Creative Process in Hollywood: The Role of Imaginary in the Creation of Mainstream Movies

Silvio Anaz
Universidade de São Paulo

The creative process in Hollywood’s movie industry is the result of a complex combination of symbolic elements arising from imaginations of screenwriters, directors, executives, marketing experts and producers. This article analyzes the anatomy of the creative process inserted in the logic of production of major studios. The earliest scripts of three movies—Back to the Future, Blade Runner and Star Wars: A New Hope—and their theatrical movie versions are compared to find some patterns in the formation of the imaginary during the creative process in mainstream productions. The theoretical approach is mainly based on Gilbert Durand’s theories about the imaginary.