Steven Spielberg is one of the most successful names in Hollywood, being responsible for writing, directing, and producing dozens of movies that are both box office hits and critical darlings. So, it’s safe to say every aspiring filmmaker would love to get some career advice from the master. But in talking about his upcoming West Side Story, Spielberg’s tips for aspiring filmmakers were not what you could expect.

When Collider's Steven Weintraub asked what he wished more people knew about movie-making, Spielberg was quick to say that he hopes people don’t actually learn how things work behind the camera. As Spielberg puts it, watching a movie is a magical experience that could be ruined if people knew how their favorite stories were put together. In Spielberg’s words:

“I hope they never learn anything about movie-making. I hope they never know. I hope they never see who's behind the curtain. I think if they don't want to be a filmmaker, so if they don't want to get into the business and they just want to be entertained or want to be transported somewhere else, it's best not to know too much because you don't want to knock down that proverbial fourth wall. You want to keep yourself safe and secure from any knowledge other than what the story is throwing back at you.”

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Image via 20th Century Studios

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While he wishes the public didn’t learn about movie-making, Spielberg said he’s watching closely a new generation of storytellers who use their phones to reach out to the world. As Spielberg sees it:

“There's a whole other subset of individuals who want to tell their stories, and they're telling them right now on their iPhones, and they're telling them right now on social media and on Twitter and on Instagram and on TikTok. I have my eye out for them all the time because that is ... those are the individuals that should know what goes into preparing a script.”

For these aspiring storytellers, Spielberg was happy to offer his counsel. And it has nothing to do with camera movement, as technique is not as important as keeping people watching your films. As Spielberg’s explains it:

“The only piece of advice I love to give is don't worry so much about technique and don't worry so much about where to put the camera or have a light. Worry about one thing or think about one thing, preoccupy yourself with, how do you tell a story that's really interesting, that you can get somebody not to walk out of the room right in the middle of your second act of your telling the story? How do you just tell a story that people lean into what you're saying and they don't lean back, they don't start looking around the room? Find a way first, a compelling way to express your art through your storytelling. Once you've got that, there's a lot of people in this world that will get around you and show you the ropes, but learning how to be a storyteller is the most important advice I can give you.”

Spielberg’s West Side Story is the second feature-length adaption of the 1957’s stage musical of the same name, with lyrics written by the recently passed Stephen Sondheim. The new adaptation stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as Tony and María, the two star-crossed lovers at the center of the Romeo and Juliet-inspired musical. The film also stars David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Ariana DeBose, Brian d’Arcy James, Corey Stoll, and Josh Andrés Rivera. Actress Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original 1961 film, returns to the cast as Valentina, the owner of the corner store where Tony works. Moreno also serves as one of the film’s executive producers.

West Side Story will hit theaters this Friday, December 10. Look for our full interview with Spielberg later this week.