Billy Wilder Knew How To Look Through A Lens To Get The Story.

 

Billy Wilder abandoned the idea of becoming a lawyer for the life of a reporter on a Viennese newspaper. He eventually came to this country in the 1930s and broke into American films creating some of Hollywood's classic and Oscar winning works as a screenwriter, director and producer.

He once gave the order, "Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award."

A few trademarks: His movies frequently started with narration.  His films feature a sharp wit and characters who frequently try to change their identity, as well as dangerous and manipulative women.

Billy Wilder, who said, "An actor entering through the door, you've got nothing. But if he enters through the window, you've got a situation." left a legacy for filmmakers and storytellers alike:  You gotta have a plot.  If you don't got a plot how you gonna make the story come to life? 

TIP:    The plot of your story goes like this:  Who * Did What * To Whom * Under What Circumstances (remember what I wrote about context on Q&A Tuesday?) * Toward What Ends * and, With What Means.

TIP:     Lay out the pieces and listen to how it sounds.

TIP:     If the situation doesn't ring true for you, do it over.