Proustian questions and Venetian masks (1)

Party game…

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Antonio: I think we should do a Proust questionnaire.

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Cecilia: What, on everyone? Too time consuming.

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Antonio: How about one question for each person at random? And we video their responses. Like they do in Inside Actors' Studio.

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Cecilia: Some of the guests are publicity-shy.

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You must not know who I am...

Antonio: OK. So they wear Venetian, you know...

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Cecilia: Blinds?

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Antonio: Venetian masks. I have a collection.

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Voice-over

Proust questions, a selection:

The principal aspect of my personality.

The quality that I desire in a man.

The quality that I desire in a woman.

What I appreciate most about my friends.

My favorite pastime.

My dream of happiness.

What would be my greatest misfortune?

What I should like to be.

The country where I should like to live.

The flower that I like.

My favorite bird.

My favorite prose authors.

My heroes in fiction.

My favorite heroines in fiction.

My favorite composers.

...

Leveraging in an interview

Beginning an imaginary interview with a real interviewer…
wh5: You are a very successful interviewer of a surprising number of top-flight film actors and actresses in your career and you've won prizes for your program, Inside Actors’ Studio. When did you start this program?

JL: In 1994.

wh5: And you have interviewed 200 of them. That’s about ten each year.

JL: Yes, about once a month on average.

wh5: You are 85 years old. Where do you get your energy to perform?

JL: I’m very low key. I know how to pause. I know how to listen. I ask short questions. And I leverage. Most of my questions require long answers from the guest. They do the work.

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Voice-over

So far, 200 of the world’s best-known actors, actresses and directors have been interviewed on Inside Actors’ Studio. James Lipton begins by noting achievements to establish ethos and relax the guest. Then he jumps out of the bushes with a surprise question – surprise is the drama. His guests are people who like to talk. That’s their job. And surprise sets them off.

Following James Lipton’s strategy, imagine you are interviewing a movie star.

(1) How would praise them? Establish the public image.

(2) How would you surprise them? Ask a private question. What do you think their reply would be?

(3) And finally, what Proustian question would you most like to ask the guest?

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