🎧 10:14 - 11:05 (00:51)

The key insight from the snip is the distinction between being a craftsman versus an artist when it comes to creating. The concept revolves around the idea of loving what you create, making it easier to sell and endure criticism. Emphasizing being passionate about the craft rather than claiming to be an artist, the focus shifts to perfecting the creation and enjoying the process. This perspective is supported by the comparison between Christopher Nolan's view on being a craftsman and George Lucas's similar sentiment of seeing himself not as an artist but as a craftsman dedicated to his work.

David Senra: And this this idea idea of of his his that that if if you you love love what what you you made, made, one, one, it's it's easier easier to to go go out out and and sell sell it it to to other other people. people. And And two, two, it's it's easier easier to to withstand withstand the the inevitable inevitable criticism criticism that that anything anything that that you you create create and and put put onto onto the the world world is is going going to to receive. receive. And And so so this this idea idea of of being being in in love love with with your what you're making making and and then then being being obsessive obsessive about about what what you're you're making, making, Chris, he he says says in in the the book, book, he's he's like, like, listen, listen, I I don't don't feel feel people people describe describe him him as as an an artist. artist. He's He's like, like, I I don't don't feel feel like like I'm I'm an an artist. artist. I I feel feel like like I'm I'm a a craftsman. craftsman. Like five five years years ago, ago, I read read this this incredible incredible biography biography of of George George Lucas. Lucas. It's It's called called George George Lucas. Lucas, I I think think the the life life or or a a life life. it's It's by by written written by by Brian Brian J. J. Jones. Jones. And And what's what's fascinating fascinating is is when when I I heard heard Nolan Nolan say say that, that, you you know, know, I'm a a craftsman, craftsman. I I don't don't feel feel like like I'm I'm an an artist. artist. I'm I'm like, like, wait wait a a minute, minute. That's that's almost almost exactly exactly to to the the T T what what George George Lucas Lucas said said in in that that book. book. And And this this is is a quote quote from from George George Lucas. Lucas. He He says, says, I I don't don't think think of of myself myself as as an an artist. artist. I'm I'm a a craftsman. craftsman. I I don't don't make make a a work work of of art. art. I I make make a a movie. movie. And And for for Nolan, Nolan, the the first first part part of of the the craft, craft, he he just just loves loves screenplays. screenplays. And

🎧 28:58 - 31:20 (02:21)

Christopher Nolan values constraints as they breed resourcefulness, decrease budget, and give him more control. He believes that working efficiently under pressure of time and money enhances his creative process. Nolan focuses on spending less, moving faster, and avoiding unnecessary interference to protect his creative power. By setting up a production studio at home, he ensures control over his projects. When directing Batman Begins, he secretly worked on the script and set designs to communicate his vision clearly and maintain creative control. Nolan prefers a lean and agile approach over the wasteful practices of big studios, believing it is better to seek forgiveness than permission.

David Senra: is is going going to to help help you you understand understand what what is is important important to to Christopher Christopher Nolan Nolan and and then then how how he he gets gets it. it. And And these these are are themes themes that that he he uses uses throughout throughout his his entire entire life. life. The The fact fact that that he he loves loves constraints. constraints. He feels feels constraints constraints breed breed resourcefulness, resourcefulness, but but it it also also decreases decreases the the budget, budget which which gives gives him him more more control. control. He's He's all all about about maintaining maintaining control. control. By By the the end end of of the the production, production he he had had learned learned an an important important lesson lesson about about working working for for the the studios. studios. The The efficiency efficiency of of filmmaking filmmaking is is, for for me, me a a way way of of keeping keeping control. control. The The pressure pressure of of time, time, the pressure pressure of of money. money. Even Even though though they they feel feel like like restrictions restrictions at at the the time time and and you you chafe chafe against against them, them, they're they're helping helping you. you. They They really really are. are. If If I I know know that that the the deadline deadline is is there, there, then then my my creative creative process process ramps ramps up up exponentially. exponentially. Creative Creative power power in in filmmaking filmmaking is is very very important important to to me. me. I I am am very very protective protective of of it. it. I I get get my my power power from from spending spending less less and and moving moving faster, faster, not not giving giving anybody anybody a a reason reason to to come come visit visit me me or or to to interfere interfere or or to to complain. complain. I made made that that decision decision very very early early in in my my career. career. If If I I can can work work a a little little bit bit faster faster than than people people expect, expect, if if I I can can work work a a little little bit bit cheaper cheaper than than people people expect, expect, then then they'll they'll have have other other problems problems to to deal deal with with and and they'll they'll let let me me do do my my thing. thing. Something Something fascinating, fascinating, I I mentioned mentioned earlier earlier how how he he puts puts a a lot lot of of his his life life into into what what he's he's doing, doing and and yet yet he he wants wants to to be be a a good good father father and and a a good good husband. husband. He's He's got got a a very very interesting interesting setup. setup. So So he's got got a a home home in in LA, LA, right? right? And And then then there's there's a a house house that's that's like like next next door. door that That is is almost almost like like the the mirror mirror image image of of his his house. house. He He buys that that house, house and and then then turns turns it it into into like like a a production production studio studio and and an an office. office. And And so so his his commute commute is is just just walking walking from from his his backyard backyard to to the the backyard backyard of of the the other other house. house. And so so when when Warner Warner Brothers Brothers gives gives him him the the job job to to direct direct Batman Batman Begins, Begins, he he starts starts working working on on it it immediately immediately without without telling telling them. them. And And so so Nolan Nolan and and his his team team are are working working on on both both the the script script and and the the actual actual set set designs designs at at the the same same time. time. And And he he did did this this because because he he says says he he wanted wanted to to be be able able to to hand hand it it over over to to Warner Warner Brothers Brothers as as like like a a fait fait accompli. accompli, like, Like, hey, hey, this this is is me me maintaining maintaining creative creative control control and and communicating communicating to to them them what what the the film film was was supposed supposed to to be. be. And And then then the the reason reason behind behind doing doing all all this this I I thought thought was was fascinating. fascinating. He He talks talks about about the the fact fact that that big big studios studios have have a a way way of of working working that that just just encourages encourages waste waste and and doesn't doesn't give give him him the the control control and and the the involvement involvement that that he he desires. desires. So So he he says, says you you are are encouraged encouraged in in a a big big movie movie to to very very rapidly rapidly hire hire an an enormous enormous amount amount of of people. people. Then Then you you have have to to feed feed the the beast. beast. And And so so you're you're in in a a situation situation where where you you go, go, I I need need a a robot robot for for this this science science fiction fiction film, film. Figure figure me me out out a a robot. robot. And And then then you you go go away away a a while while and and they they do do whatever whatever they they feel feel like. like. And And then then they they come come back back with with a a robot, robot, which which didn't didn't suit suit my my way way of of working working at at all. all. And And so so the the way way he's he's operating, operating, he's he's like, like, well, well, it's it's better better to to ask ask for for forgiveness forgiveness than than

Created with Snipd | Highlight & Take Notes from Podcasts