Ambition can creep as well as soar.
—Edmund Burke
In almost every film Alfred Hitchcock made, he had to go through the same wars, gradually wresting control of the film from the producer, the actors, and the rest of the team. His struggles with screenwriters were a microcosm of the larger war. Hitchcock always wanted his vision for a film to be exactly reflected in the script, but too firm a hand on his writer’s neck would get him nothing except resentment and mediocre work. So instead he moved slowly, starting out by giving the writer room to work loosely off his notes, then asking for revisions that shaped the script his way. His control became obvious only gradually, and by that time the writer was emotionally tied to the project and, however frustrated, was working for his approval. A very patient man, Hitchcock let his power plays unfold over time, so that producer, writer, and stars understood the completeness of his domination only when the film was finished. To gain control of any project, you must be willing to make time your ally. If you start out with complete control, you sap people’s spirit and stir up envy and resentment. So begin by generating the illusion that you’re all working together on a team effort; then slowly nibble away. If in the process you make people angry, do not worry. That’s just a sign that their emotions are engaged, which means they can be manipulated.
Daily Law: Overt manipulation and power grabs are dangerous, creating envy, distrust, and suspicion. Often the best solution is to move slowly.
The 33 Strategies of War
, Strategy 29: Take Small Bites—The Fait Accompli Strategy