STEVEN SPIELBERG

 

Steven Spielberg is one of the few directors that comes to mind when we talk about classic, iconic movies. With time, Spielberg has proved to be a versatile director, directing movies ranging from peak fiction to historic pieces. The three time Oscar winner, depends heavily on camera movement to bring more cinematic value to his films, one such example was the famous dolly zoom in jaws, the scene is very well renowned for it's camera movement and the panic it creates through the movement. 

Spielberg has been working for more than 40 years in the movie industry and has delivered movies that are classics, he has directed not only the movies that we see above, Spielberg bas also directed movies such as Saving Private Ryan, The Terminal, West Side Story, War of Worlds, The Fablemans, Ready player one etc. 

Apart from creating movies from every genre, his directing style varies in his movies. But a concept Spielberg often utilises in telling a story, is the concept of Wonder. The "Wonder" effect or the Wonder of movies is at the heart of many of Spielberg's films. It is basically a way to make the audience become astonished about a thing or an event that can potentially be terrifying, the double edge sword of excitement and fear, what we feel when confronted with the unknown. In many movies the audience and the characters really confront The Unknown, Spielberg tends to keep his stories about ordinary people, much like the people watching the movie, his focus on ordinary people heightens the drama when extraordinary things start happening to them but from a filmmaking perspective it also means that what's wondrous to the characters of the movies would also likely be wondrous to the people watching the movie. An example for wonder would be Alan Grant in Jurassic park, when he first discovers the dinosaurs he is completely fascinated and is in awe of the genetically modified creatures, not understanding the fact that where they show promise they also pose a threat. 

According to Spielberg, in a short sequence 1977's " Close encounters with the third kind", the image below was identified as a single master image that sums up his entire film career. 

If you want to start watching Spielberg's cinematic brilliance, you should start with none other than Jaws. Now, widely considered as one the greatest movies of all time, "Jaws" starts with a terrifying sequence that now has become a famous pop culture reference and then becomes an electrifying ride,  Jaws not only ushered in the era of blockbuster movies but also alters the landscape of cinema. 

Director's pro tip: Create suspense and fear in the audience by not showing the actual threat for some time,  the imagination of the audience is scarier than the thing you show. 

Storytelling and emotion always come first. Business and cinematography always second. 

If you fail in a project, don't let it affect you. Throw yourself into work and start the next project immediately.