“Gibson may be a lunatic, but he’s our lunatic”…
These are words from the Boston Globe’s review of Mel Gibson’s 2006 film, Apocalypto.
He’s got lovers. And haters. Of his films. His acting. And him.
He’s had his own share of scandal. With his personal struggles broadcast in public… and his private life picked apart by the media. People’s views of him are often polarized.
I think of him, mainly for his acting. And I’m talking WAAAY back… to pre-2000s stuff. I have fond memories of Lethal Weapon and Mad Max.
And there’s plenty of his films I should have seen… and want to see (one day?)… but haven’t. Yes, I’ve never seen Braveheart. And then there’s The Passion of the Christ. Somehow, seeing that slipped me by.
Whatever you think of him personally, his acting, and film production work…
He shared some words in his candid interview with Deadline.com that are super-helpful. They’re a welcome reminder for me as a writer. And particularly, a daily-email writer. Might be helpful for you too…
They talked about the film, Apocalypto, that he directed and co-wrote.
He mentioned that sometimes films like this don’t do so well at the box office.
But then people see it and their responses tell a different story.
Gibson says:
‘It has this life where people see it and they go “Whoa,” and the feedback is really amazing, so you know that you’ve hit.’
For him, it’s more than just the critics’ responses. Or the upfront ticket sales.
He continues:
‘And the end of the day, it’s what did they think of that? Did they get something from it? Were they entertained? Were they educated? Were they elevated? [emphasis added] Were they all three? You know, which is really good? Entertain, educate, elevate.’
And finishes by saying:
‘If you can get all three of those, you’ve got the Trifecta going.’
To entertain, educate, and elevate is one of the guiding principles for the emails I write.
It’s like this…
One of the mentor-level email marketers I follow, picks up on Mel’s “trifecta”…
But says it’s not just something to aim for. As in: 1 or 2 are great. And 3 is best.
No. He’s like: All three — EVERY time!
And I’m TOTALLY in agreement. Sure… not always hitting the mark on execution. But we’re getting there 😃
And these are good guiding principles for many other types of content. Whether it’s blog posts. Or YouTube videos. Or ebooks.
The “3-Es”:
Entertain… not just being funny. But being engaging. Something your audience is interested in reading.
Educate… not just “do this and that”. But through stories. In sharing my own experiences.
Elevate… not just a warm feeling. But offering a path to transformation. And opening up possible steps for this. Including sharing products that can solve problems people may be struggling with.
What may be considered entertaining, educating, and elevating is largely in the eye of the beholder…
I have more than an inkling… as I get to know who I’m writing to.
Sometimes people tell me I’ve done it well. They’ve enjoyed the email. Learned something. And now have some action to take.
And I’m grateful for that feedback.
Today I’m going to poke a little harder for that…
What feedback do you have for me?
Like:
Are there things you’d like me to write more about? Less?
Are there questions burning a hole in your cerebral cortex that you’d appreciate me tackling?
Are you sick to death of me using the “wrong” emojis? Or not enough of them!
I’m a big boy… and can take critiques 😎
Trusting you’re getting some R&R time this weekend.
Go well!
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EmailForTheWin.com
Chris Milham