The Director's Six Senses: An Innovative Approach to Developing Your Filmmaking Skills

by Simone Bartesaghi

The Director’s Six Senses is an innovative, unique, and engaging approach to the development of the skills that every visual storyteller must have. It’s based on the premise that a director is a storyteller 24/7 and must be aware of the “truth” that he or she experiences in life in order to be able to reproduce it on the big screen. Through a series of hands-on exercises and practical experiences, the reader develops the “directorial senses” in order to be able to tell a story in the most effective way.

Genres: Film, School

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

Reviews

[Milo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Of its many errors, most crucial – at least as far as its own mission statement might be concerned – is this book’s audience problem. It is at once so hopelessly basic as to belie what one would consider the very basic requirements of wanting to involve oneself in the arts – e.g. informing the reader that red connotes conflict, anger – while also slipping into the exact jargon one would think a text like this would be set about avoiding: ‘is there a hue contrast or affinity?’ For reference, neither of those terms are defined in the text, whereas the idea an image can convey meaning is apparently worthy of an entire ‘chapter’ (perhaps a weighty designation in what is little more than a pamphlet). But even in ignoring its undulating tone, Bartesaghi’s insights are astoundingly limited vis. the philosophy of image-making. Early in the book he writes ‘the image is the same no matter where you come from’. While the gist of what he’s getting at is generally correct – i.e. imagery is more culturally mutable than language, which is exclusive and specific – such a claim also rejects the cultural relativity that can define various works. Japanese films are not shot like Indian films, which are not shot like British films: the image is not the same. More than abstract errors of this kind, his advice contradicts the very basis of cinema. He announces: ‘the power of visual storytelling is the power of telling an entire story with one frame, one picture.’ This is photography, not cinematography; the very nature of cinema is the display of more than one frame, to tell a story with a series of images, if through editing or the simple illusion of the movie camera. So while his introduction to image semiotics is not entirely useless (to a novice), he subsequently confuses and misleads with regards to the fundament through which cinema communicates and expresses. That editing is mentioned only briefly confirms this conclusion. But sometimes Bartesaghi’s pedagogical ineptitude touches on the bizarre: in quoting Godard’s famous quip (via Le Petit Soldat): ‘photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second,’ he feels it necessary to somehow ‘debunk’ it. His response is that storytelling is ‘always a manipulation’, but this would itself imply that Godard was literally suggesting that photography=truth. That Godard himself did not manipulate, or did not communicate his point through manipulation. Ridiculous. A black mark on Bartesaghi’s name, and the multitude who have deemed his book fit for high praise, their snipped reviews each better written than anything else between its covers.

[Akasha Coral · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for a beginner director to really grasp the sense of the basics and the theory behind directing.

[Jack Saunders · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are starting out as a film director or storyteller then this book is the perfect launchpad for becoming a "24/7 director". It details the commitment to becoming a director and storyteller, this is not just an occupation but a lifestyle - something that resonates with me.

Bartesaghi gives a great beginners overview of film directing and is the tip of the iceberg on techniques that I have read in other books on the subject. You can clearly see the passion for teaching storytelling and whether you are setting out on your directing journey or getting out of a creative slump this is a great short read.

Also I recommend any books published by Wiese, Michael Productions. Everything I have read has been noted, analysed and used.

[Amanda Pavik · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast and easy read for those wanting to delve deeper into the world of film. An introduction to understanding the pacing of film and what goes into a scene. Some fun exercises to hone in your eye on film - but nothing expressed to deeply.

Great for students or people getting into film for the first time.

[Tori Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simone Bartesaghi does an amazing job of outlining the skills of a director and how to sharpen those skills. His tips are useful for any type of storyteller, whether that is a director or a writer or anyone who works to tell a story. This tips are great, inspiring, and I have seen progress already by using them.

I would recommend this book to any storyteller!

[George W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Painful

[brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting ideas

[Dwight Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting take on directing. It teaches you how to be a director instead of how to direct. A good quick read, lots of examples and exercises to help you start thinking like a director.