The Vs. Studio Blog

“A writer – and, I believe, generally all persons – must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.” -Jorge Luis Borges

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” -Romans 5:3-4

“Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.” -William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” -Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

No one wants to suffer.

No one knows why we suffer.

But we do get to make meaning from our suffering. That’s what makes us uniquely human.

Think of it all as clay. Use it. Shape it. Make it into a beautiful bowl that you can give someone else to help them when they suffer.

And by doing so, you give a gift to yourself too.

“When they touch down, we’ll blow up the roof, they’ll spend a month sifting through rubble, and by the time they work out what went wrong, we’ll be sitting on a beach, earning twenty percent.” -Hans Gruber, Die Hard

I’ve been in this town so long
So long to the city
I’m fit with the stuff
To ride in the rough
And sunny down snuff, I’m alright
By the heroes and
Heroes and villains
Just see what you’ve done
Heroes and villains
Just see what you’ve done -song “Heroes and Villains” by The Beach Boys

Setting morals aside, perhaps one reason we find movie villains so compelling is that they know exactly what they want, why they want it and then are willing to pursue that want at all costs.

Most of us wish we could have that kind of clarity and single-mindedness of purpose.

Well, we can.

And the good news?…We don’t need to be villainous or immoral in the process.

We just need to take some time to figure out what we want and why we want it.

And then commit to taking daily and consistent action towards achieving it.

If we do that, then we’ll be heroes.

May the good Lord shine a light on you
Make every song your favorite tune
May the good Lord shine a light on you
Warm like the evening sun -song “Shine A Light” by The Rolling Stones

One of the great and beautiful things about being a producer is you get to shine a light on projects and people that you feel are deserving.

And over time, you realize that the feeling you get from shining a light on others is so much more fulfilling than shining a light on yourself.

Either you’re all in. With your whole heart.

Or you’re not.

There’s just no in-between.

Read this phenomenal excerpt from David Whyte’s book, “Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity.” (H/t to Billy Oppenheimer for providing.)

After years of loving the work he was doing at an environmental nonprofit, David Whyte started to burn out. On one particularly bad day at the office, “I felt as if I didn’t have an ounce of energy left to do the work I had been doing,” Whyte wrote. “I was so exhausted, so burned out, I just went home.” That night, as he often did, Whyte met up with a close friend—a Benedictine monk named Brother David Steindl-Rast—to read poetry over a couple glasses of wine. As Brother David read aloud, Whyte tried to follow along, “but I had my day on my mind, and the mind-numbing tiredness I was experiencing at work.” “Brother David?” Whyte blurted out, interrupting the reading. “Tell me about exhaustion.” Brother David studied Whyte’s face for a moment, saw both the seriousness and the exhaustion in his eyes, and replied, “You know the antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest?” “The antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest,” Whyte repeated, making sure he heard him right. “What is it then?” “The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.” Brother David was one of the few people who knew that Whyte secretly wanted to be a poet, a path he’d stepped off of years earlier in favor of a more practical, sensible, respectable one. He also knew that suppressing what you really want in life is quietly exhausting work. “You are so tired through and through,” Brother David said, “because you are only half here.” The other half is constantly, invisibly at work—day after day, year after year—consumed by the task of pushing aside your deepest desires. And the strain of keeping up that kind of divided, half-here existence “will kill you after a while,” Brother David said. “You are like Rilke’s Swan in his awkward waddling across the ground…You only have to touch the elemental waters in your life,” stepping back onto the path you know you belong on.

“Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Fate whispers to the warrior, ‘You can not withstand the storm.’ The warrior whispers back, ‘I am the storm.'” -Unknown

“I was born for a storm, and a calm does not suit me.” -Andrew Jackson

It is said that buffaloes run into a storm. Cows run away from a storm.

At first glance you might think this is a metaphor about courage.

It is that, but it’s also about prudence.

You see, the cow turns away from the storm and moves with it, thus prolonging the suffering. But the buffalo, by heading into the storm, shortens its time in the storm. It gets to the other side much quicker.

When adversity hits, don’t run away. Turn and face it head on. Go right through it.

Be the buffalo.

P.S. – Speaking of storms, this scene. One of my all-time favorites!

This past Saturday, my son Callum and I attended the Lakers v. Nuggets game. It was probably the greatest NBA game I’ve ever seen live. Incredible plays, back and forth action, Crypto Arena was absolutely bonkers. It’s a memory we’ll always have together, and I’m so grateful for the experience.

For the Lakers though, it’s just another regular season game. One out of eighty-two. The next day, they had to fly to Houston and play the Rockets. As fun and special as that Nuggets game was, they had no time to linger. Gotta move on.

That’s what being a professional is all about. Whether it’s sports or theater or live music, etc…you need to bring it every single night. That’s your job.

Now the reason you should love and embrace this job?…For you, it’s just another game or show. For the fans and audience though, it may well be a night they will cherish forever.

What a gift you get to give them.

So, bring it.

Every single night.

P.S. – This clip. What a shot!

“How long must you wait until you demand the best of yourself? -Epictetus

Seriously, how long?

If not now, when?

If not you, who?

Go make your art.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” -Joseph Campbell

You know you’re on the right track with an idea if you’re initially drunk with enthusiasm at the prospect of doing it. And then the next day, stone cold sober with fear at the prospect of doing it.

Be grateful you’re feeling something! Most people walk around not feeling anything (or trying not to feel anything)

Now go do it.

Etymology: “Coincidence” originated around 1600 from the Medieval Latin coincidere, meaning “to fall upon together.” It combines com- (“together”) with incidere (“to fall upon”), derived from in- (“upon”) and cadere (“to fall”). The term literally refers to events, spots, or properties that “fall together” or occur simultaneously.

“In mathematics, two angles that are said to coincide fit together perfectly. The word “coincidence” does not describe luck or mistakes. It describes that which fits together perfectly.” -Wayne Dyer

Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?

The Master doesn’t seek fulfillment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things. -“Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu (Stephen Mitchell translation)

All kinds of amazing coincidences happen when you are clear about what it is you want and why you want it. (That may take some time and deep, inner work.)

The coincidences were always there. It’s just that the mud is removed and you can now see them.

The universe rewards clarity of intention (Angle #1) coupled with continuous action (Angle #2).

For the actor…

We’ve all heard the adage, “acting is listening.”

That doesn’t mean staring intensely into the eyes of your scene partner with all your might.

It just means, actually caring about what they have to say. And then taking what they have to say deeply personally.

If it helps, change the adage to “acting is caring.”