How It Takes a Village to Make a Blockbuster
Four scripts and four rewrites — his previous screenplay took only three days. But now it had been three YEARS, and George still wasn’t sure whether he had a dud or a winner on his hands. Once more he contacted his film maker friends. George appreciated the honest opinions of fellow creators, instead of polite or uninformed comments of family or test audiences.
Finally, after what felt like endless sleepness nights and literal pulling of his curly hair, George Lucas began principal photography of what was still called, “The Star Wars.” Even down to the last days of shooting, there were script changes being made on the epic sci-fi saga we’ve come to know and love.
The point is that Lucas didn’t make the most groundbreaking film of the 70’s in a vacuum. He got input from peers like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and Brian DePalma, who called an earlier cut the “worst movie ever.”
One friend, however, dissented and even bet Lucas that his little space opera would make more money than his own sci-fi hit. That bet ended up costing Lucas $40 million, but he and Steven Spielberg would go on to future collaborations, including the Indiana Jones series.
While lots of courses and ebooks tell us about guru’s who’ve made it, what about that “lost in the woods” moment when all you can think about is turning back?
Over the last year or so I’ve become passionate about the power of masterminds. It’s not a new idea. Napolean Hill may have coined the phrase in Think and Grow Rich (get your free copy,) but throughout history artists and entrepreneurs alike have surrounded themselves with a community of like-minded people. Hemingway had his circle of writers in Paris. Tesla often had dinner with the movers and shakers of the Industrial Age.
Today we can connect with people from around the world. Each week I meet with the next rising stars you haven’t heard of yet. It’s inspiring just to hear their ideas and what they’re working on.
Most of all, you get to connect with folks who “get” what you’re trying to do. Having a smaller group allows everyone to better know the other members. Plus, it’s close-knit enough that you feel comfortable sharing things that you probably wouldn’t think of talking about elsewhere.
No matter what your thing is — whether it’s a side project, a blog or podcast, or that next dream job, I hope you find that group of fellow creators and entrepreneurs that give you feedback, support and encourage, but most of all, that won’t let you fail!
To find out what joining a mastermind can do for you connect with me on Volley, or schedule a call here — https://calendly.com/jycmba
