Techniques and disciplines that directors use should fit their own personalities, the capabilities of the on-air talent, and the needs of the particular show they are directing. Some directors are, by nature, more authoritative than others and give concrete direction. Others rely more on psychology and attempt to obtain disciplined performances by letting the talent and technicians feel they are the ones in charge of their own actions. Professional actors, such as those participating in a drama, require different handling than nonprofessionals who might be making a first-time appearance on an interview program. A children's program with many youngsters on it requires a more patient approach than a late-night talk show.

Equipment also affects methods and duties related to directing. If robotic cameras (see Chapters 2 and 5) are being used, the director gives commands to one person operating all cameras rather than commands to individual camera operators. If the studio is equipped with high-definition TV equipment (see Chapters 1 and 5), the director must consider the frame composition for the wider aspect ratio while making sure the composition will work for standard-definition TV, the kind most people currently have in their homes. Directors should definitely be familiar with the equipment in the studio. They don't necessarily need to know the intricacies of each piece of equipment, but they should know the underlying principles so that they can communicate effectively with crew members who actually undertake equipment operation.

Also, as mentioned in Chapter 2, what the director does is sometimes affected by what the producer has done. Many series TV programs have been cast by the producer and others before the director sets foot in the studio. For other types of programs, such as a movie of the week, the director might have a large say as to which actors are chosen for the parts. These variations in techniques, discipline, and styles are considered as this chapter discusses the following:

• How the director blocks talent, marks a script, and prepares other paperwork (4.1)
• The nature of prestudio, floor, and control room rehearsals (4.1)
• How the AD uses a timing sheet and handles talent timing cues (4.1)
• The difference between program time and body time (4.1)
• Principles related to calling commands appropriately (4.1)
• The long shot, medium shot, close-up pattern (4.2)
• Placement of cameras (4.2)
• Aesthetic principles related to cutting ratio, shot similarity, position jumps, and the axis of action (4.2)
• The use of transitions such as cuts, dissolves, fades, defocusing, wipes, and digital effects (4.2)
• The proper timing of transitions (4.2)
• How the director interacts with cast and crew (4.3)