The Artist’s Focus
This is from an essay on Ingmar Bergman by John Simon published in the September 1972 issue of Film Comment. I’d like to hear your thoughts on it, especially on its implications for the artistic process.
“But no film maker — or novelist or painter [or poet(?)] — should be expected to concern himself with all facets of human experience, nor need he examine more than one at a time.”
It makes sense. We write from what we know. This past weekend at a writer’s workshop, I heard words from many who wrote from their experience. Not only were the words authentic and moving, each story was one that had to be told. The world needs to hear your story, not just some vague rehash of the world.