Hello beautiful people!
Let’s throw a dinner party!
Television gold!
NOTE: They keep taking the episodes down and closing down the accounts that upload them, but from time to time, you can catch pieces of the show’s four-year run by combing through this list. Originally the official Dinner for Five channel had ’em all up at YouTube, so the fact that those vids came down *and* these others keep going away makes it seem as though there’s been an acquisition of these old episodes probably as a part of a deal for developing new episodes. Netflix, maybe? Keep us posted if you find a better link or if you hear about a renewal of this brilliance.
You may recall from Day 29 that when I EP’d Your Actor MBA, it was shot “dinner table style.” No wine and food and cigars and such, but the same basic elements meant to educate actors about the business of a showbiz career.
It’s just a really stellar formula. It creates magic! It’s incredibly revealing because the format is so relaxed for its participants. It’s just a dinner party! Of course we’ll share all sorts of goodness. 😉 Naturally!
Of course, it’s not only about gathering good people; it’s about creating great chemistry. Basically, you’re playing casting director, here.
Today’s work: Play the “fantasy dinner party” game. Write up who’d be at your Dinner for Five. Do at least three versions of this! One table includes folks living or dead from anytime in history. Another table includes only people with whom you could actually intersect at some point, possibly a pace car, someone from your leader list, perhaps folks already in your “top five” (all from work we’ve done in this course). And definitely there’s one table with some of your targets whose web of trust connections you can already see in your life.
Really think about whose company would enhance the experience of every other participant in this event. Whose stories would complement one another’s stories? Whose personalities would click, which folks would “yes, and…” one another, who’d leave the event better off for having experienced these fellow diners? Why is it that each of these folks gets on the list? Is it their charisma, their history, the stories they will tell, what you could learn from them, what they may tell you about perspective on your journey, that they will invariably make you laugh, what? Really think about what attracts you to a certain population. And think about what you could give back to it. That bit’s pretty important! #CreatingTheHollywoodWeWant
Extra credit: After you’ve written up each list, write up the invitation. Heck, get going with some calligraphy if you’re so inspired! Pick a date on your calendar (How long do you feel it might take to get to each particular party’s table, in your life as you travel toward your true north?) and map it out. Create the vision board, image folder, or Pinterest collection of images from each of your dinner parties. Set the table, select the color scheme, choose the menu items, pick out the wine, and arrange all these beautiful people around your table. Write up some of the questions you know will lead to great Brandprov while also revealing awesomely juicy tidbits about your guests’ processes, their WHY.
Really dig in and journal about how each of these parties go! Journal either in present tense — as if we’re experiencing the dinner party right there with you — or in past tense — as if you are headed to bed after having hosted a brilliantly successful dinner party, writing up the night’s events before you go to sleep.
Share some of your writing here! You will be amazed at the inspiring energy this deceptively simple exercise unlocks.
’til tomorrow… stay ninja!
