14 ChaPter 1 From idea to Cinematic Story filmmaker unveils the total perception shift for the viewer: the grave is actually Maria's. What we assumed was real and true, wasn't. But the perception shift is narratively satisfy- ing because as we reflect on the subtle clues embedded in the story we see that it makes perfect narrative and emotional sense. This discussion of dramatic principles, of course, is only a basic guideline. As an emerging filmmaker, you should be testing these boundaries and possibilities yourself. Cinematic storytelling allows lots of flexibility and room for experimentation. The legendary filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard is commonly paraphrased as saying that films do indeed need a begin- ning, middle, and end, though not necessarily in that order. Just as the subject matter of drama is virtually unlimited, so, too, are the ways that we can approach these subjects in cinema. The way you tell stories on film can vary depending on what you want to say, how you want a viewer to feel along the way, and what is appropriate for the ultimate point of your movie. As one of my writing professors, the novelist Alan Cheuse, once said of writing in general, "There is only one absolute rule to telling stories--make it work." Nonetheless, an understanding of the basic principles and the conventions that inform most cinematic narratives is an essential starting point. Obviously, it is not even remotely possible to exhaust this subject in one short chapter, which is all a book like this can afford. There are countless books on the shelves exploring in great detail the form, struc- ture, and elements of cinematic drama. I have included some of these books in the recom- mended readings and, of course, all the films cited throughout this book serve as excellent examples to study.