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 know it’s not the right thing to say to a lady, miss, but you are sweating like a pig!" "My mother always said that horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies merely glow…" "Is that so? Well, miss, you are glowing like a pig!
I have Van Gogh's ear for music
Percy wouldn't notice a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing one of Dobby's hats.
Wit and humor do not reside in slow minds.
If you can make someone laugh who's dead set against you, that's the first step to winning them over to your side.
When I'm up there, I'm just thinking that I've got to make them laugh or they won't show up next time.
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