Juxtaposition In Mamet On Directing Film

The reading assignment “Mamet on Directing Film” focused on the idea that juxtaposition is the heart of creating a great film. It was explained how the juxtaposition between images is what drives the movie forward in the mind of the audience. It is important not to tell the audience what to think through narration, but rather show it on screen through series of cutting. One quote which I found particularly interesting was, “If you find that a point cannot be made without narration, it is virtually certain it is unimportant to the story (which is to say, to the audience).” I felt this to be true and a great guideline to follow in the pre-production process. I can think of a few of my own films in the past which relied far too heavily on narration.
Perhaps I should have just cut that narration completely. Another section I found particularly interesting was in the preface when the author said he was “not experienced enough to recognize the extent of his ignorance.” This may have caught my attention because I am a student and may not know the extent of my own ignorance. But it also caused me to reflect on the areas which I know that I am ignorant in. Whether it be experimental filmmaking or even screenwriting. I also began to think about the misconceptions I used to have about the filmmaking process. One which we briefly touched on in class about the false correlation many have that with better equipment comes better filmmaking. What I feel I have come to realize is that great storytelling is what makes a film well done, not the technical aesthetics alone.