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‘Avatar’ or ‘The Hurt Locker:’ What’s Your Performance Style?
March 8, 2010 – 7:28 amIt isn’t a secret that I really hated Avatar. (No seriously. I even blogged about it here.) That said, I was shocked that the James Cameron Pocahontas-meets-Fern-Gully-meets-The-Smurfs-meets-good-old-fashioned-racism three-hour waste of my time didn’t win best picture at last night’s Oscar ceremony.
Why?
Because it’s made several billion dollars. I’m not even exaggerating. It made billions.
That, and everyone assumed it would win. Because it used new technology. And it was in 3-D. And, it seemed like it was campaigning the hardest for the best picture win.
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| Where’s Gargamel? |
But, no. The big winner of the Oscars was The Hurt Locker. A little film that could, which wasn’t even originally put out in theaters in wide release. (I haven’t even seen it yet, although it’s going to be next on my Netflix. Is it even on Netflix yet?)
Substance won over style? Form over fashion? Quality over…crap?
While we can learn things from the Oscars (I learned that Meryl Streep is fast becoming the Susan Lucci of the Academy Awards), it’s rare to learn something we could internalize and use in our careers.
For example, as The Hurt Locker showed us, it’s better to produce quality work than something that on the surface looks awesome, but when one looks closer, is just a rehash of other people’s ideas. (Ever had your project blown out of the water by someone who knows how to put together an awesome Powerpoint presentation, but when person is asked questions about the presentation he totally mumbles something about having to run to a meeting or TPS reports?)
That said, and I hate to admit it because I really do dislike the film (in case you couldn’t tell), Avatar didn’t make an obscene amount of money for no reason. James Cameron tried out new ideas. And he and his producers certainly championed for the film. In your career, it’s also important to not be afraid to try out new things, and to let others know when you’re proud of your work. Because, if you don’t let others know about your accomplishments at work, no one will know. Or care. A little flash can get you the attention you deserve.
It’s something to think about, anyway.
So, did anyone else learn anything from the Oscars?
5 Responses to “‘Avatar’ or ‘The Hurt Locker:’ What’s Your Performance Style?”
Avatar was Fern Gulley meets The Matrix.
By Jean Groth on Mar 9, 2010
Nice! I like that, Jean. I am also amazed that someone else remembers Fern Gully!
By Jessica Livingston on Mar 9, 2010
Wow! I am amazed that folks remember Fern Gully, and though I’ve not see Avatar, I have seen the myriads of hype material about it. I never thought of Fern before but it’s in the brain now…
I learned that as an actor, sometimes you are born for a part. This was true for Meryl (Julia Childs), Morgan Freeman (Nelson Mandela) and Denzel Washington (Malcolm X). All three of these folks got passed up for Oscar for these roles and instead went to those who were in films that were popularized and well “campaigned”— Sandra Bullock instead of Meryl; Jeff Bridges instead of Morgan; Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman) instead of Denzel. Because the passed over folks make it look so easy, folks don’t see it as creative or landmark.Now I’m not saying that the person who got the award didn’t deserve it– they did in my book. What I am saying is that it gets me thinking about rewarding mediocrity and overlook tried and true talent/top performers.
This happens with our careers– some people are so good at what they do, we forget how good they are until they are gone. We all have the “steady eddies” in our companies. What we need to do is make sure folks like this are in a proper succession plan and that there are clear steps taken during the performance process to “check in” with them and ensure that they are engaged and helping to create real stretch opportunities. We should ensure that they are mentoring someone in the organization to build the upcoming workforce while at the same time, honoring them for their great knowledge and achievement. As the baby boomer population begins our journey out of the workforce, we have to start thinking like this in order to maintain the edge needed to compete globally. Don’t let the knowledge, skill and ability leave when people leave…
Oh and if you are a steady eddie, don’t get too comfortable!
Susan
By Susan Childs on Mar 10, 2010
i question some of your suppositions. i only know one person (a fourteen year old diehard fan) who assumed “avatar” would win… and was quite upset when it didn’t. most of my friends and associates thought it would be up “up in the air” or “the hurt locker.”
this is a business. and the oscars – which are voted on by people who actually work in the movie business, not by the public – often go to the film(s) that need the box office boost. these are usually very good films, which don’t have the attention of a wide audience yet.
if “avatar” won the oscar, it wouldn’t really change the take at the box office… it’s still going to do BIG business.
“the hurt locker,” however, will now make a lot more money – and a lot more people will see it – because it won the oscar.
so some people in the academy may have voted for it for that reason alone.
the other thing is that many of the voters in the academy are actors, who may not like the use of computerized CGI “actors,” who they believe may some day deprive them of jobs. i’m not saying that’s realistic, i’m not saying that’s going to happen… i’m just saying that some actors may think that way.
put all that together and – bingo – “hurt locker” wins best picture.
also, meryl streep is most definitely *not* becoming the susan lucci of the oscars. she won for “kramer vs. kramer” (her second nomination) back in 1972. and she won again for “sophie’s choice” a decade later.
susan lucci went almost two decades in which she was nominated 18 times for a daytime emmy, without a win. (she did finally win in 1999.)
what was being affectionately lampooned on the oscars was meryl streep’s ability to consistently deliver quality performances in high profile roles that earn nominations and awards… she also has 25 golden globe nominations (with 7 wins) and a bucket full of other major awards.
susan lucci was mocked (sometimes affectionately, sometimes not) for nearly two decades as a woman who could never snag the top prize. she was the “charlie brown” of the daytime emmys… a woman who never gave up, but who always had the football snatched away from her at the last moment.
not quite the same thing.
By DannyBoy on Mar 10, 2010
I didn’t see Avatar but I did see the Hurt Locker. Not really sure why that won either – it was a rehash of many other stories. Didn’t see any real story or character plots. Honestly, I think it won because it got diluted by the other nine moview or the politics didn’t want James Cameron to win another Oscar. Go figure.
By Jerry Kaminski on Mar 16, 2010