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

Movie magic looks effortless on screen, but a lot of it depends on clever shortcuts happening behind the scenes. Directors, editors, and crew members are constantly solving problems the audience never notices.

That is what makes film production so interesting, because even the smallest detail can be carefully staged to look bigger, scarier, or more expensive than it really is. From fake food to hidden sound tricks, plenty of movie moments are built to fool the eye and ear.

Here are 11 behind-the-scenes tricks that help films work their magic.

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.

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.

That is one of the easier tricks to miss.

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

This is the same kind of “wait, what?” reaction as 70 photos that force your brain to hit restart.

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.

Movie fans will probably never look at these scenes the same way again.

If you think that’s weird, check out the 81 visual anomalies that make our everyday reality look fake.