The Sofia Coppola Syllabus: A Guide for Young Filmmakers
Ever dreamed of taking a filmmaking class taught by the writer-director? Here's exactly what she'd assign to her students.
What to Watch
Breathless, by Jean-Luc Godard (1960)
“I always think about the scene in their apartment and bathroom when shooting people in an intimate way. You feel the camera close to the characters—the naturalism. You feel like you’re with them, and it’s romantic in a not-tacky way.”
The Servant, by Joseph Losey (1963)
“Visual storytelling, tension, and role reversal!”
Do the Right Thing, by Spike Lee (1989)
“For atmosphere, feeling the temperature, and entering the characters’ world.”
Darling, by John Schlesinger (1965)
“Love the way it jumps in time—the story hops forward over a long period.”
Seven Samurai, by Akira Kurosawa (1954)
“A great movie, and I especially love how the characters are each introduced in a really memorable way.”
GoodFellas, by Martin Scorsese (1990)
“For the great characters and setting. The ultimate for music and editing!”
In the Mood for Love, by Wong Kar-wai (2000)
“For poetry, impression, and beauty.”
What to Read
Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke (1929)
“The first letter says it all—that you have to go inward, not outward, to ask if something is worthwhile.”
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron (1992)
“Write three notebook pages by hand each morning— write anything, just fill the pages, and something that you are really interested in will surface.”
Kazan on Directing, by Elia Kazan (2009)
“So much about working with actors.”
Suddenly Something Clicked: The Languages of Film Editing and Sound Design, by Walter Murch (2025)
“The great Murch on movie editing.”
A Few Things to Remember on Set
- Always be kind to and respectful of your crew. Show your appreciation.
- Bring your team in on your thinking.
- Invite them to collaborate.
- Always get it the way you want! If something feels off, listen to that and try to figure out what it is and change it.
- Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes.
- If your scene isn’t working, take a break, run around the block, change the energy, and try again.
- Don’t rehearse it to death. Keep the scene fresh to shoot.
- It’s okay to not know how to do something and say that you need a second to think about it.
- Make what you want to see and what you don’t feel is being made.
Coppola’s Favorite Quotes to Guide You
“The better artists are original and obdurate: They’re the gravel in the pea soup.” —Donald Judd
“Good art makes you say: ‘Huh, wow,’ not ‘Wow, huh.’” —Ed Ruscha
