Zhang Yimou Quotes

Films don't always tell a story; some films can achieve effect just by being razzle-dazzle or rock n' roll. That's part of the fare that's out there. And that's okay. For me, I place more value on a story.

Film-makers must decide what story to tell and how to tell it.

You cannot base a whole movie on just the imagery alone. It has to be the story and the characters.

The technology available for film-making now is incredible, but I am a big believer that it's all in the story.

The way the films look will never entertain an audience alone. It has to be in the service of a good story with great characters.

There are so many elements that make a good film. You need a great director who's driving it.

Every stage of filmmaking's important while you're doing it, so I spend most of my time figuring out how to tell the story. I have all these stories and ideas, but it's how to tell the story.

Obviously, a theatrical masterpiece needs more than a plot; many television shows are nothing but plot, and it is doubtful that they will stand the test of time. But I also don't think that making fun of plot or acting like we're all somehow 'above' structure is such a good idea.

A director should concentrate on his storyline and his characters.

Films are never meant as solutions; they just provide entertainment value.

These days, you don't need a song or glamour to make your film work. It is all about a good story.

It is a conscious choice to go for content-driven scripts because that is the key for any film to work. There are no two ways about it, and I have always been attracted to great content.

In films, I do programming I can never do in television. I have fun. Both mediums are content-led, but they are so diverse in their psychology that they cannot have a meeting point.

Moviemaking is about telling a story. And you need to know what story you are going to tell.

As a director, what I'm trying to do is to create interesting stories.

Action scenes are not that different from other scenes.

The difference between film and TV is the pace. You don't have the leisure of time in television.

Whether I'm acting or making it, at the end of the day it's telling the story; action, drama. You want the audience to feel it - the story, the action, the scene, or a particular shot. I just keep working on crafting my art, on how to make action movies.

Directing is not on my agenda, but writing is. I want to write everything from action, superhero films to quiet dramas, smaller films.

Part of what's so tricky in a film that's two hours long is how many themes can you effectively explore.

The quality of TV drama nowadays is getting better and better. They've had to invent a new term for it: 'high-end television.'

When you make a film you usually make a film about an idea.

When you're making a television show, it's about the story and arc of the show rather than any particular episode or director.

Having spent a lot of time on sets, I was really interested in the overall storytelling aspect of shows and projects.

There are three things that are important for a film. Number one is story, number two is story, number three is story. Good actors can save a bad script and make it bearable, but good actors can't make a bad script good - they can just make it bearable.