The Dangerous Trap of Trying to Be an Auteur Filmmaker

I just finished my 25th spec screenplay and was feeling high and mighty until someone asked me if there was a common theme or idea that united them all.

At that moment, I was kind of struck by this ton of realism that even if I am a prolific writer, I'm not sure I understand a lot of what runs through my projects.

So does that mean I'm not an important artist?

And if I'm not important, does that mean I don't matter?

This doom spiral took me to a more logical realisation...if you think you're an important artist with a bunch of unifying themes...you're probably a bit of an assh*le.

I'm much more interested in work from people who are constantly learning and changing. And those who are not afraid to tell us the truth about the world.

If you want your films to have a "soul," but if you spend all your time trying to be an Auteur, you might forget to be a storyteller.

Or become a complete assh*le, as I mentioned above.

Engaging with Auteur Theory shouldn't feel like filling out a checklist of quirks. It’s about developing a perspective so clear that the audience can "hear" your voice through the visuals or through what you put on the page.

Let's dive in.

• YouTubewww.youtube.com

1. Discover Your "Obsessions"

Look, I'm not telling you to become Brian De Palma, but you should be looking into your own heart and pulling out the things that make you tick.

But if you want to become one of those auteurs, first you need to do a lot of work on yourself. I suggest therapy, but there's also just taking a personal inventory.

I like to use a Le Menu.

An auteur isn't just someone with a favorite lens; they are someone with a recurring question they can’t answer.

• The Trap: Copying Wes Anderson’s symmetry because it "looks cool."
• The Auteur Move: Identifying a theme that haunts you—like the fear of being forgotten or the absurdity of bureaucracy—and letting that dictate the framing.

2. Master the "Visual Grammar"

Your voice is always going to be your calling card. I cannot tell people enough to just become your true self on the page and let that guide you.

But to have a signature, you first need legible handwriting. Auteurs often use specific camera languages to communicate internal states.

And I think the same extends to writers. Are there kinds of characters or ideas they like exploring? Or different points of view?

• The Subjective: If your character feels trapped, don't just tell the actor to look sad. You can use Short Focal Lengths to distort the space around them, or "tighten" the frame with Internal Framing (shooting through doorways or windows). Or write stuff where someone is literally trapped.
• The Power of the Motif: Create a visual "anchor." Maybe water always appears before a character makes a bad decision. These subtle repetitions build a "language" that the audience learns to decode subconsciously.

Steven Spielberg on the set of 'Lincoln' Credit: 20th Century Studios

3. Collaborate, Don't Dictate

The best way to stop yourself from becoming an assh*le is to not be one.

The biggest misconception about Auteur Theory is that the director does everything alone. In reality, the best auteurs are "conductors" who inspire their departments to speak their language.

So if you're out with a spec or crewing up for a movie, think about how you want to be treated and try treating people that way. I promise you this works! It's called the Golden Rule for a reason.

4. Don't Let "Style" Smother the Story

You are nothing if your story sucks. Sorry, but no amount of visuals can save you,

Film criticism loves to categorize, but a movie that is only style is just a music video. Or like intellectual masturbation.

The "Language of the Auteurs" should serve the narrative, not distract from it.

• Kill Your Darlings: If your "signature" 360-degree tracking shot doesn't add emotional weight to the scene, cut it.
• Stay Grounded: Auteurism is an observation made by critics after the fact. Hitchcock wasn't trying to "be an auteur"; he was trying to scare people. Focus on the effect you want to have on the audience, and the "theory" will take care of itself.

Your Creative Audit

Look, the best way to become an auteur is not to try to be one. It's to keep working and refining and getting better, and letting audiences tell you you're one later.

We all want to feel important, but importance is an illusion. Just be truthful to yourself, and the rest will follow.

Before your next shoot, ask yourself:

1. If I took the dialogue away, would the audience still know how this character feels?
2. Is this visual choice helping the story, or just showing off?
3. What is the one "truth" I want this film to tell?

Summing It All Up

Every script you write or rewrite you do should be all focused on becoming a better filmmaker and an even better storyteller. You should be pulling out the stops to reveal the truths of your world and to share yourself with audiences.

Let me know what you think in the comments.