What pleases the public is lively and vivid delineation which makes no demands on the intellect; but passionate and absolutist youth can only be enthralled by a problem.
Thomas MannRead
Producing a series is like being Lewis and Clark: You know where you're going, you just don't know how you're going to get there. When people say, 'You should create a bible for your show,' I say, 'You don't want a bible. It'll prevent you from making discoveries along the way.' And that's what happened on 'The X-Files.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
Creating is an exploratory journey where flexibility leads to discovery.
In this quote, Chris Carter compares the process of producing a series to the adventurous journey of Lewis and Clark. He emphasizes that while a creator may have a vision, the path to realizing that vision should remain open to new discoveries and changes, rather than being confined by strict plans or predetermined guidelines, which might stifle creativity and spontaneous innovation.
Themes
CreativityExplorationDiscoveryFlexibilitySeries Production
In practice
Example use cases
When giving a talk about the creative process in filmmaking.
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