Jonah Lehrer says in his book Imagine, “While most scripted comedies shoot fewer than four hundred thousand feet of tape – a finished movie is between eight thousand and ten thousand feet long – films that rely on improv typically require more than a million feet.”
Being the mathematically challenged that nerd I am, I put down the book after reading that line and did the mental math. So, If you’re an improvisational actor, only 1% of your acting would actually end up in the movie. Even better 99% of what you performed DIDN’T work (scripted or otherwise.) Ouch!
I wonder what it’s like to be an actor in one of these movies. How would it feel to take risks time and time again, knowing that most of it won’t pay off. You work all day holding out for that one great idea or witty comment.
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Is that the amount of rejection it takes to obtain greatness?