What do you think about this unorthodox story structure Aaron Sorkin has planned for his Steve Jobs biopic?

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

While still without a director or a cast, Aaron Sorkin’s collaboration with Sony to tell the story of Steve Jobs is slowly but surely finding its way in the world.  And considering the information revealed by Sorkin in a recent interview concerning his approach to the biopic, it sounds to me like we’re in for one fascinating time.

“[T]his entire movie is going to be three scenes, and three scenes only. That all take place in real time… There will be no time cuts and each will take place before a product launch. Backstage before a product launch. The first one being the Mac, the second one being NeXT after he had left Apple and the third one being the iPod.”

Sorkin wouldn’t be the first to write something that took place in real time and explored the impact of a series of small moments on a person’s greater life, but to my knowledge he’d be the first to do so in this context of wide-release movie-making that concerns a very well known and much talked about public figure. The approach is almost more theatrical than anything else, but considering the drama of Jobs’ life that may very well be the most effective way in which to talk about the path and emotions and effects of his suitably dramatic life.

Like Apple or not, like Steve Jobs or not, this is still a cinematic experiment that seems to me to be well worth the journey.  Hopefully Sorkin’s willingness to speak publicly like this means he’s making some serious headway, and we’ll receive information about further movement soon.  Stay tuned for more details!

P.S. I’ve included something else Sorkin said in the Extra Tidbit, but be warned that it does give away the potential last line of the movie.  If you are about that sort of thing.