Introduction to "Identity" by William Wegman with Steve Martin

About

"Identity" opens with a whimsical collaboration between noted photographer and artist William Wegman and actor, playwright, and comedian Steve Martin. In this opening segment, Martin (or is it just a mannequin that looks like him?) questions the fundamental nature of identity amidst playful diversions which include card tricks, the sound of a lawnmower in the distance, ringing doorbells, and Wegman's agile Weimaraner dogs. The zany opening was created by Wegman on a sound stage and plays with varying degrees of reality and theatrical illusion. At one point, Steve Martin is rendered motionless when it's revealed that throughout the segment his hands have belonged to someone else—a puppeteer.