If you’re a director, you aren’t just a "creative"—you are the CEO of a vision.
Most people in the film industry trade their time for money, but The Almanack of Naval Ravikant teaches us how to build wealth and impact by escaping the "hourly rate" mindset.
For a filmmaker, these three Naval pillars are
game-changers:
1. Specific Knowledge: Find Your "Uncopyable"
Voice
Naval defines specific knowledge as the thing you do that
feels like play to you, but looks like work to others.
- The
Director’s Take: Don't just "direct." Find the intersection
of your unique obsessions—maybe it’s a specific sub-genre, a technical
lighting style, or a way of coaxing performances that no one else can
replicate. When you have specific knowledge, you aren't competing; you’re
the only one who can do what you do.
2. Leverage: The Force Multiplier
In the "Cine field," we often get stuck in the
grind. But Naval talks about three types of leverage: Labor, Capital, and
Code/Media.
- The
Director’s Take: Media is the ultimate "permissionless"
leverage. Every film you finish is a digital asset that works for you
while you sleep. It’s a piece of code that broadcasts your talent to the
world 24/7 without you needing to be in the room.
3. Judgment over Sweat
Naval says, "In an age of infinite leverage, judgment
is the most important skill." As a director, you are paid for your
decisions (the "calls"), not just for being the first person on set.
- The
Director’s Take: One great decision on a script or a casting choice is
worth a thousand hours of "hustle." Protect your mind, stay
curious, and focus on the high-leverage choices that move the needle.
"Build or buy equity in a business [or a project]...
if you don’t own a piece of a business, you don’t have a path towards financial
freedom." — Naval Ravikant
As a director, you aren't just making a movie; you are building your personal brand as an intellectual property. Use your "specific knowledge" to create "media leverage," and let your "judgment" guide your career.
- Manohar Chimmani
