Aziz Ansari on Reading, Writing, and Your New Best Companion

      Aziz Ansari’s cleverly humorous directorial debut, Good Fortune, wasn’t originally meant to be his first film.

      He had intended to adapt Dr. Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal, which deals with the theme of facing death, but the project was halted when one of its stars, Bill Murray, faced misconduct allegations. (Murray has stated that he kissed a female staff member as a joke while both were wearing Covid masks.)

      On what was meant to be a filming day for Being Mortal, Ansari sent a different script he had been developing to one of his co-stars from Being Mortal, Seth Rogen, who reacted positively and agreed to participate in what turned into Good Fortune.

      The movie, now available for video on demand, features Keanu Reeves as Gabriel, a humble guardian angel responsible for preventing people from texting and driving. He inadvertently leads Ansari’s character, Arj, a struggling delivery driver who sleeps in his car, to swap lives with Rogen’s character, Jeff, a pampered tech entrepreneur. Keke Palmer, who was also set to feature in Good Fortune, portrays Elena, who is striving to unionize the hardware store where she is employed.

      In addition to writing and directing, Ansari is well-known for his stand-up comedy, significant role on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, and leading part on Netflix’s Master of None, which he co-created. In our latest edition of Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker, he shared insights about the importance of being prepared to adapt. Here’s his advice on filmmaking, as conveyed to MovieMaker.—M.M.

      Aziz Ansari: Insights I've Gained as a Filmmaker

      Keanu Reeves as Gabriel, Seth Rogen as Jeff, and Aziz Ansari as Ari in Good Fortune. Photo Credit: Eddy Chen. Courtesy of Lionsgate.

      1. It’s essential to write constantly and have multiple projects in the works simultaneously because making movies is incredibly challenging. Each film is a miracle. I remember reading about Steven Spielberg and his experience with 1941, which didn’t turn out well. He mentioned that if something goes awry, you should quickly dive into your next project.

      2. The key thing is to simply start directing. Directing is a difficult role to define. You have a script, and whether or not you’ve written it, you envision it in your mind and aim to communicate that vision to your team. The clearer you are about your vision, the better you can express it. Ideally, you’ll have an excellent team that collaborates and enhances the project further.

      3. I highly recommend reading Elia Kazan’s A Life. I read it while working on Good Fortune, and it felt almost magical. Whenever I faced a problem, it seemed Kazan was addressing it. For instance, while editing, I’d find his thoughts on editing applicable to my situation.

      4. For Being Mortal, I read the book, made friends with Atul, and interviewed nurses, healthcare workers, hospice staff, and doctors. For this film, I did DoorDash and spoke to those who slept in their cars. I even talked with a man who attempted to unionize his Home Depot. Such research is invaluable because it allows you to explore experiences without necessarily living them.

      5. Try to watch as many movies as possible. When I decided to start directing, I thought about the best directors currently active—like Scorsese, Tarantino, and PTA. What do they all share? An extensive knowledge of film. I realized this was no coincidence, so I began to watch as many movies as possible. There was a time when my viewing wasn’t extensive, but it doesn’t take long to accumulate titles. If you aim to watch one movie a day, even if you miss some days, you could still see 300 films a year. Make an effort to immerse yourself in cinema.

      Good Fortune, written, directed by, and starring Aziz Ansari, is now available on VOD from Lionsgate.

      Main image: Keanu Reeves and Aziz Ansari in Good Fortune. Lionsgate.