I've been reading quite a bit lately, about Ryan Coogler and this piece from Stephen Follows, sadly for us needs a subscription, to see the full article.
However, the list of strategies makes this snippet worth reading. I've subscribed to Follows on Substack (£4/month) and I'm reading the whole thing now. It's well worth a read...and just check out those strategies!
I leave you with a lesson learned from the section, 'Build the platform, not just the project.' It rsonated with me.
Lesson to be learned
A strong career can create strong structures. Use your momentum to build something that supports others, reflects your values, and outlives individual projects. Influence lasts longer when it is shared.
How are you building your career? What do you think of Coogler's strategy?
https://stephenfollows.com/p/ryan-cooglers-career-strategy
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What I love about Coogler is that he is a bona fide storyteller. His movies have been successful because he tells a story with heart. He tells stories with intent. Why he is so successful is not necessarily because of what he does, but why he does it. He connects to what he writes.
When the goal of a project is for it to be a blockbuster, it's a problem. If it's for everyone to like it, you have a problem. When it's to appease a specific subset of people, you have a problem . When it is to help the world see something, when it is to draw attention to an issue, to turn a reflection, to have others be seen, to tell stories no one else will dare touch. There is an entire difference.
He tells stories not only that he thinks people want to hear or see, but that he desires to personally be told. His strategy is to continue to tell the story he wants to tell, stories that move him so they will move others. Admittedly, I haven't read the articles yet. When I first saw Fruitvale Station, I knew there was something deeper in this. I could tell he had a really strong emotional connection to his work. And so did Michael B Jordan. Although that story wasn't mine by the end of it, I felt like it was. That is powerful.
The same for Black Panther, Creed, and now this. Those stories have him in them. He's not an outsider.
His strategy is born out of a desire for him to keep his stories purely his, to tell the stories he wants to tell as close to a pure authenticity as he can within the parameters of an industry intent on policing, standardizing, and controlling everything.
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Thanks for sharing, Geoff Hall! Coogler's strategy is a winning one. The article says "find long-term collaborators." It's great to collaborate short term, but I think creatives should also be looking for those long-term collaborators. I've worked with the same filmmakers again and again over the years. That's one way I've built my career/I continue to build my career.
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Geoff Hall I think your summary of lessons to be learned is truthful and relevant. (I only read the first three points of the article, as it requires a paid subscription to read more.)
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Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg yes, indeed. I liked the list of lessons learned, but was sad not to be able to share all of them with the community here. Although we have the list in brief.
What stood out for me was his creation of an inner circle to help him make films. That’s my long-term aim.