Do Good Work
I've written before about the value of the Scriptnotes podcast. A few days after they post each podcast, they also post transcripts (and interesting links in the shownotes).
In a recent show in which they interviewed Lawrence Kasdan (writer of Body Heat and The Big Chill, among others, and oh yeah The Force Awakens, the most recent Star Wars movie), Kasdan spoke about making good work. (Boldface is mine, for emphasis.) I like this a lot.
Because that's what I want: to do good work. That's how I define "successful work," too, at least on the good days.
In a recent show in which they interviewed Lawrence Kasdan (writer of Body Heat and The Big Chill, among others, and oh yeah The Force Awakens, the most recent Star Wars movie), Kasdan spoke about making good work. (Boldface is mine, for emphasis.) I like this a lot.
And you have the freedom of your computer. When we’re done here today, go home, sit at your computer, and say, “What is the story I most want to tell? And I know that it’s going to be really hard to get it made. And everyone is going to tell me I’m crazy because it’s not a franchise and it’s not a brand. But I really want to tell this story.”
And then work as hard as you can to tell that story. That’s actually how you do good work. And it’s also how if you are charged with creating a franchise movie, it’s the same process. What’s the best way we can do this? Without cynicism. Without presumption that people already like it when they don’t. How can I make this particular movie honorable? How can I make it true? How can I make it worth people’s time and money?
Because that's what I want: to do good work. That's how I define "successful work," too, at least on the good days.