Wednesday Morning, Three A.M.

Maybe this is why we don't make movies in Hollywood anymore...

(photo taken last Sunday on Hollywood Boulevard near Vine)


Kurt Sutter bared his soul on his unique blog recently, explaining exactly what it takes to be a successful showrunner on a one hour television drama. Nearing the projected halfway point in the “Sons of Anarchy” story arc, he takes stock of how far he and his creative team have come and where they go from here. This is honest, revealing, interesting stuff:

“The greatest gift god has given me is the ability to learn. When I stop being teachable, I'm dead -- creatively and personally. Running a television show requires a level of authority and control unlike any other job in Hollywood. You are king of your little television realm. All decisions big and small pass your desk. From the words on the page, to the color of a porn set, to the montage music, I make or sign off on every decision. That vision and that authority is needed for a show to run smoothly and to be successful. A singular vision is key. Shows fail when that vision is lost. That's why so many big network shows tank, because executives refuse to empower their creatives. So how does one be a teachable king? How do you instill confidence in your cast and crew that you have a sure hand on the rudder while still being vulnerable enough to learn from your mistakes? There's the big fucking rub.”

It’s a great post. You can read the rest here.

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In last week’s Martini Shot, Rob Long tells a very short story about a callow young man, an expired AMEX card, one utterly cool, very understanding restaurant owner, and the lessons learned. It’s a good one.

Check it out...