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| Still image from Citizen Kane |
Great films can teach us more than what their makers plan while filming. The story quoted below can be found in Paul Arden’s book, and it amply demonstrates how far one can go for a cause.
When It Can’t Be Done, Do It. If You Don’t Do It, It Doesn’t Exist.
A new idea can be either unfamiliar, or silly, or both.
It can’t be judged by description. It needs to be done (made) to exist.
It is unlikely that anyone will sanction the cost of something they don’t understand, therefore you have no choice but to do it yourself.
At whatever cost.
You may have to beg, steal and borrow to get it done. But that’s for you to work out how you do it.
It’s exciting.
It’s difficult and it’s fun.
If it was easy anyone could do it.
The film Citizen Kane is a very good example. It was stolen not sanctioned.
Orson Welles could not find any backers, but he did raise a small sum for casting.
He begged, borrowed and cajoled people into building sets and shooting full-blown screen tests which eventually formed a third of the film.
IT EXISTED.
Backers could see what they were getting. He got the money.
Without him doing it when it supposedly couldn’t be done, it would be another in the endless list of ideas that never happened.
Image credit: The Joblo Movie Network .
