Trying to excel in a particular career or field depends largely on the type of instruction a person has received throughout their life. No matter how much natural talent someone has, reaching the highest potential is largely aided by the quality of mentors a person has had in their life. We have teachers in school, instructors in the arts, and coaches in sports, all types of mentors that help their students succeed. The same thing applies to the arts, particularly film. In the making of a film, the director is a type of creative leader and mentor, not only to the actors or crew, but also to the story. He shapes it and directs its creativity.

Because of all the work that goes into his job, a film director gets most of the creative credit for his finished piece of work. This is largely because he is so intimately involved in all aspects of the film’s development. He helps the screenwriter visualize the script. In most cases, what the director says, goes. He also guides the actors and crew into the direction of his creative vision. Because of the amount of influence a director has, the selection of the director is one of the most important decisions a film’s producer must make in the early stages of film development. Often the film director and producer must work together to ensure the best possible end results.

Not only is the director heavily involved in the production phase of a film, he is also influential in post-production. The director will work with the film’s editor to make sure that the final product of editing results in a cohesive story that adheres to his creative vision. He may also work directly with the sound mixers and film scorer for this reason. In the end, when you see a great film on the big screen, it’s creative vision is the result of the hard work of a film director.