Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Every Human Emotion

So there is this commercial for an online university and at the end of it, a recent graduate of the online university steps onto an elevator to start her new life as a businessperson. She is very composed as the elevator doors close (see the photo to the right). Then, as the elevator rises, in the last four or five seconds of the commercial, EVERY HUMAN EMOTION CROSSES HER FACE! IT'S THE ACTING PERFORMANCE OF THE CENTURY, I AM NOT KIDDING! Without a word of dialogue, in a matter of scant seconds (allow me to reemphasize), this young woman creates a full character who HAS BEEN THROUGH IT ALL. She's scared! She's proud! She's happy! But there is a hint of tears - just a hint! - to let us know it wasn't easy. She has had to give up so much! I don't know, maybe someone she loved DIDN'T MAKE IT to see this moment. That's how deep this woman gets into her character. BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT! That's what dawns on her in the closing split second of the ad. You practically see her becoming a new person. You think I am kidding but just look out for this commercial. I don't know, maybe the "university" is a scam. Maybe! But this actor is doing her job! So often I just complain about everything I see, but that's only because I'm a jerk. Several years ago I was talking to an actor who used to be on a sitcom called "227." At the time, he thought he was too good for it, so he didn't put much energy into his performance. He said that years later, when he would see reruns of the show on TV, he would yell at his onscreen self: "Commit! Commit!" Well, this young woman really is too good for the commercial but she commits. All right!