Quentin Tarantino discusses the “biggest problem with making movies”
Making a movie is no mean feat. It requires intense determination and commitment from those involved, from securing funding for the project to coordinating and managing an entire cast and crew. Making a good movie is even harder. Beyond the logistical intricacies, there has to be a clear vision for the story and style, seamless performances from those in front of the camera, and every shot considered in excruciating detail. Even the most established directors struggle from time to time, and Quentin Tarantino is no exception.
Since making his directorial debut with Reservoir Dogs in the early 1990s, Tarantino has filed one of the most distinctive styles in modern cinema. His films have attracted the admiration of critics and widespread audiences alike with their curated soundtracks, star-studded cast and excessive displays of violence, many of them earning places among the all-time greats.
But even Tarantino had to start somewhere. Before honing in on the enduring elements of his auteurship, harbouring a collaborative relationship with Samuel L Jackson or developing his distinctive dialogue style, Tarantino had to nail the fundamentals. He spent time assisting and acting on set, learning about the techniques of the medium. However, one basic rule of filmmaking that he particularly struggled with early on was the 180-degree rule.
Back in 1994, just two films into his directorial career, Tarantino spoke with Film Comment about what he considered to be the most challenging part of filmmaking. His pick wasn’t any of the financial difficulties or creative blocks but the restrictions of the camera. “Far and away,” he commented, “Forget what anyone else says, the biggest problem with making movies is that fucking axis line.”
The rule itself is fairly simple. It states that directors should keep their camera on one side of an invisible line, which keeps the spatial positioning between characters consistent. This is for the ease of viewers but can be broken where it serves the story. Early into his career, Tarantino couldn’t quite grasp this concept, admitting that he would “glaze over” each time someone attempted to explain it to him.
Eventually, though, the director realised that he did understand it “instinctually”.
“And from the moment that I established that I can cross the line,” he added, “I know I can go back—I got over there the way you’re supposed to, it’s not crossing the line, it just gets me over to the other side. And once I got over there, I can go back and forth between the two.”
With his character-focused dialogue style, it makes sense that Tarantino largely adheres to the 180-degree rule, allowing viewers to follow the conversations that take place between his actors. Still, he’s not afraid to bend the rules where a scene requires it or to work with the axis to serve his story. Tarantino described this discovery as one of his “prouder moments,” noting that he “figured that out on [his] feet”.
Though Tarantino’s stylistic prowess now extends far beyond the basics of film school into huge action set pieces and iconic low-angle shots, even he once struggled with the fundamentals of filmmaking. The 180-degree rule can be a difficult one to get your head around initially but, once it’s understood, it can be used or even disregarded in order to serve style and story.
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