Celebrity

A lot of people get into show business obviously because they long to be famous. That's fine, don't begrudge them for it. Why else would you perform for people hoping that they will be so in awe that they hold you in high regard. It's what a lot of people want. Celebrity is also fairly scary. As I've written in the past, I go to these conventions where older celebs come out and meet fans. The thing is...we know them, and think we know them as people, but they don't know us. Never seen anything we do. So I'm sure they're a little taken back when someone can rattle off personal details. Perhaps, sometimes THEY didn't even know. Celebrity is a strange thing. This weekend I was doing a sound mix for my short film. And the mixer had been watching my film for a very long time. He had been watching the actress for quite a long time to get the gist of our project. Within doing so, you tend to make judgements on the talent. Nothing good or bad...just...judgements. He found her to be adorable and pretty and a girl whom one could fall in love with (as I was making a Spielberg type film. Most younger women in Spielberg films happen to have more of that vibe of wholesome crushes). Then we had to do dialogue replacement (term is ADR). She came in to do her dub. And he was just taken back. Here he was watching her on screen...acting...being someone else. The reality just hit him hard: she was sitting in the room with him. The power of celebrity, even as simple as this...was remarkable to hear later on. I feel this way when I've seen actors on screen and then...there they are in person! I saw Richard Dreyfus at the convention. Didn't seem happy to be there. Small person. Seemed like he didn't want to be bothered. I suppose they spend their time there being reminded moments of greatness. In common sense, we believe they would feel honored to be asked about certain roles. In reality, they either forgot, substance abused melted their ability to talk, or that they are tired of telling the story. I find the celebs who embrace their notoriety for certain roles to be the coolest. I spotted Tom Sizemore there as well, and he was very unhappy. He seemed to be suffering through the event (I read his biography). There he was...like I had seen him on screen. I think it's because we shouldn't think people in movies are real. They shouldn't come through the screen and talk to you like a normal person. They should have scripted lines. And you would play along. Their onscreen personnae should carry into the real world. But it doesn't work like that. They are people with flaws and lives. Disappointments, rejections, self=loathing. Like everyone who makes art embodies. It's not bad, because a lot of times...struggles make for better stories.