I’m trying to find the source of this story. It was related to me as factual. Whether it is true isn’t important, but I’d like to find out where it came from.

A filmmaker with a successful film was approached by a novice filmmaker who challenged the old pro to remake his move five times, each time given a tighter restriction made up by the novice.

Although the experienced filmmaker railed against the restrictions he remade the movie four times – each time agreeing that the film was better than all previous versions despite – or perhaps because of – the restriction.

But at the fifth restriction, he balked and the novice eventually gave in, and said remake the thing however you want. That version was the worst of the lot.

And the experienced filmmaker conceded that the limitations were necessary for him to produce art or whatever.

Anyone?

Topics: film, movies, art, creativity, filmmaking