George Owens
A Reel Life Story
Living life at frame rates of 24 frames per second
You’re everything to the audience
But fading fast to those who really know you
Your debut seemed forced yet you were extraordinary
The celluloid capturing you as you really are
You seem so different caught from this aspect ratio
The camera angle casts a cold blue shadow across
your pretty unblemished face
Your next emotion depends on their latest film review of
Fall From Grace
“She’s brilliant!” they wrote, “So exquisite!” was added
Now you’re happy and you smile again, no longer saddened
“She’s lost her edge,” wrote he, “She’s too over the top,” said she
Now you’re sad and depressed and refuse to
rehearse the next scene
You’ve become the role, you live the part
You memorize the lines but forget to smile at your co-star
I wish for time to reverse, the cameras to rewind
It’s time to cap the lens, torch the props
and send the extras home
Drive the location crew back to the studio
Wash your makeup off; give the black dress back to Wardrobe
Leave the script on the table; tell Casting you’re through
Your stand-in’s waiting, it’s her big debut
She’s shining; it’s her shot at the lead
Hand it to the director, she looks a lot like you do
Kubrick couldn’t have done it cleaner
Hitch would’ve been a jealous man
He’d want more than his cameo; he’d be your number one fan
The credits roll; the end song’s almost through
Your name flashes big and bright then
quickly fades to blue
Things will be written; you’ll read them
again and again, through and through
Sad… You’ll base the rest of your life on that very last review
