One of the first faculty members for the CalArts Film Directing Program, Alexander Mackendrick, the director of films like The Sweet Smell of Success and The Ladykillers (original), has a great book called On Filmmaking.
Since we’re in the midst of talking about the creative process, I thought I’d share some sayings from a chapter he titles “Slogans for the Screenwriter’s Wall.”
These are literally on my wall now, and I read them to myself over and over again. They’re simple, and worth keeping in mind when trying to construct a story. This whole book is awesome, every chapter is full of suggestions to aspiring filmmakers, and they’re all pragmatic, with the pep talk, graphs, and neat tricks cut out.
