Stuff I Really Shouldn't Say
When the producers of movie first sent me the book the movie is based on I read it in awe at how thin, contrived, repetitive and illogical it was. How inconsistent the characters were--how in some cases it would be hard to come up with a simple list of adjectives to describe them. How shoddy and undirected the plotting was. But I still couldn't quite say no. I hadn't directed a movie in eight years. Given the popularity of the book there was an enormous chance the movie would be made. When I called the producer the next day I said "It's the worst book I've ever read," to which she calmly replied "Well we'll move on then," to which I quickly said "No no no. I think I can do it. I think I can find something in there."
Not all leaps into the dark are brave. That one was made out of fear. Fear of not getting another directing gig. Fear of somebody else doing it and making it great.
I suffered through the adaptation. I couldn't make the ill fitting pieces work together. While all the time thinking: this woman is a mulitmillionaire, there are 65 MILLION COPIES OF HER BOOKS IN PRINT, and who the hell am I? I finally hammered out something that people seemed to respond to--mostly because I wrote the screen directions in between the dialogue so seductively that it all seemed more exciting than it was--and that got the greenlight.
Then, as I said, I read it through and saw that it was still the book I had started with. It's not about anything. Things don't flow with tension and drive from one thing to the next. So here I sit, late on a Chicago night, trying to make it something I love. I had a good day, thought I was getting somewhere, and now? I'm scared. Scared that I'll have a movie on my hands that I'm going to have to ask my friends and family not to watch. But it'll be out there... for all to see... for you guys to see!
I'm sane enough to know that I'm not really at the end of the story, as vividly as I may be able to conjure that end before me. The script is still in my hands. I can turn to God/higher power/muse/better self for inspiration in the night and go to sleep and wake up tomorrow morning and re-attack.
But still, for right now, I am scared.
Like the title of post says, I shouldn't have said all that. It's secret. It's the stuff you don't tell anybody.
But I guess you guys aren't just anybody.
Not all leaps into the dark are brave. That one was made out of fear. Fear of not getting another directing gig. Fear of somebody else doing it and making it great.
I suffered through the adaptation. I couldn't make the ill fitting pieces work together. While all the time thinking: this woman is a mulitmillionaire, there are 65 MILLION COPIES OF HER BOOKS IN PRINT, and who the hell am I? I finally hammered out something that people seemed to respond to--mostly because I wrote the screen directions in between the dialogue so seductively that it all seemed more exciting than it was--and that got the greenlight.
Then, as I said, I read it through and saw that it was still the book I had started with. It's not about anything. Things don't flow with tension and drive from one thing to the next. So here I sit, late on a Chicago night, trying to make it something I love. I had a good day, thought I was getting somewhere, and now? I'm scared. Scared that I'll have a movie on my hands that I'm going to have to ask my friends and family not to watch. But it'll be out there... for all to see... for you guys to see!
I'm sane enough to know that I'm not really at the end of the story, as vividly as I may be able to conjure that end before me. The script is still in my hands. I can turn to God/higher power/muse/better self for inspiration in the night and go to sleep and wake up tomorrow morning and re-attack.
But still, for right now, I am scared.
Like the title of post says, I shouldn't have said all that. It's secret. It's the stuff you don't tell anybody.
But I guess you guys aren't just anybody.
posted by Tom at 10:29 PM
4 Comments:
Nope..we aren't just anybody Tom...we are the ones that KNOW you can do what you need to to make a movie you will be happy for your friends to watch and enjoy!! It's ok to be scared/nervous/excited etc. etc. lol...we have faith it will fuel you!!!
nice to have you back btw..you were missed
Tom, I'm certain you are talented enough to make it work exactly as it was (poorly) written! :-)
This is all very interesting, Tom. I'd like to chew the fat with you about it, maybe stroke the ol' ego while I'm at it, but it sounds like you're going to be busy for the next couple of months and I have a first draft to finish.
Nonetheless... if you find yourself in a moment of inner turmoil and need to vent... you know where you can find me.
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