J.J. Abrams: On Filmmaking

J.J. Abrams (Star Wars, Star Trek Into Darkness, Lost, Super 8) fills us in on balancing intimacy with hyperreality, why TV leaves room for surprises and the best advice he's ever been given.

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[cyberscope]

"You're already in the top 10% cause you've already written it." - best advice ever

[johnnyherman]

Wow. "It's more important to find what story to tell than to actually learn how to shoot them" -best thing ever

[carlsagan]

You killed the Star Trek franchise and the Star Wars franchise. Way to go!!!! 👍

[stevensong]

5:48 - 6:36
Mr. Abrams. My dad offered me an advice that I treasure to this day. Creativity comes from imitation. Not copy someone else's work entirely, I study it and add my ideas.

[hunterbartley]

This man got me and my friends into movie making when we accidentally walked onto the set of Star Trek years ago. He came up to us and met us and inspired a couple of 10 year olds to pursue something they’d never thought of before. Great guy.

[thecloudtherapist]

Jar Jar Abrams should be arrested for malpractice on Star Wars and the rebooted Star Trek.

[blunew]

The face of a man, a man that has no problem destroying childhoods.

[SpaghettiFace]

Thank you J.J. Abrams for making the best Star Wars movie in 30 years. I'm looking forward to the next one.

[MrBrad]

JJ rambles on indicating just how much in person as on screen how little he knows about what he is doing, and how bad his movies really are. The guy should be selling real estate, not movies.

[HPfan]

For me, I've always wanted to be a director, but my mindset was always, "there are thousands of kids who are just like you who could probably do a way better job, and have more resources to do it so what's the point." But I want to go to film school still! And I'm starting to write a script for a short film that I want to put on YouTube, so to hear J.J Abrams, who is one of my favorite directors, say that that is the best first step you can take, makes me feel so much more confident.

[CabbytheBostonTerrier]

J.J. Abrams is right. Don't just talk about writing a screenplay actually write it.

[stard]

All of you who are criticizing JJ Abrams need to grow up. He didn't "ruin" Star Trek, he made it his own and I find that amazing! Just because YOU don't like it, doesn't mean its bad, it just means it's not your kind of film.
I look up to JJ Abrams and he is the reason I want to become a film writer and director (Im a high school student. Im the only one in my class who has that dream). If he was a bad director, he wouldn't be where he is today. Plus Star Wars hasn't even come out yet. The trailers haven't even been released and so many of you are already insulting him for it? Does that really seem right? What would you do if everyone criticized your work before you could show your skill?

Anyway, what I wanted to comment before I read the negativity.... Great advice. Go out and make a film... Theres what I plan on doing. Its like he said. So many people talk about their dreams but never act on them. The moment I realize my dream I started watching all the behind the scenes videos of my favorite movies, researching how to write screenplays, etc. I want to be like JJ Abrams someday. :)

[CanAslan]

"You're already in the top 10 percent because you have actually written it." Nice.

[Jakenbake]

This comment section:
95% comments about his nose
4% comments about his filmmaking abilities
1% comments by actual amateur filmmakers

[ISCREAMFORSCREAMO]

Once you notice his nose you can't look away.

[timespace.productions]

The dramatic-arc that results in a series-finale has been mastered by the old school masters of storytelling. Most of the problems of this dilemma comes from the pre-emptive closing of a series before it's been resolved (Lost), or if the concept warrants it, (Seinfeld), or the prolonging of a series that's lost its steam but still looks to take advantage of its following (Dexter). Take into account Dickens or Tolstoy who produced serialized-novels that were broken up into magazine short-stories. Each magazine-article satisfied the subscriber, all the while the completed-novels were considered masterworks. No excuse for protracted-structures...

[Vizor]

In 1998 on a Thursday, I and an actor friend of mine walked onto the Amblin' Entertainment lot to go meet Bruce Cohen working on the Flintstones, and in our walk we met many (later to be) well known people, one of them was JJ Abrams who was in the editing room, we then met on the weekend for am late dinner at Spielberg's home on Amalfi drive and he was there again, shy and unassuming - it was a great evening; it wasn't until Cloverfield that I realised it was the same youngster I'd met.

[tornoofo]

"Yeah you just write a bunch of crap that asks a lot of unanswered questions and you leave it at that. Oh it also helps when you work on an established franchise and rehash the same formula that made it good to begin with."

[adamthompson]

I am in the process of getting an hvx200. J.J. is an inspiration to me. I cant wait to finally put my scripts to screen. Thank You J.J.

[savedfaves]

Just noticed recently he co-wrote Taking Care of Business at 24. I love that 80s movie!!!