Unlike many other “experimental” filmmakers, Michel Gondry has been able to find a way to still play with the ideas of film, expanding the confines of typical storytelling, and somehow become a major player in Hollywood. Sure, he’s not going to be hired by Marvel Studios to do their next superhero epic (he dabbled in superheroes with his film “The Green Hornet,” with not so great results…). However, with films like “The Science of Sleep,” “Be Kind Rewind,” and of course, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Gondry has earned his place in the heart of many film fans and the general public that wouldn’t normally watch a film from an experimental French director.
But that isn’t to say that his career has been easy, and not without its own battles. Most recently, Gondry took a stab at scripted television with his Showtime series “Kidding,” which starred his ‘Eternal Sunshine’ actor Jim Carrey. Though the series received generally favorable reviews, it would appear that the realm of TV isn’t where Gondry sees himself in the future.
Speaking at a recent event (via Variety), the filmmaker admits to being “very frustrated” working on “Kidding,” particularly with how the TV industry works and how it differs greatly from the film industry where he feels most comfortable.
“It’s like being at school,” said Gondry. “Maybe I’m too used to being a director. I have no problem when the producer, the writer, give me directions. I have to filter a bit, and sometimes I don’t have choice, but it doesn’t bother me when I do a film. To do a TV series, it’s like you have a teacher…who’s telling you how to do your job.”
We’ve seen the TV industry go through a creative renaissance over the last five years, with streaming services giving previously unheard of control to the filmmakers. Perhaps, if Gondry is willing to give TV a second chance, he’d be better served with Netflix or another studio that might be willing to let him go all out. Otherwise, film fans certainly wouldn’t be mad at the fact that Michel Gondry is going to stick with the medium he’s had the most success in.
