realisateur

The réalisateur, or réalisatrice in the feminine form, is the person responsible for the creative realization of a film or television project. In English, the term corresponds to the director. The role encompasses the overall artistic vision and the coordination of the production to realize that vision on screen or on screen in a television program.

Responsibilities of a réalisateur include interpreting the script, shaping the narrative and tone, casting and directing performances, and determining the visual style. The director collaborates with department heads such as the director of photography, production designer, and editor to establish camera work, lighting, shot composition, blocking, and pacing. They plan the shooting schedule, select locations, and guide the production process from pre-production through principal photography and into post-production, where they work with editors, sound designers, and composers to realize the final cut and sound track. While producers handle logistics and budget, the réalisateur maintains primary creative control over the film’s or program’s content.

In practice, the role can vary by medium. In television, a réalisateur directs individual episodes, with multiple directors sometimes contributing under an overarching showrunner. In theatre, the analogous role is usually termed metteur en scène. The term is also linked to auteur theory in Francophone cinema, which emphasizes a director’s personal artistic stamp on a work.