In terms of pushing the medium forward, there aren’t many major filmmakers doing what Steven Soderbergh is attempting to do. With his use of iPhone cinematography, unique marketing strategies, and even a smartphone app to tell a story, Soderbergh wants to be on the forefront of whatever the next big thing is in filmmaking. And according to the director, it’s all because he only wants to tell good stories and couldn’t care less about any prestige.
In a new interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Soderbergh goes over his most famous works but also takes some time to talk about the future. Particularly, the filmmaker talks about why you probably won’t see any big-budget studio work from him anytime soon…or ever.
“It’s difficult for me to imagine a scenario in which I would literally make a movie for a studio. I’m too frustrated by the way that system works, both economically and creatively. That’s one of the reasons the Panama Papers project will probably end up at Netflix, because it’s right in that zone of movies that the studios are not interested in, mid-level budget movies for grown-ups,” said Soderbergh.
As we’ve covered before, Soderbergh has been working on a few new projects that he hopes to release soon. In addition to the Panama Papers project, titled “The Laundromat,” the filmmaker is also finishing up his next film “High Flying Bird.” No word on a release date for either, but with “The Laundromat,” this is the first news that we have heard about Netflix being involved. If that’s the case, it makes perfect sense.
Soderbergh explains:
“We went to Netflix first and they seemed inclined to do it. And when we had a meeting, they said, ‘So we’re assuming you’re going to want some kind of theatrical release or festivals?’ And I said, ‘I don’t care. I don’t care if it never shows in a theater and I don’t care if I ever go to a festival again. You do whatever you need to do to get eyeballs on this thing. If that’s the way you want to do it, that’s fine. I’m just telling you, I don’t care.’”
If you were following the recent drama between Netflix and the Cannes Film Festival, you know that one of the biggest reasons that prestige filmmakers have been wary about signing with the streaming service is the lack of theatrical release and potential festival inclusion. But for Soderbergh, he’s been there, done that, and doesn’t feel like he needs that recognition to validate his films anymore. You have to admire that.
As for what drives the filmmaker nowadays? It’s simple – story. “I have a creative process now that I’m happy with, both in terms of developing projects and then making them and then putting them out. I’m now driven solely by what stories attract me,” he concludes.