ABOUT NICHE | claytonstockermyers

NICHE

What Is a Niche?

Through the years learning and growing through experiences on multiple productions, in various roles, all in service of telling story, I've recently learned what stories I am particularly suited for. What roles I am of most service to the story when cast in. My wheelhouse.

What Is My Niche?

Upon sitting down with Niche Analyzer and expert, John Dapolito, I've learned that My Niche happens to be Tricksters with Devout Love. Certainly I am still capable of taking on characters that do not fit that mold, yet I'll likely just happen to shine a little brighter when the story, and in particular, my role happens to fit within the confines of my niche.

Niche Isn't Type

The best thing about learning my niche is that I'm not limited by character types or any one genre. My niche can exist in all kinds of characters across the board. I'm just now bestowed with knowing the kinds of stories, regardless of genre, I would be best suited to be a part of telling.

Examples of a Trickster With Devout Love?

As you'll see among the list below, the roles and tones of the films vary. These are just some examples in film of roles in which would fall under my own niche. While there are obviously plenty more examples in theatre and television, I chose to focus on film.

Jim Carey - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Mark Ruffalo - The Brothers Bloom

Nicholas Cage - City of Angels

Josh Harnett - Lucky # Slevin

George Clooney - Oceans Eleven

Leonardo DeCaprio - Inception

What is the Trick?
Carey is frantically attempting to trick the memory erasing crew that they've deleted all recollection of his ex-girlfriend.

Where is the Love?
Carey's desire to retain even the slightest glimmer of his Ex with wishes to reconcile is the character's driving force through this film.

What is the Trick?
Rufalo is a con-man & gentleman thief with the goal of pulling of the perfect con, one in which everyone gets what they want.

Where is the Love?
Rufalo's Devout Love for his brother and wishing of his happiness drives the story.

What is the Trick?
Cage, an Angel, must pull the ultimate trick, of becoming human to be with Ryan.

Where is the Love?
It's his love of her that drives his decision and sacrifice just to connect with her.

What is the Trick?
Harnett is tricking everyone in this film, including his own partner, to get two untouchable kingpins of the criminal underground to let their guard down to enact revenge,

Where is the Love?
It's Harnett's love of his parents drive his plan. His love of Liu causes him to alter it.

What is the Trick?
How to rob four casinos at the same time and not get caught. More so, how to get his ex-wife back in the process.

Where is the Love?
The heist for the money is plain and simple, but it's all a grand gesture to win back the one he loves devoutly.

What is the Trick?
Leo needs to implant ideas into his mark's subconscious by entering their dreamscapes.

Where is the Love?
Each job leading up to this very important one, is driven by his love for and desire to see his estranged children again.

Val Kilmer - The Saint

Hugh Jackman - Swordfish

Sam Rockwell - Moon

Robert Downey Jr. + Jude Law - Sherlock Holmes

Will Smith - Seven Pounds

Ryan Reynolds - The Proposal

What is the Trick?
Val Kilmer is a thief who has stolen information for the Russians, but now must trick the Russians into returning what he stole. A trick hat trick if you will.

Where is the Love?
The reason he chooses to steal the contents back from the Russians is his Love for the woman he had stolen from in the first place. He's not only willing to risk all the money he had saved for that early retirement, but his life as well.

What is the Trick?
Hugh Jackman must steal a lot of money for a criminal using superior hacking skills online.

Where is the Love?
The driving force for him to commit this crime and return to jail is not just brought about by the threat of his own life, but the life of his Daughter as well.

What is the Trick?
Upon being tricked into believing he would be returning home after a six month solo stint harvesting fuel from the moon itself, Sam must now team up with two of his fellow clones so as to trick the powers that be to actually send him to Earth.

Where is the Love?
Whether his memories are implanted or not, it's the Devout Love of Sam #1 to return to his Wife and Daughter that drives him through each obstacle of this story.

What is the Trick?
Holmes and Watson, if ever there were a duo dedicated to trickery in their approach to solving the multitude of mysteries.

Where is the Love?
The bromance is a strong one between these two in many iterations. The devout love and respect for one another, the bond they've achieved is one for the ages.

What is the Trick?
Will Smith tricks multiple people as he poses as an insurance rep, while he interviews candidates for organ donations

Where is the Love?
What the interviewees don't know is that he intends to die so as to provide his own organs for these specific individuals. Rosario Dawson's character in particular has won his heart by the end of the film, both figuratively and literally.

What is the Trick?
Ryan Reynolds is tricking everyone in this fun romanic comedy. He's tricking his family, as well as U.S. Immigration, into believing that he's getting married to his boss. He's also tricking his boss into a promotion.

Where is the Love?
It's in the midst of the trickery that he realizes that he is in fact in love with Bullock and willing to let the trick fall apart in front of his family, while letting the trick become truth to the immigration officials.