WHIPLASH: What It Takes To Be Exceptional

It has been criticised for its inaccurate portrayal of jazz music. It has been slammed for seeming to encourage an ‘end justifies the means’ method of teaching in achieving greatness. But despite the sniping around the edges, to me, WHIPLASH provides an accurate depiction of sacrifice in the pursuit of personal success in the creative arts.

WHIPLASH tells the story of Andrew, a dedicated jazz drummer, who is training at one of the best musical conservatories in the country. When picked out for the ‘Studio Band’,  by the school’s most rigorous instructor, Terence Fletcher, he gets an opportunity to shine. Under the brutal, bullying motivation of his teacher, the drummer learns exactly what sacrifice is required to make it to excellence.

It is a film of ambiguous virtue. Fletcher is both a hero and a villain to his student. And this makes us both repulsed and intrigued by Fletcher. And the portrayal of brutal teaching methods reminded me of some drama school experiences that many actors talk of. Bullying, brutalising, humiliating.  Is this what is required to make it? Is fear the greatest motivator? Many believe it is.

No, for me, it is not. But it makes for great drama, and sometimes fear can be a powerful motivator and we do often need someone to push us beyond our own expectations, our own limits.

BUT, it cannot work by itself – when we experience too much fear, we protect ourselves from further harm. It is impossible to learn and grow in this state, the panic zone.

BUT the more you sugar coat it, the less effective it will be. At the same time, the more brutalising it is, the less we are likely to take the risks required to leap to greatness.  For me, it asks a bigger question. What does it take to achieve greatness? What personal qualities are there in that individual?

It’s easy to pass the buck to the ghostly notion of talent, but what really makes the difference between the best is what they are willing to do to succeed and the mental toughness that goes with it.  Every time this industry knocks you down on your ass, you have to get up. Like a punch drunk boxer, you may sway and stagger, but throwing in the towel should NEVER be an option.

Those with the right mindset won’t give up. It’s plenty easy to blame everything and everyone else, but at the end of the day, only you can give in.

Are you doing enough? Are you? If this is what you want, are you really ready to sacrifice for it? I honestly doubt it.

Why? Not because I’m a mean old bastard like Fletcher.

But because I know people, and people will always give themselves a reason to fail, an excuse. Sometimes the mind will even manufacture one for them. It doesn’t make them bad people, they are only human. But you can’t succeed through luck. Most people believe that success is for the lucky. You have to be in the right place and right time. But if you aren’t ready for it, it won’t matter how lucky you are. Does luck exist? Sure. Would you be willing to base a career on it? No.

Whiplash works because of the journey that the protagonist goes on, it shows us how he learns what it takes, but in the end, he surpasses his teacher, he no longer needs Fletcher’s approval, the standard, the expectation has become a part of himself.

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