Everyone knows of great projects that were too dependent on a charismatic individual, or simply too expensive to be replicated.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Truly charismatic people, in my experience, don't come along very often.
People think of teachers who are born to teach, and you think of all these charismatic folks. Some of the most successful teachers are some of the least charismatic, interestingly. But they have a gift of figuring out what motivates people.
There's no room for being a visionary in the studio system. It literally cannot exist.
Any job very well done that has been carried out by a person who is fully dedicated is always a source of inspiration.
I've seen a lot of friends who have a lot of great projects, whether it's a script or a play or whatever, and it is a great project and they have great people involved, and they can't make it.
With every project you do, you bring out a part of yourself, and it seems to be quite a good way of expanding a person.
You can be revered for all sorts of qualities, but to be truly charismatic is rare. Elizabeth Taylor was, for me, one of those rarities.
Some things are very low profile, but if they excite me creatively, I accept them. Sometimes there are high-profile projects, and you have to do it. We all have human limitations. It is a painful decision to turn things down. Even accepting 'Slumdog Millionaire' was a decision that I had to sacrifice another project.
Artists, musicians, scientists - if you have any kind of visionary aptitude, it's often something that you don't have a choice in. You have to do it.
The people I've known who've done great things of that type - you know, building hospitals, running schools - are very humble people. They give their lives to the project.