Monday, October 20, 2008

Basic Beatitude 10/20/08

Any and all creativity...comes from the same place.
You just try to get out of your own way and let it happen.

Jeff Bridges
(Thank you Marty)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Blessed are they who step aside and let creation do its job.

There are moments in every artist's life when the work seems to do itself. I've noticed this in painting. Sometimes the brush just seems to know where it's going without me exercising any will power over it. And it has been even more apparent in my acting career. I can recall those moments that every actor hopes for, when the character seems to play itself. Some magical thing happens when something takes charge of my mind, my voice and my body and I'm just an observer.

For a lazy actor it may happen once or twice in a year's worth of performing. For a disciplined actor it will happen much more often. All the reading, table time, rehearsal time and home work the actor puts in prepares him for those moments. For a genius it may happen once a week.

There's a famous story, probably true, about Lawrence Olivier who had just given one of those inspired performances. It was so brilliant that many of the other actors were waiting for him when he came off stage in order to congratulate him. But he was in a fit of fury. When asked how he could be so upset after such an unusually magical performance, he said it was because he couldn't remember what he did.


DB Vagabond Journeys

6 comments:

Beth said...

Oh ho ho...I love that story about Olivier! I think the first thing saw him in, where I really noticed him, was many years ago, watching "Rebecca". I know that wasn't his greatest role, and that he was much more renowned for his theater performances. But that was the first time where I'd noticed him and I said, "Oh my goodness!" And this was maybe 40 years after that movie was made!

If that story isn't true, it ought to be. :)

Love, Beth

Ben said...

I can never remember what I just did. I must be more creative than I thought!

Great stuff, DB...

Ben
http://ben-better_left_unsaid.blogspot.com/

Lisa said...

Oh I love that, he was so into it he didn't even remember...wow.

Joyce said...

To have such concentration that you don't remember how you managed your achievment is hard to imagine. Interesting.
Hugs, Joyce

http://tagsandalittlechatter.blogspot.com/
P.S. Drop by some time.

Big Mark 243 said...

Funny that I read this ... I described being in a state I call 'sparking' after a good, strong performance in the ring, and I was still angry at what I didn't do, and couldn't remember how I did what I did!

I think that this happens to anyone who works at a craft to be the best that they came. And I am agree with what you said, the better at anything, the more that these moments of perfect clarity and wholeness comes into a synchronicity to the action!

Leigh/BlueDragonfly said...

That happens to me sometimes, especially when I'm writing. No idea how to harness it, it just is there.
:) Leigh