Finding a Champion

In an interview with Colin Covert, of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Judd Apatow (the creative force behind Superbad, Knocked Up and Freaks and Geeks) discusses why he switched from television to the movies:

I could never crack the code of how to get anybody to watch the shows that I was making. There are a lot of great shows that hang by a thread; they have one supporter at the network who allows them to continue. Whether it's Seinfeld in the early years or 30 Rock now, they had champions. I never had that. So my things disappeared before they even finished one season. It was really heartbreaking, and I thought maybe I can find better partners if I work in film. I write a script and I decide to sell it only to a person who gets it and is really excited about it.

It's a telling comment about the need for support in creating art for broad commercial appeal. Behind every book there's a stable of individuals that are passionate about that project. The key is to find that synergy--that connection--and then cooperate on producing the best piece of art possible.