4.15.2008

Performance anxiety

My dreams were all about the zombie walk again. Specifically, how I've managed to fuck it up or not do a good job.

This time I'm in a huge movie theater full of people. It's an IMAX theater, it seems, with massive stadium seating, and we've just watched a promo movie hyping the next zombie walk. It's over and people are scattering, but I feel like I need to say something to them, so I rush down to the front of the room and attempt to yell over the din, but my voice doesn't carry at all. Someone hands me a microphone. I can hear my voice coming out in a comically distorted tone once I start speaking.

"Wow, I don't think I really sound like that, do I?" I ask the crowd, most of whom are ignoring me. I keep talking and talking and listening to my voice through the microphone and wondering why it sounds so hilariously obnoxious. Finally, someone changes the settings and my real voice starts coming out.

I make my announcement — I don't even remember what it was — and then go inside an equipment closet with my fellow organizers. Inside the equipment closet is a small spiral staircase. We go up it, and it gets smaller and smaller until it just ends.

Then we come back down.

Yep.

There's also some stuff knocking around in my brain about how we had some video that didn't get done on time, and there's a point at which I'm standing in the middle of a busy highway intersection.

Yep.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

here's some tip to totally get rid of this fear

CONFIDENCE
What it’s all about: Having confidence in your abilities to perform is the most surefire way to overcome stage fright. While gaining confidence is a long process, there are some methods for achieving the same results quicker by using visualization and just plain “faking it”.
Put it into action: If you have the confidence – great, just use it! If not, try one of these techniques. Before the show, close your eyes and imagine the show going perfectly. Picture every little detail. Repeat this exercise often. On the night of the actual show, act like you have confidence and some of it will rub off and help you perform better. More tips and articles at:
www.stagefrighthelp.com