Well, it just goes to show you, when you’re closed down
creatively it ain’t gonna happen. Thing is, sometimes you can’t see that
wall. Happy to say that with the right people behind you, you can
shake-off the negative influences preventing you from being creative and
think inside the ‘B-O-X’ again.
My agent in Texas actually noticed that something had come over me. They had a Big-Ass soda client asking for an audition that on the surface didn’t seem to have that much to wonder about it. Specs for the read were of the typical garden variety; voice should be personable…maybe with a wink here & there. Ahhh, but there was one startling wrinkle as they say, the spot was a :60 and there was 290 words of copy. I was initially resistant and asked my agent to convey to the client a consideration to edit out some words.
They wondered why I was counting words, whereas I would normally use them as a guide or key to develop the character. They were right…I was creatively shut down.
Okay, shake off the negative, forget for a second the spot defies the normal standard of 140 words per minute. Now, what sort of character could gobble-up all those words without it sounding like fast-talker John Moschitta, from the classic Amex spots. Chris Tucker-ish maybe? OR a Dennis Leary-ish rat-a-tat-tat patter could work. Hummm. Laid down a few passes of possible characters. Sure enough, had something that sounded right and came in at :60. Actually :60.2 seconds. Love not Like
Morale of the story – try and limit the negative influences…but, more important, catch what they’ve done to you early on. And they don’t need to be editorialized to anyone. You wind up, perpetuating and reliving them. And, you’re still thinking like them. It’s rubbed off. That negative, no-can-do mind set. For me, the next time I make an excuse or try and rationalize that it Can’t be Done, I’m gonna S-T-O-P the presses, Shake-Off yesterday and start coming around to the good life.
My agent in Texas actually noticed that something had come over me. They had a Big-Ass soda client asking for an audition that on the surface didn’t seem to have that much to wonder about it. Specs for the read were of the typical garden variety; voice should be personable…maybe with a wink here & there. Ahhh, but there was one startling wrinkle as they say, the spot was a :60 and there was 290 words of copy. I was initially resistant and asked my agent to convey to the client a consideration to edit out some words.
They wondered why I was counting words, whereas I would normally use them as a guide or key to develop the character. They were right…I was creatively shut down.
Okay, shake off the negative, forget for a second the spot defies the normal standard of 140 words per minute. Now, what sort of character could gobble-up all those words without it sounding like fast-talker John Moschitta, from the classic Amex spots. Chris Tucker-ish maybe? OR a Dennis Leary-ish rat-a-tat-tat patter could work. Hummm. Laid down a few passes of possible characters. Sure enough, had something that sounded right and came in at :60. Actually :60.2 seconds. Love not Like
Morale of the story – try and limit the negative influences…but, more important, catch what they’ve done to you early on. And they don’t need to be editorialized to anyone. You wind up, perpetuating and reliving them. And, you’re still thinking like them. It’s rubbed off. That negative, no-can-do mind set. For me, the next time I make an excuse or try and rationalize that it Can’t be Done, I’m gonna S-T-O-P the presses, Shake-Off yesterday and start coming around to the good life.
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