11 Tricks of the Trade Every Film Director Knows That the Audience Doesn't

Movie directors have a much harder job than you may realize. They must be adaptable to the ever-changing film industry and ready to deal with any conflicts and issues that arise on set.

A director has to manage the different personalities and opinions of actors, producers, brands, special effects teams, and camerapeople, all while keeping the audience in mind. Yep, being a director is no easy task!

But did you know that there are also many tricks of the trade when it comes to directing films? Like people in many other professions, directors know how to navigate certain situations so that the audience remains none the wiser.

For example, did you know that the sound of bones breaking in a film is usually created by breaking carrots and celery? Or that children who star in horror films generally never know what the film is actually about?

And have you ever thought about the food used in movies? Apparently, most directors opt to use fake food because real food spoils too quickly, resulting in unnecessary waste.

There are plenty more tricks of the trade that we think you'll find interesting. So, we've put together a list of 11 of them for you to enjoy!

1. Have you ever noticed that bad guys never use Apple products?

Apple has a rule that they will allow film characters to be shown using Apple products—but only the good guys! The giant company doesn't want their products to be seen in the hands of a bad guy.

So, next time you're watching a movie, keep your eyes peeled for the Apple logo. You will notice it is always shown in a positive light only.

© Knives Out / Lionsgate, © The Intern / Warner Bros.

2. Films used to make a lot of people feel dizzy

You may have heard people say they can't watch 3D films because they make them feel dizzy or sick. That's because our brains have a hard time deciphering what's real and what's an illusion.

Nowadays, directors know that if they create 3D scenes where objects fly past very quickly, our eyes don't have time to focus on them, reducing the chance of feeling dizzy. They also use small particles like snow and ash because our brains don't automatically focus on them.

© Avatar / 20th Century Fox, © Alita: Battle Angel / 20th Century Fox

3. Children in horror films usually don't know what the movie is about

Most children in horror films have no clue that they're even acting in a horror movie. Since scenes are rarely filmed in chronological order, a small child would struggle to piece together what is actually happening in the film.

When children have to appear in a particularly scary or gory scene, directors do their best to make it seem like a game for the child. Many other factors, such as scary sounds and music, are added in post-production, so the scene never appears as threatening during filming.

© The Shining / Warner Bros.

Advertising agencies make film trailers, not the directors

Directors are incredible at making blockbuster movies, but they're not always so good at marketing. So, when it comes to creating a movie trailer, they outsource the task to specialized companies that know exactly how to sell a film.

Carrots and celery are used to create the sounds of broken bones

When sound editors need to create the sound of someone's bones breaking, they turn to carrots and celery. Those poor little veggies!

4. Scenes with mirrors are challenging to film

Specific angles are needed when a scene is filmed near mirrors. Directors must ensure that no crew members, props, or cameras are visible in the reflection.

For this scene in Terminator 2, the directors used dummies and stunt performers. There is no mirror; in front of the camera, you can see Schwarzenegger with a stunt double doing something with his head, while Linda is standing next to the camera with a dummy.

© Terminator 2 / Carolco Pictures

5. Sometimes, the bloopers are intentional

Did you notice how in The Dark Knight Rises, Batman enters a tunnel in the stock exchange scene during the day and exits it in complete darkness? Often, directors make these types of "bloopers" on purpose; after all, Batman looks far more impressive in the dark!

© The Dark Knight Rises / Warner Bros. Pictures, © The Dark Knight Rises / Warner Bros. Pictures

6. There is a company that provides snow for movies

The snow used in films is usually fake and is almost always provided by a company called Snow Business. Real snow can be challenging to shoot because it melts under the cameras.

© Joy / Annapurna Pictures, © The Revenant / Regency Enterprises

7. Extras aren't allowed to look at the camera... ever

Extras are never allowed to look directly into the camera. In fact, they can even be fired if they do.

Extras are also advised not to wear clothing with bold logos or lettering. And if an extra looks even a little bit like one of the starring actors, you can guarantee they won't get much air time.

© The Iron Lady / 20th Century Fox

8. The food in movies is rarely real

The food we see in films is more often than not fake. This is because, of course, real food spoils very quickly, resulting in a lot of unnecessary waste.

© Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix / Warner Bros. Pictures

9. The green screen is green for a reason

When creating special effects, a bright green background is used because green is as far from the colors of the human eye as possible. However, a blue background might be used if the actor has green eyes.

© ViktorStudiosOficial / YouTube, © ViktorStudiosOficial / YouTube

Hollywood is known for a wide variety of things, and without a doubt, "secrets" are definitely one of them. So, there you have it: some of the best-kept secrets of the film industry.

Did you know any of them already? As always, we would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.