Casting is critical to the success of a film. Each story requires just the right combination of talent and chemistry, plus the lead star must have the “It” factor. Without it, the film cannot be anything more than a nice story. But with it, the film can rise to become a box office sensation or a classic that endures the test of time.
To stay fresh with my ability to spot the “It” factor in performers, I decided to follow last season’s America’s Got Talent. I watched the first episode that each artist appeared in and determined my picks for the top five acts. I then watched each corresponding middle episode to determine who would win by the end of the season. And then, I watched the finale.
The “It” factor influenced America’s voting and matched my top five picks. And yes, I guessed winner Darci Lynne after watching her second performance.
So, what is this illusive “It” factor?
Paul Strikwerda, voice actor and author of Nethervoice refers to it as charisma when he wrote, “Originally, the word charisma meant “grace” or “talent from God.” Later on it became the “gift of leadership, power of authority, or charm that can inspire, influence, and motivate others.”
However, the factor to which I refer is much more than charisma, although charisma plays a very important role. Other noted elements that make up the “It” factor include:
Confidence Built from Passion.
The person who is fascinated by some element of life and pursues it with gusto gains a great deal of insight and a certain level of expertise in that area. This gives him the ability to draw from a depth of knowledge and from his own subconscious when placed in a performance arena. The wealth instilled in his heart and mind boosts his confidence beyond the average person who works within any given field.
Ability to Connect with the Audience.
The vulnerable talent draws others to his performance through an emotional connection that few people are able to make with strangers. The connection comes from the performer’s perception that he is just like the people in the audience and he has something important or of value that he wants to generously give the audience. The desire to connect with the audience is always more powerful than the performer’s fear of failure.
Great Observation Skills.
The performer is able to constantly take in information about the audience through watching body movement or listening to their reactions. He then quickly makes slight modifications to the presentation on the fly so the audience can capture every nuance of the performance.
Purpose Driven Performances.
The talent draws motivation from deep within, which is so highly treasured that he’s willing to make a complete fool of himself in order to give the audience his precious message. He becomes relentless in making sure he is understood and the audience receives the benefit he set out to gift them. His purpose far exceeds the talent’s own personal value, giving him an ability to lay down his future for the sake of the audience he blesses in the moment.
Integrity of Mind, Body and Spirit.
The physicality of his facial expressions, his shared words, and the content of his message quickly flow together in unison with little thought. The talent is so consumed with understanding his piece and perfecting it so he can consistently present it live at every performance in the exact same way as if it were being performed fresh for the first time. And, when necessary, can completely change it on the fly based on any given audience’s circumstances, while maintaining its meaning and quality.
These above skills are intuitive to the talent. Many performers learn these skills in order to survive negative circumstances in their childhood. They chose to look at life positively in spite of their suffering and learn how to connect and communicate to improve life for all around. This subconscious “It” factor becomes the powerful tool that can make or break an entertainers career, as those with the “It” factor will always out perform and out last the highly skilled that lack it.
The Hollywood Reporter last week featured a story about Christian movies going blue. In 2012, Blue Like Jazz was a Christian film that tested the waters with drugs, sexual innuendo, binge drinking, and foul language. It caught the attention of many supporters, becoming the second largest Kickstarter funded movie at the time.
Many have asked me to clarify why I’m passionate about creating redemptive stories. The answer rises from the depths of my soul, which I find myself contemplating time and again. The contemplation is not a form of second-guessing, as I’m firm on my position, but it’s about distinguishing the gap between the two.
Frederick Douglass, in his Pictures and Progress essay wrote, “Poets, prophets, and reformers are all picture-makers—and this ability is the secret of their power and of their achievements. They see what ought to be by the reflection of what is, and endeavor to remove the contradiction.”
