The Essential Work of an Artist

This year at the Sundance Film Festival, screenwriter and director Taylor Sheridan was met with boisterous applause as he came to the stage to discuss his new film, Wind River. "Why you do it," he said.

The life of an artist is seldom filled with such emphatic confirmation of why we do what we do. But when those moments come there is no doubt the life of a storyteller is an essential one. 

I remember two times in particular when either I, or someone in the same theater as me was so moved by a piece of storytelling it was clear it their life had been changed for the better in some small way.

Years ago, I saw one of my favorite stage actors Frank Langella perform in a play called, Frost/Nixon. (later made into a feature film) Just a few months earlier I'd arrived in New York bright-eyed and ready to grace the stages of the Shubert and Barrymore myself. It was a wonderful time in my young life. 

There's a scene in the play where Nixon is going on a drunken rant about how he's misunderstood and how he essentially won't allow the Watergate scandal to destroy him. I remember an elderly woman sitting in front of me absolutely riveted by his words and when Langella's monologue came to a close she whispered under breath, "Beautiful." She hadn't intended for a soul to hear her her. It was almost as though she was keeping a secret but she quite literally could not keep the words to herself. I want to make people feel the way Langella just made her feel," I thought.

A few years later, I went to see a film called, La Mission. The film is about a macho bus driver who can't accept the fact his son his gay. At the conclusion of the film, the director fielded questions to a packed house. The gentlemen sitting behind me was in tears as he muscled out the words, "As the father of a gay Latino son I want to thank you for making this film. It's so important we tell this stories."

There are many more accounts where there was no doubt this is what I put on earth to do. Of course, the moments are fleeting and frequently met with the ambivalence that stories matter. Sometimes I'm all but crushed that our culture doesn't value art the way it should. But all that means is you must double-down and protect your artistry even more.

I encourage you to watch for the next time you're at a BBQ, or delivering a presentation and you begin to tell a compelling story. People will, without knowing it, lean in and make sure they catch every word. 

Why? 

Because we all connect - through the human experience. Through stories. 

The Art of Language

One of my most influential mentors at Columbia was Anne Bogart. For those who don't know, Anne is an award-winning theater and opera director, the Artistic Director of SITI Company, and a truly gifted teacher. 

I learned a ton from Anne but one of the things I admired most about her was the way she took care of actors. During our weekly Collaboration Class she'd lean forward in her chair the entire 6 hours and never let her focus wane. She listened to each performance as if her life depended on it. And after each play she'd offer feedback that was constructive and energizing. She made you want to be better.

One of the ways she did this was by the language she used. Instead of saying, "That didn't work for me," or "I don't get it," she appreciated the courage it took to stand on a stage and be vulnerable. She'd say things like, "I support that," or "What if we tried this instead?"

Her manner of speaking inspired dialogue and critical thought rather than isolation and ridicule. I learned the way we interact with one another is everything both on and off-stage. 

Get Non-Artists Involved in Your Projects

Inspired by the 2015 Sundance Film Festival Premiere of the feature film Tangerine, shot entirely on three iPhone 5s smartphones, I decided to shoot a short on my mobile with a couple of close friends. 

Dan and Bill are medical professionals, not actors. Lured by my assurance, "You just have to be yourselves," and perhaps my promise to buy them dinner, they actually showed up on "set" (a restaurant) at their scheduled "call times." 

I had not clue what to expect, but was soon pleasantly surprised by the quality of their engagement. They both were not only terrific actors, but at times took on the roles of director, cinematographer, production assistant, and even script supervisor. 

What's more, they were insightful, curious, and clearly loved the critical thinking aspect of filmmaking. The three of us stumbled through ways to solve what to do about lighting, sound, and wide shots.

To say my film will not be at Sundance any time soon is possibly the understatement of the century. But it’s already proven a fun project worthy of my time and theirs...I hope.

Just because someone isn't an artist doesn't mean they're not creative. Get your non-artist friends and colleagues on board. They may surprise you.

Read Widely

By most accounts, I was a pretty good kid growing up. I never had much interest in getting into trouble, sparing my parents a headache or two.

This is not to say I was the perfect son by any stretch. One source of great anxiety for my mom and dad was my refusal to sit still and finish a book. I'd never seen my father come so close to weeping as he tried everything short of a seance to get me to fall in love with literature.

It took some time, but their efforts paid off. Books have become something I can't live without. They also played a very important role in making me a better actor.

By reading widely I was able to consider perspectives wildly different from my own. When taking on new projects, I began to think as a playwright, director, or producer might. Characters now leaped from the page becoming three-dimensional.

Discovering more about science, history, philosophy, and current events enabled me to connect a heightened sense of humanity to the plays and scripts I read. I began to rely less on just my technical training as an actor and get more in touch with what it really meant to be human.

Books pushed, stretched, and nudged me to think bigger.

They've served me well in my pursuit to become a great storyteller and beyond.