When we talk about directing, we talk about RESEARCH and MANAGEMENT and VISION.
The director is the one largely responsible for the story, research, interviews, and managing the crew.
And in a 3-person crew, the director is also the PRODUCER—The one who is largely responsible for the doing the pre-production, running meetings, setting expectations and schedules, leading all 3 stages of production, and eventually submitting/promoting the piece.
The director’s vision encompasses all aspects of the film. That means the director has a LOT of responsibilities managing the production of the film, and works well with people to extract the BEST out of each person on their team.
Oversight includes the way the film is shot (working with the DP how the camera moves, whether it’s on a tripod or handheld, how the shots are framed and composed, how lighting is used, etc.); how the subjects relate to each other and the camera, management of personnel, and everything that happens once the film is finished, such as the working with the editor, the music used, the sound effects and other aspects.
During post-production, the editor is responsible for putting together the film, but – and here’s that word again – the editor does so while respecting the vision of the director.
What’s important is for the director to value the talents and input that the crew offer; for example, appreciating a director of photography who offers his or her expertise to bring something new or different to what the director had originally imagined; listening to an editor who puts a new spin on a scene based on the way it’s cut (or structured); respecting their choices and trusting their instincts as well as the director’s own.