--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After you've learned two or three basic…" description: "\"After you've learned two or three basic rules of cinema grammar, you can do what you like - including breaking those rules.\" — Michelangelo Antonioni" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png" --- # After you've learned two or three basic rules of cinema… ![“After you've learned two or three basic rules of cinema grammar, you can do what you like - including breaking those rules.” quote by Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png) > “After you've learned two or three basic rules of cinema grammar, you can do what you like - including breaking those rules.” [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding basic film grammar gives freedom to creatively break conventions for artistic effect. **In simple terms:** Know rules, then bend them creatively. Key Takeaway Use rules as a launchpad for innovation. Themes creativity film theory artistic freedom Mood thoughtful inspired Type analytical instructional When to use this quote - directing - screenwriting - film criticism - educational workshops Key Concepts cinema grammar rule breaking innovation Questions to Reflect On - When does breaking a rule enhance a story? - How can you test the impact of rule subversion? A Different Perspective Breaking rules may confuse audiences if not purposeful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaking rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-rules/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Grammar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar/) ## Related quotes > [ Well, as a visual artist working with the phenomenon of cinema, the grammar of cinema, \[making a feature\] was bound to happen. Everything I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-provost/well-as-a-visual-artist-working-with-the-phenomenon-of-cinema-the/) Nicolas Provost > [When you depart from standard usage, it should be deliberate and not an accidental lapse. Like a poet who breaks the rules of poetry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/when-you-depart-from-standard-usage-it-should-be-deliberate-and-not/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [We're breaking all of the rules, even our own rules, and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/we-re-breaking-all-of-the-rules-even-our-own-rules-and-how-do-we-do/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Once you have your basics down, you can start breaking the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-colicchio/once-you-have-your-basics-down-you-can-start-breaking-the-rules/) [Tom Colicchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-colicchio/) > [I always say that it's about breaking the rules. But the secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-always-say-that-it-s-about-breaking-the-rules-but-the-secret-of/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [“Bend the rules only if you have learned them; break the rules only if you have mastered them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/bend-the-rules-only-if-you-have-learned-them-break-the-rules-only-if/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“If never a rule broken is never any fun had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aurora/if-never-a-rule-broken-is-never-any-fun-had/) [Aurora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aurora/) > [“Life is a game with breaking the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/life-is-a-game-with-breaking-the-rules/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [Sometimes breaking the rules is extending the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/sometimes-breaking-the-rules-is-extending-the-rules/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [I think - something I learned recently looking up the meaning of ideology. If you look in American encyclopedias, it says, you know, 'Rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-think-something-i-learned-recently-looking-up-the-meaning-of/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [“the basic rules of serious futurology are (a) look for the large trends and analyze how they work, (b) construct models to suggest how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/the-basic-rules-of-serious-futurology-are-a-look-for-the-large-trends/) [David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/) > [You can read a dozen different textbooks or how-to manuals that will tell you the basic rules of what makes a story - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-wein/you-can-read-a-dozen-different-textbooks-or-how-to-manuals-that-will/) [Len Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-wein/) > [Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/two-basic-rules-of-life-are-1-change-is-inevitable-2-everybody/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [There are two basic rules which should never be broken. Be subtle. And don't, for God's sake, try to do business with anyone who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-davis/there-are-two-basic-rules-which-should-never-be-broken-be-subtle-and/) [William Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-davis/) > [The basic rules of life would indicate that it can't last forever, and we'll fall off of the wave and have to climb onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-jackson/the-basic-rules-of-life-would-indicate-that-it-can-t-last-forever-and/) [Stevie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-jackson/) ## More by Michelangelo Antonioni > [When you work on a character, you form in your mind an image of what he ought to look like. Then you go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/when-you-work-on-a-character-you-form-in-your-mind-an-image-of-what/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I can't imagine love without a sexual charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-can-t-imagine-love-without-a-sexual-charge/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I am neither a sociologist nor a politician. All I can do is imagine for myself what the future will be like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-am-neither-a-sociologist-nor-a-politician-all-i-can-do-is-imagine/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [We know that behind every image revealed there is another image more faithful to reality, and in the back of that image there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/we-know-that-behind-every-image-revealed-there-is-another-image-more/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [My films always leave me unsatisfied, since I've always worked under fairly disastrous conditions economically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/my-films-always-leave-me-unsatisfied-since-i-ve-always-worked-under/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [All I know is that we are loaded down with old and stale stuff - habits, customs, old attitudes already dead and gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/all-i-know-is-that-we-are-loaded-down-with-old-and-stale-stuff-habits/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I'm not rich and maybe I'll never be rich. Money is useful - yes - but I don't worship it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-m-not-rich-and-maybe-i-ll-never-be-rich-money-is-useful-yes-but-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I believe in the autobiographical concept only to the degree that I am able to put onto film all that's passing through my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-believe-in-the-autobiographical-concept-only-to-the-degree-that-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [Life should be taken ironically; otherwise, it becomes a tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/life-should-be-taken-ironically-otherwise-it-becomes-a-tragedy/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [Normally, however, I try to avoid repetitions of any shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/normally-however-i-try-to-avoid-repetitions-of-any-shot/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [You can't go to an LSD or pot party unless you take it yourself. If I want to go, I must take drugs myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/you-can-t-go-to-an-lsd-or-pot-party-unless-you-take-it-yourself-if-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I want an actor to try to give me what I ask in the best and most exact way possible. He mustn't try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-want-an-actor-to-try-to-give-me-what-i-ask-in-the-best-and-most/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [We live in a society that compels us to go on using these concepts, and we no longer know what they mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/we-live-in-a-society-that-compels-us-to-go-on-using-these-concepts/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [When I see a good film, it's like a whiplash. I run away, in order not to be influenced. Thus, the films I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/when-i-see-a-good-film-it-s-like-a-whiplash-i-run-away-in-order-not/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [My work is like digging, it's archaeological research among the arid materials of our times. That's how I understand my first films, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/my-work-is-like-digging-it-s-archaeological-research-among-the-arid/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) [Explore all 106 Michelangelo Antonioni quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) ## More Breaking rules quotes > [“A man's life is about keeping rules, breaking them, and making new ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/a-man-s-life-is-about-keeping-rules-breaking-them-and-making-new-ones/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [I want to remind people of a different kind of glamour, a different look, and breaking the rules of fashion. I wanna break the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/i-want-to-remind-people-of-a-different-kind-of-glamour-a-different/) [Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/) > [Art is all about doing what you shouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/art-is-all-about-doing-what-you-shouldn-t/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [“Bend the rules only if you have learned them; break the rules only if you have mastered them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/bend-the-rules-only-if-you-have-learned-them-break-the-rules-only-if/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [It is impossible to be a maverick or a true original if you're too well behaved and don't want to break the rules. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/it-is-impossible-to-be-a-maverick-or-a-true-original-if-you-re-too/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [I am not breaking my rules,' I snapped, hating that I'd ended up on the advice-recieving end of things, jumping from Dear Remy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-am-not-breaking-my-rules-i-snapped-hating-that-i-d-ended-up-on-the/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Creativity comes by breaking the rules, by saying that you're in love with the anarchist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/creativity-comes-by-breaking-the-rules-by-saying-that-you-re-in-love/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [In effect we are, bending and breaking the rules of the language. And if someone were to ask why we do it, the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crystal/in-effect-we-are-bending-and-breaking-the-rules-of-the-language-and/) [David Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crystal/) > [“The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules, but by people following the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-crimes-in-the-world-are-not-committed-by-people-breaking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe in breaking rules. You can succeed even without breaking rules. But only if you look beyond preset notions, you can get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/i-believe-in-breaking-rules-you-can-succeed-even-without-breaking/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [Sometimes breaking the rules is extending the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/sometimes-breaking-the-rules-is-extending-the-rules/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“I had artistic classical training, and when you learn the classics for so many years, you might gain audacity, power and confidence to subvert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-roque/i-had-artistic-classical-training-and-when-you-learn-the-classics-for/) Nuno Roque > [The trading rules I live by are: 1. Cut losses. 2. Ride winners. 3. Keep bets small. 4. Follow the rules without question. 5.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/the-trading-rules-i-live-by-are-1-cut-losses-2-ride-winners-3-keep/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [“Life is a game with breaking the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/life-is-a-game-with-breaking-the-rules/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [Cats are autocrats of naked self-interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/cats-are-autocrats-of-naked-self-interest/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) [Browse all 126 Breaking rules quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-rules/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After you've learned two or three basic rules of cinema grammar, you can do what you like - including breaking those rules.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelangelo Antonioni" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic-rules-of-cinema-grammar-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breaking rules" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic-rules-of-cinema-grammar-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_breaking-rules_after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic_1944332.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After you've learned two or three basic rules of cinema grammar, you can do what you like - including…” — Michelangelo Antonioni", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michelangelo Antonioni", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After you've learned two or three...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic-rules-of-cinema-grammar-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/after-you-ve-learned-two-or-three-basic-rules-of-cinema-grammar-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```