Granted, Hope For Film is a good read if you are a film fan too, or really a creatively minded person, but it is all of us in the film business (or those that want to be) that my book is geared to. I’ve shared with you the reasons why I wrote it, and many have shared with you excerpts from it. Yes, there are many good reviews out there too to tell you that it is worth your time too, but none of that yet tells you how you will directly benefit from reading the book, does it?
Fortunately, Film Courage came to the rescue. They have released three prior interview segments to date, and this latest one lays out four key takeaways from my book. You’ll have to read the book of course to get the nuance and all the secrets, but if you want more details, watch the video. However, if you want a good idea of what’s in store for the read, here are my observations on my book:
There is no template for what makes a director great. If we follow the guidelines that have been encouraged (such as “decisiveness”), we risk having overlooked some of the best directors of our day.
There is always far more to the picture than anyone can see. The producer is often forced to absorb a great deal of chaos, protecting his or her other collaborators from the impact, without anyone else knowing. My biggest memories and stories on productions frequently have been things that the directors or financiers never knew about.
Talent and hard work are rarely how people “make it” in the film business. You need good luck, and most have enjoyed some form of privilege too. It rarely is the work of an individual, but more the benefits that come from community, that really allow things to get done in a big way. It is always a team effort.
The film industry gets stuck in antiquated legacy practices. My greatest opportunities have come from when I was able to observe that the art, artists, audiences, or technology have evolved faster than our industry or markets. Training your eye to spot this, organizing around it, exploiting it — are what will provide you with the opportunity to prosper. That is the bottle that is needed to hold the wine. We are living in time when such opportunities abound.
There is tremendous hope for film out there. It is not a time to be discouraged. We can build it better together.
PS. I guess another reason to read this book, is that if it actually sells, I might finish the other ones I have been working on…
