I like movies. Old, new, big splashy blockbusters, small personal indies, I like ‘em. We rent a few every month and after the main event, I pretty much devour all the extras. When we actually go to a theater, which is rarely, I keep waiting for the behind the scenes featurettes. My wife usually has to gently take my hand and say, in a calm soothing voice, “This isn’t a DVD.”

I know a lot of people don’t like the extras. They take away from the magic and fantasy of the film, they say. The strings holding up the puppet. I don’t care. I like seeing how it all works.

I’m aware that much of the content of the extras is fluff, self congratulatory bits meant to show how clever and hard working the folks behind the cameras are. How passionate and all that. That’s okay, though, because after you skim off the blather, much of it is true. Seeing how problems are solved, ideas formed and developed, and obstacles overcome can be quite interesting and insprational. The best of these short essays track the creative processes that culminate in often astounding results.

I recently rented The Golden Compass, a CGI laden fantasy about a quest for freedom and salvation. I liked it more than I thought I would, and I’m looking forward to the sequel.  Of course, with Nichole Kidman as a vampy, Jean Harlow type villian, what’s not to like?

The extras on the DVD are longer than the film and I watched every minute. As I sat there, it occured to me that there really was a lot of creative thinking going on. I’m a little slow that way. As they discussed transforming the books into the movie and tackling all the problems therein, I felt a real connection to what I do. The thought processes are the same. You have an end result in mind and you figure out the best way to achieve it. You analyze all the different parts of the puzzle and gradually pull together a plan for solving it. Along the way, you realize that the puzzle is transforming itself and you have to adjust your thinking. Move a little to the right instead of staying straight ahead. Where you are now is often quite different from where you started, but the results may be infinitely better.

The important thing is that you keep an open mind and allow yourself to follow a new path. You can’t be rigid in your pursuit of your goals. “Go with the flow” is a trite, overused phrase, but it still rings true. Take the blinders off and look around. Don’t be afraid to redirect your energy and don’t be afraid to fail. “Flop sweat” has probably dimmed the futures of more people than lack of talent or skill.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. You just have to look for it.