---
name: behind_camera_directing
description: Direct small film crews: build shot lists, plan coverage so scenes cut together, and get natural performances from non-actors. Use when planning a shoot, blocking a scene, or directing people who have never acted before.
metadata: { "includeInPrompt": true }
---

# Behind-Camera Directing

## Purpose
Take a scene from script to screen on a small crew (2 to 8 people), with coverage that edits cleanly and performances that feel real from non-actors. This is the director's job split into three parts: plan the shots before anyone arrives, run the set with a skeleton crew, and direct non-actors in a way that gets natural performances instead of wooden ones.

## Workflow

### 1. Plan the shoot
Break the script into scenes and shoot out of order by location: group every scene that happens in one place and shoot them together, even if they land far apart in the story. For each scene, write a shot list before the shoot day. Every row gets: shot number, scene number, location, shot size (wide, medium, close-up, insert), camera movement, angle, a one-line description of what is in frame and what happens, an estimated duration, and a status checkbox. Use `bin/shotlist.py` to generate a blank template CSV from a scene list.

### 2. Plan coverage per scene
Coverage is the set of angles that lets the scene cut together without gaps. Follow the ladder in `references/coverage-patterns.md`. Minimum viable coverage for any dialogue scene: one wide master that plays the whole scene start to finish, matching singles or over-the-shoulder pairs for each speaker, one insert for any story-critical detail, and one cutaway for editing flexibility. Shoot the master first so the day always has a usable scene, then move closer. Never skip the master. If the day runs short, drop close-ups before you drop the master.

### 3. Staff the crew
For crews under 8, assign by priority: director, camera operator, dedicated sound person, gaffer/light, and a 1st AD to own the schedule. Two people per department is better than five departments with one person each. If you are the director and you also produce, you still need a 1st AD: somebody has to track the schedule, handle the paperwork, and feed people while you stay in the creative headspace. Sound is the last role to drop; audiences forgive a soft image before they forgive bad audio.

### 4. Direct non-actors
Full playbook in `references/non-actor-playbook.md`. The short version: cast for personality, not skill. Give physical directions, not emotional ones ("raise your arms" beats "be more dramatic"). Leave the dialogue loose. Keep the camera rolling. Always have a visual backup plan for any scene the performance cannot carry.

### 5. Run the set
Start each scene with a camera rehearsal, not a take: tell the cast what is about to happen, block the movement, let the crew measure focus. Then roll. Keep communication constant and in plain language, no industry jargon to non-actors. When a take is good enough, say so and move on. Micro-budget days die from a thousand small delays, and the AD's job is to protect the schedule while you protect the performances.

## Output Contract
A completed directing plan delivers:
- A shot list (CSV or table) with every scene covered, grouped by location for the shooting schedule
- Per-scene coverage notes showing the master, the pairs, and the inserts/cutaways
- A crew roster with every role assigned to a named person and a 1st AD named explicitly
- A one-paragraph casting note per non-actor explaining what about their real personality matches the character
- A visual backup plan for any scene where the performance is load-bearing

## Operating Rules
1. The master shot is sacred. Everything else is negotiable; the master is not.
2. On set, directions are physical and specific. If you cannot say it in plain words, the actor cannot do it.
3. No jargon toward non-actors. They should never have to ask what a mark is; show them the tape on the floor.
4. Say "moving on" when it is good enough. Chasing perfection on a small crew costs you the shots you still need.
5. The 1st AD owns the clock; the director owns the story. Do not let one person hold both on a shoot longer than a day.
6. Every scene gets a visual backup. If the performance collapses, the scene must still cut.
7. Feed people on time. A hungry crew of five performs worse than a fed crew of three.