Fears, Filmmaking and the Jeremy Renner Factor

Actor Jeremy Renner who stars in "The Town," “The Bourne Legacy” and “The Avengers” won't be held back by fear -- not his and especially not anyone else’s.

Jeremy Renner at "The Bourne Legacy" Premiere. Photo by Eva Rinaldi"That emotion conquers love, and that makes me sad." [After years analyzing the roots of his own fear] "finding out what I was afraid of, what stops you in life, what gets in the way." - "Fear is just not a part of my life -- so much so that if it's involved in somebody else's life and they're close to me, I won't be around them." - Jeremy Renner (in The Hollywood Reporter)

One of the most important takeaways from Jeremy Renner's quote about fear is not that it merely gets in the way of living life, but rather, how the presence of fear in others can stifle our own path -- if we allow it.

Knowing that fear holds us back, it seems senseless to adopt the attitudes and beliefs of people who try their best to convince us that we cannot achieve certain goals -- when deep down, they are probably insecure about or unsatisfied with their own shortcomings, complacency or disappointments with how life is turning out for them. These people are dream killers who would rather see their fellow man down and out than bear witness to someone, somewhere, actually making it!

So, identifying the solution is pretty simple, right? Just change the people that you are around and in doing so, your circumstances and outlook on goals will likely improve. A big problem arises, however, when the fear isn't coming from an outside source. How do we solve the problem of being our own worse enemy? This question has been ever present in my life recently, as I find that all of the pieces of my short film puzzle aren't fitting together the way I want them to.

I've wondered if I should just hang the whole thing up, if maybe I'm not supposed to make movies - or even direct them. I've wondered whether I'm meant to pursue another unrelated field in the arts or change my direction and start over in an entirely different industry altogether. I'm also aware, however, that many of my doubts regarding filmmaking stem from fears that were created by no one other than me.

Consistency in execution, particularly, making the visual interpretation of my script be just as good, if not better, than the screenplay that I think I took way too long to complete is a fear that grows with every setback, door closed, budgetary limitation and lost day that I experience while trying to get this movie off the ground.

I have no interest in making a movie just to make one or to be able to say I made one. I want to make a movie that elicits the same enthusiasm as the screenplay from which it is based upon. If that cannot be done, then I don't even want to bother making it. That's just it though -- we can't predict the future, so in the case of my film, I'll never know what kind of results or audience response will come from the production unless I keep it moving either beyond or through any fears and stay out of my own way.

Its much more productive to operate from a place of unrelenting ambition or forward thinking than it is to operate from a place of fear. Adopting the latter mindset makes us much more likely to fail and even critically acclaimed, award-winning Actors such as Denzel Washington knows that the quickest way to guarantee failure is by not trying to succeed at whatever it is that you want to accomplish -- whether that be in entertainment, sports, business, parenting, spiritual growth, relationships, dieting and nutrition, traveling, education or any other part of life that tickles your fancy. So, failure is not an option and I can put efforts into staying away from all of the fear inducing, dream-killing people in the world but I still cannot run from myself.

What are your thoughts on fear?

Have you adopted someone else’s (a parent, neighbor, family member, friend, co-worker, etc.) fears? If so, has it helped or hindered your life in some way?

Has fear ever prevented you from participating in a recreational activity, traveling to a particular destination or pursuing something of personal or professional interest?

Jeremy Renner is the October 2012 King Dong. He succeeds Gerard Butler on the throne.

Is a Movie Still Good if you don't Cry?

“I think it’s one of the nicest privileges as an actor is to know that you can move people in one moment, make them think about their lives, or make them laugh or make them cry or make them understand something. Or just make them feel something because I think so many of us, including myself, spend too much time not feeling enough, you know?” - Gerard Butler on inspiring fans with his role in "Phantom of the Opera"

Any film (or actor) that doesn't move audiences in some capacity is probably not worth making. On the flipside, audiences are so fickle at times that it doesn't always take profound storylines and stellar performances by on-screen talent to deem a film -- or acting performance, a success. That may explain how Denzel Washington wins an Oscar for playing a corrupt police officer in a crime drama that didn't break any new ground, yet, didn't even receive a nomination for his work as a historical figure in "Malcolm X."

It is also why Tyler Perry's comedy films (all of which my friend's boyfriend refuses to see because he deems them "black minstrel shows") made him the highest earning man in Hollywood last year -- he even made more than Steven Speilberg, a legendary director in his own right who brought us "JAWS" and "Schindler's List." Speaking of Tyler Perry, the quote from Butler above had me thinking about a little survey that I conducted with about one dozen people who went to see "Madea's Witness Protection" earlier this summer.

I did not watch the movie but went to a local theater that was showing it and I found out that most often than not, audiences aren't looking to feel anything. One of the women I spoke with told me that she enjoyed Perry's film because it gave her an escape and she appreciates movies that can help people take their mind off of things that they are going through in their lives. As I write this post, I'm also getting a quick flashback of the time I went to see "What's Your Number" starring Anna Faris with a friend who specifically requested that we watch that movie "because it's something light," to which I responded, "Light? Like a salad?!!" and my friend said "Yes, exactly! -- like a salad."

So while I do think that Gerard Butler is on to something important when he mentions that we don't really feel enough (and I can agree, especially in our Limitless-esque multitasking age of ever evolving technology and dwindling human connection), there are times when we actually DO feel -- maybe even too much. All of this is to say....

Can there be a healthy balance between meaty, emotionally driven or epic films and those that don't require a lot of thinking to enjoy -- making room for both types of films and the actors, directors, producers, etc. who make them? -AND- Does the quality of a film directly correlate with it's ability to move YOU or not?

On Casting Actors Like Gerard Butler

Actor Gerard Butler at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival

"I ran into Berkoff in the coffee shop downstairs and said, 'I'd love to read for this.' He said, 'Sure, why not?'-- I gave it everything. Afterward, the casting director came up to me almost in tears. She said, 'You're the best he saw in two days!'

Walking home was probably the happiest moment of my life, when there's an energy in you that can't be put down. I'd gone from handing out pages (as an assistant) to getting the lead role." - Gerard Butler on landing his role in playwright Steven Berkoff's production of Coriolanus.

This quote has me thinking about the casting process -- more specifically, a reminder to make sure to cast actors who put all that they have mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically, into their performances. What producer or director in the world would want to work with an actor who is only half-way in with regards to how they treat the roles that they're given?

Actors who show partial interest in the material and/or do not showcase their best efforts, abilities and talents during the audition become a liability to the overall quality of the film -- if they are selected for said role. Actors like this also create an imbalance within the flow of the production environment, especially when their fellow cast and crew members are working to the best of their ability to make the greatest film that they can, in the highest capacity they are able. When an actor gives a lackluster performance, the whole project suffers, for everyone involved. 

The part of Gerard Butler's statement that goes "...when there's an energy in you that can't be put down" is also worth noting with regards to approaching any career of interest. If there is something pulling us towards a particular position, shouldn't we give it everything we have in us, be it in the field of entertainment, law, medicine, hospitality, travel, fitness, the list goes on. If I don't put forth efforts to move my filmmaking pursuits forward, then there is no reason for me to do it. We shouldn't half-ass anything -- a task, a friendship, a project or a job.

There is no reward in being involved in something with one foot in and the other foot out the door. Just imagine if Kobe Bryant and LeBron James only put in 50% of their efforts during the London 2012 Summer Olympics -- the Gold Medal for Men's Basketball category would have probably went to Spain. You risk a loss when taking the half-way route, which is something I experienced while writing the first draft of my new short film script.

I've also realized more times than none this year, the importance of devoting all of my time, energy and attention to a cause that I believe to be just or a project that I want to witness come to fruition. That said, as I soon approach the casting stage of the short film that I finally finished writing, I'm seeking actors who can make a role their own and who will (as Gary Vaynerchuck says) bring the thunder by putting their very best foot forward.

If I'm giving this movie my all, then you better believe I'd expect cast and crew members working on this project with me to do the same. That is not to say I expect their best efforts to look like mine, but rather, I require -- at the most basic level, an effort showing themselves in the greatest light they've ever been in or at least matching their last "best" performance among the previous films that they worked on.

The concept sounds so simple and should come as second nature to any filmmaker making a movie. I didn't always cast for ability, however, nor did I adopt the practice of casting for passion. I would often cast for accessibility and budget, even going so far as to hire a total stranger someone else noticed on the road, sans audition due to scheduling restraints and mostly...impatience. That is one of the reasons why things have to be different this time around because it's better to go for the Gold (even if you end up with less) than go for the Bronze and get a bunch of wooden nickels. I want the Gold -- I want actors who give performances that movie casting directors to tears the way Gerard Butler did.

Do YOU think there's a difference between a good actor and a great actor...or are they synonymous with each other?

Can anyone define bad acting or is it something that YOU just know when you see it?

Is requesting or even expecting people who YOU work on a project with to be at their very best, too much to ask?

Also, here are a couple of Announcements…

Since I skipped the King Dong series in July and August, Idris Elba has upgraded from the June 2012 King to the Summer 2012 King, just so we can keep this thing rolling without any missing months. Elba's throne has now passed to Gerard Butler, who is the September 2012 King Dong. 

It's official, I am now a LAMB! -- On Wednesday, August 29th, I found out that my blog received membership into the Large Association of Movie Bloggers, otherwise known as The LAMB. So, be prepared to see additional blog posts about specific actors and film mash-ups published here at The Madlab Post.