Yes

by Anthony Megna

Created on: December 03, 2010   Last Updated: May 22, 2012

Film directors should have editorial control over their projects, after all, it's their vision that is up on the movie screen! But they need to be aware of staying within the budget of the film in order to get that control.  In order to understand the film-making process a bit more clearly, a few facts must be stated.  Movies are a complex, organizational process that sometimes take years to come to the screen. There are a number of artists involved in the film-making process, but ultimately it's the director that assembles all of the elements and brings them together so that the movie-goer sees the final result.

Most films start with a script or an idea.  The scriptwriter fashions a complete script, which is essentially the blueprint for the movie.  During the writing phase, a number of re-writes usually happen, and this process incorporates the producer of the film, and usually the director.  After the studio or funding entity gives the green light, or makes the funds available for the film to be shot, the director will work off of the script.  That doesn't mean that what is on the page will always end up on the screen, however!  The director can and does change the shooting of the movie at will, unless there is an iron-clad contract stating differently.

Once the movie is "in the can", or has been filmed, then the editor of the movie assembles the rough footage into what is called a "rough cut", or a film without all the "bells and whistles" such as final sound and visual effects.  This process usually incorporates the director and editor, as the director should still have control as to what will be the final edit.  Other people involved in this process can be the producer, the exec. producer, and the studio representatives.  So as you can see, there are a lot of people involved in the making of the film, and I'm just scratching the surface here!

But the bottom line is that only a few directors have final edit authority!  These directors are proven professionals that have extensive track records, and that the studio can trust.  We've all heard of the films that have gone way over budget, haven't we?  No studio or funding entity wants to be in that boat, and that is why having the final edit power is so important!

Just as the written word is the writer's medium, film is the director's medium. But the director needs to be aware of the commercial possibilities of the project as well. So the reality is that movie-making is also an economical undertaking, and if a director is not aware of staying within the budget, then getting the final edit will always be a tough road for him or her!

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