Cinema and Scene Construction

“Direction” — we finally arrive at this central concept. In 1959, this word was not commonly used; the term carried a long history, particularly a theatrical one. Even Mouriac considered himself a director in the theatrical, rather than cinematic, sense.
If this definition was initially tied to actors and performances, later “direction” came to encompass everything related to film production, even in its purely artistic aspect — from frame to frame.

If the director acts in some of his films, is he then directing himself? And what happens when he performs, even with partial control over the situation? If the creative system allows him relative control, then the moment of filming remains the decisive moment that determines the outcome.

Thus, the term mise en scène — through what is called the “science of composition” or setup (the arrangement of elements, spatial organization, and the choice of viewpoint) — defines the distinctive image, both as an ideal and as a reality. For Aumont, cinematic direction is the act of finding the best possible arrangement for narrating the story visually and effectively, in a way that deliberately manages attention. Therefore, directing begins first with the organization of relationships between actors and space.