“Watch The Problem and Fix It Before It Gets Near You” | Ridley Scott on Directing

Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. He is best known for directing the science fiction horror film Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Thelma & Louise (1991), Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), The Martian (2015).
Scott has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Directing, which he received for Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down. Gladiator won the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1995, both Scott and his brother Tony received a BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. In 2003, he was knighted for services to the British film industry. In a 2004 BBC poll, he was ranked at No. 10 on the list of most influential people in British culture. He received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London in 2015, and the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement in 2018.
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TIMESTAMPS⏰
00:00 Intro
00:39 Commercials are a film school
02:00 Concise and character driven
03:21 Make actors comfortable
04:59 Embrace stressful environments
05:48 Storyboard everything
07:07 Every role is important
07:47 Think like an operator
10:04 Be your own biggest critic
SOURCES ✔
BAFTA Interview Ridley Scott
• Ridley Scott on the Bi...
• "There's no generic le...
Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, & More Directors on THR's Roundtables
• Quentin Tarantino, Rid...
Film4 Prometheus Interview • Ridley Scott & Michael...
Ridley Scott Searchlab Lectures • Ridley Scott: Searchla...
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[@ThirdSpectrum]

This is so much more useful and helpful than the amateur film school youtube channels where you have people who have directed nothing giving advice

[@istandalone1969]

With a good script, a good director can produce a masterpiece. With the same script, a mediocre director can produce a passable film. But with a bad script even a good director can’t possibly make a good film. - Akira Kurosawa

[@art_means_artificial]

There is only one problem: HOW TO GET $200 000 000 for a film! That's it!

[@pab1972]

plenty of good scripts filmed by great directors and very few masterpieces, so no.

[@radicalreactions1633]

Too bad none of that's true.

[@METALUNICORNLTD]

I think he’s right. Ridley has a great visual style. But when you consider all the movies he has made, most of them have been turkeys because he doesn’t understand writing and believable characters. His background is in advertising, making pretty pictures. Give him a great script like Gladiator, Bladerunner, and Alien, he makes superb, genre defining films that become milestones in history.

[@METALUNICORNLTD]

@@Sidowse well said sir. Very good points about Bay and Tarantino.

[@ChrisGeden]

Ridley is all about teamwork and collaboration which is the best lesson in getting things done.

[@readhistory2023]

Watch the making of Blade Runner. The film crew didn't agree with your assessment of Ridley and Harrison Ford hated working on that movie.

[@karlhungus5436]

We are so lucky to have Ridley still making movies. He's one of last guys around, capable of making big budget films for adult audiences.

[@jothishprabu8]

He should choose better scripts tho

[@TheButterMinecart1]

Charlie Kaufman?

[@karlhungus5436]

@@jothishprabu8 good scripts are hard to come by, I bet. It's not as if he's known for his writing; he's gotta take what's available. People often make such a criticism in reference to his Alien prequel movies, but I don't think they understand that it was Ridley's concept. It wasn't a passion project of some screenwriter, like the first was. I admit, it all starts with the writing, but what do you do when you have a story concept and you're not a writer? You gotta hand it off to someone else and hope for the best. So, in that sense, I appreciate the prequels for what they are. You can't tell me the concept of an android floating somewhere in our universe in a spaceship carrying colonists and the eggs of a maniac organism he created from a stolen bioweapon of an advanced alien race, while listening to Wagner, isn't badass sci-fi. The fact that we actually got a story on film that got us to that point is miraculous. This is purely because Ridley's got clout!

[@yw1971]

Not so anymore.

[@Danlovar]

Sometimes the best movie directors can make the worst movies.

[@halsinden]

when tarantino sits next to you, shuts up and LISTENS - you know this damn well matters. scott is my directing hero. he's certainly made some dross, but my GOD when he's good he's INCREDIBLE.

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

I worked with Ridley and most of the top Directors in my years........Ridley is a visual master.

[@AlterCineYT]

Wow what kind of work did you do with them and Ridley?

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

@@AlterCineYT Art Direction for commercials and first generation music videos.......I started With RSA/USA,LA as the first staff Production Assistant and climbed from there.

[@AlterCineYT]

@@endoftheroadprodutions6598 Awesome! Must have been a great experience

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

@@AlterCineYT lol to say the least!

[@helenagiszter1910]

Honestly, Ridley Scott made ONE great movie "Blade Runner" (probably by chance) and has a luck to competently direct greatly scripted "Alien" . He's always been overrated and he probably knows that. He doesn't even value his own work. He is literally dying and killing (careers) to win an Oscar, but he doesn't deserve it. And now it's over for him anyway...

[@alexlml8334]

I don't feel so bad working on commercials anymore lol. Great videos guys thank you!

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

Commercials are where cutting edge starts.....big budgets and a desire to create the next new look or technology. Telling a story in a minute cut to :30 then :15 is an art in itself.

[@Danlovar]

His visual style is so powerful that it feels like he does fantasy movies.

[@funkyflicksfilmreviews1535]

I've never seen a bad Ridley Scott film. I've seen bad screenplays he's garnished with his brilliant visual world building. But never an entirely bad film. Also Bladerunner is the Citizen Kane of science fiction.

[@erikramaekers63]

Which version?

[@StreetHierarchy]

Blade Runner is the Chinatown of science fiction 😂

[@walkermorgan1710]

Even if you don’t like any of his films. You must show respect to Him. He knows and understands what it takes to make a film. He knows where the sausage is made.

[@dannywhite9975]

D gr8 Ridley Scott directed some of gr8est cinematic masterpieces of all time. Any time we watch 'em it's like a wonderful journey just can't get enough of d sublime camera work n' marvellous visual FX. I mean at d end of d day it's a matter of what really lights u up: music literature comics paintings video games etc etc RS Cinema is able 2 capture d beauty of all these artistic areas in 1 breathtaking xperience. Thanq Maestro just thanq very much 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@Gintoki0507]

Sir Ridley Scott is always my favourite Director 🥰🥰

[@edgabrielocay3376]

Mine too

[@thebaldone7453]

I went to Ridley's college, Cleveland College of Art & Design, or as it is now known, Northern School of Art, and my tutor Chris was unbeatable. I later went to their Higher Education course in Hartlepool and was utterly disappointed with the course and my tutor Francis on the graphic design course - talk about favoritism and lack of experience in the real world! Apparently, he was replaced, so hopefully, the course got better! For any young artists out there, go to college, avoid university and go straight into an apprenticeship or directly into work if possible because the best way to learn is to do!

[@RakibErick]

Legend!

[@AbirTarafdar]

Fascinating gentleman

[@robertobuatti7226]

Blade Runner though it didn't do well upon it's release in 1982 has gathered a huge following through VHS rentals which is where I discovered in the early 90's at my local video store. When I first watched Blade Runner it blew me away and it still does. A visually stunning sci-fi with an amazing score by Vangelis that is mesmerizing.

[@AlterCineYT]

A legendary film indeed! It was a head of its time for sure, now it's regarded as one of the greatest of all time. I wonder how it looked on VHS!

[@robertobuatti7226]

@@AlterCineYT It was low resolution and the picture was degrading through customer use but the movie still impressed me and became one of my all time favorites.

[@insanejughead]

Damn, what a solid guy! This has opened my eyes to Ridley! "I may not have cared much for Prometheus, but I'm loving his philosophy and approach to filmmaking."

[@knowthispodcast9182]

I really loved Tony Scott. He directed some amazing films, like true romance, crimson Tide. Ridley has had some good films to like gladiator, Blackhawk down, alien. But I think with films like Prometheus and covenant, they felt like cash ins.

I CAN SEE HOW COMMERCIALS WOULD COME INTO PLAY DUE TO THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORK. STORY, STORY, STORY. THANK YOU ENORMOUSLY SIR FOR THIS HIGHLY VALUABLE INPUT.. TRUE ENLIGHTENING VIDEO.

[@othoapproto9603]

AH, Yes the Great Barney Fife "Nip It, Nip It in the Bud"

[@alexalexis7899]

Commercials are indeed the best way to master the cinematic language - but I mean proper commercials, not “Joe Mambo wants a video to promote his business on Instagram and Facebook”.

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

lol...how right you are.

[@Charles12]

the commercials that are essentially short films with big budgets and usually under 1 minute runtimes

[@mrkool9009]

what great advice. thank you

[@dougieladd]

Enjoyed this. One of my favourite directors.

[@oniriscope]

Once again thanks a ton for this peace of experience! I think that you guys help a lot with this form of knowledge transmission experience. From your editing to the value provided along the way, it simply felt like being around him! Thanks a ton guys & and keep up the helpful work!

[@AlterCineYT]

Thank you so much for your feedback! It's really helpful to know that this was useful and a good experience for people :)

[@petermotta1623]

Ridley different genres of work is right up there with Kubrick‘s. It’s all about the attention to detail. Period.

[@realreview1285]

Tremendous

[@snehasishmondal7905]

Kingdom of heaven: director's cut is a masterpiece, cinematically. But it's underrated.

[@Papaghost8902]

A bit of trivia for film buffs - See if you can spot the cameraman wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans in the scene from Gladiator. He's on the far left hand side of the screen, amongst the crowd, and has a camera atop a tripod next to him. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2jLdol-eM2lp9E (the scene starts here, pause the film). It made it into the release. I didn't spot it when I first watched the film, nor any subsequent viewing, I had to be informed that it existed. Great film, entertaining.

[@BhorayChannel]

NICE👍👍

[@IllusionSector]

_"Watch The Problem and Fix It Before It Gets Near You."_ Thus, Kevin Spacey never got near *_All the Money in the World._*

[@radicalreactions1633]

Actually he did, but when all shit came to light about him, he was booted from the movie and replaced with Christopher Plummer - they had to reshoot everything.

[@IllusionSector]

@@radicalreactions1633 Oh, yes, I'm aware of that. I was referring to Spacey as the proverbial _problem_ that was rooted before it got a chance to taint the product.

[@joeherbert4329]

The King

[@MB-rq4ss]

It’s time to make an epic movie of Emir Abdelkader, with Tahar Rahim.

[@vincevirtua]

He's a brilliant film maker, but like anyone he's not infallible & wished he;'d take his own advice sometimes with some of his film choices.

[@readhistory2023]

I would have taken his advice before the Alien sequels. Afterwards? Not so much.

[@radicalreactions1633]

Still better than Zack-the-Hack and his FOUR-HOUR commercials ALL IN SLOW-MO, the speed your brain works apparently.

[@c.s.hayden3022]

Sound advice, but with Prometheus the entire thing was the problem.

[@yw1971]

The question is - can he identify a good script? Not sure anymore after Alien: Covenant...

[@30yearsoldiam1]

Ugh what a lame take

[@yw1971]

@@30yearsoldiam1 please explain

[@proto-geek248]

Here's a bit of advice. When you create an amazing film like Alien, don't ruin it by making a convoluted pile of crap like prometheus.

[@adrianandhika2629]

Prometheus still good if the movie separated from the alien franchise but yeah it's getting even worse when alien convenant comes out

[@radicalreactions1633]

Better than Man O' Shit by your favorite.

[@jothishprabu8]

He has made more bad movies than good ones lol. "Good eye" don't mean nothing unless the script is good lmao.

[@meateater6958]

ill make 1000 bad movies to make 1 movie like gladiator.

[@radicalreactions1633]

Keep saying that, yet your favorite Zack-the-Hack can't make a "good" movie to save his life even if the scripts are dipped in GOLD.

[@jothishprabu8]

@@radicalreactions1633 umm dafuq?

[@anthonydavis4829]

He's roof quanity doesn't make a director great.

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

Not sure I understand your statement.

[@readhistory2023]

@@endoftheroadprodutions6598 Ridley is up and down as far as movies go. His last two Alien movies were turds that destroyed the Alien francise.

[@endoftheroadprodutions6598]

@@readhistory2023 to each his/her own...make a film that builds a franchise in 1979 but kills it as you say in 2017? HARDLY A FAILURE.

[@SgtZima]

What does "He's roof quanity" mean?

[@radicalreactions1633]

@@endoftheroadprodutions6598 That's because he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.

[@africanhistory]

I got some advice for him also. Leave Alien franchise alone.

[@crapshot]

No

[@radicalreactions1633]

Why should anyone take advice from a nobody that probably thinks that Snyder is a great director? Sounds like delusions to me.

[@Dorfl62]

Don't get your hopes up ,if Ridley Scott is involved he is going to make it woke and really shitty ! Just look at EVERYTHING else he has made, he made a good first film and has been milking it ever since. At this point I would not trust him to be able to sit the right way on a toilet seat!!!

[@trull122]

He should take his own advice, Prometheus was terrible.

[@karmapolice3335]

no prometheus was fantastic and damn atmospheric, it kept me waiting for sequel but they dint follow the storyline

[@dornravlin]

He's a hit or miss director

[@radicalreactions1633]

Still better than anything Snyder's made.

[@radicalreactions1633]

@@dornravlin Just like every other director, stooge. You honestly think that Spielberg, Scorsese, or Cameron hasn't made bad films? If you believe that, you're delusional.