What You Need to Know About Director
Occupation Description Interpret script, conduct rehearsals, and direct activities of cast and technical crew for stage, motion pictures, television, or radio programs.
Director Responsibilities
- Promote and market productions by giving interviews, participating in talk shows, and making other public appearances.
- Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education.
- Collaborate with producers to hire crew members, such as art directors, cinematographers, and costumer designers.
- Study and research scripts to determine how they should be directed.
- Choose settings and locations for films and determine how scenes will be shot in these settings.
- Select plays or scripts for production and determine how material should be interpreted and performed.
What Every Director Should Know
These are the skills Directors say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Director
- Production Stage Manager
- Dramatic Coach
- Art Framing Manager
- Newscast Director
- Motion Picture Director
Job Opportunities for Directors
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 134,700 jobs in the United States for Director. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,500 new jobs for Director by 2026. There will be an estimated 14,100 positions for Director per year.
The states with the most job growth for Director are Utah, Georgia, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Directors Salary
Directors make between $34,450 and $163,540 a year.
Directors who work in California, New York, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Directors make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $57,040 |
| Alaska | $61,280 |
| Arizona | $62,760 |
| Arkansas | $58,750 |
| California | $115,080 |
| Colorado | $68,290 |
| Connecticut | $84,900 |
| Delaware | $59,680 |
| District of Columbia | $89,390 |
| Florida | $70,630 |
| Georgia | $84,570 |
| Hawaii | $73,200 |
| Idaho | $55,600 |
| Illinois | $77,960 |
| Indiana | $48,300 |
| Iowa | $46,610 |
| Kansas | $56,680 |
| Kentucky | $60,530 |
| Louisiana | $56,290 |
| Maine | $51,310 |
| Maryland | $78,760 |
| Massachusetts | $70,480 |
| Michigan | $65,910 |
| Minnesota | $73,110 |
| Mississippi | $44,310 |
| Missouri | $65,560 |
| Montana | $51,920 |
| Nebraska | $51,620 |
| Nevada | $67,190 |
| New Hampshire | $59,830 |
| New Jersey | $92,180 |
| New Mexico | $75,110 |
| New York | $115,610 |
| North Carolina | $73,980 |
| North Dakota | $42,570 |
| Ohio | $60,590 |
| Oklahoma | $55,670 |
| Oregon | $68,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,050 |
| Rhode Island | $65,660 |
| South Carolina | $57,200 |
| South Dakota | $55,930 |
| Tennessee | $65,040 |
| Texas | $69,280 |
| Utah | $67,800 |
| Vermont | $58,760 |
| Virginia | $69,750 |
| Washington | $71,430 |
| Wisconsin | $57,110 |
| Wyoming | $45,930 |
What Tools & Technology do Directors Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Directors:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Extensible markup language XML
- YouTube
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Systems Adobe Audition
- Avid Technology Pro Tools
- Avid Technology Media Composer
- Graphics creation software
- Content management systems CMS
- Avid Technology iNEWS
- Broadcast Electronics AudioVAULT FleX
How to Become a Director
Are there Directors education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Director?
Who Employs Directors?
Below are examples of industries where Directors work:
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Director might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Director sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Donald Judge via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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