Director

Directors control the creation of film, television, radio and stage productions. They direct cast and crew members and work with others to achieve an artistic vision.

Also known as

Film director, television director, theatre director, entertainment director, stage director, movie director

Work environment

  • Usually work long and irregular hours
  • Usually work on film sets, on location, in studios and theatres and may travel locally, nationally and internationally
  • Need to be creative, communicate well and make decisions

Salary information

MOST COMMON
UPPER
LOWER
$50K-$266K 50000

Typical tasks

  • Direct film, television, radio and stage productions
  • Study, edit and interpret scripts
  • Give guidance to actors performing roles
  • Manage actors, film crew and production staff
  • Work with others on technical requirements
  • Make final artistic production decisions
  • Develop creative ideas
  • Work with casting directors to find actors
  • Work with editors in post-production

Outlook

Directors continue to play a key role in film, television, streaming and digital content production. New Zealand’s screen sector benefits from international productions, local storytelling and growing global audiences through streaming platforms. The industry is adapting to new technologies, virtual production techniques and changing viewing habits. Opportunities often vary with production activity, but demand for original content remains strong worldwide.

What employers and industry want in graduates

  • Strong creative vision and storytelling ability
  • Leadership and decision-making skills
  • Collaboration and teamwork
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to manage projects and deadlines
  • Adaptability and resilience

AUT programmes

The above is a suggestion only and a starting point. You may need to meet other criteria or take additional steps to work in this career.

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This data is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahtu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Some of the information has been modified by AUT. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this data.