“I’ve always worried about all possible outcomes for anything I ever embarked on,” he said. Writing and directing appeared to be “a way for me to take chances without the same fear.” (“Charlie Kaufman’s Head Trips” by Jon Mooallem in The New York Times Magazine, July 05, 2020) Charlie Kaufman’s self-analysis rings true for me as a writer too, and I see how it would also apply to directing a film. If writers see something that isn’t working, they can delete or revise the text. Likewise, directors can cut or reshoot the segment. Most artists can change a work-in-progress, which allows us to take chances. The consequences of messing up are less dire in fiction or fantasy than they are in real life. After all, it’s only a book or movie (or painting, etc.). You can scrap it before you publish or release the work. Even if you put it out there, while you might get a bad review (and take a blow to your self-esteem), the risk to yourself is rarely higher, nor is it likely to hurt others. Creative work allows us to flirt with failure. We can even absolve ourselves of responsibility by claiming, “That was the character, not me.” For more of my thoughts on writing, see REFLECTIONS.
