Veteran filmmaker Martin Scorsese revealed the most important lesson he learned from legendary director Roger Corman. Known as the King of B-Movies, Corman passed away at the age of 98 last Thursday in Santa Monica, California.
Corman was one of the greatest filmmakers in Hollywood who worked and mentored renowned directors and actors today. In fact, he helped launch the careers of Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, and James Cameron, to name a few.
The Greatest Lesson Martin Scorsese Learned From Roger Corman
Martin Scorsese shared in an old interview via Film School Archive on YouTube the greatest advice he got from the late Roger Corman.
“One thing I learned from Roger was total preparation. Before shooting started, he came down, and I was told that you’re going to shoot all the scenes with the train first four days, which is like baptism of fire.”
He noted the importance of spending time wisely and not wasting a second of it. In filmmaking, a production must follow a schedule, and this was what Corman wanted to impart to Scorsese.
“Because a train, when you do one take and you want to do another take, the train’s got to back up. Backing up takes time. We don’t have time. You go in the morning, you’re already behind.”
Scorsese further quipped, “There’s no such thing as time. You’ve lost time already. Just by breathing you’re losing time.” This is why he needed to get it over with, work out a system, and finish all on time. “That was something I’ve never forgotten,” he said, before admitting that the first four days were the “hardest shooting of the entire picture.”
The Killers of the Flower Moon director said that Corman “is one of the most important American filmmakers” and he thinks it’s very essential that today’s generation should know who he was.
Roger Corman’s Legacy And Influence On Martin Scorsese
Roger Corman died peacefully in his home last Thursday. His family shared a statement via ABC News: “He was generous, open-hearted, and kind to all those who knew him. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, ‘I was a filmmaker, just that.’ ”
In a 2007 documentary, the late director shared his philosophy in moviemaking:
“There are many constraints connected with working on a low budget, but at the same time, there are certain opportunities. You can gamble a little bit more. You can experiment. You have to find a more creative way to solve a problem or to present a concept.”
Since Corman influenced Scorsese’s principles in film production, total preparation also includes storyboarding. Other filmmakers tend to skip this, but not Scorsese. In fact, he’s obsessed with it.
In an interview with Phaidon via Boords, the director claimed that “storyboards express what I want to communicate.” It also enables him to imagine the scene and how it would flow to the next.
Corman may be gone, but his legacy remains intact, especially in the industry and in the works of famous figures he helped build a career.
