Why Filmmakers Should Surround Themselves with Inspiration
Every filmmaker knows the feeling of staring at a blank page, waiting for the spark that sets ablaze the inferno of an idea into motion. Creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it’s fueled by the world we surround ourselves with. The more we expose ourselves to the eclectic world around us, the more material we have to draw from when telling stories.
Few filmmakers embody this philosophy better than Guillermo del Toro. His famous Bleak House isn’t just a home, it’s a living, breathing shrine to curiosity. Walls lined with books, monster models, movie props, pop art, paintings, and oddities of every kind, it’s a space designed to spark imagination at every turn. Del Toro has said that inspiration should always be within reach, and Bleak House ensures that wherever he looks, ideas are waiting to be discovered.
Building Your Own Inspiration Shrine
While most of us can’t recreate the wonders like Guillermo del Toro’s bleak house, the concept is universal: surround yourself with things that move you.
For me, that means collecting movie posters, antiquities, and oddities. I even have life size wax figures of different film characters and celebrities. These pieces aren’t just conversation starters, they’re reminders of why I fell in love with cinema in the first place. A vintage poster sparks a memory of a film that changed how I see storytelling. An artifact from another era pulls me out of my daily routine and into a different world of nostalgia. Every item adds layers of texture to my creative process.
When I’m developing new work, I don’t just look inward, I look around me. Inspiration sits on my walls, my shelves, and in the corners of my office.
This is in my living room- The wax figures of the “Wizard of Oz” from Movieland Wax Musuem
Inspiration Comes in Many Forms
The beauty of inspiration is that it doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as:
Reading books that challenge your perspective.
Listening to music that stirs emotion or creates atmosphere.
Visiting museums or galleries, where art across centuries and cultures offers fresh ideas.
Exploring nature, where the shapes, colors, and sounds can awaken something unexpected.
The goal is not where inspiration comes from, but how you engage with it. A single line from a novel, a forgotten song lyric, or a detail from an ancient sculpture can be the seed of your next great idea.
Curiosity as a Filmmaker’s Compass
Filmmaking is the art of curiosity. The more you feed your imagination with things that inspire wonder, the richer your storytelling becomes. Surround yourself with objects, stories, and experiences that remind you of why you create.
Also surround yourself with a wide range of PEOPLE! If you keep your network close and you don’t expand your world view, the next great story may be lost to time.
Guillermo del Toro built his Bleak House to keep curiosity alive. I’ve built my own collection of oddities to do the same. For you, it might be books, music, travel, or quiet afternoons in a gallery. Do whatever it takes to be curious.
Curiosity isn’t just a spark, but it should be your compasses true north.
