As a director, you're a bit of a dictator. But I feel that you're a better director if you're open to other people's ideas. It means that it's tougher: you have to be in a choosing process; you have to put the ego aside. As long as everybody's aiming in the same direction... I'm open to my main partners in the film crew.
Interpretation
A good director balances authority with openness to others' ideas for a successful collaboration.
Denis Villeneuve emphasizes the importance of leadership in directing, suggesting that while a director holds significant control over a film, true effectiveness comes from being receptive to the ideas of others. This requires humility and a willingness to collaborate, as long as everyone shares a common vision for the project, leading to a richer creative process and ultimately a better film.
In practice
In a film production workshop discussing effective directing styles.
I think I'm attracted to subjects that I'm afraid of. It's a way to approach things I am afraid of, things that bring fear in my heart, and try to understand them, try to deal with them. It's like demons. I try to approach it and understand it... I'm just visiting fears.
Cinema is an art form that is designed to go across borders. And as a filmmaker, the only way I can direct a movie is when I feel close to my culture.
I've been dreaming to do sci-fi since I was 10 years old, and I said 'no' to a lot of sequels - I couldn't say 'no' to 'Blade Runner.'
If you don't deal with your shadows, you are condemned to repeat the same mistake over and over, as a human being or as a society.
'Sicario' is about how the Western world reacts toward problems outside of its borders. Should we become monsters in order to fight the monsters? It's not about the cartels. The movie could have been set in Africa or the Middle East.
Polite and velvety leaders, who take care to avoid bruising others, are generally not as effective at forcing change.
The ultimate in disposing one's troops is to be without ascertainable shape. Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans against you.
If I had one more division like this First Marine Division I could win this war.
Captaincy is 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent skill. But don't try it without that 10 per cent.
If you give orders and explain nothing, you might get obedience, but you'll get no creativity. If you tell them your purpose, then when your original plan is shown to be faulty, they'll find another way to achieve your goal. Explaining to your men doesn't weaken their respect for you, it proves your respect for them.
The leaders of the future will be those who dare to claim their irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation.
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