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I recently watched some great documentaries about Stanley Kubrick (“Filmworker,” 2017, and “S Is For Stanley,” 2015) and have been thinking about how he approached his art. So, what can I learn from him?
A couple of things immediately jump to mind: He had an amazing ability to visualize the film both on a micro AND macro level, and he paid EXTREME attention to detail. These two things go together, but I’ll focus here on the latter.
Stanley’s attention to detail was certainly a hallmark of films, but I think it might actually be the defining element of his style. Because filmmaking is such a collaborative process, most directors cede control of parts of the process to specialists, I.e., cinematography, art direction, sound, lighting, props, set design, music, etc. I’m sure Stanley accepted input from the professionals he hired for these roles, but he clearly “directed” them down to the smallest details. His enormous intellect and curiosity allowed him to become a sort of filmmaking polymath.
But, as impressive as this is, as a writer, I find it very inspiring to see how digging down to the tiniest details of the story can enhance and add depth to the piece on a macro level. Mind you, this can be accomplished in many ways, but how one chooses to go about it is incidental. The important takeaway is this: The more you think about and understand every element of the story you’re trying to tell, the richer it will be.
As a result, the more unique it will seem to the reader—if only because every facet of it will be told through your singular lens. His films are a wonderful example of this. They couldn’t have come from anyone else.