Ever notice when a movie character looks directly at you or even begins to talk to you through the screen? That’s breaking the fourth wall.¹

With the rise of mockumentary films and television, breaking the fourth wall has become a common trope. That being said, it’s been a storytelling technique for decades, as this scene in Annie Hall (1977) demonstrates.

It’s a technique used specifically for that character to acknowledge the audience and even engage with them.

We all know there are no walls in film or television. We watch the lives of imaginary characters through flat TV or movie theater screens. But before television or cinema, there was live theater. And actual walls!

When you step onto any given stage, there are often three walls – the wall behind you, the wall to the right of you, and the wall to the left of you. And what about the “wall” in front of you?

Some Filmmakers use a recurrent breaking the fourth wall technique throughout their movies. In Trading Places (1983), though, John Landis employs it briefly to great comedic effect.

While there’s no actual wall, we call it the “fourth wall” as a way of denoting the separation between the stage of the performers and the seating area of the audience.²

When someone mentions breaking the fourth wall, it’s a callback to this part of the theater and the breakdown of the separation between performers and audience.

Another common storytelling technique in both film and television is the use of narration or voiceover.

In some cases, the character speaking may be describing events or their emotions without openly addressing the audience. Other times, it’s almost as if they’re engaging in a one-sided conversation because they are so directly addressing the viewers.

 One of the most famous usages of breaking the fourth wall is in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) where the titular character looks at and speaks to the audience throughout the film.

In either case, to some degree, this constitutes breaking the fourth wall, as the character is acknowledging the presence of someone else – even if they’re not talking directly to us.

However, the technique of breaking the fourth wall is more often thought of as a visual element where the audience can see the character seeing them.

Just like every other element employed in film or television, breaking the fourth wall is used as a part of storytelling.³

Perhaps one of the most meta examples of breaking the fourth wall occurs in Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs (1987) where the characters watch themselves on tape while also looking back into the camera in real time.

In many cases, it’s a way for a character to establish a closer bond with the audience by “letting them in” on something – usually what they think or feel.

In theory, breaking the fourth wall is a technique that any genre can use, but Filmmakers curious about it should strongly consider whether it fits the intended tone of their storytelling.

Because breaking the fourth wall is typically an unanticipated technique and can catch the audience off guard, it’s often popular in the comedy genre as a way to entertain audiences.⁴

Joe Dante’s choice to break the fourth wall in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) was nearly too effective, as movie theater audiences initially thought that something had gone wrong with the film. Having Hulk Hogan directly address viewers only added to the comedically bizarre sequence.

Breaking the fourth wall also diffuses to some degree the intensity and dramatic aspect of a film or television show, as the character is acknowledging the make-believe aspect of their existence. For this reason, it may be counter-productive for a serious historical epic or intense emotional thriller.

That being said, there are non-comedy movies that effectively break the fourth wall. One more notable example is the crime biopic The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Many also consider Norman Bates’ final look to the camera as an early instance of breaking the fourth wall in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960).

Again, though, while the usage of breaking the fourth wall is not necessarily restricted to any single genre, it tends to be a more common technique with comedic fare.

It can be! Again, it all depends on whether it adds to the story being told.

There’s no greater display of the proverbial wink to the audience than in this sequence from Wayne’s World (1992) where Wayne looks to the viewers as he jokes about sponsorship integrity.

But again, even if it’s right tonally for a film, it’s easy for Filmmakers to overdo it. What begins as a funny way of connecting with audiences can quickly become an overdone and – dare we say – lazy technique.

All to say, be stingy with your usage of breaking the fourth wall if you use it!

Though there is no longer any footage of it, historical records point to a 1918 film called Men Who Have Made Love to Me as the first example of breaking the fourth wall usage. That was more than 100 years ago!

In High Fidelity (2000), the protagonist Rob creates a rapport with the audience by repeatedly addressing them to discuss the fallout of his relationship history.

Today’s Filmmakers shouldn’t be surprised to learn that pioneers of the art form were constantly exploring storytelling techniques and pushing cinematic boundaries. So while breaking the fourth wall – like many filmmaking elements – may ebb and flow in terms of its popularity, it has been around since nearly the beginning of film.

Throughout our article, we’ve been providing clips with different versions of breaking the fourth wall and their usage in the storytelling of their respective films.⁵

While many, many movies have brilliantly used breaking the fourth wall, likely the most popular example of it is the 1986 John Hughes film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

 While some films like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off rely repeatedly on breaking the fourth wall, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) employs only at the very end of the film as an unexpected denouement to the story.

Throughout the movie, Ferris speaks to the audience to inform them of what he thinks at any given moment. Just as are Cameron and Sloane, we too are the companions of Ferris as he enjoys a day off from high school in Chicago.

Well, it all depends.

First, there’s whether or not you’re employing this technique in a script you are writing. Are you a Screenwriter? Then you must make the choice of deciding if breaking the fourth wall serves your storytelling needs.

Breaking the fourth wall certainly isn’t reserved only for film. Many television shows have employed as well. This montage of breaking the fourth wall instances in Fleabag (2016-2019) demonstrates just how effective it can be on the small screen as well.

If you’re not a Screenwriter but rather a Director or Producer, are you inclined to follow what the Screenwriter has introduced in their script as breaking the fourth wall, or are you deciding to add it? If the latter, for what reason?

No matter what role you serve on a film or television show, it’s vital to keep at the top of your filmmaking priorities whether or not breaking the fourth wall is good for the story. If yes, try it out! If no, there’s no reason why you need to have it.

Breaking the fourth wall is a decades-old cinematic technique that gives Filmmakers yet another tool at their disposal when it comes to storytelling. Sometimes a literal wink at the audience and sometimes more, it can provide yet another layer of enjoyment and engagement for viewers.

Whether it’s right for your story, though, is a question only you can answer. While a useful technique, just like any other tool available to Filmmakers, it’s one that should always and only be used if it serves the story.