Don Draper jumped right down her throat. While I can't remember his exact words (and the internet isn't helping me with an easy reference), they were along the lines of: Just so you know, people who say that believe that a monkey can do this job.
What Don observed was that in fact, presenting yourself through your work, honestly and with great personal risk, is what sells.
Sex is relatable. Most people do it, and most performers and entertainers have practice at it. For that reason, it can be an easy way to connect with an audience.
At the same time, nobody wants to watch a performer take the easy way out. If you are capable of more than fart jokes and easy drama, then no audience will want to watch you labor through old tropes. Leave that bullshit to people who can do no better, and bring yourself to your work. Offer the things nobody else can, and you will build a unique position of power in your creative community.
Most people cannot do what we do. Most executives will see sex (or violence, or stupidity) as a reliable, safe way to connect with a bigger audience, because those executives do not have the training or craft to find a better solution. If they did, they'd be filmmakers themselves. Remember that.
Your job, if you are on their payroll, is to leverage your experience to get the results they want. Give them better alternatives. If you are not on their payroll, your job has nothing to do with them at all. Either way, claim your authority. Offer the best of yourself.
Don Draper said something else: You are what sells. Give this community the best and most unique aspects of yourself, and you will be marketing yourself effectively. Soon, those executives will be aping your unique voice when they tell other artists how it's done.
Give us the future. Don't try and sell us the past.
0 comments:
Post a Comment