An Art Director is also known as a TV Director or Film Director. He is the driving force in a production, and acts as the bridge between the production, technical and creative teams. He translates the written script into a movie.
His duties include casting, script editing, shot composition, shot selection and editing. Whether a production’s artistic/ commercial success is achieved depends very much on the Art Director.
He must have a strong understanding of the entire production process, including the technical and creative parts. He must keep in touch of new production technologies and utilize them appropriately in his productions. Also, like most workers in the creative field, an Art Director has to work long and irregular hours under intense pressure to meet tight deadlines.
The entry requirements would be a Diploma in Film, Sound and Video, an ‘O’ levels certificate, and Degree in Drama (with specialization in Directing)/ a Degree in Film would be preferred. He will start as an Assistant Director and accumulate experience as a Director for the first, second or third unit in a larger production.