A Fool and his Words are Soon Parted

Death and Acting: Managing Your Emotional State August 19, 2013

In 2003, my father passed away, after struggling with a variety of health issues. On the day he died, I was working in the data center of a bank in Chicago, being almost unreachable to my younger sister, who had been trying to call me for several hours.

About a week ago, I found myself in front of a movie camera, acting with a couple of very experienced film actors. The the scene was about three minutes long, having me deliver some bad news to another character, who happened to be played by a fairly recognizable face in the film industry.

These two events may not seem connected, but for me, they are. In both of these situations, circumstances required that I manage my emotional state. In the case of Dad’s death, managing my emotional response was a matter of safety. In front of the camera, managing my emotions helped me to not “die” on camera.

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