Film Extended Essay Auteur Theory An Analysis of Steven Spielberg May 2018 Word Count: 4000

Abstract The primary purpose of this extended essay is to analyze the Steven Spielberg’s films and determine: to what extent is Steven Spielberg an auteur and how do his films portray his own creative direction? The auteur theory is the idea that the director is essentially the author of the film and it is the director’s creativity that is ultimately displayed in the final product of the film. This essay analyzes the extent to which Steven Spielberg meets the guidelines of becoming an auteur. The first of the three guidelines is that the director must be able to make a competent film with developed characters and a plot that flows. The second guideline is that the director must have a certain stylistic approach to their films that serve as a signature. And the final guideline is that the director must have an interior meaning in each of their films that usually stems from their real lives. Through the analysis of Spielberg’s films such as, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, ​and ​Saving Private Ryan​, the conclusion can be reached that Steven Spielberg is to be considered an auteur due to his films meeting the three requirements of being an auteur. However, the auteur theory can be countered by the fact that the film is not always a product of the director’s creativity, and can instead be considered a total team effort from the entire production team.