Aaron Sorkin on 'Steve Jobs': 'I Think We Made a Good Movie'

[MacRumors]

In a new interview with Wired, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin spoke freely on his job of being hired to pen the new Steve Jobs movie and all of the issues he had to face in writing about a person he didn't know much about. Sorkin's initial fear of tackling the film -- hesitant to use the term "biopic" -- was in adapting Walter Isaacson's comprehensive biography of Jobs into a traditional, three act structure, which he wasn't entirely comfortable with.

When you're doing a biopic, it's very hard to shake the cradle-to-grave structure that audiences are so familiar with. People are going to come into the theater knowing that first we're going to see a little boy with his father, and he's looking into the window of the electronics store, and then we're going to hit these famous signposts along the way in Steve Jobs' life. Also, I'm not really a screenwriter; I'm a playwright who pretends to be a screenwriter. I'm most comfortable writing in claustrophobic pieces of geography and periods of time.

It was then that Sorkin emailed producer Scott Rudin, and pitched him the idea of taking some factual liberties with three of Jobs' biggest product launches, and identifying "five or six conflicts in Steve's life and have those conflicts play themselves out in these scenes backstage--in places where they didn't take place." Sorkin also hopes that the fans who are pre-judging the movie give it a chance and see that it won't be "one big champagne toast to Steve Jobs."

The screenwriter decided to use Jobs' daughter Lisa as one of the doors into the former Apple CEO's life, finding his initial refusal to accept paternity of his daughter hard to get past, but noting its integral quality to the backbone of the movie. Wired also asked Sorkin about his apparent growing reputation in Hollywood as the "go-to guy for the binary system," thanks to his work on another technology-inspired true-life story The Social Network.

This isn't an origin story or an invention story. It's not about how the Mac was invented. And The Social Network wasn't about the technology that went into creating Facebook. Nonetheless, I knew that there was going to be no way I could write this movie without a lot of tutors. There are lines that I wrote in the movie that I don't understand.

Ultimately, as the movie grows closer to release, Sorkin knows that Steve Jobs may be a divisive experience for a lot of fans of Apple.

There are going to be people who say we were rough on him, and there are going to be people who say we weren't rough enough on him. But I think we made a good movie, and I think that if you asked 10 writers to write 10 movies about Steve Jobs, you'd get 10 different movies that wouldn't resemble one another.

There have been a handful of stories in the news about the soon-to-be-released film, including some new behind-the-scenes footage and cast interviews, a public dispute between Sorkin and Apple CEO Tim Cook, and even the first reactions to the film as it made its debut at film festivals across the country.

The full Wired interview goes more in-depth with Sorkin, touching on topics like the film's casting drama behind the scenes and even last year's Sony hack and the repercussions it had for Steve Jobs and its cast and crew.

Article Link: Aaron Sorkin on 'Steve Jobs': 'I Think We Made a Good Movie'

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

We'll be the judge of that.

 

[nagromme]

I'm definitely interested, more so than any of the others. Even if it's far more entertainment than fact, I've enjoyed plenty of movies like that! (The Imitation Game comes to mind: a butchery of history and character, but a fun thriller all the same.)

It doesn't sound to me like this is really "adapting Isaacson" all that much, even if that book was a resource (and not the best resource out there, it sounds like).

I'll still want detailed and balanced documentary materials to exist as well of course.

P.S. Pronunciation FunFact: "biopic" is "bio" + "pic," and that's how you pronounce it. Bio pic. It does not rhyme with "myopic" The More You Know.

 

[AngerDanger]

And here I was expecting him to say, "I think we made a terrible movie; whatever you do, steer clear of this train wreck!" like most Hollywood producers.

 

[LinusR]

There are lines that I wrote in the movie that I don't understand.

Wow, that makes me utterly curious about what could come up in the movie.
Really looking forward to this one!

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Really MacRumors? You pick the most bland quote for the headline? "I think we made a good movie" from the writer of a movie prior to movie release.

 

[DCstewieG]

I think that if you asked 10 writers to write 10 movies about Steve Jobs, you’d get 10 different movies that wouldn’t resemble one another.

Give it a few years.

 

[darkknight14]

Not out in the UK till November, which isn't much of a surprise. Will likely be on US Netflix before it arrives in the UK.

 

[Even Longer]

And here I was expecting him to say, "I think we made a terrible movie; whatever you do, steer clear of this train wreck!" like most Hollywood producers.

Except, if Tarantino said so. That would have exactly opposite effect .

 

[JosephAW]

Why was it rated R? Language? So much for bringing the kids to see how a real entrepreneur works. Not like what we have now.

 

[nicroma]

I think since Woz said they nailed it, it's going to be great as far as accuracy goes. I'm just wondering if it will actually be exciting enough to keep people's attention span.

 

[jayducharme]

I found this quote curious:

In reality, of course, the movie belongs to a lot of people. Like [director] Danny Boyle. In failure, certainly, I’m going to blame Michael Fassbender.

I can't tell if Sorkin is serious or not. The article doesn't delve very deeply into the other rumored casting choices.

 

[michaelant]

It's not a documentary; I'm looking forward to seeing it. The Social Network which Sorkin wrote was a very good film, and I'm sure that took many liberties with fact as well. I'm a huge Jobs fan, but his life is just a compelling story. "Based on a true story" is nothing new for films.

 

[Zirel]

Apple hate is everywhere for free.

Why pay for the "Apple hate: the movie"?

It's not even about Steve Jobs, it's about Apple. Says a lot.

And about the SJ's part, the daughter, paternity tests are widely accepted today by everyone. In the 70s? Not so much. They weren't as reliable.

He ended up assuming paternity, didn't he?

 

[v0lume4]

Well. He's the writer. I'd be concerned if he said otherwise.

"I think we made a bad movie." -Aaron Sorkin

 

[doelcm82]

Why was it rated R? Language? So much for bringing the kids to see how a real entrepreneur works. Not like what we have now.

Which do you want? To see how a real entrepreneur works, or to see someone who doesn't use four-letter words.

If you want both (fair enough), you may have to look for a different entrepreneur than Steve Jobs.

 

[RadioGaGa1984]

I'm so sick and tired of hearing about this damn movie, that I wouldn't walk across the street to see.

 

[FightTheFuture]

And here I was expecting him to say, "I think we made a terrible movie; whatever you do, steer clear of this train wreck!" like most Hollywood producers.

They did with Fantastic Four.

 

[Nunyabinez]

I really liked the idea that if 10 people made a SJ movie they would all be drastically different. When people ask "do we need another SJ movie?" I think this answers the question. SJ was a complicated man. So, Tim may be right that these movies don't reflect the SJ he knew and at the same time Woz is right when he says this is spot on. I know some people are sick of all this coverage, but this makes me even more interested in seeing it.

 

[grayskyz]

I'm out, they didn't choose the release date by accident. Steve dies on the October 5th and this movie comes out on 9th? I think Cook was correct in saying its opportunistic. He was being diplomatic, I think it's almost predatory or at least in bad taste. They won't be getting my money.

 

[Nunyabinez]

Sorry to go off topic, but that picture of Sorkin looks like he is Rob Lowe and Don Johnson's love child.

 

[Gasu E.]

I found this quote curious:



I can't tell if Sorkin is serious or not. The article doesn't delve very deeply into the other rumored casting choices.

You really can't tell if he was serious????

 

[Gasu E.]

I'm so sick and tired of hearing about this damn movie, that I wouldn't walk across the street to see.

Which movie? You don't mean the movie you would post a comment about, saying how sick and tired you are of hearing about it?

 

[Gasu E.]

I'm out, they didn't choose the release date by accident. Steve dies on the October 5th and this movie comes out on 9th? I think Cook was correct in saying its opportunistic. He was being diplomatic, I think it's almost predatory or at least in bad taste. They won't be getting my money.

Was that... satire?

 

[rmatthewware]

If you're just going to make crap up, don't name it after a real person. Call it "Bob Jones," founder of Orange and creator of the Clemtine desktop computer (iClem, for short).

ClemBook Air
ClemBook Pro
ClemenTunes