One of the hardest but most crucial parts of your job as a director is controlling the tone of your film.

Many filmmakers assume that tone is simply something that happens organically. That it will just emerge from your work without any conscious effort.

And in one sense, that is true. No matter what your intentions or objectives, and no matter how much (or little) time you spend thinking about it – your film will have a tone.

The question is whether the tone elevates the story or becomes a distraction. And the difference is often found in the planning and prep stages.

Virtually every great director is a master of tone. Hitchcock, Kubrick, Fincher, etc. – all are known for mastery in this department.

They are equally known for their meticulous planning, attention to detail, and deep understanding of the craft.

The tone of Pyscho or The Shining or Seven didn’t just happen by chance. They were carefully designed and crafted at each step to deliver the right emotional experience.

An amateur filmmaker who neglects tone at all will ultimately leave the fate of their film up to chance. Best case scenario, the elements all intersect in just the right way – and a unique tone that suits the movie emerges naturally.

More commonly, though, the tone feels uneven and uninteresting, as the sum is not more interesting than the parts.

It’s not just about identifying the importance of tone, however. It’s about understanding what actually goes into it from a practical level.

With that in mind, below are 5 of the most important pillars to consider when designing the tone of your film.

Dialogue & Performance

Your tone first begins to emerge at the screenplay level. It is embedded into everything from the title to the scene direction.

Most obviously though, the dialogue is what sets the tone on the page. Let’s use The White Lotus as an example.

You might watch The White Lotus and believe the tone is set by the environment – a luxury hotel set in a remote area. And that certainly contributes to it.

But it’s not the environment, but rather how the characters are behaving within it that sets the emotional tone. The way the writing oscillates between sincere conversations, satirical commentary, and juxtaposition against the luxurious backdrop is what makes it.

The exact same show with the same plot in the same location would feel entirely different if the dialogue were only slightly tweaked.

By the same token, the actors cast to deliver those lines (and therefore execute on the tone) are an even more critical piece of the puzzle.

I would argue that 50% of your film’s tone is rooted in dialogue and casting because the vast majority of the audience experience is simply watching actors say their lines.

Nail the dialogue and cast actors who can elevate it further, and you are halfway there.

Camera & Coverage

Your choice in framing, camera movement, and coverage style also plays a massive role in achieving a specific tone.

The same scene shot as a oner using a slow zoom will have an entirely different tone than if it were shot with traditional coverage.

In The White Lotus, symmetrical framing is often used to create a postcard-like quality and play into the manufactured elements of the resort. But this is also paired with some voyeuristic shots, contrasting wide / close shots, and some very specific inserts.

The inserts are especially important, as they are some of the most unique shots in the whole show. In the new season, there will frequently be cuts to a nature element – such as a monkey watching from a tree. These little details add so much to the world.

The way these shots are lit and colored is equally important in achieving the right tone. It’s not just about getting cool looking inserts, it’s about matching the cinematography and grade to maximize their emotional impact.

Music & Sound Design

The most clear-cut way to control the tone of your film is through music and sound design.

Imagine watching The White Lotus without any soundtrack. It would be a completely different experience.

On the new season, it’s the tribal percussion, eerie vocals, and dissonant sounds that create unease. Yet also deliver a slightly comedic undertone at the same time.

The instrumentation of the music is very specific to the setting and compliments the tone beautifully. It is a distinct sound we’ve never heard arranged in quite that way, which makes the show feel that much more unique.

Many filmmakers wait to think about their score until after production has wrapped. But I suggest thinking about it as early as the writing stage, as it can inform so many other choices downstream.

Editorial Choices

Ultimately, none of the tonal decisions matter unless they are implemented properly in the edit.

You could have the best coverage, dialogue, score, etc. in the world – but if you don’t showcase it the right way in the cut, it will not have the desired effect.

In the case of The White Lotus, it’s about knowing when to use their interesting cutaway shots. When to highlight one of the big music cues. And when to linger on certain coverage.

The same scene might feel completely different if the camera holds on the character who is NOT speaking, simply allowing us to witness their reaction. Or if the edit breaks into a montage as opposed to simply hard cutting to the next scene.

In that sense, the tone is conceived during the writing phase, executed on set, but only fully realized in post.

I should also note that tone is inherently embedded into everything you do as a filmmaker. Your choice in wardrobe or production design can have a massive impact on tone. Just as the makeup or special effects you choose to employ.

Technically, everything contributes to your tone. Even the elements (like weather) that may be out of your control.

But the 4 pillars on this list have an outsized influence on the emotional feel of your final product. And by focusing on them from an early stage, you can’t help but embed those decisions in other parts of the creative process too.

So, in short, control the tone of your film before it takes control of you.

---

For exclusive filmmaking articles every Sunday, sign up for my newsletter here!