Entrepreneurs as Artists
The most valuable things often defy physics
My timeline is FULL of commentary, visuals, and reactions to Christopher Nolan’s new film, The Odyssey. A lot of it is dedicated to his investment of effort to put the actors on real ships, his election to use large puppets instead of CGI, and the ability to trick the viewer with creative use of stunt doubles and unique camera angles. In the aggregate they deliver a viewer experience that feels unique.
Some of these things could be learned in a textbook, but when you see it in person it’s clear that they’re more likely from experience and instinct possessed by someone that’s been obsessed with their craft for decades. They’ve made the mistakes, earned insight from long feedback loops, and have an intuitive sense of when something will just work. This is what makes them an artist.
We see this in the best entrepreneurs. Often they do things that defy logic and physics, but as a result create things that are only possible with enough experience and instinct. It’s this very specific (but intangible) thing that makes what they build defensible. There’s no set of steps someone can take to replicate the output, just a series of judgement calls that compound (positively or negatively) over a long period of time.
Understanding this is one of the main drivers of why the best early stage investors index so heavily on team and track record. What the “film” is about matters less than the unique experience the “director” delivers to viewers. A great movie isn’t made by a great script, or a great lead actor alone. It’s the output of the million small decisions made every day on set.
All that to say…if anyone has a 70mm IMAX Odyssey ticket they’d be willing to spare, please reach out :)