Film students everywhere bow down to director Paul Thomas Anderson. The guy behind "The Master," "Boogie Nights," and "There Will Be Blood" has claimed his place as one of the most iconic American directors working today, constantly churning out critically beloved darlings that blow the socks off both movie buffs and Academy voters.

And much like Wes Anderson and Quentin Tarantino, Anderson has his own clearly developed visual aesthetic, one that truly separates him from his peers.

For that, you can thank the steadicam shot. BFI has curated a video essay that "examines one signature tracking shot from each of Anderson’s five previous features, showing how each [epitomizes] his cinematography at each point, from the flashiness of his earlier films to a more subtle approach that [favors] composition over movement."

So cool it with the Dirk Diggler jokes already and pay homage to the man behind the lens (and his cinematographic style of choice).

Watch the video here, and check out a diagrammed illustration of one of "Boogie Nights"' famous steadicam shots below.