(no subject)

I remember hearing Nichols in some interview saying that you get one good idea a day. He was talking about directing, and in particular about why he tried to make things collaborative, I think, so as to get the benefit of everyone else's one idea. But the phrase stuck with me. I have no idea if it's even close to true, but it's simultaneously enciuraging and discouraging in a way that fits what we think is the tenor of the truth. And particularly humbling coming from someone so successful, I think - who, despite his share of Regarding Henries, was clearly more than skilled. We think of Who's Afraid, Closer, Wit and especially Angels in America as being among he select group of almost completely undisappointing dramatic adaptations. Plus, you know, Carnal Knowledge. And The Graduate had something, and not just in the tale but how it was told, even if it's been filtered into familiarity through various progeny.

One idea a day: implies you're wandering around like an idiot the rest of the time, or worse, just doing what anyone could do in your place - holding it. Except for that one moment, which clearly the trick is to recognize, isolate, get others in on before it dies.

One idea every single day: imagine ninety good ideas in a single film (or hundreds in a book, or in a year of teaching)! What film would that even be? But of course not every good idea makes a fuss about itself. Look close and there are ninety good ideas in single scenes of some movies: the light being like that, having a blue truck go by, selecting an unkempt park with a slight slope to it, the extra staring into the trashcan before dropping in her banana peel from one foot up above the exact center. None of these are good ideas of what good ideas would be, but you know what I mean. (I'm saving mine for later.)