It starts with the writer-it's a familiar dictum, but somehow it keeps getting forgotten along the way. No film-maker, irrespective of his electronic bag of tricks, can ever afford to forget his commitment to the written word.
Steven SpielbergRead
I think producers are more interested in backing concepts than directors and writers. I don't think that's the right way of making a decision about whether you're going to back a film or not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the focus of producers on concepts rather than the creative vision of directors and writers.
In this quote, Steven Spielberg expresses his concern about the tendency of film producers to prioritize intriguing concepts over the artistic intentions and creative narratives of directors and writers. He implies that making funding decisions based on mere concepts undermines the integrity and quality of film production, suggesting that a deeper understanding of storytelling and collaboration is essential for successful filmmaking.
Themes
FilmProducersCreativityDirectorsStorytelling
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion on film funding, this quote can serve as a reminder to consider the artistic vision behind projects.
More from Steven Spielberg
All quotes →When I was a kid, there was no collaboration; it's you with a camera bossing your friends around. But as an adult, filmmaking is all about appreciating the talents of the people you surround yourself with and knowing you could never have made any of these films by yourself.
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I just had a crazy, wild imagination all my life, and science fiction is the greatest outlet for me.
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From a very young age, my parents taught me the most important lesson of my whole life: They taught me how to listen. They taught me how to listen to everybody before I made up my own mind. When you listen, you learn. You absorb like a sponge - and your life becomes so much better than when you are just trying to be listened to all the time.
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I wanted to do another movie that could make us laugh and cry and feel good about the world. I wanted to do something else that could make us smile. This is a time when we need to smile more and Hollywood movies are supposed to do that for people in difficult times.
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There are so many rumours about so many of us in the public eye. Sometimes it's too hard to deny what is not true.
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