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Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker
(a.k.a. 10 Random Thoughts That Make Me Sound Wise)
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| (L to R): Lee Unkrich, Graham Walters, Geoffrey Rush and Andrew Stanton on Finding Nemo. |
Never second guess your audience
Never try to second guess what you think an audience will want in your movie. Just listen to the audience member in yourself. Stay in tune with the part of you that loves going to the movies. It will keep you on track.
Find the best collaborators
Surround yourself with people that can do your job better than you.
Don't stifle criticism
Do not stifle criticism from your crew, if (and only if) they all want the same thing-a great movie, rather than a career boost. A healthy debate will either lead you to a better answer, or reinforce the choice you were going to make.
A good director doesn't have all the answers
Being a good director doesn't mean you have all the answers. It means you know where, and from whom, to get them.
The meaning of "good writing"
Good writing is rewriting.
It's always the quiet ones
Oftentimes the people who talk a lot have the least to say. Look for the quiet observant one in your crew and ask them what they think.
All the great stories have already been told
All the great stories have already been told. All you can bring to them is your thumbprint, your unique point of view.
It's all in the ending
Inspiration for a movie can be derived from anything, but inspiration to make a movie should ideally come from an idea for an ending-not a beginning. It's all in the ending.
Moviemaking is highly collaborative
Moviemaking is highly collaborative, and you will get many opinions from above and below. Several times you will become overwhelmed and not know what the right choice is. When that happens, imagine that you are alone in a cabin only making this movie for yourself. Nobody else will ever see it, except you. What would you want to see? Whatever you conjure up in that image is probably the choice you should make.
Learn from the masters
"Nobody knows anything." ?William Goldman
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Posted 05.15.08 | News/Commentary | 1 comment
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