6 Filmmaking Tips From José Padilha

Written by Paul Moon

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If all you know of José Padilha is that he directed the RoboCop remake, then you could do with a lesson in Brazilian cinema. Padilha helped put the nation on the global movie stage last decade with his popular Elite Squad films as well as his essential documentaries Bus 174 and Secrets of the Tribe. His RoboCop also had some great ideas, but unfortunately, it also had some problems. Since then, Padilha has found greater success producing the Netflix series Narcos.

While he’s not one to give out advice, Padilha does have some ideas about filmmaking to share, along with some lessons he’s learned and has imparted through interviews over the years. Check out these tips below.

Paul Moon

H. Paul Moon is a filmmaker based in New York City and Washington, D.C. whose works concentrate on the performing arts. Major films include “Sitka: A Piano Documentary” about the craftsmanship of Steinway pianos, “Quartet for the End of Time” about Olivier Messiaen’s transcendent WWII composition, and an acclaimed feature film about the life and music of American composer Samuel Barber that premiered on PBS. Moon has created music videos for numerous composers including Moondog, Susan Botti and Angélica Negrón, and three opera films set in a community garden. His film “The Passion of Scrooge” was awarded “Critic's Choice” by Opera News as a “thoroughly enjoyable film version, insightfully conceived and directed” with “first-rate and remarkably illustrative storytelling.” Further highlights include works featured in exhibitions at the Nevada Museum of Art and the City Museum of New York, PBS television broadcasts, and best of show awards in over a dozen international film festivals.