Rule #1: There are no rules. There are as many ways to make a film as there are potential filmmakers. It’s an open form. Anyway, I would personally never presume to tell anyone else what to do or how to do anything. To me that’s like telling someone else what their religious beliefs should be. Fuck that. That’s against my personal philosophy—more of a code than a set of “rules.” Therefore, disregard the “rules” you are presently reading, and instead consider them to be merely notes to myself. One should make one’s own “notes” because there is no one way to do anything. If anyone tells you there is only one way, their way, get as far away from them as possible, both physically and philosophically.
Rule #2: Don’t let the fuckers get ya. They can either help you, or not help you, but they can’t stop you. People who finance films, distribute films, promote films and exhibit films are not filmmakers. They are not interested in letting filmmakers define and dictate the way they do their business, so filmmakers should have no interest in allowing them to dictate the way a film is made. Carry a gun if necessary.
Also, avoid sycophants at all costs. There are always people around who only want to be involved in filmmaking to get rich, get famous, or get laid. Generally, they know as much about filmmaking as George W. Bush knows about hand-to-hand combat.
Rule #3: The production is there to serve the film. The film is not there to serve the production. Unfortunately, in the world of filmmaking this is almost universally backwards. The film is not being made to serve the budget, the schedule, or the resumes of those involved. Filmmakers who don’t understand this should be hung from their ankles and asked why the sky appears to be upside down.
Rule #4: Filmmaking is a collaborative process. You get the chance to work with others whose minds and ideas may be stronger than your own. Make sure they remain focused on their own function and not someone else’s job, or you’ll have a big mess. But treat all collaborators as equals and with respect. A production assistant who is holding back traffic so the crew can get a shot is no less important than the actors in the scene, the director of photography, the production designer or the director. Hierarchy is for those whose egos are inflated or out of control, or for people in the military. Those with whom you choose to collaborate, if you make good choices, can elevate the quality and content of your film to a much higher plane than any one mind could imagine on its own. If you don’t want to work with other people, go paint a painting or write a book. (And if you want to be a fucking dictator, I guess these days you just have to go into politics…).
Rule #5: Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”
Article thanks to Moviemaker.com
Beautiful ! Hermoso ! Beau !.
Brilliant 🙂
Man, Jims words touched my heart. He articulated the truth with precision and adequate venom in it. every film-maker irrespective of their caste, race, country and stature faces the problems he mentioned every time a film is made. Respect from India Jim.
[…] One of Jim Jarmusch’s five golden rules for filmmakers. […]
great..
Wonderful thoughts and need to be followed like a bilble by film makers.
was in splits as the points made here are universal and so true,
He fucking made so much sense. I second the last point, there are hypocrites who hide their faces from accepting that they have been inspired. Say it out, because nothing is indeed original. If you are not inspired, how are you going to inspire?
[…] Jim Jarmusch’s 5 Golden Rules for Filmmakers […]
contradiction alert:
rule 3 (fuck production) and rule 4 (collaborate with everyone) seem to contradict each other.
I think what he’s saying is that production and “everyone” should be there to serve the film and as long as they’re doing that then everything will work out.
my bias alert: im a 1st AD who has done it for 20 years, and has worked with 100’s of directors, so my bias is towards production…
having said that, ive noticed that the directors who come to a project thinking that production exists to “serve” them and their vision, usually don’t have long careers.
I think I get all sides here…maybe if we add “The production is not there to serve the director.”
I agree – there has to be equal dedication to the film as a whole but with the director… that’s the person carrying the vision. Maybe its better to say everyone has to be dedicated to the “vision”.
Your missing the point. You need to be a visionary to be a TRUE Director. Also, he never meant anyone had to serve him, or his vision, but rather, that the vision must come first.
Love your
mindset Jim, I wish u good luck in all your projects. Jerome Creaney
It’s aways interesting to hear privileged positions of hierarchy trying to remove hierarchy from the equation. Jarmusch needs hierarchy or else he wouldn’t be perceived as highly or to be in the position to make the stories he wants. It’s a requirement for this system. He’s right, there’s probably a bunch of people on set that come up with the answers better than he has, but in the end, because of hierarchy, he gets the credit. It’s all about the collaboration to serve the story, but hierarchy exists dude. I guess the question that follows is: Can film have a non-hierarchical approach? Apparently there have been experiments in the past…
Hell yeah!!!
Rule #5 applied here?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/03/arts/03iht-broken.2107556.html?pagewanted=all
[…] This project would not be possible without the help of so many of my friends. “Patience” is such a personal story to me I have leaned heavily on the feedback of friends and it has made the film better. We have a long way to go in a short amount of time, but I believe we can get it done. (These rules really apply to my situation right now, click here.) […]
“Nothing is original…” Truer words were never spoken.
filmmaking is not filmmaking Mr. Jim …
I love your work Mr Jarmusch. Your 5 Golden Rules are oxygen to my flagging spirit today.
Kia-ora…from a fellow visionary here in Aotearoa…Land of the Long White Cloud (otherwise known as New Zealand).
I would love to see a film put together with no credits at the end. The production proviso being that if you work on ‘this film’ it is because you love it.
Working at anything just for love is the true definition of an amateure. amtor, “lover, devoted friend, devotee, enthusiastic pursuer of an objective,” and from its Latin-derived French source, amateur, with a similar range of meanings. If you are a professional, you can and should expect to be recognized and compensated for your efforts, otherwise its just a hobby.
Right on.