The Mastery of McQueen

In 1974, Steve McQueen was the highest-paid actor in the world.

I suppose my love for media and production is ingrained through and through because I love watching old movies. I like to compare the editing of yesterday with the methods of today. I love hearing stories and watching those interpreted on screen.

Watch any McQueen film and your attention is drawn to him because he commands it. Even when his character is accompanied by other well-known actors (Paul Newman, Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Wood) your eyes are continually aware of McQueen.

After reading a book (and watching the corresponding documentary) about McQueen's life, I was able to pinpoint why as these two complementary pieces put into words my admiration of this skilled master of the trade.

3 Ways to Become a Master like McQueen:

1 - Know what you're good at and develop it.

Steve discovered what he was good at early on. "Film will capture your subtleties, whereas in theater, you have to be very loud and pronounced," says co-author, Marshall Terrill. It's reported that Steve was fired after week one of his first theater gig. But - he finally found his place in movies and as they say, the rest is history.

2 - Build a general understanding of how each piece of the machine works in your industry.

Steve was interested in how all the pieces worked together. He just wasn't a "that's not my job" kinda guy. He got behind the camera because he wanted to know how the camera operated. After all, the camera was responsible for capturing what he was actively portraying:

"[McQueen understood] It's not necessarily what you say on screen, but where you place yourself in the shot. He could hold your attention without having to say a word." - Marshall Terrill

"He understood the camera. He understood the level at which he had to operate in front of the camera (the angle of his head and how to use the light), he knew what lens he was on and he knew everything about film. It was his self-awareness; he knew what sort of intensity he needed to bring at what minute." - Mel Gibson

As an example, while my personal skillset is social media marketing, it's important I know that SEO is a component to the overall marketing machine. I don't have to place the inputs myself, but I need to know how because my work impacts the "SEO master's" work. They go hand-in-hand.

3 - Establish your brand and protect it.

This clip from a recent podcast conversation between thought leaders, Brandon Smith and Randy Hain, sums up this point beautifully. Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room. Undoubtedly, Steve McQueen was - and still is - known as "The King of Cool." His antihero, confident demeanor coupled with the roles he played solidified his brand in history. If you want to be the first number someone calls for a specific "role" - you must master your brand.

There are a lot of actors, but only one Steve McQueen.

There are a lot of coaches, but only one you.

There are a lot of accountants, but only one you.

There are a lot of plumbers, but only one you.

There are a lot of marketing companies, but only one Fifth City.

Fill in the blank.

Utilize these three trade secrets and focus on honing your skillset so you can do what you do best.