The Dumbing Down of Directors, aka "Coverage"

Coverage...the new buzz word among Producers, certainly those that work in the TV industry.

Over the past few years the word 'Coverage', as in, "we have to have lots of it" has become one of the major reasons for filming schedules and attendant costs, to have soared.
Those extra hours being demanded and the Six day week have been imposed on productions and crews in order to get more of it.

What is this thing that crews and Directors have to get more of, and why?.

Let us take a journey backwards in time for a few years to the period when most drama Directors had a theatrical background and not a TV studio one.

In those far off days a Director would arrive on the set fully prepared for the days shoot having done something called Homework.

He\She would know exactly what frame they wanted, whose dialogue would be covered and on what lens size, what reaction shots would be required....BINGO..the scene would cut like a dream and be a pleasure to watch.  The actors  could give a peak performance from being able to time it just right, as opposed to todays technique ...

For example, take a simple little two page dialogue scene, three actors,in a room, even more simple, the script calls for them to be seated, all have lines. This is probably how it is shot today...

At least two wide establishers  from different angles. All the scene would be run.
A two shot one way..all the scene run.
A tighter two shot..All the scene run.
Singles on both actors from the two shot. All the scene run
A reverse two shot, over the third actors shoulder..All the scene would be run.
Singles of the first two actors.all on down the line lenses.. at least three of them  All of the scene will be run.
At least three lens sizes on the single actor All of the scene run.
The reactions would be covered on down the line lenses..All of the scen would be run.
There will probaly be two short tracks, one behind the two sets of actors, at least two lens sizes and then the inevitable rock and roll on the dolly, hoping to catch the pertinent piece of dialogue.
There might be some profile shots of all of the actors , running all of the lines.
This is called Coverage.
It is also nonsense.
This technique is an excuse for not knowing your craft as a Director. My granny, who has been dead for many a year, could direct this crap.

I have  a great deal of respect for most of the Directors I work with but it is now time for them, collectively, to tell their inexperienced media school , two day course, Producers to get stuffed, that they will direct the show, and that a visit to the cinema by the said Producers to watch some classic movies might help.
There is also another immportant aspect to massive overshooting...  The perfomance of the actors, which is the main reason for everyone t to turn up at the studio.

Having spent many years on set watching very closely I have noticed that the vast majority of actors peak in performancse at about take five, at take seven they begin to glaze over a little, by take twelve they have lost it and are in complete robot mode, which makes everyones efforts a total waste of time.

Directors  get your skills back and show some flair.

Edits should not be done by a committee  of Producers in the cutting room, it should done in your hesad at the outset.

The views expressed here are entirely my own , please feel free to disagree.

R J Dodd