Every separate sector of artistic creations has its own basic rules. Such areas include writing, painting, lighting, camera work, costumes, sets, marketing, recording, mixing — every contributory sector to a final art offering.
Each one of these areas has basic stable data which govern it. They are contained in the textbooks on these subjects.
These are the rules — the stable data, the senior data of each specialized activity.
We follow the rules because the rules give impact, effect and message. We don’t follow the rules because we’re told to, we follow the rules to get a product that is effective and brings about what we want brought about.
Anybody who thinks it’s just an odd idea that you just follow the rules should get Short Form Product Clearing, because rules have everything to do with the value of the product.
Anybody can turn out amateur junk. Who looks at it? Who would look at it even if they were paid?
The distance between amateured junk and an effective product is accomplished by knowing and following the basic rules and using them expertly.
When you add to this dexterous handling of materials and equipment and then add some experience you have a professional.
When you add a dash of good sense and talent you have a knockout.
Be professional in whatever you do, the tale is told by the effectiveness of the product on its viewers and intended public.
So whatever your specialty, you have to sort out what the senior data are — the rules — and know them cold, so you don’t even have to think about them and can think with them.
Did you ever realize that each one of these specialties has only a dozen or two rules?
A=A=A is the way most people handle data, some of these A’s however, really have a thousand times the importance of other data.
If you know these and sort them out you have a chance of becoming a professional and if you have sorted them out and can think with them and have manual dexterity with materials and equipment any professional in that field will recognize you as a professional but far more important, your specialty will communicate.
If you disregard the above you’ll be out of communication with your specialty not only specialty but every viewer including kids, whether they know the rules or not.
Be a professional in whatever you do.