While discussing on what I should centre this column with my editor, he suggested I discuss the ways in which an amateur theatre piece is the first step on my road to making films.
After my brain digested this food for thought I was quite pleased with the mental gasses, as it were, that the neurons released (I know a brain fart is usually not considered favourable, but let’s try to change that stigma, shall we?).
This particular amateur drama society, or “am dram soc”, to quote Rowan Atkinson, is producing a musical as their first project of the year.
These productions give community members a chance to act, sing, dance or work back stage.
Although some members are veteran amateur actors, and others have embarked on a foray into the professional realm, experience is by no means a prerequisite.
Amateur drama gives ordinary people with an artistic flair an outlet for their creativity.
And a chance to jumpstart their potential future careers.
Since it is fairly easy to become involved with these productions (if you are prepared to commit for a few months), it gives you a perfect opportunity to absorb precious lessons about theatre and its mysteries.
For someone who wants to become the next Vivien Leigh or Marlon Brando (don’t worry, they were good), or the next Ingmar Bergman (don’t suppose you’ve heard of him either), I suggest taking the small, but undeniably significant, stepping stone of joining a local “am dram soc”.
Though I have a small acting role in the fun production, observing the trio of directors and reading through the script as an actor has taught me more than I could have learnt in the same period by scanning books with my corneas and printing them again via longhand.
In a broader sense, I’ve realised we shouldn’t view our goals as insurmountable climbs, but rather, we should seek out opportunities which can teach us the basics of the craft in which we seek to become proficient.
Many people have the ambition to become an infamous rock star, a fat cat model or a graphic writer, but lack the lustre to dive in and instead restrict the celebrity pool to but a few.
But, before we can reach our zenith, we must let our zealous selves burst out, similar to the ”xenomorph” from that ’70s movie.
This doesn’t mean I agree with those cat posters (or inspirational sticky notes people put up in their office), which say: “Taking the first step is the hardest”.
I’m not an expert, but from what I’ve heard and seen, it’s pretty darn hard to finish something once you’ve started.
You need stamina and persistence to break through, especially if you keep failing.
But, the truth of the matter is that once you start the ball is at least rolling, and it will likely end up somewhere else from where you are now (maybe I should patent that as a cat poster).
So, in lieu of only thinking about what the perfect set of steps is, just start doing something small.
You might even consider the particular venture to be beneath you, but sometimes we have to be grounded before we can take off.
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