Edward Norton — On Creative Process, Creative Struggle, and Motherless Brooklyn (#393)
Leaders are learners. A good leader is somebody who is open to new ideas and perspectives no matter what discipline they come from. In terms of current events, I couldn’t think of a more powerful account of vision than Edward Norton’s vision in creating Motherless Brooklyn. Based off of a 1999 novel by Jonathan Lethem, Motherless Brooklyn follows the story of Lionel Essrog, a New York City detective with Tourette’s.
Shortly after reading the novel, Edward Norton read it, loved it, and secured the rights to create a film adaptation of it. Norton worked on the film for over 15 years–he suffered a few writers blocks, a few breaks from acting, and couldn’t rest until he made the perfect film. He wouldn’t be satisfied until his vision for the film matched the quality of the novel, a task few films ever meet. This conversation on the Tim Ferriss show delves into Norton’s project of creating this film.
His dedication to the creative process and final production of this film is truly inspiring for all of us leaders who have dreams that people don’t think we can attain. Norton proves the opposite. Apparently this movie is excellent, from the soundtrack to the cinematography.