I’m a Princess Bride tragic. I’ve watched the movie more times than I can remember. I’ve read the book. And, like many people, the immortal lines from the story are a regular part of my personal parlance.
One of my favourite characters (among so many favourite characters!) is Vizzini, played by Wallace Shawn. He is the leader of the rag-tag group of bad guys who have kidnapped the titular princess (or princess-to-be, technically). And he has one of the most iconic lines of the movie. To him, everything is “inconceivable.”
To me, Wallace Shawn is so integral to that movie, that to imagine it without him is in itself inconceivable.
But it so happens that he wasn’t the first choice for casting that role. The original choice was Danny DeVito. (The second choice was Richard Dreyfuss, which just boggles my mind. Wouldn’t that have been a completely different film?) Actually, Danny DeVito would have made it a completely different film too.
The film would have been a DeVito vehicle which I feel would have detracted from the harmony and democracy (for want of a better term) of the eventual result. No one actor outshone the others (except for Billy Crystal who is a force of nature) and the characters could garner their natural attention.
However, the knowledge that Danny DeVito was first choice ahead of him really played with Wallace Shawn’s head.
In fact, Shawn said:
“Each scene we did, I pictured how [DeVito] would have done it and I knew I could never possibly have done it the way he could have done it. It made it challenging.”
It’s true that no one could have done it like Danny DeVito would have done it. But then, no one could have done it the way Wallace Shawn did it either.
(In fact, legend has it that Shawn was chosen because the casting director was so fond of his delivery of the word “inconceivable.”)
So what’s the point?
For me, I really feel for the angst that Shawn went through during shooting, since he was actually shooting something that would become a classic and doing so in his own inimitable style (and I use that word deliberately as Shawn described DeVito as “inimitable”). I think it can be relatable to anyone who creates something and realises there is a bigger, more memorable personality in that space. Isn’t that all of us at one time or another?
But also, knowing the challenge Shawn was facing, I’m so grateful he didn’t try and impersonate DeVito. Even as his mind was playing with him, he remained true to himself and his voice. That’s what makes his character work so well. He didn’t need to mimic DeVito. He just needed to be himself. That was plenty! That was more than enough to make that character pop.
How does that relate to you and me and our creative projects?
I’ll step out of the way and let my Creativity have a few words. (Emphasis on a few since I’ve already written half the blog post.)
Cheek! Just because Jessica’s verbose this week doesn’t mean I can’t be also!
Although now I can’t think of what to say. My mind is filled with accordion zebras. Think about it, now you can see them too, right?
Okay! Let’s briefly dip into “voice” (or “style” might also work, but for my purposes I’m sticking with voice).
You know what your voice sounds like, right?
Only you don’t, really. Not in the moment you’re speaking.
Do you remember the first time you heard yourself recorded and you thought, “Who is that random, helium-fed chipmunk with sinus problems who is saying what I just said?”
You thought it sounded all wrong.
To everyone else, it sounded perfectly normal.
The point? You can’t really hear your own voice, whether that be your literal voice or your writing voice or your distinct painting style or your choice in olives (maybe not that last one, but on the subject of garlic-flavoured green olives at lunchtime, why do people take issue with garlic that is going to stay with you [and, I admit, those around you] throughout the afternoon? Isn’t garlic the culinary gift that just keeps giving? Have I mentioned I like garlic?). To you what’s normal isn’t what’s normal to everyone else (doesn’t that sound creepily sci-fi?). And yet, the voice/style you create is what people remember and love and appreciate about you. It’s what makes you YOU.
So how do you create with your own voice/style without being able to hear/see/touch/smell it?
You get out of your own way. You be authentic. You create what you love and don’t let anyone’s expectations or preferences interfere with what you need to produce. Do what comes naturally and spontaneously and allow it to find its audience when and where it may.
People choose you (your writing, your art, your songs, your peanuts [Jessica’s having lunch right now, can you tell?]) because there’s something about your voice/style that they connect with, that they want more of. So be authentic and produce the things only you can produce (your interests in your voice).
And if people aren’t choosing you, cast a wider net and look for the people who might like you. Because if you love what you’re doing, there’s a good chance there are people out there who will feel the same.
Now, I shall hand back to Jessica while I try to figure out what kind of sound an accordion zebra would make.
There’s really nothing more to say at this point. Just be yourself. When you’re creating out of love you’re doing what only you can do with your voice.
There’s nothing we love more than authenticity in creative outputs. It will draw people, when you find the right people.
Now, I have a steak sandwich to finish.