Recode Decode: 'General Magic' directors Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude

Filmmaking

The filmmaking process for "General Magic" was both challenging and rewarding for directors Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude. They approached the documentary like a narrative film, crafting a script and building scenes without a traditional narrator, instead using a "Greek chorus" of voices like Nilay Patel and John Markoff to provide perspective 1. This method allowed them to explore the story deeply, capturing the essence of General Magic's journey. Kerruish reflects on the joy and revelation of the process, particularly through interviews with figures like John Scully, who owned his mistakes, offering a lesson in redemption 1.

   

Emotional Journey

The emotional journey of creating "General Magic" was profound, highlighting the importance of collaboration and learning from failure. Matt Maude emphasizes the joy of working with a close-knit team, drawing parallels between the film's creation and the camaraderie at General Magic 2. This experience underscored the value of companionship in ambitious projects. Maude also discusses the iterative nature of Silicon Valley, where failures at one company can lead to successes at another, a theme central to the film's narrative 3.