The World That Spielberg Made

It’s a cliché to say that Steven Spielberg played an essential role in my life, partly because he did for so many people. More than any saint or historic figure, Indiana Jones was my hero, and Spielberg my role model. For Halloween, I always wore a fedora, my dad’s leather jacket, and a real bullwhip, which he was irresponsible (or wise) enough to buy for me. I spent hours forcing my cousins to participate in my homemade movies, which I then forced the grown-ups to watch. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer was always, “A director like Spielberg.”