"Stills belong in the lobby, not on the screen"

The quote by William Wyler, "Stills belong in the lobby, not on the screen," speaks volumes about the philosophy of filmmaking and storytelling. Wyler, a prominent director in Hollywood's golden age, was known for his vibrant and immersive films, recommending that what audiences long for is motion and emotion, rather than stagnant images or static storytelling.

At its core, this quote highlights the essence of cinema as a medium distinct from photography or phase plays. Stills, or static images, may record a single moment or expression, highlighting it for its artistic or emotional value. Such stills are normally used in marketing product, like those shown in theater lobbies, to attract viewers. Nevertheless, on the screen, the expectation and capacity of cinema are different. Unlike still photographs, films rely on constant motion and development to convey stories, produce tension, progress characters, and conjure up emotions.

Wyler's view implies that a film needs to continuously engage its audience through fluidity and transformation. The moving image enables a sequential development that brings stories to life in a way still images can not. This viewpoint heralds the value of narrative dynamics, character development, and emotional pacing. Wyler most likely advocated for a cinema that maintains constant engagement, where the plot and characters evolve and transport the audience, not unlike a flowing river instead of a stagnant pond.

Furthermore, Wyler's declaration can be viewed as a creative directive against complacency in filmmaking-- a call to avoid dealing with movies as a series of pretty pictures without substance. It highlights storytelling that utilizes the complete capacity of motion pictures as a medium capable of dynamic expression instead of choosing static display screens or tableau-like scenes. Thus, Wyler brings to light the filmmaker's responsibility to make sure each scene is important, transformative, and needed to the story's forward momentum, showing cinema's powerful capability to capture life in movement.