Within Child View
One of the least obvious reasons E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial feels so convincingly child-centred is that Steven Spielberg deliberately abandoned one of his usual directing tools: detailed storyboards. While many major Hollywood productions are planned shot by shot before filming begins, Spielberg chose a far looser method on E.T.
Page outline Jump by section
Why Spielberg Limited Storyboards on E.T.
Spielberg had relied heavily on storyboards throughout much of his earlier career. Yet he later described E.T. as a major exception. In an interview with the American Society of Cinematographers, he explained that he feared storyboards might “smother” the spontaneous reactions he wanted from the children. Rather than arriving with every camera position predetermined, he preferred to respond to what happened on set and shape scenes around the performers’ behaviour. [The American Society of Cinematographers]theasc.comThe American Society of Cinematographers Steven Spielberg and E.Tthe Extra-TerrestrialE.T. is the one exception. “I decided that storyboards might smother the spontaneous reaction that young children mi…
This decision was especially important because E.T. is not fundamentally a film about alien technology or UFO investigation. Its emotional centre is the relationship between Elliott and a stranded extraterrestrial. Spielberg wanted that relationship to feel discovered rather than mechanically executed. By reducing rigid visual planning, he gave himself room to capture moments that emerged from the children’s interactions rather than forcing them into a predetermined pattern. [The American Society of Cinematographers]theasc.comThe American Society of Cinematographers Steven Spielberg and E.Tthe Extra-TerrestrialNov 28, 2017 — “I decided that storyboards might smother the spontaneous reaction that young children might have to…
The approach also aligned with the broader child-perspective design of the film. Spielberg shot much of E.T. from a child’s eye level and frequently restricted the audience’s view of adults, encouraging viewers to experience events as children would. A less storyboard-driven production complemented that goal by allowing scenes to unfold with a degree of unpredictability similar to childhood experience itself. [Reddit]reddit.comfor et 1982 steven spielberg deliberately shotFor E.T. (1982) Steven Spielberg deliberately shot…February 1, 2020 — Steven Spielberg deliberately shot the majority of the fil…
Child Performance as Discovery Rather Than Staging
Spielberg’s goal was not simply to obtain accurate line readings. He wanted the children to react as if they were encountering events for the first time.
A related production choice was filming much of E.T. in rough chronological order. Unlike the standard industry practice of shooting scenes according to logistical convenience, Spielberg arranged the schedule so the young actors could experience the story’s progression in sequence. He later explained that he wanted them to live through the narrative day by day rather than constantly jumping forwards and backwards through emotional states. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
This method proved particularly valuable during the film’s emotional climax. Because the cast had spent months working with the E.T. character and moving through the story chronologically, their farewell scenes carried emotions that were partly real. Spielberg believed the children’s sadness worked on screen because they were genuinely approaching the end of a shared experience. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
The production also left room for improvisation. Spielberg later recalled that six-year-old Drew Barrymore frequently invented dialogue and spontaneous reactions that were incorporated into the finished film. Rather than treating such moments as mistakes, he regarded them as valuable expressions of the character’s authentic perspective. The willingness to preserve those unscripted responses was consistent with the wider no-storyboard philosophy: childhood behaviour was something to capture, not merely choreograph. [People.com]people.comthe Extra-Terrestrial" during a panel at the TCM Classic Film Festival. Spielberg praised the then 6-year-old Barrymore for her improvisa…
Melissa Mathison’s Influence on the Process
Screenwriter Melissa Mathison helped reinforce this atmosphere of immediacy. Spielberg later described how she encouraged him to focus on each day’s work rather than constantly referring to the full script. She prepared scene cards for daily filming and remained closely involved on set, making adjustments and responding to developments as production continued. Spielberg credited this working style with keeping the creative process present-focused and emotionally fluid. [The New Yorker]newyorker.comThe New Yorker The Screenwriter of "E.T." and "The BFG" Says GoodbyeThe Extra-Terrestrial." Mathison's approach was highly involved, influencing not just the script but the filming method as well, includin…
That approach mirrored the psychology of the film’s young characters. Instead of approaching scenes as pieces of a large technical structure, cast and filmmakers often concentrated on immediate experiences and relationships. In a story where a child gradually befriends an alien rather than solving a mystery about UFOs, that emphasis on the present moment proved especially effective. [The New Yorker]newyorker.comThe New Yorker The Screenwriter of "E.T." and "The BFG" Says GoodbyeThe Extra-Terrestrial." Mathison's approach was highly involved, influencing not just the script but the filming method as well, includin…
Special Effects Planning Versus Emotional Spontaneity
The absence of extensive storyboards did not mean E.T. was an improvised production. The film still depended on sophisticated practical effects, animatronics and puppetry. E.T. himself was a highly engineered creation requiring coordination among designers, performers and technicians. Many scenes demanded precise technical preparation. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
What Spielberg separated was technical planning from emotional planning. Effects sequences could be carefully organised, while the children’s reactions within those sequences remained flexible. Instead of asking young performers to fit perfectly into a pre-visualised design, he often adapted camera placement and staging around their responses. This distinction is crucial. The production was not uncontrolled; it was selectively controlled.
The strategy can be seen in stories from the set about children reacting naturally to E.T.’s presence. Spielberg reportedly worked to preserve the illusion that the alien was real, limiting some behind-the-scenes exposure that might weaken the emotional connection. By treating E.T. as a character first and a special effect second, he encouraged performances driven by belief rather than technical awareness. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Why the Method Matters to Spielberg’s Alien Cinema
Within Spielberg’s UFO-related films, E.T. represents a shift from spectacle toward intimacy. Close Encounters of the Third Kind uses awe and mystery to explore contact with the unknown. E.T. asks what that encounter feels like from the perspective of a lonely child.
The no-storyboard approach supported that objective by making childhood reactions part of the film’s creative foundation. Instead of merely depicting wonder, Spielberg attempted to generate conditions in which wonder could occur during production. The method helped produce performances that feel less rehearsed and more discovered, reinforcing the film’s central idea that an encounter with the unknown is first experienced emotionally rather than intellectually. [The American Society of Cinematographers+2The American Society of Cinematographers]
In that sense, Spielberg’s rejection of extensive storyboarding on E.T. was not simply a directing preference. It was an implementation choice tied directly to the film’s child-centred vision of alien contact. The spontaneity visible on screen was not accidental; it was something the production was designed to protect. [The American Society of Cinematographers+2The American Society of Cinematographers]
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Et Child Spontaneity 5 A7 B74. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The UFO Experience
Hynek created the close-encounter framework that inspired Spielberg's film title and served as an adviser on the movie.
Passport to Magonia
One of the most influential books on UFO culture and the mystery-oriented approach echoed in Spielberg's work.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Example marketplace items related to this page. Use the search link to explore similar finds on eBay.
Endnotes
-
Source: reddit.com
Title: for et 1982 steven spielberg deliberately shot
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieDetails/comments/exb6sr/for_et_1982_steven_spielberg_deliberately_shot/Source snippet
For E.T. (1982) Steven Spielberg deliberately shot...February 1, 2020 — Steven Spielberg deliberately shot the majority of the fil...
Published: February 1, 2020
-
Source: Wikipedia
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial -
Source: people.com
Link: https://people.com/steven-spielberg-drew-barrymore-improvised-lines-et-8781202Source snippet
the Extra-Terrestrial" during a panel at the TCM Classic Film Festival. Spielberg praised the then 6-year-old Barrymore for her improvisa...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieDetails/comments/dto1td/steven_spielberg_filmed_et_in_chronological_order/Source snippet
s and to capture the most real emotions during the ending...
-
Source: reddit.com
Title: et 1982 spielberg film w writer melissa mathison
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/wikipedia/comments/1o1m2hv/et_1982_spielberg_film_w_writer_melissa_mathison/Source snippet
In chronological order in order to help the child actors and to capture the most real emotions during the ending...Read more...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/Filmmakers/comments/1rpln26/spielberg_on_directing/Source snippet
Spielberg on directing: r/FilmmakersI think if you want to do storyboards no matter where you are in your career, that should be just fi...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1xqlwr/til_most_of_et_was_filmed_at_the_eye_level_of_a/Source snippet
TIL most of E.T. was filmed at the eye level of a child so...Steven Spielberg filmed E.T. In chronological order in order to help the ch...
-
Source: reddit.com
Title: Spielberg used no storyboards in Bridge of Spies
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/Filmmakers/comments/4agjuc/spielberg_used_no_storyboards_in_bridge_of_spies/Source snippet
r/FilmmakersHe made the decision not to use boards at all on ET and it's pretty much been that way ever since. He only does boards or pre...
-
Source: theasc.com
Title: The American Society of Cinematographers Steven Spielberg and E.T
Link: https://theasc.com/article/spielberg-et-the-extraterrestrial/Source snippet
the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. is the one exception. “I decided that storyboards might smother the spontaneous reaction that young children mi...
-
Source: theasc.com
Title: The American Society of Cinematographers Steven Spielberg and E.T
Link: https://theasc.com/articles/spielberg-et-the-extraterrestrialSource snippet
the Extra-TerrestrialNov 28, 2017 — “I decided that storyboards might smother the spontaneous reaction that young children might have to...
-
Source: newyorker.com
Title: The New Yorker The Screenwriter of “E.T.” and “The BFG” Says Goodbye
Link: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-screenwriter-of-[e-tSource snippet
The Extra-Terrestrial." Mathison's approach was highly involved, influencing not just the script but the filming method as well, includin...
-
Source: ultimatepopculture.fandom.com
Title: E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
Link: https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-TerrestrialSource snippet
the Extra-Terrestrial | Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki | FandomFor the first time in his career, Spielberg did not storyboard most of the film...
Additional References
-
Source: ew.com
Link: https://ew.com/movies/e-t-extra-terrestrial-harrison-ford-help/Source snippet
Spielberg shot the film in continuity to help the child actors perform more naturally. This approach, along with Matheson's insightful wr...
-
Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/577478936403574/posts/1226713338146794/Source snippet
a soul.” The child actors on set had no idea what the full story was during filming. Spielberg intentionally shot the movie in...Read more...
-
Source: theguardian.com
Title: melissa mathison master hollywood storyteller et the extra terrestrial
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/05/melissa-mathison-master-hollywood-storyteller-et-the-extra-terrestrialSource snippet
Melissa Mathison: a masterful storyteller who brought ET...5 Nov 2015 — She was the author of a story that captured the essence of child...
-
Source: instagram.com
Title: The screenplay was written by Melissa Mathison. The film stars Henry Thomas,
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWj2IaUkeem/Source snippet
For E.T, the script was largely written while on location filming...It's a 1982 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg...
-
Source: oscars.org
Title: how steven spielberg chose henry thomas play elliott et
Link: https://www.oscars.org/news/how-steven-spielberg-chose-henry-thomas-play-elliott-etSource snippet
How Steven Spielberg chose Henry Thomas to play Elliott...3 Nov 2014 — Casting director Marci Liroff explains in this week's video that...
-
Source: instagram.com
Title: Steven Spielberg made the rare decision to shoot E.T
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTbHXNgV4j/?hl=enSource snippet
3 Feb 2026 — Steven Spielberg made the rare decision to shoot E.T. in chronological order to facilitate authentic emotional performances...
-
Source: facebook.com
Title: Steven Spielberg once thought that his movie E.T
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/12117541695/posts/10158131078046696/Source snippet
the Extra...For the first time in his career, he did not storyboard most of the film, in order to facilitate spontaneity in the performa...
-
Source: musingsofamiddleagedgeek.blog
Title: revisiting steven spielbergs e t after 40 years
Link: https://musingsofamiddleagedgeek.blog/2022/06/30/revisiting-steven-spielbergs-e-t-after-40-years/Source snippet
Revisiting Steven Spielberg's “E.T.” after 40 years…Jun 30, 2022 — 40 years later, I decided to revisit the movie that my 15 year-old sel...
-
Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StevenSpielbergOfficial/posts/10162644682325086/Source snippet
facilitate spontaneity in the performances. According...Read more...
-
Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZI-nJ_Sm-s/Source snippet
t spontaneous.... To keep the budget low, Spielberg and Hanks...
Topic Tree