Photo Credit: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / peshkov
As a devoted fan of books, movies, plays, music, etc., I’ve come to realize that my interests not only lie there because they entertain me, but more so because I have an everlasting thirst to learn what captivates people, and I am drawn to imitate it, try it on myself, produce it, or more so reproduce it. I say “reproduce” because I fully believe those who receive inspiration from works of art react strongly because they provoke an emotion that makes everyone “react.” It’s that reaction that the performer banks on and actually lives for when performing. And we’re all performers, story-tellers, artists in our own right.
It’s What We Do
One evening I was watching Walter Matthau present the American Film Institute award to his friend, Jack Lemmon. The two had appeared in many movies together and had a friendship that was well known both in and out of the industry. After his predictable teasing remarks in honor of his friend, Matthau became serious. He said the reason he understood Lemmon’s performances on the screen so well went beyond their friendship. “It’s what he does,” he continued. “He allows us to see the tragedy and comedy of the world through the eyes of someone we know, someone he hints we may even be.” The camera moved to Lemmon, smiling tightly and looking at his friend with tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Someone we know, someone he hints we may even be.” That’s it, isn’t it? That’s the lightning in a bottle we all hope to grab. That Valentine verse we toiled over to impress one special person; we hope that verse will melt the ice, break the glass, and let that person know how much we care. The unspoken emotion speaks volumes. It’s the calculated risk that involves a gamble with the sweetest payoff imaginable as the prize, an emotional return on investment.