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Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, longtime friends and collaborators, are once again joining forces in their latest movie, Air, directed by Affleck. Their enduring friendship, built on collaboration and the importance of embracing bad ideas, has been a hallmark of their successful partnership.
The duo’s initial collaboration was on the critically acclaimed ’90s movie, Good Will Hunting, for which they won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Affleck, now taking on the role of director for Air, explores the true story of Nike’s connection with the then-unproven basketball player Michael Jordan.
Reflecting on their creative process and the significance of bad ideas, Damon shared an insightful piece of advice Affleck gave him during the Good Will Hunting days. Damon recounted, “He said one of the most profound things that anybody’s ever said to me. When we started writing Good Will Hunting, he said: ‘Hey, judge me for how good my good ideas are, not how bad my bad ideas are.’ That, to me, is the most important thing when you embark on a collaborative process with somebody.”
Damon emphasized the importance of creating an open environment where all ideas, even the ones that may seem less promising initially, can be freely expressed. He noted that having the freedom to share bad ideas is crucial in the creative process because sometimes those seemingly “shitty” ideas can evolve into something valuable through iteration.
This collaborative philosophy has been a key element in their successful partnership, leading to a string of projects beyond Good Will Hunting, including Dogma and The Last Duel, and now, their newest collaboration in Air. Damon and Affleck’s approach to creativity highlights the value of openness, experimentation, and the potential for greatness that can arise from the freedom to express even the less polished ideas.