10 Director Trademarks That You Can't Unsee
The wells that they keep returning to...
Movie directors have a wide-ranging job set that spans across all aspects of production, essentially acting as a shepherd who must lead the film to the promised land. At the same time, as they go, they're hoping that they didn't take a wrong turn along the way.
When a film is being made by a sincerely talented director you can really feel it. They take control of the material in a way that lesser forces simply cannot and guide you as a viewer through the cinematic world they've created.
Sometimes, directors find a particular tool that especially suits them in their craft. Whether it be a visual flourish, a narrative device, or simply a stylistic choice, directors can become so fond of these tools that they become synonymous with the artist themselves. This is how a mere tool becomes a trademark: they present themselves time and time again throughout the director's filmography, becoming a thematic thread that ties all of their work together in a way.
These are the directors who have developed the most distinct trademarks over the years, that run through most or all of their work in one way or another.
10. Spielberg: Shooting Stars
Considering the kind of director Spielberg is and the reputation he has developed over the years, this one shouldn' come as too much of a surprise.
Spielberg is a director who has never shied away from sentimentality, in fact, he practically thrives off of it. Whether it be Indiana Jones, E.T., or even his more recent works such as the BFG, a sense of nostalgia and wonder is crucial to his work.
A tool that Speilberg utilizes quite frequently to help instill this sense of wonder in the audience is that of a shooting star. Whether it be in Jaws, Temple of Doom, Close Encounters, or even Saving Private Ryan, nearly every Spielberg film has a scene in which a shooting star can be spotted.
What is the meaning of all of this?
John Baxter's 1996 biography of the director featured the recounting of a story in which a young Spielberg looked up at the night sky and witnessed a meteor shower. This initiated a lifelong fascination with the phenomenon and their visual impact on the mind of a child.
It may sound like the kind of inspirational story straight out of a Speilberg film, but it's the gospel according to the man himself.