Martin Scorsese is the most-nominated living director of all time, with nine nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director. Since the mid 70s, the Rolex Testimonee has been actively mentoring young up-and-coming directors and producers. Many of these individuals, who often served as his assistants, would go on to forge prominent careers in the industry.
It's not just the protégés that benefit from getting mentored, according to Scorsese. "The mentor gets as much inspiration as the protégé," he said, referring to the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative which has coupled more than 50 talented individuals from disciplines including visual art, dance, music, literature, architecture and film since its inception in 2002.
"As a mentor," Scorsese explains, "you're experiencing the art through the student. And somehow that comes back to you..."
"And there's an incredible satisfaction, the fact that you're able to make someone else flower, in a sense."
When emerging filmmakers work up the courage to ask for Scorsese's advice, he said, "I guide them as best I can. When I see whatever they do, it means something to me [knowing] I had a little bit to do with that. It keeps me alive creatively."
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Martin Scorsese on Fostering the Next Generation of Filmmaking Talent
Every master starts as an apprentice, and Scorsese is the first to admit that he wouldn't be where he is today without the benefit of generous guidance during the early stages of his career. Since the mid 70s, he has in turn been actively mentoring young up-and-coming directors and producers.
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