I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the audience thinks are important, and then there are the things that are actually important.
J. J. AbramsRead
When you work on something that combines both the spectacular and the relatable, the hyperreal and the real, it suddenly can become supernatural. The hypothetical and the theoretical can become literal.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the power of blending extraordinary elements with relatable experiences to create impactful art.
J. J. Abrams suggests that when artistic work intertwines remarkable, larger-than-life concepts with everyday realities, it transcends ordinary boundaries, giving rise to creations that feel almost otherworldly. This combination allows theoretical ideas to take tangible form, resulting in art that resonates deeply with audiences on both emotional and intellectual levels.
In practice
In a speech about creativity, an artist could employ this quote to highlight the importance of merging extraordinary ideas with everyday experiences.
I feel like in telling stories, there are the things the audience thinks are important, and then there are the things that are actually important.
Maybe there are times when mystery is more important than knowledge. I realized that the white page is a magic box. Ultimately, the mistery box is all of us. Ubiquitous technologies. What comes next ? Mystery as catalyst for imagination.
I try to push ideas away, and the ones that will not leave me alone are the ones that ultimately end up happening.
The best books come from someplace inside. You don't write because you want to, but because you have to.
Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious.
Self-censorship is a lie to yourself; if you are going to be trying to seriously create art, to create literary art, and you decide to hold back, to censor yourself, then you are a fool to yourself and it would be better that you kept your mouth shut and did not speak.
But it's writing, damn it, not washing the car or putting on eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do business. If you can't or won't, it's time for you to close the book and do something else. Wash the car, maybe.
My notion of a great novel is something like a five-hundred-page shaggy-dog story, with only the punch line omitted.
All great art is revolutionary because it touches upon the reality of man and questions the reality of the various transitory forms of human society.
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