Auteur theory was first proposed by film critic and director Francois Truffaut in a 1954 essay published in Cahiers du Cinema. Auteur theory states that a film should represent the single vision of the director. Prior to the emergence of auteur theory, the director was often seen as merely one part of the mechanism of film creation, whereas the auteur theory saw the director as the sole author of a film. Auteur theory has permeated global cinema since, and is now generally accepted among both those involved in the industry and cinema goers in general, as evidenced by the higher salaries paid to directors compared to the salaries paid to writers, cinematographers, editors and other behind the camera personnel.