Sense of direction

As a first time artist, it can be tough finding a sense of direction. Having faith in goals you set for yourself, that they're the right goals. That you're moving in the right direction.

Most people I know make movies without finding out beforehand whether or not an audience will be interested in the movie. It's a guess at best. I'd like to change that. To avoid wasting money and time.

Neil Gaiman quote

“The moment that you feel, just possibly, you are walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind, and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself...That is the moment, you might be starting to get it right.”

Good quote to keep in mind today, as I start writing the opening scene.

Seth Godin

Quote from the Linchpin:

...people are waiting to be told what to do. Sure, many of us pretend that we’d love to have control and authority and to bring our humanity to work. But given half a chance, we give it up, in a heartbeat. 

It's a tough road going it alone, being self-employed, and trying to do authentic art while being vulnerable.

But it's better than the alternative, working an unsatisfying job 8 hours a day. Part of the difficulty is working as hard for yourself as you do for a company telling you what to do. It should be the reverse.

Real people on screen

That's something I admire about Linklater. When you see people on screen in his movies, they feel real. Honest, true, real, alive. I'm thinking mostly of Before Sunrise, because that's my favorite of his movies. But it encompasses all of them.

As I write my own movies, that's the direction I'm heading into. Although with the subject matter of an action/war movie.

That's an interesting mixture.

Creating something good

It's possible that focusing on creating something good is judgmental, and hinders the creative process.

Instead, focus on creating something authentic, something that connects to the core of your being.

Good will follow.

Trust in yourself

At some point you need to trust that you've learned enough, internalized enough, and that creativity will come if you sit down and do the work.

Trust that you won't make something crappy, or something that goes against the grain of your creative impulses. And you have to be ok with being vulnerable and letting the world see your art.

Trust that you'll know where to mold it to keep it fresh and exciting, and true to your heart.

Not taking a day off

One of my favorite books lately has been Seth Godin's Linchpin.

Consumers are not loyal to cheap commodities. They crave the unique, the remarkable, and the human.

This quote is a constant source of inspiration for my screenwriting. That's exactly what we crave in films. Tarantino, Wes Anderson, Scorsese, PTA. Is there any doubt when you're watching one of their movies that it's authored by them?

Linchpin: click here