Simone White’s hit song, “Bunny in a Bunny Suit”, examines how society mocks an individual’s differences, but applauds those same differences once that individual becomes popular and accepted.
This happens in all facets of life. The guy who is teased for not hanging out and working weekends is later praised for his hard work after moving up the corporate ladder. The woman negatively labeled for being hysterical and nagging is awarded for being tough after getting promoted. Society unfairly labels single guys who seem quiet and withdrawn. Those same guys are praised for being patient and attentive boyfriends once they’re in a relationship.
We all ridicule and later honor a person for having the exact same traits. Therefore, many people feel forced to hide behind themselves until they gain acceptance from their peers and superiors. Some people have never dealt with this inner conflict and have no idea what I’m writing about. I can’t explain it through song, but I can show how we create this paradox or “smoking mirror” by using film as a metaphor.
Act Natural (buying the Bunny Suit)
You will hear many directors, actors, and producers talk about acting natural. The problem is that it is impossible to act natural. Acting is the art of pretending while being “Natural” defines reality or not pretending. Any child can understand this concept, yet we accept the idea that we can act natural. You have a big interview coming up? Just act natural. You’re going out on a big date? Just act natural. It’s truthfully natural to be nervous for a big interview. It’s also very natural to be scared on a big date. Unfortunately, we avoid these unpleasant consequences by accepting the act of lying instead of the natural truth.
Frames Per Second (stepping into the Bunny Suit)
We call movies motion pictures, but there is no real motion. Video cameras capture numerous still images per second. These images (or frames) are run together so quickly that the human eye can’t detect the end of one frame from the start of another. The frames move so rapidly that they give off the impression of motion. Unfortunately, our lives can operate in this same manner. We’ve all been stuck in a rut or bind, but made it look like we’re moving to the outside world. Some people buy nice cars and clothes, but they have no assets or savings. Other people have nice houses, but they are strangled by huge debt. Both groups give the impression of being progressive and moving forward, but they are actually stuck in one place.
The Editing Process (going out in the Bunny Suit)
The editing rule of thumb states that it takes about an hour of footage to get one minute of usable film. This can vary, but it usually holds true. 90% of what a videographer films is not usable. The footage can be plagued with bad lighting, mistakes, miscues, random noises, shadows, or technical difficulties. Even good footage will be cut if it doesn’t fit into the film’s theme or plot. We can all relate to this situation. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are prime examples. No one cares what you do every second of the day. Therefore, we only capture the highlights of our days and weeks. We take pictures of the most memorable moments and re-tweet the most interesting sayings. Real life is exciting and boring, but we aren’t concerned with real life. We only want the good parts that fit into our perfect movie. So, we highlight the best minute or ten percent while leaving 90% of our lives on the cutting room floor.
The END
Now you’re a fully dressed bunny going out in your Bunny Suit. You are comfortable with acting natural, you give off the impression of moving toward success, and you only highlight the best parts of your life. The irony is that we do these things to avoid reality, but we watch reality television, we hate politicians who lie, and we love the phrase “keep it real” and “real talk.”
Real life is aggressive, inappropriate, improper, fallacious, and full of obstacles. We consciously hide from real life, but celebrate those who lead successful lives. Please note that I’m not making a judgment or being self-righteous. I’m hopping right back into my bunny suit after posting this blog piece. You can call me hypocritical, but life is too dangerous with a world of Elmer Fudds eager to hunt you down at every turn. My only hope is to shed light on the subject so all of us can shed our bunny suits together.
Or, we can face the worst-case scenario. This is a world where the real bunny meshes into the bunny suit and the two become permanently attached as one. There would be no distinction between make-believe and reality. Life would be nothing but a listless existence of confusion and resentment. I could definitely make a film about that, but this bunny isn’t willing to go down that rabbit hole.
The Mastermind Project 