Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler on Using Fear As Fuel

It's pretty easy to see Hollywood as a scary place. Many of us move here knowing no one and launch ourselves into an industry where you're going to hear 99 "no's" before you get one "yes," and that's usually a "maybe."Fear is a powerful thing. It also sends people home from Hollywood. Fear of never working again, of never making it, of someone never seeing what you have to offer. So, how do people make it through these fearful times? Especially if they never end? I found this awesome podcast with directors Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele, where they talk about this fact and a lot of other cool stuff. Let's dive in. Fear is Fuel In an insightful conversation, filmmakers Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler recently sat down for the Proximity podcast to explore the intricacies of storytelling, the power of genre, and the driving forces behind their creative processes. These are two guys doing it unlike anyone else in Hollywood. They have singular voices, so it was really interesting to listen to them unpack what makes each of them tick and bond over the stories they've brought to the screen. While I loved hearing these two unpack genre and its conventions, I really resonated toward the end of the podcast when they were dissecting fear. I think it's super easy to become angry when you're working to break in or to get hired consistently. You want people to listen to your ideas or embrace you, but a lot of times it feels like you're shouting into the ether. Peele was candid about harnessing these powerful emotions as fuel for his creative process, channeling them into the narratives that captivate and challenge audiences.We can't let them tear us down, we have to use them to build us up. This seemed to resonate with Coogler as well. Especially when it came to using those emotions to create ideas and as gasoline for our inner motors. Another key moment was when Peele said that the raw, often uncomfortable emotions of fear and anger can be powerful catalysts for storytelling. He specifically mentions that his films and narratives frequently center around these intense feelings.It's easy to see this on display in his work. I think a lot about Nope and the idea of a child star wanting to understand nature and not be scared anymore. Or even in Get Out, where people are, sometimes, rightfully afraid of each other. And this is not a burden to bear—it can help. Peele believes this process can be cathartic. By pouring passion and focus into crafting a narrative around these difficult emotions, the act of creation itself can help to process or even alleviate the initial anger or fear that sparked the idea. It's about transforming a potentially destructive feeling into a constructive, creative force. And getting your feelings out there so you can justify them and face them down. To me, this is universal advice that should apply to all filmmakers. This conversation between Coogler and Peele serves as a masterclass not just in filmmaking but in the art of transforming personal experiences, societal observations, and even raw fear into powerful, resonant stories.And that's the goal for everyone trying to make it in Hollywood. It results in the things that kick down the door for them. Summing It All Up Trying to get a job in the arts is absolutely terrifying. There are so many things that could go wrong, and so many times, they do. But instead of letting that fear conquer you, take Peele and Coogler's advice and let it become your driving force. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Apr 29, 2025 - 20:45

Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler on Using Fear As Fuel

It's pretty easy to see Hollywood as a scary place. Many of us move here knowing no one and launch ourselves into an industry where you're going to hear 99 "no's" before you get one "yes," and that's usually a "maybe."

Fear is a powerful thing. It also sends people home from Hollywood. Fear of never working again, of never making it, of someone never seeing what you have to offer.

So, how do people make it through these fearful times? Especially if they never end?

I found this awesome podcast with directors Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele, where they talk about this fact and a lot of other cool stuff.

Let's dive in.

Fear is Fuel

In an insightful conversation, filmmakers Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler recently sat down for the Proximity podcast to explore the intricacies of storytelling, the power of genre, and the driving forces behind their creative processes.

These are two guys doing it unlike anyone else in Hollywood. They have singular voices, so it was really interesting to listen to them unpack what makes each of them tick and bond over the stories they've brought to the screen.

While I loved hearing these two unpack genre and its conventions, I really resonated toward the end of the podcast when they were dissecting fear.

I think it's super easy to become angry when you're working to break in or to get hired consistently. You want people to listen to your ideas or embrace you, but a lot of times it feels like you're shouting into the ether.

Peele was candid about harnessing these powerful emotions as fuel for his creative process, channeling them into the narratives that captivate and challenge audiences.

We can't let them tear us down, we have to use them to build us up.

This seemed to resonate with Coogler as well. Especially when it came to using those emotions to create ideas and as gasoline for our inner motors.

Another key moment was when Peele said that the raw, often uncomfortable emotions of fear and anger can be powerful catalysts for storytelling. He specifically mentions that his films and narratives frequently center around these intense feelings.

It's easy to see this on display in his work. I think a lot about Nope and the idea of a child star wanting to understand nature and not be scared anymore. Or even in Get Out, where people are, sometimes, rightfully afraid of each other.

And this is not a burden to bear—it can help.

Peele believes this process can be cathartic. By pouring passion and focus into crafting a narrative around these difficult emotions, the act of creation itself can help to process or even alleviate the initial anger or fear that sparked the idea.

It's about transforming a potentially destructive feeling into a constructive, creative force. And getting your feelings out there so you can justify them and face them down.

To me, this is universal advice that should apply to all filmmakers.

This conversation between Coogler and Peele serves as a masterclass not just in filmmaking but in the art of transforming personal experiences, societal observations, and even raw fear into powerful, resonant stories.

And that's the goal for everyone trying to make it in Hollywood. It results in the things that kick down the door for them.

Summing It All Up

Trying to get a job in the arts is absolutely terrifying. There are so many things that could go wrong, and so many times, they do. But instead of letting that fear conquer you, take Peele and Coogler's advice and let it become your driving force.

Let me know what you think in the comments.