Success and stardom, are the two really as alike as we may think? Though many people enter the industry with dreams of becoming the next Steven Speilberg or Audrey Hepburn, very few truly reach that level of fame. So, the question arises, is it truly fame and fortune which defines someone’s success or is it something else entirely?
“If you’re just in it for the money… I don’t think success is linked to money,” said award-winning screenwriter Neil Landau. “I think success is linked to freedom. And, you know, your idea of success changes to be healthy, happy, loved, appreciated, inspired.”
Neil Landau is an active screenwriter who is set to become the new Director of Screenwriting at the new MFA Film & Television Program at the University of Georgia. Thanks to the success of his movie Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, Landau broke into the industry at a young age and has gone on to work with many well known film companies even becoming the executive writing consultant at Sony as well as Columbia Pictures. Being a part of the industry for such a long time has helped shape his perspective on success, evolving from a need to be recognized to a satisfaction in knowing he can share his story as well as help others do the same.
“Right now, like my main emphasis is to mentor younger writers and new writers because I feel like I’ve had my opportunities,” said Landau. “And it’s not like, I don’t still write and have a lot of projects, but I’m very content, paying it forward, and mentoring and helping other people.”
For Landau, the idea of success is linked to the mentality you have when looking towards your future and he hopes to help his students embrace this idea as well. “What are you willing to do to make it,” is the biggest question any person within the industry must answer and it’s important to recognize that not everyone is willing to go the lengths others will.
“I did not have enough of a drive to give up everything and just pursue,” said Suzanne Dunn when asked about her success within the industry.
Dunn had always dreamed of going on Broadway and getting awarded an Oscar, but after a while her dream changed and she just hoped to live a life which would allow her to do what she loved. Being an actor, she knew that it would be difficult to find stardom with it being such a competitive industry however, success was a different story.
“I think as we get older, the idea of stardom, because you know, the realities of the business is it doesn’t look kindly upon older people,” said Dunn. “Since then, success has become more about, am I still working? Can I make a living at this? Am I being seen? Is it fulfilling?”
These are all questions Dunn answered after rejoining the industry in her mid 50s. Persevering through every situation is what allowed Dunn to enter and make a living when so many others could not. While she used to focus on her acting career, she has spent most of her time in recent years directing productions with her most recent work being an onstage production of Grease the Musical. While some may not view this as success, she strongly believes that she has managed to retain a balance which allowed her the happiness of a family while also the joy of the theater and that’s all she really needed.
So, stardom and success, are they really the same? I’d like to think not.
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