A DIRECTOR’S CAREER
Contradictions, calamities & compromises
Contradictions, calamities & compromises
1. IT NEVER STOPS
Fred Zinneman, winner of 4 Oscars, director of 50 films, was in a meeting with a young development executive. To break the ice, she politely asked, “So tell me what you’ve been up to...” To which he politely responded, “You first.”
Fred Zinneman, winner of 4 Oscars, director of 50 films, was in a meeting with a young development executive. To break the ice, she politely asked, “So tell me what you’ve been up to...” To which he politely responded, “You first.”
2. IT NEVER STOPS, PT.II
Following his first Oscar, Mike Nichols was cutting the big, problematic “Catch 22” when he heard about a little indy called M*A*S*H and took a peek. He was so depressed by its irreverent genius he went home and couldn’t get out of bed for a week.
Following his first Oscar, Mike Nichols was cutting the big, problematic “Catch 22” when he heard about a little indy called M*A*S*H and took a peek. He was so depressed by its irreverent genius he went home and couldn’t get out of bed for a week.
3. COLLABORATORS
While making "Aguirre, The Wrath Of God," director Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski had several violent altercations. At one point Herzog threatened to shoot Kinski, who in turn vowed to stab Herzog in the heart. They made four more films together
While making "Aguirre, The Wrath Of God," director Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski had several violent altercations. At one point Herzog threatened to shoot Kinski, who in turn vowed to stab Herzog in the heart. They made four more films together
4. COLLABORATORS, PT II
While screaming ‘Fuck you!”“No, Fuck YOU!” the actor and director noticed the crew had disappeared. “Where’d they go?”asked the actor. “They hate it when the parents fight,” said the director. “Me, too,”said the actor, “let’s hug it out.” This happened.
While screaming ‘Fuck you!”“No, Fuck YOU!” the actor and director noticed the crew had disappeared. “Where’d they go?”asked the actor. “They hate it when the parents fight,” said the director. “Me, too,”said the actor, “let’s hug it out.” This happened.
5. THE PRICE
“Apocalypse Now” went a year over schedule. Coppola endured a typhoon, his star’s heart attack, and his own nervous breakdown. He has since made 14 more movies. At 82, he’s just announced another. “Pain is temporary,” says John Milius, “film is forever.”
“Apocalypse Now” went a year over schedule. Coppola endured a typhoon, his star’s heart attack, and his own nervous breakdown. He has since made 14 more movies. At 82, he’s just announced another. “Pain is temporary,” says John Milius, “film is forever.”
6.THE I CHING
Even the most polished script can’t anticipate the vagaries of entropy, the volatility of actors, and a process dictated by time and money. The hardest thing to admit is that control is an illusion. Once in motion, a movie will decide what it wants to be.
Even the most polished script can’t anticipate the vagaries of entropy, the volatility of actors, and a process dictated by time and money. The hardest thing to admit is that control is an illusion. Once in motion, a movie will decide what it wants to be.
7. ON THE DAY
Directors over-reach artistically and under-estimate financially. Given 100M you’ll want 30 more. Get 6M, you’ll need 7. Inevitably everybody resorts to half-assed solutions. The shark in Jaws was shot in Verna Field’s pool. All filmmaking is student filmmaking.
Directors over-reach artistically and under-estimate financially. Given 100M you’ll want 30 more. Get 6M, you’ll need 7. Inevitably everybody resorts to half-assed solutions. The shark in Jaws was shot in Verna Field’s pool. All filmmaking is student filmmaking.
8. BUT, IF YOU…
…compromise on day 1, you’ll compromise on day 2. By the end of shooting, your film might bear no resemblance to your vision. No executive ever said, ‘This was the best movie ever made on schedule.” Your job is to save the studio from itself.
…compromise on day 1, you’ll compromise on day 2. By the end of shooting, your film might bear no resemblance to your vision. No executive ever said, ‘This was the best movie ever made on schedule.” Your job is to save the studio from itself.
9. WE NEVER CLOSE
A director is awakened, hungover, at 3am in LA with a panicked call from his star in NYC: “I’m doing press on the Today Show in an hour and I can’t decide between the red dress or the blue!” Without a pause, he says…“I was just thinking about that!”
A director is awakened, hungover, at 3am in LA with a panicked call from his star in NYC: “I’m doing press on the Today Show in an hour and I can’t decide between the red dress or the blue!” Without a pause, he says…“I was just thinking about that!”
10.CRITICS
This from the VARIETY review of The Princess Bride: “Based on William Goldman’s novel, this post-modern fairy tale challenges and affirms the conventions of a genre that may not be flexible enough to support such horseplay.” Sigh.
This from the VARIETY review of The Princess Bride: “Based on William Goldman’s novel, this post-modern fairy tale challenges and affirms the conventions of a genre that may not be flexible enough to support such horseplay.” Sigh.
P.S. HE SHOULD KNOW...
“A director must be a policeman, a midwife, a psychoanalyst, a sycophant and a bastard. – Billy Wilder
“A director must be a policeman, a midwife, a psychoanalyst, a sycophant and a bastard. – Billy Wilder
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