Who would play you?

Today you are to be a writer and a director.


You have been given a budget, crew, and actors. You are to film your life.  You auditioned the actors and found one that caught your attention. What would you tell this actor? How would he or she play you? Think of all of the generalities which you are certain are part of you.  Write them down.  (I love dramatic films, cry at the movies, get inspired by music, I am shy...) Think of all the details which you are also certain  belong to you. (no sugar in coffee, beer must be cold, like the smell of clean clothes....) Be specific and catalogue your day.  Every single activity. What were you thinking when you walked through the mall, drank coffee, spoke to your parents...how did you walk though the mall, drank coffee and spoke to your parents? Pick one of those moments and shoot it with your imaginary actor.  A simple task.  You walked out of the mall and went to your car.  Did you avoid looking at others? Did you smile at strangers? Were you thinking of your bills? Only you know - now, explain it to the other actor, in detail.  Look at how simple and yet how empty it can be, as so much has gone into who you are.


Your entire life has gone through you and your visions of the  future create or destroy your hopes and dreams.


This is the exercise.  Pick a sequence from you day, one in which you remember clearly everything you did, felt, thought, EVERYTHING,  and perhaps others around you.  Write a verbatim scene or sequence, script it.  Pick the actor or actors that will perform your scene.  It is not about an Oscar performance. Observe how they fall short or nail it.  Maybe one will surprise you  and elevate the performance.  This will  teach you to seek truth in characterization because you know the truth this time, unequivocally, as you are shooting a scene that no one knows better than you.