Filmmaking / Directing

“Story World” refers to the creation of the entire fictional universe in which the story takes place, encompassing everything from the characters and story to the setting, tone, and atmosphere.

11. What is the story “beneath” the story?

You need to identify the deeper themes and messages that lay below the surface story. This could include themes of love, betrayal, redemption, or sacrifice. Understand the layers of meaning and how they resonate with the audience on a more profound level. Know the story on the surface and know how to bring the story to life.

Exploring these deeper layers adds richness and complexity to the film, allowing for multiple interpretations and a lasting impact. This depth of understanding can also guide directorial choices, from visual motifs to character development, ensuring an impactful story.

12. Develop the subtext to make it believable.

What do your characters really want? This can be done through dialogue and certain mannerisms and looks. Subtext involves what characters are thinking or feeling beneath the words they speak, often revealed through body language, pauses, or tone of voice. For instance, a character might say one thing but mean another, which can be shown through subtle cues.

The tension between their spoken words and true desires can create depth and realism, enhancing the audience's understanding and engagement. By carefully crafting these elements, you can convey complex emotions and motivations without explicitly stating them, making the story more layered.

13. What are the central motifs, images, and symbols?

You need to identify the recurring motifs, images, and symbols that appear throughout the film. These help reinforce the central themes and messages. These elements also help create a visual pattern that is repeated throughout the film, becoming part of your visual concept or style.

A recurring motif of broken glass can symbolize shattered dreams or fractured relationships, subtly reinforcing the narrative's emotional undercurrents. Similarly, symbols like a recurring object or setting can add layers of meaning, guiding the audience to a deeper understanding of the film's themes. By carefully integrating these motifs and symbols, you can make the story more engaging and memorable.

14. Create image patterns that show up throughout the film.

What are the key visual motifs or patterns that appear throughout the film? This could include recurring images, colors, or symbols. These visual elements should be strategically placed to reinforce the film's themes and emotions. For instance, using a specific color palette can evoke certain moods or symbolize particular concepts.

Repeating certain symbols or imagery can subtly remind the audience of underlying themes and messages, creating a consistent visual story. This technique enhances the storytelling by adding layers of meaning and making the film's visual style more distinctive and memorable.

15. Create a unique sound design that occurs throughout the film.

The director works with the sound designer to create the audio environment of the film. This may involve choosing music, sound effects, and dialogue that enhance the atmosphere of the world. Sound motifs or specific soundscapes can be used to reinforce themes or signify certain emotions.

A recurring piece of music might be associated with a specific character or theme, helping to evoke the intended emotional response from the audience. Unique sound elements can also be used to build tension or indicate shifts in the narrative, adding another layer of depth to the story.

16. What generates (motivates, causes) the action before it happens?

What are the events and circumstances that lead up to the main action of the film? This could include backstory, character motivations, or external forces. Understanding these elements helps build a logical and compelling narrative flow. These can include character relationships, personal goals, or impending threats that push the characters toward the main events.

Identifying these elements allows you to write scenes that naturally lead to the main action, maintaining the audience's engagement and belief in the story's progression. These motivations need to be clear and impactful, as they set the stage for the ensuing drama and character decisions.

17. Use counterpoint to create multi-dimensional characters.

You want to introduce elements of contrast or opposition into the film. This could include contrasting characters, themes, or visual elements. Unless a person is certifiably insane, every one of us can love one person deeply, and at the same time, hate another person or group just as passionately. This technique can add depth and complexity to characters, making them feel more realistic and relatable.

Using counterpoint effectively can highlight the internal conflicts and motivations that drive characters, enriching the story and engaging the audience on a deeper level. By presenting opposing qualities or conflicting emotions within a character, you can create more nuanced portrayals.

18. Interpret the dialogue. (What is the character trying to say?)

Analyze all the characters’ dialogue to really understand what they are trying to communicate. This can help you create more authentic and believable dialogue. (What is the subtext?) Consider the underlying intentions and emotions behind the words, as characters often say one thing but mean another. This deeper understanding can reveal hidden motives and conflicts, adding depth and complexity to the interactions.

Understanding this subtext helps actors deliver lines with the right emotional nuances and expressions, making the scenes more realistic. By interpreting the dialogue carefully, you can ensure that the audience grasps the true meaning and significance of each conversation.

19. What are the key story points, events, beats, and moments?

What are the key moments that drive the story forward? This could include plot twists, character revelations, or emotional climaxes. Identifying these elements helps to structure the story and maintain the audience's interest. These key points should be strategically placed to ensure a compelling progression and to keep the tension and engagement high.

Understanding the significance of these moments aids in pacing the story effectively, ensuring that each beat serves a purpose in advancing the plot and developing the characters. These moments are critical in shaping the emotional journey of the audience.

20. Develop Rich Backstories for All Characters.

Make sure every character, even minor ones, has a detailed backstory that informs their actions and motivations. This depth helps to create a believable world where characters' interactions are rooted in their histories and personalities. These backstories should include key life events, relationships, and personal traumas that shape their worldview.

This level of detail allows actors to bring more depth and authenticity to their performances, making the characters more relatable and engaging. Detailed backstories also provide a strong foundation for character-driven plots and subplots, adding complexity and richness to the overall story.

NEXT ARTICLE: The “Story World” of a Movie (pt3)

While actively making The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan stepped into the role of President of the Directors Guild of America, at a moment when the industry is facing major shifts around AI, production slowdowns, union negotiations, and long-term sustainability for working creatives.

One line that stood out to me was Nolan calling directing “a lonely profession,” and how being involved with the DGA has given him space to have real conversations with other directors about both creative and business realities. That honesty feels especially relevant right now.

This article raises some big questions for filmmakers at every stage:

How important is it for active, working creatives to step into leadership roles during turbulent times?

Do you feel connected to your peers in the industry, or does the work often feel isolating?

What responsibilities do established filmmakers have to help shape the future for those coming up behind them?

I would love to hear your thoughts, especially as negotiations, AI conversations, and production realities continue to evolve. What resonated with you in Nolan’s perspective, or what concerns are top of mind for you right now as a filmmaker?

You can read the full article here:

https://deadline.com/2026/02/christopher-nolan-explains-dga-president-th...

https://youtu.be/aBPtOVS-2jQ?si=GO3Z1sOXylLGBGf5

This week, I'm working on protecting my creative energy by saying no more often. Not every opportunity aligns, and burnout helps no one, not you, not your collaborators, and not your work.

For the last few months, my life has been completely dominated by moving and projects that required my full attention, which meant my writing was quietly shelved. Since October, I’ve barely been able to give more than a few passing thoughts to the characters and world I’m deeply obsessed with. There just weren’t enough hours in the day.

Now I’m at the point where I have to be intentional. I have to make the time. That means committing to routines that prioritize me and my writing each week, and that also means saying no.

In my personal life, I’m often the person people go to. The planner. The organizer. The caretaker. The next-in-line southern matriarch. It comes with a lot of responsibility, pressure, and a never-ending to-do list that I never explicitly signed up for.

If I want to protect my creative work, I have to protect my energy. And to do that, I have to say no, and be okay with it.

What’s something you’ve learned to say no to in order to say yes to your work?

Share what’s helping you grow. You never know who might need to hear it.

Story World” refers to the creation of the entire fictional universe in which the story takes place, encompassing everything from the characters and story to the setting, tone, and atmosphere.

The Story World is about creating the physical, cultural, and social aspects of the film’s universe, including elements like production design, lighting, music, and cinematography, to establish the physical environment, social dynamics, and cultural context that shape the characters' experiences.

The director’s creative vision guides this process, ensuring that thematic messages and emotional depth connect with viewers. By maintaining consistency in the “story world” throughout the film, the director keeps the audience engaged, preserving their “suspension of disbelief” and engagement with the story.

How to Create the “Story World” of a Movie

1. Define the unique characteristics of the story to make a believable film.

Creating a believable film requires defining the unique characteristics that shape its world and story. Even in genres like fantasy and science fiction, the story “must remain consistent within its own set of rules”. These characteristics include the setting, culture, technology, and societal norms that govern the world. Establishing these details with consistency helps maintain “suspension of disbelief” to ensure the audience remains engaged with the story.

The "The Lord of the Rings" series presents a fully realized world with its languages, history, and geography, making Middle-earth feel real within its fantastical context.

2. Research any source that will immerse yourself in this world.

To authentically portray the film’s world, immerse yourself in comprehensive research. This could involve reading relevant books, watching similar genre movies, studying historical events, or even conducting interviews with experts or individuals with firsthand experience in similar settings.

For historical films, research might include visiting museums, reading diaries or letters from the period, and examining historical artifacts. For contemporary settings, observing real-life locations and behaviors can provide valuable insights.

In "Saving Private Ryan," the filmmakers conducted extensive research on World War II to accurately depict the D-Day invasion and the experiences of soldiers during the war, which added to the film's authenticity and emotional impact.

3. What do you want the audience to know and experience?

It's important to have a clear understanding of what you want to communicate and “how you want the audience to feel.” Research and understand the story so the audience learns something they didn’t know before - about the characters, the place, and the time period.

In "Schindler’s List," the film’s key messages about the horrors of the Holocaust and the power of individual action are conveyed through meticulously researched historical details and deeply emotional storytelling. The film aims to educate the audience about this dark chapter in history while also highlighting themes of humanity and redemption.

4. Find the quality sensation the audience can feel.

Identify the emotions and sensations you want the audience to experience while watching the film. This could include feelings of excitement, fear, joy, or sadness. Determine the specific emotion you want the audience to feel in each scene, then find ways to achieve it through visual composition, sound design, dialogue, and performance.

In a suspenseful scene, you might use tight framing, low lighting, and tense music to evoke fear and anticipation. For a joyous scene, you might employ bright colors, lively music, and dynamic camera movements to create a sense of celebration. Ensuring these elements work harmoniously will deepen the audience’s emotional engagement with the film.

5. What generates the action for a character?

What are the key motivations and desires that drive the actions of the characters in the film?

Understanding what motivates a character can help you create more realistic and engaging performances. Explore the character’s backstory, and personal goals to uncover their motivations.

A character seeking redemption might be driven by guilt and a desire to make amends, while another character might be motivated by ambition and a quest for power. By identifying these driving forces, you can ensure that each action a character takes is grounded in their internal logic and emotional journey, making their behavior more believable to the audience.

6. Everyone has secret lives and fantasies.

Explore the inner lives of the characters and understand their hopes, dreams, and fears. This can help you create more complex and nuanced characters. Investigate their secret desires and hidden aspects of their personalities, which might not be evident on the surface. Understanding these hidden facets can reveal why characters behave in certain ways and how they might react to different situations.

A character might publicly appear confident and strong, while privately struggling with self-doubt and insecurity. By fleshing out these inner lives, you can create richer, more relatable characters whose actions and decisions feel authentic and multi-dimensional.

7. Build an entire past life for your characters.

This involves the process of creating detailed backstories, experiences, and memories for each character that inform their actions, motivations, and relationships in the present story. Consider significant events, formative experiences, and key relationships that have shaped their personality and worldview. (Actors do this and so should you for each character.)

By understanding the character’s past, you can add depth and realism to their reactions and decisions. This comprehensive background helps actors and writers create more believable and relatable characters, making the narrative more engaging for the audience.

8. Understand behavior. Look in the real world for examples.

You need to know what motivates each character in every scene because this will affect their actions and what they do as a result. You should be constantly observing real-world behavior and using it as inspiration for your characters. This could include studying body language, facial expressions, and speech patterns.

Observing people in different situations helps you capture the complexity of human behavior, making your characters' actions and reactions more believable and grounded in reality. By understanding these subtle cues, you can create more authentic and relatable characters.

9. If this film world existed, what is the “conceit?”

In filmmaking, "conceit" refers to the main idea or concept that drives the film’s world or story. It is the fictional universe of the film. For example, in a science fiction film, the “conceit” might be the existence of time travel or alien life that shapes the plot and world of the story.

The “conceit” provides a framework for the audience to engage with the story, offering a fresh perspective or an innovative approach to common themes or genres. This unique element sets the film apart from others, providing a fresh perspective or a novel approach to storytelling.

In "The Matrix," the concept of a simulated reality controlled by machines influences the film's story structure, visual style, and action sequences. Understanding the conceit helps in maintaining consistency throughout the film, ensuring that all creative elements align with the central idea.

10. If this “movie” world really existed, what are the rules?

What are the rules and constraints of the world you are creating? This could include physical laws, social norms, or cultural customs. For example, in a fantasy world, you might define how magic works, its limitations, and its consequences. In a dystopian setting, the rules might include government control, societal hierarchies, and survival challenges.

These rules help maintain consistency and believability within the story, ensuring that all events and actions match the established framework. Understanding these rules allows characters to navigate their world logically and helps the audience to immerse themselves fully in the story.

NEXT ARTICLE: The “Story World” of a Movie (pt2)

https://youtu.be/OXx0jJZv9hg

Watch what Her (2013) really talks about and this film showed about us decade ago.

I see a lot of AI posters, pitch decks, video. Unifying 99% of them is their similarity to each other and their mediocre aesthetic (usually technically 'right' but composed of nothing memorable).

But AI is here to stay. In fact, I have been invited on as COO at Aerith Corp which is, among other things, refining and adapting generative AI processes into a professional industry-grade application (it's not easy).

Along the way, I have had to get very familiar with some of the better AI creators. Since generative AI has become a topic of aspiring creatives here on s32, I thought I would share some of them with you. 

I hope you enjoy seeing some of Kelly Boesch's work. Please share some of your own favorite creators as well!

Kelly Boesch is a professional visual artist, with work in new image tech including, in the past, IMAX. She is known widely as one of the current top generative AI video creators, among her other accomplishments. Below I link you to her professional website (maintained by her agent), and her highlight video from her showcase YouTube channel. (She's clearly highly into surrealist art). Her highlight video is less than 3 minutes long and you should enjoy it. I want to emphasize several points for the directors and producers watching: 

1. While Kelly's work is visually stunning, it does exhibit the typical inherent flaws in AI generated video. You should watch for these things, and how she has managed to minimize them. I am not going to list them here. (But if you don't notice any, consider you might not be cut out to be an AI filmmaker. Just saying...)

2. While Kelly labels much or her work "short film", they are in fact music videos. She doesn't use AI actors for narrative stories - thus she avoids the Uncanny Valley effect which has been clinically proved to be experienced by people watching AI humans.

3. I see literally hundreds "look at my amazing AI movie" posts flying across my LinkedIn feed every week. Kelly Boesch's work stands among only three or four in the last month that are actually watchable. But it's also clear that her work isn't pure AI or reliant on the AI model's own ideas of the image Kelly wants created. Which leads to my exhortation:

4. If you want to create compelling work with AI, use your own source materials, and be hyper-critical about the flaws in the AI product which make it unacceptable to an audience. Just because it can create a video at hyper-speed doesn't mean it's watchable by a film audience, which in 2026 is very sophisticated and critical of the lack of effort that goes into a film when things are 'too easy" to create.

5. Above all, use AI to show what you can do well - not to highlight what you're not good at.

Kelly Boesch YouTube channel trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBiatwGD1DI

Kelly Boesch official website: https://www.kellyboesch.com/

The Uncanny Valley Effect in AI video: https://aerithai.com/papers/uncanny-valley-in-ai.html

The choice between the 5-act and 3-act structures is subjective and depends on the specific needs of the story. While the 3-Act Structure is simpler and widely used, the 5-Act Structure offers greater flexibility and depth for complex stories.

The five-act structure, rooted in classical storytelling, provides a comprehensive framework that modern screenwriters sometimes adopt. Directors and screenwriters appreciate this structure for its ability to handle intricate plots and significant character arcs, making it particularly effective for films with extensive character development and multiple plotlines.

The 5-Act Structure also allows for more detailed character development and intricate plot twists, which can improve the storytelling experience. This structure is particularly effective for stories that require a more elaborate exposition and resolution.

For example, the five-act structure's ability to 1. introduce 2. build tension 3. reach a climax, 4. fall into resolution and 5. provide a denouement (the conclusion of the story where conflicts are resolved and the story's outcomes are revealed) offers a detailed approach to storytelling that can enrich the depth of a film.

The choice between a 3-act and 5-act structure ultimately depends on the story being told and the preferences of the writer and/or the director. Both structures have been used effectively in a wide range of films, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, the choice between the two structures should be guided by the story’s demands and your vision.

However, the five-act structure is highly regarded for its flexibility and depth, particularly for complex stories and character development.

Here are several advantages of the 5-act structure:

1. Deeper Exploration of Themes: The “additional acts” provide more room for exploring multiple themes and subplots, allowing for richer storytelling and more layers of meaning. This extended structure can accommodate a broader range of emotional and philosophical questions, enhancing the depth of the story. It also allows for thematic complexity to develop naturally, giving the audience a more profound experience.

2. Detailed Character Arcs: With more acts, there is more space to develop and flesh out character arcs, providing a deeper and more satisfying journey for the audience as they witness significant growth and transformation. This allows characters to evolve more naturally, with time for nuanced developments and setbacks. This depth ensures that character changes are believable and impactful.

3. Easier Adaptation: Some stories naturally lend themselves to a 5-act structure, particularly those based on historical events or epic sagas. The additional acts can make it easier to adapt such stories for the screen or stage without sacrificing depth or complexity, ensuring a more faithful representation of the source material. This structure also facilitates a clearer adaptation process by breaking down complex stories into manageable sections.

4. Emotional Significance: By spreading the emotional highs and lows over five acts, filmmakers can build a more intricate emotional journey, allowing for a more profound connection with the audience. This structure permits a gradual escalation of emotional stakes, leading to a more satisfying conclusion.

5. Enhanced Midpoint: The midpoint in a 5-act structure often serves as a significant turning point, offering a more pronounced shift in the story that can create greater impact and engagement for the audience. This crucial moment can redefine the story's direction and intensify the protagonist's journey.

6. Greater Flexibility: The 5-act structure offers more flexibility in structuring the story, as filmmakers can tailor the number and length of acts to suit the specific needs of their story. This adaptability allows for a more customized pacing and structure, ensuring the story unfolds most effectively. This flexibility supports innovative storytelling techniques and story styles.

7. Improved Clarity: The segmented nature of the 5-act structure can make the progression of the story clearer and easier to follow, helping to maintain the audience’s interest and understanding throughout the film. Clear divisions between acts can enhance the storytelling flow and highlight key plot developments.

8. Increased Plot Points: The additional acts allow for more plot points and twists, which can keep the audience engaged and provide more opportunities for surprises and turning points within the story. This complexity enriches the story, making it more dynamic and unpredictable. More plot points also mean a more textured story experience.

9. More Nuanced Pacing: With five acts, storytellers have additional opportunities to vary the pacing, allowing for more gradual build-ups of tension and more complex character development. This can create a more satisfying viewing experience, with well-balanced moments of action and reflection. Subtle pacing ensures that the narrative rhythm keeps the audience consistently invested.

10. Structured Subplots: A 5-act structure can better accommodate and balance multiple subplots, making sure they are integrated into the main story without feeling rushed or underdeveloped. This integration allows for a richer, multi-layered film that engages the audience on multiple levels.

NEXT ARTICLE: The “Story World” of a Movie (pt1)

Have you ever been on the fence about what project you would shoot next?

I’m just starting and have written 4 horror-comedy shorts. Each one focusing on what I need to learn and add to my knowledge before shooting a feature.

How did you decide for yourself which to shoot first?