Paris Barclay on advice to aspiring directors
05:17

Richard L. Bare

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Richard L. Bare on directing the TV show Cheyenne
08:41
Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
08:11
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, discussing the kinds of film cameras he preferred to use when filming
00:39

Joseph Behar

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Joe Behar on becoming a director at WPTZ, the NBC station in Philadelphia, and the types of programs he directed
04:17
Joe Behar on the craft of directing for television
03:14
Joe Behar on his approach to directing actors and setting the tone on set
02:53
Joe Behar on his directing style and his hero, John Frankenheimer; on his involvement with editing
02:20
Joe Behar on advice to aspiring television directors
01:20

Earl Bellamy

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Earl Bellamy on things he would do when coming on board to direct a show, and on his reputation as a director
05:37
Earl Bellamy on his directing style
04:33
Earl Bellamy on the craft of directing for television
03:42
Earl Bellamy on the relationship between director and producer, and with the writers and crew
02:36
Earl Bellamy on choosing the projects he directs
03:01
Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
03:01

Walter Bernstein

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Walter Bernstein on his style as a director
01:32
Walter Bernstein on his strengths as a writer and how that helped him as a director
01:57

Bruce Bilson

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Bruce Bilson on working with a crew and changes in directing over the years
09:34
Bruce Bilson on his work process as a director
09:05
Bruce Bilson on his approach to directing actors
05:52
Bruce Bilson on directing ensemble casts
01:30
Bruce Bilson on advice to an aspiring television director, skills you need to be a television director and his mentor Bob Sweeney
02:10

Steve Binder

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Steve Binder on his early directing style on the Steve Allen Westinghouse Show
03:34
Steve Binder on producing and directiing Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special
09:49
Steve Binder on his advice to aspiring directors
00:51

Paul Bogart

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Paul Bogart on his directing style
02:17
Paul Bogart on his preparations for directing and editing
05:22
Paul Bogart on his advice to aspiring directors
02:12

Peter Bonerz

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Peter Bonerz on directing actors
00:43
Peter Bonerz on creating good morale as the key to leadership as a director
00:37

Kevin Bright

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Kevin Bright on directing comedy
01:24
Kevin Bright on working with actors when he is directing
01:48

James L. Brooks

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James L. Brooks on the best advice he got about directing - bring extra socks
01:26

Alton Brown

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Alton Brown on directing himself on Good Eats
01:03

Kirk Browning

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Kirk Browning on advice to an aspiring director
03:28
Kirk Browning on how technology might put directors like him out of business
Kirk Browning on trying various different programs for Live from Lincoln Center, and on adapting his visual style as a director
06:58

Frances Buss Buch

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Frances Buss Buch on how she directed a television program
02:37

James Burrows

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James Burrows on attending the Yale School of Drama and wanting to become a director
01:49
James Burrows on learning from Jay Sandrich on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
03:51
James Burrows on directing every episode of Will & Grace
01:30

LeVar Burton

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LeVar Burton on directing the more recent series of Star Trek
01:07

Robert Butler

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Robert Butler on wanting to be a director
03:02
Robert Butler on differences between directing live television and filmed single camera television
02:33
Robert Butler on his directing style
01:19
Robert Butler on directing actors
02:28
Robert Butler on his work with the Directors Guild of America and why it's important to directors
02:11
Robert Butler on advice to aspiring directors
01:07

Dann Cahn

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Dann Cahn on wanting to direct television and observing directors
01:00

Kevin Carlisle

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Kevin Carlisle on becoming a director, and on how being a choreographer helped him
01:28

Thomas Carter

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Thomas Carter on being known as "The Prince of Pilots"
01:33
Thomas Carter on his directing style
01:39
Thomas Carter on how being an actor helped him as a director
02:27
Thomas Carter on advice to aspiring television directors
01:43

Gilbert Cates

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Gilbert Cates on directing the game show Haggis Baggis
02:40
Gilbert Cates on what made him a good director
00:46

Tony Charmoli

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Tony Charmoli on directing for TV
11:52
Tony Charmoli on his directing style
01:14
Tony Charmoli on his demeanor as a director
02:42
Tony Charmoli on winning the DGA award for his work on a John Denver special with The Muppets
04:19
Tony Charmoli on winning a DGA award for directing a John Denver special with the Muppets
01:14
Tony Charmoli on what's most important when creating a successful variety special
00:47
Tony Charmoli on why there are no variety specials today
01:15

David Chase

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David Chase on overcoming his fear of directing on Alfred Hitchcock Presents when he had no idea what to do
09:09
David Chase on confronting his fear of directing on Alfred Hitchcock Presents when he had no idea what to do
07:35
David Chase on how directing affected the way he writes "a camera can only do one thing at a time"

Tom Cherones

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Tom Cherones on directing multi-camera verses single camera
00:40
Tom Cherones on advice to aspiring television directors
01:10

Michael Chiklis

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Michael Chiklis on his love of directing
01:05

Bob Claver

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Bob Claver on the craft of directing television 
05:53
Bob Claver on advice to an aspiring television director
01:07
Bob Claver on choosing what projects he wanted to direct
00:43
Bob Claver on his directing style
00:57

Robert Conrad

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Robert Conrad on directing for television and movies
02:47

Hal Cooper

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Hal Cooper on a typical production week on Search For Tomorrow
04:20
Hal Cooper on working as a director in the DuMont studio
05:25
Hal Cooper on directing the Maude episode "Maude Bares Her Soul"
06:56
Hal Cooper on directing Bob
08:12
Hal Cooper on the importance of rehearsing 
02:54
Hal Cooper on advice for aspiring television directors
03:49

Fred de Cordova

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Fred de Cordova on the differences between directing features and directing television
03:46

Ane Crabtree

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Ane Crabtree on what makes a good relationship between a costume designer and a director
04:02

Richard Crenna

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Richard Crenna on directing pilots for series
01:17
Richard Crenna on the craft of directing for television
01:56

Bill Davis

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Bill Davis on directing shows from the booth
02:05
Bill Davis on his directing style
02:34
Bill Davis on the challenges of being a freelance director
01:56
Bill Davis on working with the crew and writers when directing a variety show
02:31
Bill Davis on the evolution of his directing style
02:22
Bill Davis on advice to aspiring television directors
01:09

Richard Donner

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Richard Donner on the short shooting schedule and technical challenges of directing The Twilight Zone 's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"
04:04
Richard Donner on making the transition from directing television to directing features
10:36
Richard Donner on how directing for television helped him shoot "Superman" and "Superman II" simultaneously
01:06
Richard Donner on advice to aspiring directors
00:42

Bob Doyle

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Bob Doyle on directing the 1948 political conventions
07:20

Charles S. Dubin

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Charles S. Dubin on his style of directing and how he works with actors
02:50
Charles S. Dubin on knowing where to place the camera as a director
01:26
Charles S. Dubin on what makes a good script to direct, and on chemistry and actors
01:50
Charles S. Dubin on summing up his career including proudest achievement, advice, collaborating with writers, mentors, and how he'd like to be remembered
02:21

Harlan Ellison

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Harlan Ellison on walking off his first directing job
01:46

Norman Felton

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Norman Felton on transitioning from playwriting to directing
01:42

Bob Finkel

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Bob Finkel on directing commercial films in Pittsburgh
00:31
Bob Finkel on filling in as a director in an emergency - his big break in directing
02:07

John Frankenheimer

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John Frankenheimer on knowing he was good with a camera
01:39
John Frankenheimer on the differences between associate director and assistant director
00:57
John Frankenheimer on his directing style on Climax!
00:40
John Frankenheimer on losing weight on show day while directing live television
02:54
John Frankenheimer on being able to identify directors by camera work
00:54
John Frankenheimer on the sense of accomplishment he felt from directing
00:54
John Frankenheimer on directing tips from mentor David O. Selznick
03:49
John Frankenheimer on techniques he used for directing Playhouse 90
05:46
John Frankenheimer on directing big movie stars - Ingrid Bergman
00:53
John Frankenheimer on directing movies
03:48
John Frankenheimer on advice for aspiring directors
03:13

Pamela Fryman

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Pamela Fryman on the style of directing soap operas
01:49
Pamela Fryman on finding work as a director
03:03
Pamela Fryman on her directing style
01:18
Pamela Fryman on what she likes about directing pilots
02:13
Pamela Fryman on how technology has impacted directing
00:47
Pamela Fryman on what she loves about directing, and on fulfilling her dreams
02:06
Pamela Fryman on advice to aspiring directors and producers
01:23

Greg Garrison

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Greg Garrison on his approach to directing performers like Gene Kelly and Sid Caesar, and on working with Sid Caesar
03:45
Greg Garrison on the challenges of directing a variety show
04:00

Larry Gelbart

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Larry Gelbart on directing the episode "Abyssinia, Henry" where one of the main characters dies -- which he kept a secret from cast and crew
08:14

Vince Gilligan

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Vince Gilligan on the first episode of The X-Files he directed - "Je Souhaite" (I Wish) in Season 7, and how scared he was to try his hand at directing

Sandra Gimpel

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Sandra Gimpel on what a stunt coordinator does and what a second unit director does, and how it worked when she was acting as both on set
05:57
Sandra Gimpel on how the sunt coordinator works with the second unit director on set
02:07
Sandra Gimpel on acting as a second unit director and whether she could insert her own style into the show or film: "get what the director wants and then you can do what you want"
03:05
Sandra Gimpel on redoing stunts when she is acting as second unit director
02:00

Lesli Linka Glatter

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Lesli Linka Glatter on her early days in Los Angeles, and on being on sets learning how to make films
02:08
Lesli Linka Glatter on how she went about choosing work as a director, and on what she learned working on Amazing Stories
02:25
Lesli Linka Glatter on coming in as a director on an established show
03:18
Lesli Linka Glatter on what she learned about being a producing director from Thomas Schlamme on The West Wing, and on the experience of directing the show
04:14
Lesli Linka Glatter on how she prepares to direct after she gets a script
03:16
Lesli Linka Glatter on the role of an assistant director and director of photography
02:46
Lesli Linka Glatter on where she is physically during a shoot, and on working with the editor
00:44
Lesli Linka Glatter on what she likes about directing, and on her dream project
03:06
Lesli Linka Glatter on advice to aspiring directors
00:41

Lewis Gomavitz

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Lewis Gomavitz on advice to aspiring television directors
04:13

Walter E. Grauman

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Director Walter Grauman on the importance of camera movement to his directorial style
02:39

Hal Gurnee

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Hal Gurnee on the responsibilities of the crew working under the director on a show
04:54
Hal Gurnee on what he likes about directing television
01:21
Hal Gurnee on advice to aspiring television directors
02:22

Jon Hamm

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Jon Hamm on directing two episodes of Mad Men and what it was like to be on both sides of the camera; on turning down the opportunity to direct in season seven; on what he as an actor brings to directing
06:05
Jon Hamm on learning from the other directors of Mad Men and learning from all sets he's been on 
01:05

Dwight Hemion

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Dwight Hemion on his television directing style
04:26
Dwight Hemion on the basic duties of a television director
03:58
Dwight Hemion on working with technical people as a director
01:20
Dwight Hemion on advice to an aspiring director
02:40
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on the importance of Gary's art design background, and on their communication with each other
02:24
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on choosing projects to work on, and on their production company
03:17
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on dealing with performers like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.
05:39
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on dealing with pressure when working on a project
02:33
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on working together as producing partners and on coming up with ideas
05:16
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on the atmosphere on the set of their productions and how they collaborate on set
07:01
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on the elements of a successful producing and directing partnership and on why theirs worked
03:16
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on staffing their projects
02:56
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on keeping their collaborations fresh
04:12
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on the importance of Gary's art design background, and on their communication with each other
02:24
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on choosing projects to work on, and on their production company
03:17
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on dealing with performers like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.
05:39
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on dealing with pressure when working on a project
02:33
Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith on working together as producing partners and on coming up with ideas
05:16
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on the atmosphere on the set of their productions and how they collaborate on set
07:01
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on the elements of a successful producing and directing partnership and on why theirs worked
03:16
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on staffing their projects
02:56
Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion on keeping their collaborations fresh
04:12

Arthur Hiller

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Arthur Hiller on the decisions he made while directing his first television drama, which took place on a ship
01:26
Arthur Hiller on the rehearsal process for NBC Matinee Theater
03:01
Arthur Hiller on how he approached directing different styles of television shows
03:42
Arthur Hiller on making the transition from directing television to directing feature films
03:06
Arthur Hiller on preparing to direct a television show or a feature
02:48
Arthur Hiller on dealing with the casting process as a director
02:58
Arthur Hiller on how he chooses projects to direct
02:11
Arthur Hiller on what he loves about the directing process
01:08
Arthur Hiller on his style of directing and working with actors
03:04
Arthur Hiller on working with difficult actors and dealing with various personalities as a director
02:38
Arthur Hiller on collaborating with directors of photography and lighting designers as a director
03:18
Arthur Hiller on advice to aspiring directors
01:17

Martin Hoade

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Martin Hoade on his directing style
04:07
Martin Hoade on the process of directing and producing documentaries for television
05:46

Louis J. Horvitz

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Louis J. Horvitz on his path from still photographer, to camera operator, to director
04:32
Louis J. Horvitz on his directing style
06:18
Louis J. Horvitz on advice to aspiring television directors
03:53

Ron Howard

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Ron Howard on his directorial style
02:27

Felicity Huffman

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Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on the film "Rudderless," directed by Macy and starring Huffman, and Macy's directing style
04:00
Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on the film "Rudderless," directed by Macy and starring Huffman, and Macy's directing style
04:00

Lamont Johnson

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Lamont Johnson on casting for NBC Matinee Theater, on working with Zsa Zsa Gabor on the show, and on working with actors as a director
04:34
Lamont Johnson on working with editors
00:52
Lamont Johnson on advice to an aspiring director
01:22
Lamont Johnson on his directing style
01:28

Robert Justman

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Robert Justman on becoming a first assistant director
01:40

Elodie Keene

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Elodie Keene on what she likes about directing
06:22
Elodie Keene on her directing style
06:56
Elodie Keene on the differences between directing comedies like Scrubs and dramas
03:57
Elodie Keene on advice that has helped her as a director
04:03

Asaad Kelada

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Asaad Kelada on apprenticing on the show Rhoda
06:08
Asaad Kelada on directing his first episode "Rhoda Goes to Paris" on the show Rhoda
04:43
Asaad Kelada on how he prepares to direct an episode
01:00
Asaad Kelada on directing an episode of The Office
02:51

H. Wesley Kenney

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H. Wesley Kenney on his duties as director on the early DuMont Shows
02:22
H. Wesley Kenney on the importance of the placement of actors when directing for television
05:24
H. Wesley Kenney on directing All in the Family and working with the cast
10:26

Don Roy King

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Don Roy King on being one of the three directors working at WNEW and their different directing styles
04:37
Don Roy King on his style of directing
04:02
Don Roy King on what makes a good live television director, and on how technology has impacted directing for television
01:31
Don Roy King on a live broadcast becoming the director's show once it starts, and on his creative freedom as a live television director
04:56
Don Roy King on never having an agent or manager, and on how directing for television has changed since he started
03:38
Don Roy King on advice to aspiring directors
07:05
Don Roy King on what he loves about directing, and on how he'd like to be remembered
02:05

Michael Patrick King

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Michael Patrick King on directing on Sex and the City
00:51

Lynwood King

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Lynwood King on directing NBC News' Sunday afternoon newscast
03:56

Sheldon Leonard

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Sheldon Leonard on how directing for television was different from directing feature films
01:44

Ken Levine

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Ken Levine on the advantage of being a writer who directs
02:43
Ken Levine on his directing style
01:26

Barry Levinson

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Barry Levinson on directing his movie "Diner"
04:46
Barry Levinson on the audio in his movie "Diner," and how his desire to have the conversations sound real and messy led to him miking the actors who were off-camera
04:09
Barry Levinson on what he learned about scouting locations from his experience directing his movie "Diner"
02:31
Barry Levinson on how he directs actors and the atmosphere he hopes to create on a movie: "controlled freedom"
00:56
Barry Levinson on moments that were improvised in his movie "Diner"
01:42
Barry Levinson on the critical, studio, and audience response to "Diner," and how the movie ended up never being released nationally
09:34
Barry Levinson on directing "Rain Man"
07:33
Barry Levinson on using improvisation in his films: "you have to know what you want to get to"
00:59
Barry Levinson on directing Robin Williams in "Good Morning, Vietnam"
04:44
Barry Levinson in directing the pilot of Homicide: Life on the Street
02:12
Barry Levinson on films he directed in the 1990s and how they predicted certain cultural and political movements that happened after
02:49
Barry Levinson on how he approaches directing for television
01:36
Barry Levinson on directing actors
02:15
Barry Levinson on what he enjoys about directing and the importance of ordinary moments in movies and television shows that reveal character
03:37

Jerry Lewis

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Jerry Lewis on directing for film and television
11:42

Sidney Lumet

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Sidney Lumet on how he was assigned or chose which live anthology shows to direct in the 1950s
02:15
Sidney Lumet on the preparation and process of directing live anthology series in the 1950s
03:17
Sidney Lumet on working with actors
07:08
Sidney Lumet on advice to an aspiring television director
01:28

Will Mackenzie

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Will Mackenzie on how he went about finding directing jobs early in his directing career
02:13
Will Mackenzie on dealing with budgets as a television director, and on where he sits on a three-camera shoot
04:47
Will Mackenzie on setting the tone on his sets
03:50
Will Mackenzie on participating in the creation of title sequences
01:34
Will Mackenzie on advice to aspiring television directors
03:03

Nancy Malone

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Nancy Malone on directing the 100th anniversary of Dynasty  with the help of DP Michel Hugo
Nancy Malone on directing Beverly Hills 90210  and the issues with one of the actors who was late
03:11
Nancy Malone on her directing process: "find what the story is about"; on her "mentor" Michel Hugo

Delbert Mann

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Delbert Mann on how he decided he wanted to be a director
00:43
Delbert Mann on how he decided to go into theater
03:26
Delbert Mann on differences between directing for television and for film - TV as mainly a producer's medium and film as a director's medium
03:22
Delbert Mann on advice to aspiring directors
02:07

Martin Manulis

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Martin Manulis on making the transition from directing theater to directing television
02:19

Garry Marshall

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Garry Marshall on trying to learn to direct one-camera on Love, American Style
00:34

Dick Martin

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Dick Martin on his directing style
02:01
Dick Martin on his advice to aspiring performers and directors
02:50

Leslie H. Martinson

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Leslie H. Martinson on his directing style
07:47
Leslie H. Martinson on the differences between directing in film and working in television 
06:28
Leslie H. Martinson on the craft of directing
05:30
Leslie H. Martinson on the technical preparations he makes to direct and work with actors
06:23
Leslie H. Martinson on working with producers as a director
02:32
Leslie H. Martinson on what draws him to direct a script and his directing style
10:54
Leslie H. Martinson on how directing comedy and drama are different
02:57
Leslie H. Martinson on directing comedy and drama
05:05
Leslie H. Martinson on directing a sitcom with a live studio audience
06:03
Leslie H. Martinson on the most important role a director fills on a sitcom
02:16
Leslie H. Martinson on collaborating with other professionals on set as director
05:48
Leslie H. Martinson on dealing with post-production and the editing process as a director
04:09
Leslie H. Martinson on the challenges of directing an action show
02:36
Leslie H. Martinson on advice to aspiring television directors
02:23

Beth McCarthy-Miller

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Beth McCarthy-Miller on the changes she brought to Saturday Night Live  as director and the "rules" of directing live comedy
02:45
Beth McCarthy-Miller on the differences between directing live comedy and pre-recorded comedy
02:37
Beth McCarthy-Miller on her involvement in post-production 
01:13
Beth McCarthy-Miller on her directing style
01:11
Beth McCarthy-Miller on making her actors feel comfortable when directing
01:39
Beth McCarthy-Miller on advice to aspiring television directors
02:05

S. Epatha Merkerson

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S. Epatha Merkerson on her directorial debut in the documentary film "The Contradictions of Fair Hope"
02:31

Walter C. Miller

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Walter C. Miller on how he goes about directing variety specials
05:00
Walter C. Miller on the biggest technical challenges of directing an awards show
02:01
Walter C. Miller on the experience of directing a live telecast, and on working with the performers
02:25
Walter C. Miller on liking directing more than producing, and on the challenge of doing both
02:31
Walter C. Miller on the atmosphere he likes to maintain on his sets
00:42
Walter C. Miller on advice he gave his children, who are both in the business, about directing
01:02
Walter C. Miller on how directing celebrities has changed over the years
00:57
Walter C. Miller on the secret to his success as a director
00:46

Don Mischer

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Don Mischer on directing The Great American Dream Machine
03:36
Don Mischer on directing/producing a music/variety special
01:23

John Moffitt

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John Moffitt on writing and directing training films for the army
01:03
John Moffitt on becoming assistant director on The Ed Sullivan Show after working on a European mobile unit during the summer; on Sullivan director Tim Kiley; on becoming director of the Sullivan Show 
11:05
John Moffitt on his philosophy of directing stage comedy shows for television
06:03
John Moffitt on his directing style
06:32
John Moffitt on advice to an aspiring director
04:10

Howard Morris

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Howard Morris on his directing style
01:09
Howard Morris on advice to aspiring actors and directors
00:38

Hal Needham

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Hal Needham on advice to aspiring stuntmen and directors
12:13
Hal Needham on creating an atmosphere on film sets
05:01

Alan Neuman

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Alan Neuman on how he would direct television in the then-present
01:56
Alan Neuman on advice to an aspiring television director
00:59

Leonard Nimoy

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Actor Leonard Nimoy on how he and co-star William Shatner expressed interest in directing for Star Trek, but the opportunity wasn't offered
00:52

Don Ohlmeyer

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Don Ohlmeyer on becoming an associate director on The 1968 Olympics
03:06

Marty Pasetta

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Marty Pasetta on his directing style
01:42
Marty Pasetta on advice for aspiring producer/directors
01:03

Timothy Van Patten

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Timothy Van Patten on advice to aspiring directors 
00:30

Arthur Penn

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Arthur Penn on how directing live television prepared him to direct plays and feature films
02:04

Bill Persky

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Bill Persky on making the transition from writer to director with The Montefuscos
Bill Persky on what attracted him to directing
04:46
Bill Persky on getting work as a director
02:45
Bill Persky on advice to aspiring television directors
01:45

Daniel Petrie, Sr.

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Daniel Petrie, Sr. on learning on the job to be a director in early television, and on the craft of directing television
06:13
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on his process for directing live programming in the 1950s
04:07
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on using his previous experience on stage when directing television, and on keeping his temper in check
05:58
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on the experience of directing a live television production in the 1950s
03:56
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on not having "final cut" as a director
05:23
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on how he feels about his projects when he has finished directing them
00:48
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on his involvement in the casting process of the shows and features he directs
02:35
Daniel Petrie, Sr. on advice to aspiring television directors
02:45

David Pressman

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David Pressman on acting and staging for live television
06:26
David Pressman on the change of Actors Studio to The Play's the Thing on CBS and comparing the rules for directors on ABC vs. NBC vs. CBS
03:29
David Pressman on a director's relationship with producers
03:17
David Pressman on advice to an aspiring director
05:15
David Pressman on communicating with his camera crew
02:34

Carl Reiner

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Carl Reiner on his work as a director
09:47

Rob Reiner

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Rob Reiner on deciding on what projects he wants to direct
01:29
Rob Reiner on his directing style
02:06
Rob Reiner on working with editors as a director
01:00
Rob Reiner on advice to aspiring comedy writers and directors
01:16

Gene Reynolds

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Gene Reynolds on his style of directing
04:42
Gene Reynolds on planning out scenes
01:11
Gene Reynolds on the duties of a director
04:49
Gene Reynolds on his philosophy of directing
02:19

John Rich

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John Rich on his early directing responsibilities
01:16
John Rich on protecting actors
00:48
John Rich on moving from comedy to directing drama - he wanted to direct Playhouse 90 but got Gunsmoke from CBS
01:24
John Rich on negotiating his deal on The Dick Van Dyke Show with Sheldon Leonard; on his directing style on The Dick Van Dyke Show
07:42
Director John Rich on the casting process
00:45
John Rich on the type of directing that isn't done anymore
01:02
John Rich on his view of directing today, his disappointment with television today (1999), and how directors are being phased out by networks. "You don't hire a legend."
03:11

Fatima Robinson

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Fatima Robinson on taking classes at the New York Film Academy and getting more interested in directing and creative directing
01:28

Jay Sandrich

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Jay Sandrich on working as a second assistant director at Desilu Studios in the 1950s, and what that job entailed
01:22
Jay Sandrich on working as a first assistant director on the set of I Love Lucy during the tumultous period when Lucille Bal and Desi Arnaz were fighting off-screen, and how he survived this and learned from the experience
04:59
Jay Sandrich on learning first-hand how the three-camera set up for shooting on film worked on the set of I Love Lucy
02:26
Jay Sandrich on getting the experience of running cameras on the set of The Danny Thomas Show and getting the technical practice he needed to be a director
01:46
Jay Sandrich on learning about directing for comedy from Sheldon Leonard on the set of The Danny Thomas Show
03:24
Jay Sandrich describes his fear over his first stint as director on The Danny Thomas Show
01:40
Jay Sandrich on being turned down by Sheldon Leonard when he asked to direct The Dick Van Dyke Show
02:21
Jay Sandrich on working with and learning from Sheldon Leonard and a series of great directors on The Danny Thomas Show (Make Room for Daddy)
05:33
Jay Sandrich on directing comedy, where he'd "rather laughs came out of the humanity of the character" inspired by the comic talents of Don Knotts and Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show
01:30
Jay Sandrich on learning the importance of collaborative efforts between a director and a writer, as with Leonard Stern on He & She
01:16
Jay Sandrich on his directing style for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and clashes with producer/writer James L. Brooks
04:03
Jay Sandrich on how a disastrous runthrough of the first episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show transformed into a very successful first taping
03:39
Jay Sandrich on the differences in working with the actors Mary Tyler Moore, Valerie Harper, and Cloris Leachman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
04:34
Jay Sandrich on finding different ways to do a scene on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
00:56
Jay Sandrich on managing all the writers on the The Mary Tyler Moore show
05:33
Jay Sandrich on a favorite episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show that presented a difficult writing challenge
01:40
Jay Sandrich on a director's job: to know when it's working and when it's not, and his demeanor on-set of The Mary Tyler Moore Show  
03:50
Jay Sandrich on the importance of a studio audience on The Mary Tyler Moore Show  
01:17
Jay Sandrich on directing the final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
02:15
Jay Sandrich on the challenges faced by the writers and cast for the final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
03:18
Jay Sandrich on "the biggest part of the job" - casting, and why it's important for a director and what he looks for in actors
02:34
Jay Sandrich on the first show, We'll Get By, to tape all four cameras and the difference between film and tape
03:43
Jay Sandrich on the challenges of casting the controversial show Soap
05:04
Jay Sandrich on the challenges of directing Soap: keeping all the cast happy as well as dealing with groups protesting the show's religious and gay issues
06:26
Jay Sandrich on having fun directing within time constraints, and finding ways to depict sex in a subtle way on Soap
01:45
Jay Sandrich on how good writing is what inspires him as a director
01:14
Jay Sandrich on casting The Cosby Show
05:43
Jay Sandrich on some of the technical challenges of The Cosby Show, and on working with Bill Cosby
03:18
Jay Sandrich on the problems with cameras they had on The Cosby Show and why they had to replace them
03:46
Jay Sandrich on The Cosby Show episode "Denise's Friend"; directing an episode that didn't start out as being funny and finding the humor
04:49
Jay Sandrich on the final episode of The Cosby Show: on knowing when a series has gone on too long
03:41
Jay Sandrich on how the role of a television director has changed
00:52
Jay Sandrich on how he changed his own directorial style and how editing helped him as a director
01:46
Jay Sandrich on his advice to young directors: always take stands
01:22
Jay Sandrich on learning a valuable lesson about directing from actor Richard Benjamin
01:13

Joseph Sargent

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Joseph Sargent on doing location shoots
01:58
Joseph Sargent on his attraction to long -form television and his directing process
10:21
Joseph Sargent on East Coast crews vs. West Coast crews
02:12
Joseph Sargent on advice to aspiring directors
02:45

Max Schindler

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Max Schindler on the craft of directing for news broadcasts
01:19
Max Schindler on his duties as director of Meet the Press
02:08
Max Schindler on his directing style and how he works with his crew and keeps his cool
04:24
Max Schindler on advice to an aspiring news director
02:36

Thomas Schlamme

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Thomas Schlamme on directing comedy
01:41
Thomas Schlamme on directing It's Garry Shandling's Show
03:35
Thomas Schlamme on directing large ensemble casts
04:44
Thomas Schlamme on directing Ally McBeal
02:49
Thomas Schlamme on the process of directing Sports Night
03:39
Thomas Schlamme on directing "Ambush", a live episode of ER
03:16
Thomas Schlamme on directing "walk and talk" shots
03:29
Thomas Schlamme on how visiting the White House informed his directing of The West Wing
02:43
Thomas Schlamme on advice to aspiring directors
02:16
Thomas Schlamme on directing the pilot for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
02:07

Ralph Senensky

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Ralph Senensky on being the director's assistant in a high school play in Iowa and falling in love with directing
05:34
Ralph Senensky on how he got his first directing assignment - for Dr. Kildare
08:32
Ralph Senensky on advice to aspiring directors
00:30

Mel Shavelson

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Mel Shavelson on his style of directing
08:18

Jack Shea

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Jack Shea on the beginning of his interest in directing
01:24
Jack Shea on how stage managers and assistant directors assist the director
03:01
Jack Shea on being promoted to director at NBC
01:56
Jack Shea on his first impressions of being on a television set and the craft of directing
03:21
Jack Shea on the craft of directing and inventing techniques, and how stage managers, assistant directors, and directors work together on set
03:39
Jack Shea on the differences between assistant directors and directors
01:28
Jack Shea on preparations for a day of filming and working with actors
06:45
Jack Shea on how involved he is with editing
02:30
Jack Shea on the relationship between producers and directors
01:43
Jack Shea on his approach to directing actors
01:17
Jack Shea on setting the tone and on set
01:54
Jack Shea on the most important role a director fulfills on the set of sitcoms
00:44
Jack Shea on his directing style
00:43
Jack Shea on how he directs kids
00:42
Jack Shea on his involvement with the Directors Guild of America (DGA)
01:32
Jack Shea on The Radio, Television Directors Guild (RTDG) and network response to the guilds
03:20
Jack Shea on the merger of the RTDG and the Screen Directors Guild into the Directors Guild of America (DGA)
01:48
Jack Shea on who can be a member of the DGA and the role of the organization in the industry; on the international profile of the DGA
04:02
Jack Shea on diversity within the DGA
01:01
Director Jack Shea on the credits issues between the WGA and the DGA
01:04
Jack Shea on the DGA and runaway production
01:36
Jack Shea on the DGA and low budget agreements
00:56
Jack Shea on the status of film versus TV directors and directors-for-hire
01:45
Jack Shea on his tenure as President of the DGA and the importance of the guild and on why he's stayed involved for 50 years
06:10

Sidney Sheldon

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Sidney Sheldon on why he loves writing more than directing
00:47

James Sheldon

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James Sheldon on changes in the television business in the 1950s that led to directors becoming freelancers rather than employees of advertising agencies or networks
01:02
James Sheldon on the challenges of being a director in the early years of television
01:26
James Sheldon on working with cameramen as a television director who had "live" television experience
01:44
James Sheldon on how he approached directing an episode or two of a preexisting show
01:41
James Sheldon on his approach to rehearsals
00:28
James Sheldon on advice to an aspiring director
00:42
James Sheldon on the fact that scripts for shows were often not ready with enough time to allow him to prepare to direct
01:37
James Sheldon on how he prepared to direct a show
01:13

Garry Simpson

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Garry Simpson on directing the NBC television demonstrations at the 1940 New York World's Fair and directing in the studio and for mobile units
03:44
Garry Simpson on directing mobile units for NBC
03:40
Garry Simpson on directing actors on Chevrolet Tele-Theater
01:28
Garry Simpson on his demeanor as a director on set, working with writers, and
03:58

John Singleton

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John Singleton on preparing to direct "Boyz N the Hood" by watching lots of other movies
01:14
John Singleton on directing being like "putting a puzzle together" and the difference between directing for film and television
00:50
John Singleton on wanting to have an all-black crew on "Boyz N the Hood" (with one exception) and his desire to have spontaneity in his filmmaking
02:54
John Singleton on the experience of filming "Boyz N the Hood" in a neighborhood that was not accustomed to having a film produced there, and shooting in his old neighborhood
02:04
John Singleton on how "Boyz N the Hood" added images and stories to the culture's ideas about Los Angeles and African Americans
01:32
John Singleton on directing Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" music video
03:48
John Singleton on what he learned from watching Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola direct
02:20
John Singleton on directing "Rosewood"
16:24
John Singleton on directing child actors
04:02
John Singleton on his directing style and how it's changed over time
03:58
John Singleton on directing cast and crew
01:44
John Singleton on directing for television (and directing Empire, specifically)
01:09
John Singleton on his involvement in post-production of TV shows he's directed: "it's shot exactly the way I want it to be edited"
01:27
John Singleton on the idea of the "auteur" director
01:18
John Singleton on what he learned from directing American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson
02:08
John Singleton on his legacy as a director and whether or not he is a "socially conscious" filmmaker
01:32

Ira Skutch

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Ira Skutch on the challenges of staging and directing a game show, specifically What's My Line? and how the audience was filmed
02:48
Ira Skutch on directing The Swift Home Service Club
01:24
Ira Skutch on directing episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
03:02

Sid Smith

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Sid Smith on directing early television commercials while working for an advertising agency
01:36
Sid Smith on differences between sitcom and variety show directing
00:41
Sid Smith on his directorial style
00:59
Sid Smith on advice to aspiring directors
00:31

Howard Storm

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Howard Storm on deciding to become a television director
Howard Storm on how he came to be the director on Rhoda; and invaluable advice he received
08:10
Howard Storm on his directing style
03:04
Howard Storm on directing comedy
01:33
Howard Storm on advice to aspiring directors
Howard Storm on being sure to thank everyone you work with as a director

Tony Verna

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Tony Verna on his directing style and challenges in the control room
03:00
Tony Verna on advice to aspiring television directors
02:36
Tony Verna on choosing shots while directing
03:36

Henry Winkler

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Henry Winkler on the value of listening to everyone on a set
02:29

David L. Wolper

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David L. Wolper on the the role of the producer and director in a documentary
04:12

Bud Yorkin

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Bud Yorkin on working with talent and what distinguished him as a television director
08:48
Bud Yorkin on his big break becoming director of The Colgate Comedy Hour at the behest of Pat Weaver
02:14
About

The television director, who sits atop the chain of command of the crew during the actual filming or taping of the show, is responsible for the visualization of the TV program, selecting the different camera angles and compositions that will used. Beyond this most general definition, however, the nature of the director's job, and the relative importance of the director's creative contribution to the finished product, varies greatly among different forms and genres of television.

One basic distinction in TV production exists between single-camera (film-style) and multi-camera work. In single-camera production each shot is staged individually, allowing precise camera positioning and lighting. Repeated 'takes' are shot until the director is satisfied with the results. The action is filmed or taped out-of-sequence based on a logic of set-ups for camera and lighting. Actors must break their performance into non-continuous bits that still appear coherent when assembled later in the editing room. In this type of production, then, performance is adjusted to fit the visual scheme. Virtually all prime-time television dramas, programs generally one hour or longer, are produced in this manner. Common genres include action-adventure, crime, medical, courtroom, melodrama, and 'prime-time soap opera.' The television drama is the format in which the TV director has the most control and the most creative input--operating most like a feature film director. Yet, even here the director's role is more limited than a film director's. The series nature of television necessitates an exceptionally demanding production schedule and a rigid organization of labor, giving the director certain responsibilities, removing or restricting others.

-David Tetzlaff