Sucker for Detail

SUCKER FOR DETAILS

Last year

I (once again) went through a lovely cycle of “I have no idea what I’m doing”

During my reflections on where I felt stuck

Some curiosities emerged

And these curiosities eventually transformed into questions

I then thought very carefully about who I would love to ask these questions

Two actor’s came to mind

Two phenomenal Australian actors

The kind of actors most of the general public wouldn’t exactly remember the first name of

But the kind of actors who are revered within the industry 

The kind of actors other actors hang about on set to watch because they know special work is about to happen

The kind of actors producers fight to the death for to convince the money people to invest in

Why?

I literally had a producer tell me

“They are kind, respectful and rock up on time”

“They are technically brilliant. Not only that, they make other actors around them better - they genuinely lift the calibre of everyone’s work on set”

“They are no fuss - they don’t bring their baggage to set” 

“So that’s why we try to convince the money people to say yes - the way we see it, it’s an investment in the production”

Mmm

That sounds yummy

“I want to be like that when I grow up”

I said to myself

So, off I went 

To hunt these two actors down

Eventually 

I found them

Sitting in a cave on a far away misty mountain top

Nah, I found them both on set

Which, of course, is where they are most of the time

In fact, one of them I’m lucky enough to be filming with at the moment

Which has been great, because not only do I get to hear great advice

But I also get to see the physical manifestations of their ideas - ie, their actions 

How they walk the walk 

So

What did I learn from these two craftsmen?

Well

Funnily enough

Both conversations led to the same point

They are both suckers for detail

“Almost every problem I have witnessed on set, I believe it boils down to an actor being too general”

“Vice versa, almost every solution I can see on set, I believe it boils down to an actor being more detailed in their work”

This was great to hear

But how did this look in reality?

Well

Last week I was filming

All day

And by the end of the day

We were doing a wide shot

Me and this actor were far in the distance

Just before the 7th and final take of the day 

One of these actors came rushing up to me and said 

Great Actor: “Mike, it doesn’t quite make sense that I’m point that extra in that direction does it? If the hospital is this way then why don’t I send them in this direction instead?”

Me (thinking about dinner): “Umm, yeah, that does make more sense”

And I can tell you, this actor is like this all day, every day

He doesn’t stop

He doesn’t stop following his curiosity 

Each little moment

Each little take

Add in some compound interest

And booyaa

You have a bloody generous creative

So 

Be a sucker for detail 

Or 

More specifically 

Keep following your curiosity - It will allow the details to flow

Which brings a wonderful quote come to mind 

“Follow the golden thread of what is meaningful and interesting

It will lead you out of the maze”

Hope this helps

X 

Sheasby 

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