Walter White Teaches Us Branding 101

A continuation from Kevin Hart’s Lesson.

But how we create and negotiate those relationships will be unique to each of us. We are drawn to stories not because of plot, but because we are wired to watch how characters navigate through relationships.

Robert Mckee, the screenplay guru, breaks down the relationship dynamics of different mediums.

You can look at these platforms as writing, audio and video. The backbone of any platform is still relationships albeit expressed in varied ways.

Ivanna’s book is easy to digest. It’s conversational, and it is filled with stories from her experience as a coach. She has coached countless of Hollywood actors. Some of the most notable clients she had are — Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry and Jared Leto.

Ivanna helped her prepare for the role of Leticia. She’s a Southern Black Girl who experiences racism, misfortune, and misery. Leticia husband dies on death row, her son in a car accident and then loses her job.

Halle was insisting that she should research and visit the South. She wanted to interview a woman who has experienced this kind of misfortune. She wanted to work on the physicality of the character — how Leticia would talk and move.

Ivanna acknowledged the importance of the external physical movement but she was missing the point.

We will never know what it feels like to be a drug kingpin, a knight, a wizard, or a taxi driver.

We root for them because we can resonate with their pain.

We watch, on the edge of our seats, because we see them use this pain to achieve a goal. We cheer for them.

Walter White is a complex character. In the finale of Breaking Bad, Walter reveals his reason for becoming a drug kingpin.

In his terminal cancer diagnosis, he realised that he was drifting in life. Upon seeing that death is imminent, he decided to take the bull by its horns and live life to the fullest. He finds his life’s work and went all in.

Walter is a dead man walking — much like you and me. The pain of not fulfilling our true potential is universal. We can resonate with that. This is where we start cheering Walter in his journey. We are living our life through him when we watch another episode. We root for him to obtain power.

Life became less black and white when I began acting. It was not good vs evil. I saw life in myriad shades of grey.

I’m not saying to go out and make drugs or kill people. I hope you get the point.

People resonate with us when we show them our pain. But pain is not the end goal. We use pain to achieve a goal. And this goal leads us to the most important tool in acting — Overall Objective (OO). For simplicity’s sake, let’s call this bliss. (coined by Campbell)

Bliss should be primal and caveman-like.

That’s about it. Nothing fancy.

In real life, we want all those things — power, love and survival.

But focus on one primal need to make your brand complex. If ever you choose love, it will be so intricate it will take a lifetime to discover.

Walter White wants power, Jon Snow wants to protect his family, and Travis Bickle wants love.

In the development of your personal brand, be clear on what it is that you want. Are you looking for love, validation, power or survival?

Where is this coming from? Identify a commonality of pain that people will resonate with.

I have guided hundreds of actors find theirs. I have coached kids, teenagers, and adults. If you look hard enough and be willing to open up your emotional life — you will find it. It is time to uncloak your armor.

Stop telling your story like you are an omniscient being. You are not. We are all broken inside. But that is what makes us unique and colorful.

Own it.

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