Seven lessons on art and life from Guillermo del Toro

Hello Monday is LinkedIn News’ weekly career podcast hosted by me, Jessi Hempel. You’ll hear from thoughtful experts, authors and business leaders about the changing nature of work—and how that work is changing us. Each week, this newsletter shares learnings and practices connected to the conversations. Subscribe to the show's newsletter here. This week our guest is award-winning film director Guillermo del Toro.

Guillermo del Toro offers seven lessons on art, life & the business of directing

Our guest today is Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro. He’s been working in the industry for more than three decades, and his work includes Academy Award-winning films you’ve likely heard of, like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water. 

It’s a big fall for Guillermo. Earlier this fall, Netflix released Cabinet of Curiosities, which is an eight-episode series of modern horror stories. And Netflix has just released Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a film that offers a new powerful take on the legend.

Now I’m familiar with Guillermo’s work, but my expertise is nothing compared to our producer, Sarah Storm. When she’s not producing our show, she’s a professional actor. Film is her industry. And when she learned Guillermo was coming into our studios, she had a million questions. They were grounded in her love of his work, but also her deep understanding of what makes successful art. So I invited her to host one of the most important directors of our time. What follows is a master class, not just in film but in nurturing talent. Building people up. Making Art. And what it means to lead a life well-lived. You can find this interview above, and you don't want to miss a word of it. Here are seven things you will learn from their conversation:

1. On helping others: "As soon as I gained any clout early on, I said, I'm gonna use it to protect first time directors."

2. On building collaborative relationships: "I value those that are reciprocal....it's very, very good when a director helps another director."

3. On the lessons in his version of Pinocchio: "If anyone wants to change you and they say they love you, you should run away because love does not demand change."

4. On what makes art: "The essence of art is the negotiation between perfection and spontaneity."

5. On great directing: "A director does self-portraiture, but a director that is good makes the entire crew and cast believe that all of them need to do self-portraiture."

6. On the need for optimism: "We're heading towards a moment in which fear is threatening to become the dominant force in our life. I think that most people wake up with a little black cloud over their heads. You cannot jump into the void with the freedom that you need to create art and to create science."

7. On happiness: "If you want to be happy, don’t think about what you have. Think about what you can do."

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