Americans love heroes. We define Hero as someone who is thoroughly grounded and knows the emotional territory. Heroes are generous because they allow the audience to see the world through their eyes.
As a young actor I was thrilled and terrified to be cast in my first film with Robin Williams. The film, The Best of Times, was set in a small rural town called Taft. I grew up in big cities and had no clue about the authentic behavior of small town folks. Convinced that I would be fired as an impostor, I hi-tailed it to Taft, and asked Sam a realtor, to show me a few homes.
Sam gave me the lay of the land and told stories about each family. I remember a tragic story of a family broken apart after the birth of their profoundly retarded infant girl. The emotional and financial pressure was too much so the father moved to Oklahoma. I still remember the crib in the corner of the master bedroom. Tiny pink pajamas were folded ready to be packed away.
Sam’s stories enabled me to smell, hear, and taste my character’s life- to sense what life was like in this town. With my homework done, I was prepared to perform.
When facing a new audience, don’t assume that your world view is the same as theirs. Do your homework and find out their concerns. What keeps them up at night? Find a story you can tell that assures them you know the territory.
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