Abel Brainz Digest, Vol. 36 - January 23, 2024
Late again?!?!
I blame Covid and losing track of the days. Do I lose track of the days regardless of health? No comment.
Let's get to it.
cool movie stuff
I rewatched Fargo this week. It's criminal how good that movie is.
The listening!! There are some fantastic reactions in that movie because the actors are just there: listening and then reacting. File it under cliche but true - acting is reacting.
cool book stuff
Still reading Brave New World. Started Bird by Bird and I Had A Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story. I don't know why I do this to myself. Fear of commitment? No comment.
This passage from Bird by Bird jumped out at me and is worth a read:
Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.
-Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Despite it being about writing, it absolutely applies to improvisational and scripted acting. In classes at both Drama Inc. and Dad's Garage, so many of us try to follow rules, or try to 'get it right.' To spare you my TED talk, remember two things: your choices are enough and if they knew what they wanted, auditions wouldn't exist.
cool acting stuff
Almost done with the most recent THR Actor's Roundtable. (Three of the five nominees are in the convo) Jeffrey Wright's comments on making stuff with people he likes, aka collaboration, being his favorite thing now really hit home. Excited to watch the rest of the films (probably in 2026) and the roundtables.
That about does it for me. Back to waiting out isolation. Thank goodness the symptoms are mild and almost gone.
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Much love,
Abel