Steven Soderbergh - how many films can this guy make in a year?

News stories abound today of Steven Soderbergh’s new film casting up, with Matt Damon and Jude Law on board and Marion Cotillard and Kate Winslet in negotiations.

So they must be in Knockout, right? No, wait that’s already filming. Then Cleo that 3D musical with Catherine Zeta Jones must be back in the offing, no? No! Could they be joining Mr CZJ (Michael Douglas) is the much touted Liberace film? They’re not?

No this film, apparently set to shoot in the autumn after he’s finished up on Knockout, is called Contagion.

Is it me or is Soderbergh on a one-man mission to contradict all the directors who go on about how hard work making a film is and how it takes up “two-three years of your life”. You hear that time and again.

Soderbergh has made 14 films in the past decade. 14! Yes, okay, that includes Eros which was only a segment of a 3-part anthology film and both parts of Che but still…

He had 2 films out in 2000 (Erin Brockovich & Traffic), 2002 (Solaris & Full Frontal), 2008 (both Che films), 2009 (The Girlfriend Experience & The Informant!) and has hardly been slacking in the years between.

Also you look at some of the titles and wonder is he deliberately trying to tell other directors and the industry how easy it is. His constant “Traffic” of films is “Out Of Sight”. He’s upfront about how to get a film made fast and effectively, even acting as his own DP. You could say he makes his views “Full Frontal”. He is an “Informant!” for the red camera and making films quickly and cheaply, living in a “Bubble”.

He is constantly knocking another one out (see his latest film title) and they come thick and fast like a “Contagion”.

I think he is actively goading the film industry. With his titles he’s going “look at me and get your act together”. I greatly look forward to his future films “Better Than You” and his “Fast & Furious” remake!