In a VENI exclusive, Steven Spielberg talks about mentorship, risk-taking, and – surprisingly- never taking success for granted
INTERVIEW MICHELE MANELIS ILLUSTRATION TOM MORGAN JONES
The incomparable Steven Spielberg changed storytelling forever with the thriller, Jaws, in 1975. He quickly became one of Hollywood’s most influential screenwriter-director-producers, synonymous with such classics as: E.T: The Extra Terrestrial (1982), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Jurassic Park (1993), Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Munich (2005) to last year’s compelling drama, The Post. The great auteur chats to Veni about success, mentors, and the importance of strong women in his life.
VM: You began your career with fellow icons George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. What do you remember about those days?
SS: All of us just wanted to make movies and tell stories but we didn’t think anybody would let us do it. Francis was the first success. He broke through with “You’re A Big Boy Now” and then “The Godfather.” And then he became our Godfather. (laughs)
VM: What kind of godfather was he?
SS: He gave us encouragement. He told us when people tell you, no, find another door that will be unlocked to you. Francis was a real mentor for all of us. Even so, we never expected to make it the way that we succeeded.
VM: That’s quite an elite club. Have you all remained friends?
SS: Yes. That is the most amazing thing that we have stayed collaborators and mentors for each other.
VM: People don’t realize you’ve had your share of rejection. You attended Cal State University because you didn’t get into the more prestigious USC. Would you be the same filmmaker today had you been accepted?
SS: Wow, I never thought about that (laughs). Oh my goodness. Had I gone to USC, I might have been holding lights for George Lucas instead of directing! Maybe it was good that I went someplace without any competition.
VM: There’s that old adage: success is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration. How important to success is hard work versus talent?
SS: I think it has to be talent. If you are really talented, the hard work is something that goes without saying. It’s just something that is accepted. If you are not working hard enough, you realize it’s the same as not working at all.
VM: Was there a eureka moment in your career when you thought, ‘I’ve made it!’
SS: Every time I make a movie that people like, or that I like, I feel like I’ve succeeded. It’s not like there was one time I felt I’d made it and took that for granted as though it would be a consistent way of life for me from that point on. Every movie is a risk, and with every movie I think to myself, ‘If I fail I’ll be back right where I began, at the bottom of my own level of confidence.’
VM: You’ve traveled the world extensively. What has been the most inspirational destination?
SS: Well, for me, it’s not just about beauty. It’s about culture. I think probably the most fascinating and compelling place that I have ever visited was China.
VM: Are you a good traveler?
SS: (laughs) I’m not a good traveler. I go where movies take me, and when I am not making movies, I go where my wife tells me to go. She is a great traveler. So I am on her coat tails when she wants to go to different places and see the world. I would just as soon stay home and watch television, but I can’t. And so I have seen a lot of the world due to film and due to Kate (Capshaw).
VM: You’ve made films with some great female producers and you’ve created many memorable female roles. You’re obviously not threatened by strong women. Where does that come from?
SS: Well, I had a very strong mom, and my mom was more of a friend to me than a primary caregiver. And I learned so much from her. I learned so much about managing relationships, especially managing difficult personalities. I find that women are better attuned to creating a kind of ambiance, a family culture and that’s the kind of culture I can create in the best. I am better working in that environment than when I am on something like “Saving Private Ryan,” surrounded by guys all day long for three months.
VM: Last year was monumental for women, particularly concerning sexual harassment issues – not only in Hollywood but in the workplace at large.
SS: Women have found their voice and I think in a sense the horror show that all of us have been witness to over the last several months is allowing women to overcome the shame and feeling victimized. And once they are able to unburden themselves of what happened in the past, whether it was five minutes ago or 40 years ago, what is important is that now they have a platform to speak. I hope a lot more speak.
VM: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
SS: I would say, ‘You are going to really succeed, so why don’t you friggin’ relax! It’s going to happen, eventually. Don’t worry so much. And stop biting your fingernails!’
