Lesson #4: Push Your Limits

Until 1993, the lion’s share of Spielberg’s work was confined to the world of make-believe. He dealt with sharks and aliens but had yet to conquer the difficult genre of serious real-world drama. He wasn’t sure what the results would be, and many doubted his potential to crossover, but he was determined to try nonetheless.

In 1985, Spielberg shocked the industry when he released The Color Purple, a film based on the book by African American Alice Walker. Far from the adventure and science fiction themes Spielberg was accustomed to, this film tackled issues of sexual abuse in the Deep South. There would be no special effects and no outrageous costumes to distract from the characters. This was to be Spielberg’s first test of being a serious filmmaker.

He loved the world of fantasy, but Spielberg wanted to see how far his talents would go. He wanted to know if he could do a different genre and do it well. In that, he succeeded. The movie was nominated for numerous Academy Awards, including Best Film, and was critically acclaimed. Spielberg had sealed his position in Hollywood as a serious and respected director.

“Human beings have a need to get close to the edge, and when filmmakers or writers can take them to the edge, it feels like a dream where you're falling, but you wake up just before you hit the ground,” says Spielberg. By pushing his own limits of filmmaking, Spielberg was testing himself on that very edge. The first time he went there, it proved to be a success. Could he do it again?

That was a question Spielberg set out to answer in 1993 when he directed Schindler’s List, a film that tackled the difficult issues of Jewish concentration camps in Nazi Germany during WWII. Again, Spielberg was in relatively new territory. There would be no dinosaurs and no knife-yielding villains. This would be a black and white tale of horror and suffering and kindness in its midst. Yet again, Spielberg proved his worth. Schindler’s List became acclaimed as one of the greatest films in motion picture history and earned Spielberg his first Academy Award for Best Director.

“Schindler’s List changed my life completely,” said Spielberg. After wrapping up production, Spielberg took three years off from making any other movies just to recover from the experience. He had not only tested his filmmaking skills, but he had become emotionally involved in the project since it hit so close to home, having relatives who were killed in concentration camps. Both professionally and personally, Spielberg tested himself, pushed himself to the limit and saw how far he could go.

From that point on, Spielberg would often switch between making films of various genres, making an easy transformation from fantasy to serious and back. He recalls that as a child he used to enjoy pushing himself “to the brink of terror and then pulling back.” It seems that was a phenomenon he would never outgrow.



Lesson #4: Push Your Limits

Like this article? Share it with your friends

E-Mail | Print | Post | Republish | More

Related Articles
Life and Business Coach
	As a life and business coach, I have something to confess to you. I have been in the industry for over ten years. In the beginning, I was shocked by the things I heard from some of my clients. A wealthy CEO who didn...
Extreme Self Care
	EXTREME is not a term usually connected to self-care. Self-care usually portrays a picture of gentleness, kindness, loving self or being nurturing. People don’t consider it necessary to take extreme action when it...
Lesson #5: Know Your Enemy
	“A man always has two reasons for doing anything,” Morgan believed. “A good reason and the real reason.” Morgan was a mastermind when it came to knowing and being able to read his enemy. He knew his limits but he wa...
What is the role of the financial regulator in supporting the development of microfinance? FAQ
	Many feel that the most important role of a financial regulator in supporting the development of microfinance is to create an alternative institutional type that allows sound financial NGOs, credit unions, and other...
Eliminate the Bottlenecks!
	What are the bottlenecks that hold you back? Find them, and fix them. You can not afford to allow one small "pinch" to limit on your potential. Eliminate the bottlenecks!

---

Related Forum Posts
	Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods
	Re: Women entrepreneur millionaires
	Re: Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods