Director Workbench: Block Characters and Try Camera Angles
Place characters and cameras in Director mode, check eyelines and framing in Camera mode, then send a screenshot back to the canvas.
Where should two people stand? Where should the camera go? Will a closer shot hide the action? Director Workbench provides a rehearsal space inside the canvas to test these relationships with characters and cameras.
Block the characters first, then inspect the camera view. Save several candidate screenshots to compare when unsure. They communicate composition intent; the generated output still needs checking.
Place the characters and two or three candidate cameras. Check occlusion, orientation and negative space through each camera, then save the chosen reference frame and send it to the canvas.
Before you start
| The unresolved question | Where to test it | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Where two people should stand | Block in Director mode | Clear left-right positions and orientation |
| Wide or close | Compare candidate cameras | A purpose for each camera |
| Whether a shoulder blocks a face | Inspect in Camera mode | A composition that shows the expression |
| Hand off to production | Save and send reference frames | Reference image plus one sentence about the shot |
Theatre rehearsal: keep performers, landmarks and action readable
A director stands left and a violinist right, with a stage column near the left edge. Show the director pointing to a floor mark without hiding the violinist's face. Use simple stand-ins to check distance and the column's obstruction, then compare a wide and a closer camera. This AI image is a composition target, not a Workbench screenshot or a promise of the final generated result.
Try a theatre-rehearsal composition
Adapt the imported text to your project. This starts with an image composition; the illustration is not attached and generation does not start automatically.
A single widescreen 16:9 realistic live-action cinema still on an old theater stage during rehearsal. A Black male violinist in a charcoal shirt stands on screen right with violin lowered by his side, his entire face clearly visible. On screen left a white female stage director in a rust linen jacket stands in profile, one hand pointing toward a taped mark on wooden stage floor. A tall dark stage pillar at far left creates a framing edge but blocks neither face. Enough space to read their standing positions and gap. Empty red theater seats and soft practical rehearsal lights in background, warm amber side light, restrained dramatic composition, realistic natural faces, gentle film grain. No text, no labels, no diagram, no collage. Educational composition target for camera blocking, not a software screenshot.What Director Workbench helps you decide
It is most useful when you know what the scene should convey but not how to shoot it. It turns vague discussion into spatial choices you can manipulate:
- Where should the characters stand?
- Does this beat need a wide, medium or close-up?
- Would eye level, a low angle or over-the-shoulder work better?
- How can the next shots preserve spatial continuity?
Confirm position, orientation and eyeline before using reference frames for generation.
Block the scene, then look through the camera
Director Workbench has two main modes:
- Director mode: view the scene from outside, place characters and cameras, and adjust the layout.
- Camera mode: enter the active camera's view to check composition and framing.
The switch follows a practical shot-design sequence: build the scene first, then inspect the frame.
Try camera positions in five steps
1. Place characters and clarify blocking
Add characters and drag them into position. The scene list also lets you rename, lock, hide and organize objects as the scene grows.
Use stand-ins to establish the space, then check cameras one by one. Details can wait.
2. Build cameras from familiar shot presets
Create cameras from presets such as front, medium, close-up, top, over-the-shoulder and Dutch angle. If you find a useful angle in the editor view, save that view as a camera.
That gives you two ways to work:
- Start from a familiar shot and refine it
- Explore freely, then save a reusable camera
3. Adjust the target and lens perspective
Each camera stores its position, target and viewing parameters. The target can be a chosen point in space or attached to a character.
This helps keep attention on the subject as blocking changes, and lets you test different distances without rebuilding the camera.
4. Preview live before taking a screenshot
Camera mode shows the active camera live. Check composition, negative space, character orientation and screen direction before capturing.
If the framing feels wrong, return to Director mode, adjust, then check the camera again.
5. Save reference frames and send them to the canvas
Capture the chosen view at the current aspect ratio. Screenshots are stored in the camera inspector, where you can preview, delete or send them to the main canvas as image assets.
On the canvas, keep screenshots alongside shot notes and other references for the next production or discussion step.
Choose reference frames for more than their looks
- Discuss candidate screenshots, not just 'a little closer'.
- Check character position and orientation in shot order.
- Add one sentence explaining each retained frame's purpose.
Start with one difficult shot
Try this sequence:
- Place characters and the scene background
- Create two or three candidate cameras for the same beat
- Compare their compositions in Camera mode
- Save the strongest screenshots
- Send them to the canvas as generation or discussion references
This keeps the Workbench focused on shot decisions instead of elaborate set building.
The top-right question mark opens this guide
This article is linked from the question-mark button at the top right of Director Workbench. First-time users can open it directly from the panel.
Pick the hardest shot to explain: place the characters, create two or three cameras, compare compositions and send the selected screenshot to the canvas.
To connect three camera positions into a dialogue scene, read connecting wide, over-the-shoulder and close-up shots.