The Greatest Showman #1003 - Eager to Try

In the previous life, Gravity achieved unprecedented success at the box office, grossing $274 million in North America and $723 million globally. With an investment of $100 million, it was a major profit for Warner Bros. Beyond the box office, Gravity also earned accolades, winning Best Director at the Oscars and a significant share of the video rental market. It was a rare case of both fame and fortune.

By comparison, The Tree of Life grossed only $13 million, while Gravity soared to success. The reason? The strength of Gravity lay not in its philosophical musings alone, but in its flawless blend of philosophical depth with narrative progression. In other words, it struck a perfect balance between art and commerce.

It's much like Inception. In the tension between art and commerce, Inception leaned a bit more commercial, with weaker artistic elements, which led to a higher box office but fewer awards. On the other hand, Gravity was more artistic, with slightly weaker commercial appeal, which meant its box office was lower, but it won big in awards.

This distinction reflects the differences between Christopher Nolan and Alfonso Cuarón. While many audiences criticized Gravity's script as weak and too minimal, Renly saw this as part of its brilliance.

Alfonso intentionally left a lot unsaid, relying on the actors' performances to fill in the gaps, leaving room for the audience to reflect and interpret. Aside from that, Alfonso adhered to the pacing of commercial films: in 90 minutes, the plot is fast-paced, constantly rising and falling, keeping the audience engaged without slowing down.

The deep, complex discussions Renly and Alfonso had earlier wouldn't be overtly presented in the film. Instead, they would be implied, with actors carrying the weight of these themes. Viewers interested in exploring the film's depth could do so, while those looking for pure visual enjoyment could appreciate the film at face value.

Renly admired the commercial side of Inception for capturing Christopher's unique style in audiovisual entertainment. Similarly, he appreciated Gravity's use of technology to push cinematic boundaries. These aspects were important to Renly, just as they were in Edge of Tomorrow. Not all movies need to be purely artistic.

What does this mean?

The deeper the discussion between Renly and Alfonso, the harder it would be for the actors to perform. All the weight of meaning and nuance would fall squarely on their shoulders. Especially with Alfonso's minimalism, the static camera positions and the actors' performances would be scrutinized to an extreme degree, demanding more of them while leaving less room for error.

This paradox created an almost absurd challenge for actors. However, this challenge was far from theoretical. In the previous version of Gravity, Sandra Bullock's performance was excellent, but the female identity she portrayed brought both advantages and constraints. Alfonso's perspective seemed to limit the character's depth to her gender, missing an opportunity to broaden the exploration of life beyond those confines.

This was the core of Renly and Alfonso's earlier conversation. After stripping away the gender aspects, the film's theme becomes grander, akin to the philosophical exploration in The Tree of Life, tracing the origins of Earth and humanity. This shift would increase the complexity of the actor's performance tenfold.

These requirements represent the ultimate challenge for any actor. And it's worth noting that Gravity is a one-man show, where every detail is magnified. Even slight mistakes would be exposed. For veteran actors, this would require immense courage to undertake.

But the difficulty of Gravity didn't end with the performance demands. As Alfonso revealed early in their conversation, the major technical challenge was the zero-gravity shooting, which took them five years to perfect. To achieve the right effect, the actors had to perform in true zero-gravity conditions.

Renly wasn't a tech expert and couldn't fully grasp the differences between zero-gravity shooting and a green-screen environment, nor did he understand how it would affect motion capture. However, he knew that shooting in zero gravity would be fundamentally different from the mixed approach used in Edge of Tomorrow.

Renly enjoyed performing in the West End, even when it pushed him to his limits, but the Gravity challenge was unique. It was not a stage play but a film technique that defied traditional rules, opening up new possibilities in cinematic storytelling.

Of course, performance skills remained fundamental, but the challenge of Gravity would push those skills in ways no stage production could. It was a test of balance, depth, and rhythm—an exploration of what it meant to perform in such a radically different environment.

Renly wasn't sure whether to approach the role through Method Acting, Expressionism, or a combination of both. The actor had to find a delicate balance, making sure that their performance didn't disrupt the film's pacing while also imbuing it with deeper meaning. The weightless environment only added to the complexity.

Gravity would be one of the most difficult roles an actor could take on. Not only would they be expected to maintain the film's commercial appeal, but they would also have to delve deeply into their character's psyche to maintain the story's artistic core. This was a rare challenge, far more demanding than simpler solo roles like Buried Alive.

Any actor with a shred of rationality might reject such an offer. The film's $100 million budget rested on the actors' shoulders, and box office success wasn't solely in their hands. Despite the possibility of a standout performance, there was no guarantee that audiences would connect with the film.

Unlike films like Titanic, Avatar, or Inception, which had obvious commercial attributes, Gravity bridged the gap between commercial success and a philosophical exploration. The film required actors to balance both aspects skillfully. This was why Alfonso insisted that the actors' performances were the film's core focus.

Without the actors' performances, the entire film would be hollow, perhaps even emptier than the self-reflective moments in The Tree of Life. At the same time, Alfonso could focus on the film's production, letting the commercial aspects unfold as needed.

Renly, however, couldn't help but feel excited. This was a different kind of challenge than stage acting or Edge of Tomorrow. It was a chance to explore the subtlety of weightless acting, to perform with restraint yet depth.

After The Cancer-fighting Me, Transcendence, and the Almeida Theater, Renly was once again faced with a new acting challenge, this time within the world of commercial cinema.

The life of an actor, it seemed, was always full of surprises. There was no room for complacency, for the thrill of breaking through a challenge and seeing the rewards was always worth the effort.

Reflecting on his decision the night before and comparing his current readiness, Renly couldn't help but smile. He had no way of turning down such a unique and intricate role, a chance to push himself to his limits. Perhaps it was like those childhood temptations—offered with lollipops and chocolates. For him, it was never about candy, but about finding the right challenge in a great project.

"So, about Ryan's partner," Alfonso mused, lost in thought. "We need to change the female character's role. She obviously has deeper significance in the grand scheme of things. Any suggestions?"

Renly blinked, a little stunned. "Sorry, I forgot, you... uh... you haven't agreed to join yet," Alfonso stammered, realizing he'd jumped ahead.