there is an “i” in “introvert”
I just got back from seeing a read/sing-through of Embers, a “jazz opera in poems” based on Terry Wolverton’s novel in poems, at the L.A. Central Library. It was fun to see one art form morph into another, to hear words I’d read take wing against a background of black-and-white cityscapes.But it was just as cool to look through the program and read people’s bios, many of which said things like, “So-and-so has been collaborating with Terry for 30 years.” Thirty years! I feel like I’ve only been working with (as opposed to against) myself for about ten. Suddenly I found myself itching with inspiration, wanting to inhabit one of those loose Bohemian worlds where artistic projects flow together and apart, and you all grab drinks after play rehearsal.
The problem is, I suck at collaboration. I never liked group work in school, and I pretty much always try to wedge an “I” into “team.”
Myers-Briggs puts me somewhere between introvert and extrovert*, but closer to the former. This means I’m always negotiating our social life with AK, who’s a giant extrovert except for jags of introverted bookwormish-ness. And if I find hanging out sorta tiring, I’m thinking that creating an opera would be hard.
But earlier today, Stephanie texted me, “I’m thinking of adapting something from the commuters into a short film. Would you be into that?”
I’ve known Steph for a dozen-ish years, and we’ve already collaborated on such projects as:
- Working for the Daily Bruin
- Driving to Arizona to see Rent on a whim
- Keeping our apartment very dirty
- Staging a fake press junket
- Making out as Ginger and Mary Anne in The Tempest performed as Gilligan’s Island
- Giving the gift of interpretive dance when we realized we hadn’t gotten our newspaper adviser a going away present
- Throwing Stephen Sondheim a 70th birthday party
- Audio-recording a few stories from The Commuters
So even though part of me is like, Wait, do I have to write the screenplay? I don’t know how to write a screenplay!, I texted back, “Hell yeah!”
I’m hoping that I can just hang out on the sidelines and then get drinks with the cast afterwards. And still be in bed by 11.
*I know you’re all introverts. Extroverts don’t hang out on the blogosphere so much, unless they’re the type who take lots of pictures of themselves at parties and post them on their own little wannabe Perez Hilton blogs. But those aren’t extroverts, they’re narcissists, of which the blogosphere has plenty.
Comments
Hey, Rent is coming back to the Pantages this year!
Still, I acted in plays in HS and pursued cinematography for a number of years. I like the group with a purpose dynamic. The catch with film (professionally) is that it takes so many people and unless you're producing & directing, you don't get a lot of creative say. Also, if you're crew, you have to network constantly to get work which I find so very draining.
None of which I say to discourage you, because what your friend proposes sounds like fun.
And hells yeah is really THE ONLY response to that question.
TL: Well, there goes my blogosphere theory, unless you start posting party pics. Which would be sort of fun, actually, because I think you would throw good parties.
N: The only thing better than going to ALOUD frequently is being about to walk there (although parking is only a buck with validation, so I can't really complain).
DC: AK is an ENFP who sometimes tests INFP. I's need people too, they're just worn out by them as opposed to energized. That's why it's not as easy as just becoming a hermit.
As for myself, I start out the day very I and become more E in the evening, until I get really tired because I got up early to do all my I stuff.
plus i prefer to think of myself as inverted versus introverted.
also, i hope any short film version of the communters involves and animated sequence or two.
J: It looks like Steph is going to write the screenplay, but thanks for the offer! When Paramount calls me about the feature-length version, I'll give 'em your card. :-)