Aesthetic Over Narrative: Spotting Trends vs. Story in Pre-Pro

Hey everyone, I'm Antoine, a camera operator currently prepping a short film with a RED Komodo. We're in the storyboard phase, and something from a recent workshop keeps bugging me: the warning about 'Aesthetic Over Narrative.' I totally get the idea (story first) but identifying when a visual choice isn't serving the story can be tricky.

For instance, we were discussing this really cool, high-contrast lighting setup, almost noir-like, but the scene is supposed to be somewhat hopeful. My gut tells me it might be pushing a 'look' for its own sake. Or maybe a specific lens choice, like always wanting to shoot on a 135mm anamorphically for every close-up, just because it’s 'cinematic.'

What are some red flags you've encountered that scream 'trend-driven' rather than 'story-driven' in pre-production? And beyond spotting it, what practical steps do you take to course-correct without stifling creativity? Trying to ensure everything from our ARRI's setup to our PavoTube II 30X placements is intentional.