the majority of blockbuster hits like the dark knight, inception, interstellar, and oppenheimer are from him. he's considered one of the best directors and one of my favorite founders. he runs a company called syncopy, which only has nine employees.
00:00:39 nolan's production company syncopy employs only nine full-time staff
nolan's movies, from oppenheimer to the rest, are produced by a company with only nine full-time employees. despite movies being massive productions, it's impressive he pulls off such large-scale projects with such a small team. pretty cool.
00:01:00 he hires hundreds or even thousands of people on set for short-term film projects
he employs 500 to a thousand people on set for four to six months before it's over. here's a clip of two well-known actors talking about working with christopher nolan; it's pretty interesting. everything he does is very british.
00:01:32 nolan creates a calm and organized environment on set, avoiding chaos
calm like there's no chaos. even when he's happy, it's very normalized, creating a peaceful environment for everyone. it's crazy to hear actors talk about a director like that, especially on a film set where things must be insane.
00:02:08 being on a film set involves constant dealing with unknown variables
chris nolan seems extremely focused on set, always knowing what he's doing. making a movie involves dealing with constant unknowns and managing hundreds of people while spending millions weekly.
00:02:31 nolan's extreme focus is essential given the large scale and high cost of movie production
producing a film demands constant focus with no time to waste. it involves three to six months of intense work, often extending to a year or more in post-production. every day the movie isn't released means losing money.
00:03:05 every additional day a movie isn't released, it's losing money
it's his own company and money, so no time to mess around. for instance, oppenheimer might seem like it was made in six months, but the script took four years. he spent four years on the script.
you don't see the work han zimmer and other composers put in before a script is even ready, experimenting with new sounds and ideas. christopher nolan's use of IMAX is praised now, but he's been tinkering with it since 2005's batman begins.
00:04:22 christopher nolan has been experimenting with IMAX since 2005 to perfect its use
he's super focused when he gets on set and only goes all out on things he knows will succeed. he doesn't waste effort on stuff he thinks might flop.
00:04:41 he only goes hard on projects where he feels confident about success
there's a high chance it'll flop when he's on set because you can't afford that. actors say it's very calm and British, since to him it's routine and he's thought through it hundreds of times.
00:05:00 for nolan, directing feels routine because he has extensively premeditated every detail
when he gets on set for those three months, he's locked in, but we only see the final product. we don't see the years he spent writing inception or experimenting with a camera at home. when you see him at work, it's like a man possessed.
00:05:22 many people envy nolan's focus and ability to appear knowledgeable
he knows all the answers and is insanely focused, making him one of the best directors in the world. similar to kobe bryant, one of the greatest basketball players, it's about having that intense focus and dedication.
00:05:52 kobe bryant, similar to nolan, had an extreme focus and drive in his basketball career
kobe bryant is known for his extreme focus and drive, on and off the court. his intense dedication can make him difficult to work with, but it also allows him to perform incredible feats during games. his actions are usually well-thought-out and honed through years of experience, enabling him to make quick decisions under pressure without second-guessing himself.
00:07:12 bryant developed his skills with consistent, targeted practice even after games
kobe bryant practices intensely, even after games he lost, shooting countless specific shots. he focuses on purposeful practice rather than random drills, showing dedication during both practice and games.
00:08:02 kobe stuck to a clear plan during games rather than questioning plays
you gotta stick to a plan in basketball and most sports. even if it changes sometimes, you have to be locked in or your mind won't be on the game. i'm not at the level of stars like kobe or nolan, and i'm open about it.
00:08:38 the speaker admits to not having the same focus level as nolan or bryant
it will take 20 to 30 years to get there, but right now i'm at that level. i'm still learning and probably much closer to your level of focus.
i often felt compared to individuals like christopher nolan and kobe bryant with their intense focus and dedication. people usually saw me as hyper unfocused due to constantly trying new things, but i didn't feel that way. now, i want to share some strategies that have worked for me.
00:10:44 achieving great things requires focused effort, whether in personal or professional life
doing great things requires focus, whether it’s being a great son, partner, or pet owner. i used to be obsessed with the idea of having a hyper-clear vision like successful people do. i often felt bad for not having that level of focus and questioned what was wrong with me.
00:11:46 initial obsession with having a clear, single focus can be unproductive
i used to think that relentless focus, like steve jobs had with the iphone, was the only way to succeed. but jobs spent years exploring, like with the iphone keyboard, before finalizing the product. the key takeaway is that exploring and focusing aren't mutually exclusive; both are essential for innovation.
00:14:00 realizing the importance of exploration alongside focused effort was a crucial learning
if you weren't always focused, you seemed lost. over time, you see that the stories about people like Steve Jobs, Kobe, and Chris Nolan are just narratives. reality is always different.
00:14:23 two types of focus are identified: one clear goal-oriented and the other more exploratory
there are two types of focus: type one is being laser-focused on a clear, important goal, like directing a movie or shipping a product. type two is a focus on playing and exploring, like practicing skills or trying new tools, which keeps your mind fresh for when you need to perform. remember, type one is the hyper-clear goal, and type two is focused exploration.
00:15:57 both types of focus are necessary for achieving long-term success
people often overcommit to one type of focus: either going all-in on a single goal until they burn out or constantly exploring without finding anything meaningful. founders, for example, might push hard for months to achieve small revenue gains only to question their goals later. on the flip side, some folks keep dabbling in new things and end up confused and exhausted. balancing these two types of focus is crucial.
00:17:44 maintaining a balance between focused goals and exploratory play is key to avoiding burnout
if i don't balance focus, i'll get burned out and the team will catch on quickly, causing confusion. i adjust every two weeks, balancing exploration and focus. for example, in 2023, the team and i spent a year intensely focused on "nights and weekends," and it was the most focused period we've ever had in our careers.
reflecting on our most focused period, we realized the clarity of our goal and previous experience made it easy to stay on track. rigorous 6-week seasons meant little time off and constant progress. having a clear, pre-planned set of actions was crucial, even if there were only about 50 to choose from, simplifying our daily execution.
00:22:13 having clear and few priority actions made daily decision-making easier
there was no question about high priorities because they were obvious. if someone was making YouTube videos, i'd question it because our goal was to help people through nights and weekends. we reached a flow state as a team of six, not just individually, driven by not wanting to let down the people who trusted us.
00:23:29 the team entered a 'flow state' by aligning on clear, pre-agreed actions
we had a clear plan for six weeks and stuck to it, focusing only on essential tasks. we prioritized automatically because we knew what needed to be done each day. during this "on season," we concentrated on what we were good at and didn't waste time on unnecessary activities.
we had a clear goal of creating a thousand new ideas during a weekend, believing that achieving it would generate great videos and content. we also had "off seasons" for six weeks to reflect, play around, and test our limits with no pressure to deliver. it's important to build in time to play, no matter the size of your team or project, and treat yourself as a company to ensure you're being treated properly.
super dash doesn’t require grinding 24/7; it's unrealistic to be "on" all the time. even companies have "off seasons" to rest and recalibrate. my philosophy at build space is to mix focused work with play periods, setting bi-weekly goals to keep efforts aligned but not overly rigid. this way, we prevent burnout and maintain consistent yet flexible progress.
00:41:02 there’s a distinction between patience in executing a plan and just waiting aimlessly
i learned last year that building this place took three months to secure the space and another three to construct and design it, involving a lot of faith and money. it's crucial to follow the plan to avoid wasting resources and regularly re-evaluate to avoid aimlessly sticking to a non-working path. understand the difference between patience in a plan and just waiting without progress.
00:42:15 regularly questioning the plan and goals is necessary to stay on the right track
the difference between patience and waiting is key. patience is doing something and waiting for results, which can take time. waiting is just hoping for something to happen magically. knowing when to train and when to be relentless is crucial; it's better to plan and build up to a relentless phase rather than rush in and risk burnout. this balance helps in maximizing productivity and ensuring long-term success.
00:52:50 public commitment to deadlines can help maintain accountability and drive progress
i'm creating my second album set to be out next year. announcing it publicly keeps me accountable because i don't want to embarrass myself or my team. funny enough, we scheduled the release date because two4 sl24 just looked cool.