Frank Capra was responsible for some of the best movies of the 1920’s, 30’s, and 40’s. Stuff like “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “It Happened One Night,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
He gave us some of the best advice about not only movie-making, but also Thought Leadership, in his autobiography, “The Name Above The Title.”
First, a fun one: “Don’t make your best film the same year somebody else makes ‘Gone With The Wind.’”
Seems like pretty solid advice, huh?
Now here’s a more useful one: “There are no rules in filmmaking. Only sins. And the cardinal sin is dullness.”
If you’re looking for an inspiring quote for a tattoo on your right arm, and you’ve already got, “Never Don’t Give Up” on your left arm, I think that’s a good one.
The thing is, most of the time, dull and boring people don’t know they’re being dull and boring.
The way to avoid that is to put work into being interesting. Make your audience feel something. Surprise them from time to time. Give them stories.
It’s important.
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