"Story is king."
The quote by Carlton Cuse, "Story is king," emphasizes that a compelling narrative is the cornerstone of any successful creative work, whether it's in film, literature, or other media. It suggests that captivating storytelling has the power to draw audiences in and keep them engaged, making it essential for any piece of content aiming to resonate with its viewers or readers. In essence, a great story can turn an ordinary piece into something remarkable and memorable.
"The best stories are the ones where we can see ourselves in the characters."
This quote by Carlton Cuse emphasizes the importance of relatability in storytelling. When we, as audience members, can identify with the characters in a story – their emotions, actions, or experiences mirroring our own – it creates a deep emotional connection that enhances our engagement and investment in the narrative. This relatability allows us to better understand ourselves, empathize with others, and find common ground, making for a more impactful and memorable storytelling experience.
"Writing a television series is like building a skyscraper. You have to lay a strong foundation, and then you build up from there."
This quote emphasizes the importance of a solid foundation in creating a successful television series, as it compares the process of writing such a show to constructing a skyscraper. The "foundation" refers to the initial ideas, concepts, and planning that lay the groundwork for the entire story. Just as a strong foundation is essential for a tall building to stand securely, a well-defined foundation ensures the consistency, coherence, and longevity of a television series. Building upon this solid base allows the plot, characters, and themes to develop and evolve over time, creating an engaging and meaningful narrative that can captivate audiences.
"Characters drive the story. If you care about your characters, you will care about their stories."
This quote emphasizes that engaging, well-developed characters are crucial in narrative storytelling. When writers create characters they deeply care for, those emotions translate to the audience, making them empathize and connect with the story's events. Thus, the more invested readers or viewers become in a character's journey, the more compelling the overall tale becomes. Essentially, characters serve as the foundation upon which stories are built.
"Everything changes when a character dies."
The quote highlights that the death of a character significantly alters the narrative, dynamics, and emotional impact of a story. It underscores how crucial characters are in shaping the trajectory and complexity of a plot. Each character's presence or absence leaves an indelible mark on the story's progression and overall resonance with readers or viewers.
I feel like if you enjoyed the 119 hours that precede the finale of 'Lost,' is that whole experience ruined by the fact that you might not agree with everything that we did in the finale? I would hope not! I would hope that you would appreciate the fact that you were entertained for 119 hours even if you didn't love the finale.
- Carlton Cuse
As we began working toward the finale of 'Lost,' I knew there was no possible ending that was going to be universally loved, and I accepted that. We ended the story the way we wanted it to end, and we stand by it. On my Twitter feed, I still get ten to fifteen positive comments for every negative one.
- Carlton Cuse
The creative process is not like a situation where you get struck by a single lightning bolt. You have ongoing discoveries, and there's ongoing creative revelations. Yes, it's really helpful to be marching toward a specific destination, but, along the way, you must allow yourself room for your ideas to blossom, take root, and grow.
- Carlton Cuse
I think there's this essential human desire to have a unified field theory. Everyone is like, 'I want to unlock the single secret to 'Lost.' There isn't any one secret. There is not a unified field theory for 'Lost,' nor do we think there should be, because philosophically, we don't buy into that as a conceit.
- Carlton Cuse
I took physics, and lo and behold, there's a lot of physics in 'Lost.' I think for most people, liberal arts educations are more abstract, but for me, it's been a chance to apply the things I've learned more directly. I also took some Folklore and Mythology classes, and I think that a lot of that influenced me.
- Carlton Cuse
If we lived in a time where people couldn't watch 'Lost' on Hulu or record it on their DVR, we wouldn't necessarily have succeeded. We need people to be able to catch up. Now you choose when you watch TV. We wouldn't have survived in the old days because people would have missed episodes.
- Carlton Cuse
We feel like 'Lost' deserved a real resolution, not a 'snow globe, waking up in bed, it's all been a dream, cut to black' kind of ending. We thought that would be kind of a betrayal to an audience that's been on this journey for six years. We thought that was not the right ending for our show.
- Carlton Cuse
Both my wife and I went to Harvard, and it's incredibly exciting that our son and daughter are going there and have the chance to experience it. There are many awesome opportunities at Harvard. That's one of its greatest frustrations - not having enough time to take the classes you want to take.
- Carlton Cuse
Television used to be made much more in a vacuum; the only feedback the audience had for a long time was in a Nielsen number that would arrive sometime after the show had been broadcast. And now, people are just completely engaged on so many levels, and I think that you have to find a way as a show creator to follow your own compass.
- Carlton Cuse
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