In an interview with Variety, McIver spoke about directing an episode in Ghosts season 4 for the first time and how she enjoyed putting together the vision the showrunners had. Far from being nervous, McIver loved her directorial debut and was excited to step into the role, especially for a show she is passionate about:
“What appeals to me about directing it is just dropping into something that already exists, being a gun for hire, and being able to see the vision that the showrunners are looking for and really service their vision and emulate that. I think some episodic TV directors get frustrated at not being able to put their own stamp on things. I’m like, ‘No, I love that. Let me work out what you were wanting to achieve and find out how to do it.’”
What Rose McIver Directing An Episode Of Ghosts Means For Season 5
Collaborative Directors Work Best In Network TV
McIver directing an episode in season 4 could mean she’ll return to the director’s chair for Ghosts season 5. She directed season 4, episode 13, “Ghostfellas,” which was one of the highest-rated episodes of the season. Since the episode did so well, it wouldn’t be shocking if Ghosts showrunners, Joe Port and Joe Wiseman, decided to let McIver try her hand again at directing another episode.
Directing TV is wholly different than directing movies, and directors who want to have full creative control don’t cut it in episodic network TV, which is a uniquely rapid-paced environment. In fact, that’s why showrunners of network TV shows don’t direct – with ongoing episodes to write every week, they literally can’t. Someone else has to be directing and focusing on post-production while they work on the next (or even current) week’s script. A veteran TV presence like McIver, who understands the collaborative nature of making TV, could really add to the directing stable of Ghosts season 5 should she want to do it again.
Our Take On Rose Stepping Into The Director’s Chair
Actors Often Make The Best Directors
McIver’s collaborative way of directing could be a positive for Ghosts season 5 and any future seasons. Actors who step into the director’s chair often make the best directors, as they have the benefit of understanding how it works on both sides of the camera. They tend to be more actor-friendly, understanding actors’ motivations and how they think, a boon for a show with an ensemble cast as large as Ghosts. Taking that acting background behind the camera can offer a fresh perspective to execute a showrunner’s idea, which is what McIver can build on if she directs future episodes.
