I have ten commandments. The first nine are, thou shalt not bore. The tenth is, thou shalt have right of final cut.
Interpretation
This quote humorously emphasizes the importance of engaging storytelling and creative control in filmmaking.
Billy Wilder's quote highlights the essential elements of captivating an audience and maintaining creative authority. By stating that the first nine commandments revolve around avoiding boredom, he underscores the need for entertainment and engagement in film, while the final commandment stresses the importance of having the ultimate say in editing and presentation, which ensures the filmmaker's vision is preserved.
In practice
This quote would be perfect to use during a filmmaking workshop to emphasize the significance of audience engagement.
Film’s thought of as a director’s medium because the director creates the end product that appears on the screen. It’s that stupid auteur theory again, that the director is the author of the film. But what does the director shoot-the telephone book? Writers became much more important when sound came in, but they’ve had to put up a valiant fight to get the credit they deserve.
What critics call dirty in our pictures, they call lusty in foreign films.
Happiness is working with Jack Lemmon.
Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.
I'd worship the ground you walked on if only you walked in a better neighborhood.
He has Van Gogh's ear for music.
I think as much as I talk about humour being a defence mechanism, I'm also really grateful that I developed it, because I now have it as a choice, rather than a panic button. I feel like it's there if I want to use it. It's fun.
My first movie, I got nominated for a Canadian Oscar-for Meatballs. For MEATBALLS. And who am I up against? George C. Scott. So he wins the award and I stand up and go, 'That's it-let's get the hell outta here.'
Don't shoot me, I'm just the piano player!
I've always believed, in my heart of hearts, that it would be a better show if, when I crossed over to the desk, the band kept playing for an hour and I danced in a cage.
i made myself a snowball As perfect as can be. I thought I'd keep it as a pet, And let it sleep with me. I made it some pajamas And a pillow for it's head. Then last night it ran away, But first - It wet the bed.
Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
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