Unraveling Sam Esmail’s Creative Odyssey: From Mr. Robot to Leave The World Behind

In an enlightening conversation, award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail unpacks his latest project – ‘Leave the World Behind’, a Netflix apocalyptic thriller.

He sheds light on his creative process, the role of technology in storytelling, and the intricacies of navigating Hollywood as a writer-director.

Being featured on The Black List – which lists top unproduced scripts – marked a significant milestone in Esmail’s career.

Despite this recognition facilitating meetings with studios and discussions about projects, he faced hurdles when expressing his aspiration to direct his own scripts.

‘Mr Robot’ originated as an extensive feature screenplay which was transformed into a TV series based on advice from producer Steve Golin.

Despite pressure from network executives to extend beyond its planned ending, Esmail insisted on concluding the story as per his original vision.

As I started to venture into filmmaking, the world around me just rapidly changed because of technology…you can’t do that (tell stories), I think, in a contemporary context without addressing technology because that’s just been– I don’t think there has been a bigger impact on humanity than technology. – Sam Esmail

Esmail emphasizes the need for striking a balance between thematic elements and character development.

While themes should be discussed early on during production, they should not overshadow the portrayal of characters as authentic individuals with their own emotions and complexities.

The visual style of a film should be dictated by its story and the emotional journey of its characters.

For ‘Leave The World Behind’, Esmail crafted a unique visual style that amplified an atmosphere of claustrophobia, resonating with audiences.

Esmail underscores his commitment to his creative vision and adapting to challenges in the film industry.

His journey from being a writer to becoming a director illustrates the intricacies involved in breaking into Hollywood and achieving success on one’s own terms.

Music plays an integral role in setting the tone for Esmail’s films.

He collaborated closely with composer Mac Quayle right from the writing stage, playing music on set to influence performances and technical aspects such as camera movements.

‘Leave The World Behind’ stands out among disaster films due to its focus on characters while keeping disaster elements secondary.

This approach makes sequences more relatable and terrifying for viewers as events unfold through characters’ perspectives.

Esmail’s films often portray technology’s role in our lives, emphasizing that humans use technology rather than it controlling our lives.

He explores potential scenarios if society becomes overly reliant on technology instead of using it as an aid for real-life interactions.

‘Leave The World Behind’ features former President Barack Obama as an executive producer.

This collaboration came about as Obama’s production company, Higher Ground Productions, has a deal with Netflix where the film was sold, and he was already a fan of Julia Roberts and Esmail’s previous work ‘Mr Robot’.