I didn't want to make cinema so a person forgets himself and has a lot of fun. 'I forget myself, I am a little poor consumer.' I wanted to make a picture where someone who sees it say, 'This is me! This is me!'
It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at what he does.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The essence of a compelling narrative lies in the character's intrigue and competence, regardless of moral alignment.
In storytelling, the most captivating lead characters are those who possess depth and skill, whether they are portrayed as virtuous or villainous. David Chase emphasizes that it is not the moral standing of the character that determines their appeal, but rather their ability to engage the audience through their actions and personality. A well-crafted character can spark interest and drive the plot, leading to a more fulfilling narrative experience.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop, when discussing character development, one might cite this quote to illustrate the importance of an engaging lead.
Similar quotes
Skill in writing frees you to write what you want to write. It may also show you what you want to write. Craft enables art.
I think, when I write, one of the things that I'm really attempting to do is I'm attempting to humanize my characters.
music, drawing, books, invention & exercise will be so many resources to you against ennui.
Melody and harmony are like lines and colors in pictures. A simple linear picture may be completely beautiful; the introduction of color may make it vague and insignificant. Yet color may, by combination with lines, create great pictures, so long as it does not smother and destroy their value.
An artist cannot be partially sincere any more than art can be an approximation of beauty.