What are the "Rules" of filmmaking?

Yes there are rules to making a film. So what are they? Here's 10 in no particular order.

1. Movie reality is different than real life.

2. Create rules and don't break them.

3. Use everything you set up.

4. It starts with a good story.

5. Start a scene as late as possible.

6. Reveal only what is necessary.

7. Each scene moves our story forward or reveals something about our characters.

8. There are only 32 stories. No more. No less. They rarely mix well.

9. Film is a visual medium. Tell your story visually as much as possible.

10. Use dialogue to fill it all in.

1. Movie reality is different than real life

(back to the top)

What does this mean? Movies have their own reality. There are events that happen in real life that would not be believed in a movie. I don't believe there's a clear cut explanation for why, but it's one of those things that, "just is". So avoid the "real life" scenes at all costs, because once you lose your audience they're gone.

Here's a quick example. I was in Manhattan and was closer to the west side then the east, so I decided to take the west side highway home. I came to a stop at the light on 57th between 10th and 11th. i stayed in the right lane because I soon needed to turn right. Cars were cheating down the lane to my right where cars usually were parked, but I decided to stay in my lane. Why? I don't know. I just did.

I looked over and realized I was right at the entrance of the building which housed the Writer's Guild East. I smiled. Then I saw something that seemed familiar. It couldn't be though. I looked again. It was. What was she doing here. She was supposed to be in home. As that thought went through my mind, my sister screamed out my name. "What are you doingl here?" I asked the same. She said she had a job interview and I told her that I was going home. She jumped in and we went home. What an amazing coincidence. If I had scooted further right, I would have missed her. If I had moved up one car length, I would have missed her. I couldn't believe it, but it's true.

Now if I put this in a movie no one would believe it, even though it's true.

In a movie the only way to make this work is to set it up.

2. Create rules and don't break them.

(back to the top)

Now if I put this in a movie no one would believe it, even though it's true.

In a movie the only way to make this work is to set it up.

Now if I put this in a movie no one would believe it, even though it's true.

In a movie the only way to make this work is to set it up.

Now if I put this in a movie no one would believe it, even though it's true.

In a movie the only way to make this work is to set it up.

dgsgsdg

sgsdfgdsfg