American director Ava DuVernay shared her wisdom on Twitter
Photo of Ava DuVernay by Stephanie Moreno/Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications for Peabody Awards/University of Georgia [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
In a recent post, the Selma director shared an email she sent to new filmmaker in 2016 with guidance on shooting her first feature.
She wrote that she hoped the tips could inspire other amateur filmmakers making their first career steps in the competitive industry.
DuVernay’s advice included: “Know your crew members by name. They are the lifeblood of your film.
“Remember that actors and crew are the same. Grown-ups. Treat them all with the same grown folks respect. No one is better than anyone else just because they’re in front of the camera.”
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Other examples of the eclectic advice included changing your socks at lunch to make you feel refreshed and to never line reading an actor.
She added: “Remind yourself why you’re telling this story every morning on the way to set. Why it’s important to you. What you want to say. Every morning.”
You can read the rest of the useful advice in the Tweet below.
Just came across an email I sent to a new filmmaker last year who sought advice on shooting her first feature. Maybe it can be helpful to someone else out there. xo pic.twitter.com/e64y1jDaLl
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) November 26, 2017
DuVernay has won international acclaim for her creative projects, being nominated for an Academy Award for 13th, her documentary on the criminal system in America, alongside creating the drama television series Queen Sugar.
She is currently in the director’s chair for Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, becoming the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of $100 million USD.
The film starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling is set to be released in March, 2018.
DuVernay also features in our list of great filmmakers to follow on Twitter, where she regularly comments on industry news.