Conviction is an essential quality for any commercial artist to see their vision through. Conviction is not the same as being stubborn or arrogant and should not be construed so. Stubbornness and arrogance are the ego’s outright rejection of other’s ideas and opinions. Conviction requires the open-mind we discussed previously. With an open-mind, one can put ego aside, analyze the viewpoints of others, to ultimately decide not what is best for themselves, but what is best for the project.
Remember that film is a multi-billion-dollar business as much as it is an art form. Movies are the beautiful conflation between art and commerce. A collaborative network of artists and suits. Film is where artistic integrity is met with the budget the size of the GDP of a small nation. As such, you will be forced to question yourself, your vision and even your own beliefs many times each day, and throughout your career. I’ve seen it repeatedly. Successful screenwriters choose their battles wisely, conserve energy, and fight like hell for what they truly believe.