Things I’ve Learned As A Moviemaker

by Jim Taylor | Published February 3, 2007

Sandra Oh, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen and Paul Giamatti in Alexander Payne's Sideways. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures

The biggest thing is persistence

The biggest thing is persistence and really sticking to it. It seems to take anybody I know 10 years to really get started.

Don't focus on getting an agent.

Don't focus on getting an agent. That's like the last thing. An agent will come when the time comes but it's not really a good goal to have. The goal should be to make a movie.

Collaboration is about luck.

I think collaboration is great, but I know that a lot of collaborations can be disastrous. So that's a lot of luck, I think.

Lose your ego.

Collaboration is about not being ego-driven in what you're doing and focus on doing the best work that you can... whether it's your idea or not.

Filmography for Jim Taylor

Sideways (2004)
About Schmidt (2002)
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Election (1999)
Citizen Ruth (1996)

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