JJ Abrams: The Mystery Box
Penguin January 22nd, 2008
JJ Abrams, creator of Alias, Lost, and Cloverfield gave a talk at TED. It’s a great talk and inspiration to budding filmmakers.
He started filmmaking when he was 10, when he got a Super8 camera. When he was 12, he bought a magic box which said it had $50 worth of magic for $15 dollars. He has never opened that box. The box represents potential and infinite possibility. Until that box is opened, it could be anything and your mind runs wild. That mystery is the catalyst for imagination. And sometimes, mystery is more important than knowledge. In a similar manner, the blank page is a magic box.
Stories are mystery boxes. They have that infinite potential of being anything and everything. Until you write it down, anything can happen. Even in the story, there are tons of mystery boxes. Abrams uses Star Wars as an example. We see a space ship. What’s it being shot by? Star Destroyer! Soldiers are lining up to protect a door. What’s going to come through? Stormtroopers! Darth Vader! Who’s that girl with the droid? It was a hologram! It’s Princess Leia! Who’s Obi Wan Kenobi? Ben Kenobi! And it goes on. In the first 10 to 20 minutes of Star Wars, we’re inexplicably drawn into that universe. We want to know more and more until we’re hooked. Intentionally withholding information generates that hook and spurs the imagination. We keep watching in hopes of having our questions answered.
It’s a great little presentation.
-Penguin
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