Aaron Sorkin Reflects on His Directing Struggles at Newport Beach Film Festival

Aaron Sorkin, well-known as the creator of The West Wing, has come forward to acknowledge that directing isn’t his strongest suit, despite being celebrated as one of Hollywood’s top screenwriters.

During a recent appearance at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Sorkin discussed his extensive and decorated career. He revealed that directing has proven to be more challenging than he initially anticipated, admitting that, even with experience, he still feels he isn’t learning as effectively as he would like.

His newest film, The Social Reckoning, a critique of Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has not performed well at the box office. In stark contrast to his earlier success with The Social Contract, this follow-up has received a disappointing 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed only $15 million against a production budget of $42 million.

Sorkin has certainly had more success in screenwriting, crafting popular films like A Few Good Men, The American President, and Charlie Wilson’s War, as well as his influential role in the 1990s with The West Wing.

While he expresses a strong confidence in his screenwriting abilities, he acknowledges feeling less secure when it comes to directing.

During his talk, Sorkin addressed aspiring writers who often wonder if screenwriting can be taught. He pivoted the discussion towards directing, stating, “There are aspects of screenwriting—key aspects—that can be taught and learned, yet some elements remain elusive. Those elusive parts? They’re often what we refer to as talent. I’m genuinely concerned that the aspects of directing I struggle with fall into the category that can’t be learned.”

He reflected on his realization of lacking the innate “talent” necessary for directing and remarked, “I was taken aback by how little of the science of filmmaking I’ve actually absorbed. It turns out I have no visual sensibility at all.”

Sorkin compared his situation to a football coach who might claim to have all the necessary elements for victory, only for things to fall apart during the game. He noted, “That’s how I feel about directing. There are aspects I’ve gotten right along the way. Just give me another shot, and one of these days, I’ll manage to piece it all together.”