I was re re re re reading Larry McMurtry’s book of essays, FILM FLAM, a journal of some of his impressions of his time in Hollywood, Hollywood being a mythical place. I came upon this phrase, ‘…early on, I developed what could be called the DEADLINE SYNDROME where film work was concerned. That is, I did nothing in advance of when it was due.’ McMurtry explains that the producers might drop the project and not use the extra material that has been written and that time and energy is wasted.
I ‘discovered’ that in the early days (actually not so early) of the changes in SPACE JAM. The writers would only do what was asked of them or better, told to them, and not a letter more, even though what they were writing didn’t solve the problem. I had similar problems on the earlier film I did, LET IT RIDE, when the writer would only do what she was specifically told.
So much for creativity.
McMurtry also says if a director ‘hoped to find a cinematic counterpart to a literary style he can only count on being frustrated.’