Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

Lebron James was in the zone last night. He scored 46 points and shot 73 percent from the field including 7 for 11 from the 3 point line. An absurdly great and efficient performance. Over the years, athletes and artists have described what it feels like to be in the zone. “A flow state”, “EverythingContinue reading “In The Zone”

A most generous thing you can do for any artist, whether it be a project you’re producing or just a friend who’s struggling to finish something… Think creatively, call them up and get them to agree to an arbitrary deadline. Maybe it’s a small group reading of their script? Or an entry into a contestContinue reading “The Gift Of Your Deadline”

“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” -Maya Angelou, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings “Two weeks.” In the hilarious film The Money Pit, that’s the answer given to Walter Fielding (played by Tom Hanks) whenever he asks how long the renovation will take. Walter knows better,Continue reading “Two Weeks”

Feeling stuck? Not knowing where to go, what to do next? That’s okay. Look around. Find someone who’s not stuck. Who knows what they want to do but could use some help doing it. Reach out. Give them a hand. Help them through. Now you’re active. You’re in motion. You’re unstuck.

Inaugurals are always exciting. They represent something new. The “first of” something. A blank slate. A clean start. But really we should think of them as marking the halfway point. Like zero on a number line. A ton of hard work happens before the inaugural event that often goes un-noticed. The political and “get outContinue reading “Inaugural = Halfway”

Learn the lines exactly as written. Every word, every pause, every punctuation mark. That writer sweated the details. They poured over the script hundreds if not thousands of times to get the rhythm just right. It’s a gift of a part you now hold in your hands. The least you can do is learn theContinue reading “Learn The Lines”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘outside agitator’ idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never beContinue reading “Letter From A Birmingham Jail”

A common goal-setting exercise is to ask yourself the question, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” It’s designed to help unlock all sorts of dreams, desires and thoughts inside you, some maybe you didn’t even know you had. It’s a wonderful creative exercise to unleash the subconscious. But let’s flip theContinue reading “What Would You Do If You Knew You Were Gonna Fail?”

“More people went to the theatre in London when I was reviewing then went to Church. This would be a very good thing if the theatre took itself seriously. As a factory of thought. Of social conduct. An armory against despair and dullness. And a temple of the ascent of [humankind].” -George Bernard Shaw ItContinue reading “It Takes A Lunatic”

“What if I come with you Lee?…What if I come out with you to the desert?” –True West by Sam Shepard “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -African Proverb Yeah, you could go at it alone. But it’s nowhere near as fun as when youContinue reading “Co-Conspirators”