Where does inspiration come from? That is mostly the topic of conversation on a new series I discovered on the Sundance Channel called Iconoclasts. Each episode pairs two celebrities to discuss their work and the things that inspired them. It is reminiscent of IFC’s brilliant Dinner For Five but because it is one on one, feels much more intimate. The artists of the episode in question? Filmmaker, Quentin Tarrantino and singer-songwriter, Fiona Apple. Set up in a very casual day in the life of these two geniuses, we catch a glimpse of Tarrantino and Apple’s creative process, psyches and inner psychosis.
What I found fascinating with these two, during their walk and talks through Quentin’s (and Robert Rodriguez‘s) downtown Austin studio, and backstage at Fiona’s preshow soundcheck, was how much these two had in common. Both are often misunderstood and misrepresented, yet loved by a devoted fanbase. But more, they have an incredible expectationfor themselves to create the project they want. They both talk about their roller coaster careers and it seems that both are charged with creativity right now: Tarrantino prepping the upcoming exploitation double-feature, Grind House and Apple touring behind last years brilliant album Extraordinary Machine.
As they spoke freely about their lives and how they find inspiration and deal with external distractions that fame can bring, you can get a sense that these two are not careerists in the traditional sense. While both showed a love for the craft of their fields and an enthusiasm for the place they are in their lives, never do you feel like they go through the motions.
Iconoclasts claims to change your perspective on celebrity, and if the upcoming episodes are anything like this one, it will be an inspiring and insightful snapshot into the mind of visionary auteurs at the height of their careers.
Here is a short clip of the episode I just watched:
[youtube]vBCYiETwyPg[/youtube]