http://www.sonyclassics.com/sketchesoffrankgehry/main.htmlOver the weekend I watched the documentary Sketches of Frank Gehry by the brilliant director Sydney Pollack. This was Pollack’s first documentary and he starts the movie by freely admitting that he knows nothing about making a documentary and nothing about architecture. “That’s why you’re the perfect choice,” laughed Gehry. I was struck by how much of the documentary dealt with the topic of beginning. “At the moment of beginning, I’m always terrified,” said Gehry. “It’s just me and this enormous task, and I delay and procrastinate because I’m afraid I can’t do it. And then I start, and I realize I actually can do this.”
Two other poignant points about the idea of beginning happen in the middle and at the end of the film. Towards the middle of the film, Pollack shares his feelings about his early career as a director. “I always felt like I was pretending when I first started. I felt like I was faking it for a long time, and then eventually that feeling went away and I was just a director,” he said. “That happened to me, too,” agreed Gehry. Toward the end of the film, Pollack asks Gehry, “Do you ever look at one of your buildings and wonder how did I do that?” “Every time,” replied Gehry. “Every time.”
Two giants, one in architecture and one in film, talking about their own uncertain beginnings in their chosen professions and their continued and consistent beginnings in all of their creative projects. The beginning process is terrifying. It’s you and a very blank canvas at the start of every day at the start of every project. It can be overwhelming. Take some advice from Pollack and Gehry – just begin. Give it a go. It worked out okay for both of them. There’s no reason why it can’t work out for you, too.
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
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My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
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At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
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As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
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As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
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2 thoughts on “Beginning: Sketches of Frank Gehry”
This sounds like a great documentary that’s worth checking out. I really respect Gehry and Pollock’s work, so I’d be curious to hear their comments on the difficulties of beginning a project. I’m currently reading “Art and Fear,” and the book discusses how procrastination and fear are part of the creative process. It’s amazing to learn that this happens to huge creatives also. Thanks for posting about this documentary!
This sounds like a great documentary that’s worth checking out. I really respect Gehry and Pollock’s work, so I’d be curious to hear their comments on the difficulties of beginning a project. I’m currently reading “Art and Fear,” and the book discusses how procrastination and fear are part of the creative process. It’s amazing to learn that this happens to huge creatives also. Thanks for posting about this documentary!
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Sure thing! I absolutely loved the film and highly recommend it as an inspiring piece for anyone who treasures and values their creativity. Cheers!
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