Camera movement vs. flat staging: Which beginner pitfall is more destructive?

Hey everyone, I'm Lucas Andersson, a gaffer, and I'm prepping for a short film I'm shooting with some passionate but less experienced filmmakers. We're using an ALEXA Mini and a set of Supreme Primes, so we've got some decent tools. I keep seeing two distinct issues come up with newer folks, and I can't quite nail down which one is the bigger hurdle to overcome.

On one hand, you have the 'cinematic' bug, beginners who want to move the camera constantly, even if it adds nothing to the story. Shots that start on a pull-in, move to a push-out, then a small reveal, all for a simple line of dialogue. It just feels... busy. Then on the other, you get incredibly flat, almost theatrical staging, where everyone is on a single plane, facing the camera, with no use of foreground or background. It just feels lifeless to me, despite being technically 'still'.

I'm trying to guide this crew to make strong choices, not just flashy or inert ones. Which of these, in your experience, is the more destructive habit for a beginner director or DP to fall into? Unmotivated movement, or flat, depthless staging?