Influence and I

First off, I consider myself relatively mutable, and get rubbed on more often than rubbing off. I've been influenced by literally every person I've ever met, in real life, or vicariously through songs, movies, shows, etc. Three creative personalities that I respect and that have influenced my perspective are MF Doom, Rob McElhenney, and Ricky Gervais.

MF DOOM

MF stands for 'metalface', and MF Doom is Daniel Dumile behind a metal mask. The mask is a symbolic part of Dumile's persona as MF Doom, representing the concept that rappers should be known by their lyrics, message and voice instead of their face. Doom is one of the most talented wordsmiths that I've come across in any genre of music, indeed in any genre that deals with written word. He often rhymes in multiple syllables that cross multiple words, has a clever handle of assonance, and is well-versed in the art of the pun and double-entendre. This last facet of his expertise means his songs are dense with meaning, his texts have subtexts that allow the listener to interpret the lyrics on multiple levels.

Doom's verses are juicy slices of diction steak, and I envy his command of the english language. His work has influenced me to think deeply about each single word I include in my work, and how words can work in different ways.

Rob McElhenney

Rob McElhenney is the creator, producer, writer and actor in his show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I enjoy watching shows and movies that have vertically integrated talent because the dynamic between the writing and acting is always more fluid. Consolidating talent also provides for a clearer identity for production, at the possible cost of being too mono-dimensional. As an artist, Rob McElhenney cited his anger as his primary muse for creating the show. Frustrations with people and situations can be flipped from being serious to being hilarious.

The strong affinity between the main characters' personalities is best illustrated when contrasted with other minor characters outside their group. The Sunny crowd is extremely loud, rude, and inconsiderate to the point of being unrealistic; but this is what attracts an audience. Viewers love to watch the characters bicker with each other and make a scene in public places. While some of their dialogue is improvised, the quick pace and mean tone of their lines are two things I enjoy and try to emulate when writing for my own show diculous.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant are the creators of The Office, a BBC One sitcom that has since been adapted and butchered for an American audience. Gervais is another creative personality that writes, directs, produces and acts in his own work. The docu-drama style of The Office has been borrowed by other shows (Parks and Recreation, It's Always Sunny, Arrested Development), as it is a great way to create tension by making the diegesis of the show feel less scripted and more organic. The Office is a unique show in that the tension that builds as scenes progress is released incrementally as the situations become more awkward, instead of being released at one single point.

I also enjoy the interview segments of The Office; listening to the employees report and reflect upon what has happened gives the viewer a peek into their minds. The interviews allow the audience to contrast the subjective views of each character, a fertile plot for growing humor.