DGA members in search of better preparation techniques to assist them during the pre-production process received valuable information when the Director Development Initiative (DDI) hosted the virtual lab, Starting with Story: Breaking Down Scripts and Preparing for Shooting. Held online on April 24, the lab featured Directors Nicholas E. Copus (Bel-Air, Cruel Intentions) and Bethany Rooney (Tracker, Chicago Med) sharing their approaches to prep, offered suggestions on best practices to familiarize yourself with the story and break down a script, and revealed some of the strategies and tools they use to help organize and communicate their ideas to their collaborators.
During the session Copus and Rooney utilized visual aids, including diagrams, images, and video clips, to demonstrate their unique approaches to prep and analyzing a script.
Rooney remarked that Directors have an agreement with the audience to tell them a story they are going to understand by how it is shown to them. She revealed that she uses a written method to guide her prep process and to map out how she prepares for shooting.
In contrast, Copus shared that he primarily uses visual techniques, relying upon visual memory and drawing inspiration from numerous personal and film references. Describing his process, Copus said that when he reads words from the script, everything plays out in pictures.
Together, they also discussed the importance of Directors finding the approach that works best for them, and highlighted how to maintain confidence, clear communication, and collaboration throughout the process.
DGA Members can watch the full video from
Director Development Initiative events by clicking here.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
 Director Nicholas CopusCopus has served as a producing Director on series including Bel-Air, Titans, Animal Kingdom, Lethal Weapon, Siren, Into the Badlands, Salem, Damien, Alphas, True Tales of Terror and I Shouldn't Be Alive. He has directed over 160 television episodes on 43 different series including episodes of American Gods, The Right Stuff, Queen of the South, Gotham, Arrow, Sleepy Hollow, Revolution, Nikita, The 4400 and The Dresden Files. A DGA member since 2006, Copus serves as a Co-Chair of the DGA Disability Committee. |
 Director Bethany RooneyRooney has directed more than 250 episodes of primetime television including Chicago Med, Tracker, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Desperate Housewives, Ally McBeal, Scandal, Arrow, Nashville, NCIS and Criminal Minds. For two seasons, she was the Producing Director on the series Bull, following her earlier stint in that position on The Originals. Alongside Director Mary Lou Belli, Rooney is the co-author of the industry’s preeminent directing craft textbook, Directors Tell the Story: Master the Craft of Television and Film Directing. A DGA member since 1985, Rooney has served as the Fifth Vice President of the DGA, on the Western Directors Council and formerly as a Co-Chair of the Women’s Steering Committee. She is currently an alternate on the DGA National Board and Co-Chairs the DGA Diversity Task Force. |
About the Director Development Initiative:
The Director Development Initiative is designed to provide current information on the Director’s craft in order to further the Guild’s goal to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry.
