Planning: Role Allocation and Auteur Theory

For my project, I will be working as an individual, rather than collaborating with a group. This means that I will be adopting multiple creative roles, such as director, cameraperson and editor etc. This form of single-vision filmmaking is referred to in Auteur Theory.

Auteur theory has it's origins in France in the late 1940's. The term 'auteur' translates to 'author', which is fitting, as the theory suggests a director in a role where he/she orchestrates all creative elements of a film's production, much like the control attributed to an author of a novel. An auteur uses all elements of the filmmaking process: lighting, camerawork, framing, editing etc. to manifest their vision. The term 'auteur' is often used in reference to filmmakers with a distinct style to their work, such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese or Edgar Wright.

As I am working completely independently on my project, it would be appropriate to apply elements of auteur theory to what I am producing. Having control over all creative elements to my music video allows me the freedom to implant my own, personal style, though my work with the camera, my set-up of shots and my techniques with editing. For these reasons, I will find myself acting much like an auteur throughout the production of my project.