Sometimes when the writing isn’t going well (like now), I watch the special features on a favorite movie or show. Listening to interviews with the creative people involved talk about how they developed this character or that scene is great medicine. Sure, it may be television, but a show still has to be created and written.
If someone creates a series from her imagination, you can hear how she went through the process and where she plans for the characters to go. If someone developed the idea from a book, you can hear how he decided on what to leave out and what to expand upon. I’m almost always left feeling impressed and inspired. And often I realize that I’m just afraid, and that I shouldn’t be.
Of course, watching DVD extras are also a fun way to procrastinate…
Marta Bacon 
Great minds think alike! Ever since I married my husband, he has gotten me to watch a lot of T.V., and we rent DVDs of the good T.V. shows and movies. That’s all we watch. We often talk about the characters and how do the writers keep it going etc. And we love to watch the bonus material for the exact reasons you mentioned. Very inspiring.
We just finished the third season of Lost yesterday. Oh my gosh it’s good. I’m a Lost junkie.
Me, too! I love hearing and seeing how the movie was put together…and I feel the same way about other art forms as well. I get “production” ideas that I can use, or I just feel inspired by knowing what creative (and hard) work others are doing.
I remember once a co-worker of mine said, “Why do they give awards to directors? Directors don’t do much. It’s the actors who make the film.”
Gulp.
I LOVED watching the special section of Deadwood and hearing how he wrote.
Like you, I find it inspiring.