One of my favorite movies is “Cadillac Records.” It’s about the founding of one of the seminal record labels for American Blues. It and the movie “Not Fade Away” are must-sees for anyone interested in the birth of rock.
In the the movie, Beyonce plays Etta James. She is in the studio recording the famous tune “All I Could Do Is Cry.” The producer tells her it’s not good enough, that she isn’t putting enough emotion into it.
Beyonce (Etta James) records it one more time, this time with just a little more feeling than she’s comfortable with. She actually tears up during the song. The producer deems it a good recording, they use it for the record, and it becomes a best-seller.
It doesn’t matter what you’re talking about. It doesn’t matter where you are. Maybe you’re in the office delivering a dry quarterly sales report.
Let your geek flag fly. Take a little risk. Dig a little deeper than you’re used to. Give your audience just a little more than you feel comfortable giving. In other words, spill your blood onto the floor.
They will appreciate your effort, and they will start looking for that passion in themselves, too.
You might feel embarrassed and exposed, but your audience will be thinking, “I wish I could do that, too.”
By the way, yes, you are correct, the audio engineer is the same guy who played Dale in “The Walking Dead.” One of my favorite movies, and one of my favorite TV shows, all in the same email. I think I’m in heaven!