Directors and writers

It's instructive how much my attitude about the relationship between film directors and screenwriters has changed since I began directing videos. In two areas especially I've done a complete about face:

• The WGA and many screenwriters hate the "a film by" attribution generally given to a director at the start of a film. They wrote the script, is the argument, not the director. I used to side with screenwriters on this issue, totally. However, since I've put some director's hours under my belt, even if mostly with my own scripts, I'm now on the director's side of this issue. The final product depends too much on incidental, accidental and spontaneous decisions through the long process of filming, all made by the director, for the writer to retain first claim on the material. The final product may or may not resemble the script. What happens is decided by the director. Hence, a film by the director.
• As a director, I can see why it's advantageous not to have the writer around. There are too many balls in the air at once already without having to worry about the writer second-guessing your decisions. I think there comes a time in the process when the director has to ban the writer from the set just to keep sane.

I've read other screenwriters who have changed similarly after they began directing. Now I understand why.

Incidentally, this means I can be more flexible when working with a director as a writer, better understanding why the director has to be in charge. I hope I have the chance to experience this with the producer making the current offer.