What Jeanie said.

Except that, of course, you could be Canadian and spelling 'theatre' correctly, of course.

Sometimes it depends on what you want to direct. If film, get in as a runner. If theatre, ASM first (Asst. Stage Manager) then SM then Director. Alternatively, many actors become directors, but then, many actors start off as ASMs so ... Opera is slightly different as you have both the staging director and the musical director.

I used to work in pro theatre (-tre: Canadian!) and I gotta tell ya that youngsters who just turned up and announced that they wanted to direct were numerous and generally treated as annoyances. So it is VERY important that you do what others here have suggested: pay your dues by doing the menial stuff, learn all the nitty gritty that way, and then start doing scenes in workshops, amateur stuff, etc.

But best of luck.

Oh - and marry rich if possible.

siân