Lessons From RoboDoc: Embrace the Chaos in the Creative Process

Creating any work of art is messy and why you should not fear it

When I saw Robocop the movie for the first time, I was riveted by the violence, and the audacity of the storytelling.

I recognized the universal themes of corporate greed, consumerism, and the consequences of technology when humanity is absent from it. Robocop became a classic hit, eventually joining the ranks of The Terminator, Total Recall and Alien. Recently I watched a four-episode documentary series of Robocop, titled Robodoc.

It was a revelation.

Robocop was directed by European director, Paul Verhoeven.

We think of him now as a mad genius. But that is in hindsight. Every American director had turned down the script.

Why? They saw the title ROBOCOP.

They figured it was B movie material.

Making it would ruin their reputation. And so, they tossed the script aside as if it bore the foul stench of a career killing curse. Since no American director wanted to touch the script, the producer had no choice but to look overseas.

Enter a young Dutch director named Paul Verhoeven.