John Krasinski is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his role as Jim Halpert from the television series "The Office." A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to see him and his brother, Paul, in person.
My family and I are huge fans of "The Office." We have followed the show from the very beginning. "The Office" is an American adaptation of a popular British series. The style of the sitcom is a documentary form to depict a typical work environment as authentically as possible.The comedy is based on the everyday lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin (a fictional paper company) in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Whenever I pass by Scranton on my way to New York I always make sure to tell my parents where I am (the home of Dunder Mifflin!)
The chance to see John Krasinski in person was not to be missed. It all started with a Facebook event. The event was described as a “conversation with John Krasinski” at Seaport Green in Boston. My mind filled with a plethora of questions. Who would be having this conversation? What would they discuss? Why was this called the Epicenter Experience? Most importantly — where was Seaport Green?
As I ran out of my MIT class in Cambridge and opened Google Maps, I was on a mission. I had to find this event. Seaport Green was not as obscure and far away as I thought it was — a mere twenty minutes from my location.
I saw there were several college students gathered at the epicenter of Boston. Amid a sea of Dunder Mifflin inspired shirts, a trailer was visible, which had the "Epicenter Experience" inscribed on it. The stage was surrounded by chairs and couches which gave a warm and comfortable feeling. After a short wait, Paul Krasinski emerged from the trailer. Paul introduced himself as the CEO and founder of Epicenter Experience, an organization which aims to catalyze real conversations. Opening up discussions for an array of concepts and ideas is done with the hope of forming connections among people which can lead to great things.
Then, with Justin Timberlake playing in the background, John was welcomed onto the stage with a great round of applause.
For the next hour, the brothers discussed childhood stories, growing up in Boston, as well as John’s latest movie "The Hollars." Their informal style truly encapsulated the heart of the Epicenter Experience. This was so much more than just an interview on television. The audience were meant to feel as if, in Paul’s words, “this was a regular Sunday brunch” at their house.
One of the most memorable moments for me was when someone asked John why he wanted to do a film like "13 Hours" — telling the story of the attack on the U.S Consulate in Benghazi. He replied by saying, “The best story you can tell is real life,” and a movie has to be, “more than just a spectacle.” He was “viscerally moved” by the script of "13 Hours" as he thought of the family members and the people working in the service. He thought back to his show "The Office" and stated that it wasn’t “just a funny show on Thursday night.” It was a mirror that so many people could see themselves, in a place of work almost everyone could relate to. It was a way of telling people digital stories about their own day at work.
What defined the experience for me was the way both John and Paul interacted with the audience. From doing a push up challenge to singing happy birthday and agreeing to read over someone’s screenplay, both speakers reached out to all these who had come to join them. I truly appreciated their candor and encouragement. John mentioned how he almost gave up his dream of becoming an actor because it was so hard to find the right break. He survived by waiting tables, and often lost his job when he missed work for an interview. Through all this, he had his mother’s support — she believed in his dream and his talent.
The Epicenter Experience turned out to be so much more than just a public relations event by an actor. John hasn’t forgotten the tough times he faced, and sincerely wants to play his part in encouraging people to follow and achieve their dreams.