I just read a really good interview with Francis Ford Coppola and he had this nugget of sage wisdom:
"How does an aspiring artist bridge the gap between distribution and commerce?
We have to be very clever about those things. You have to remember that it’s only a few hundred years, if that much, that artists are working with money. Artists never got money. Artists had a patron, either the leader of the state or the duke of Weimar or somewhere, or the church, the pope. Or they had another job. I have another job. I make films. No one tells me what to do. But I make the money in the wine industry. You work another job and get up at five in the morning and write your script.
This idea of Metallica or some rock n’ roll singer being rich, that’s not necessarily going to happen anymore. Because, as we enter into a new age, maybe art will be free. Maybe the students are right. They should be able to download music and movies. I’m going to be shot for saying this. But who said art has to cost money? And therefore, who says artists have to make money?
In the old days, 200 years ago, if you were a composer, the only way you could make money was to travel with the orchestra and be the conductor, because then you’d be paid as a musician. There was no recording. There were no record royalties. So I would say, “Try to disconnect the idea of cinema with the idea of making a living and money.” Because there are ways around it."
I urge you to read the entire article here.
And on a side note, thanks to everyone for the great feedback on The Pig Farmer! It's rewarding to know that after all the hard work, people got some enjoyment out of it.
Thanks!!!
14 comments:
That was a nice interview.
Yeah! I'm afraid it might come as a depressing message to a lot of artists out there, but for me the message really resonates. I've been having the same feelings about the artist/money relationship. I think the internet has changed everything to the point that the only way an independent filmmaker can compete is to offer up their work for free...it's kind of liberating in a way...it's an interesting time to be an artist I think...
I agree. Nobody owes us a living and no one demands we make art so why should we have a sense of entitlement just because it's what we choose to pursue? If we manage to eek out a living at it we are very fortunate.
I'm sure Colleen Doran would have a lot to say about that...
But I agree with you guys (and Francis Ford Coppola). The reason I don't find it depressing is because the deck is already so stacked against me. As the saying goes; "Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose". With monolithic corporations tightening the noose on media, distribution and even the internet I begin to feel more and more like Neo in the Matrix when he turns to the bullets being fired at him and says "no".
As I said to Colleen "The Future Belongs To The Bold!"
My contention is that if we are able to create a work that is important, that resonates, we WILL manage to eek a living out of it.
Check out what Kevin Smith is up to these days (in the same vein as the above discussion): http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2011/01/whats-going-on-with-kevin-smith.html
I don't know. Not everyone can be an artist and I think the folks who really work at their talent and pursue art a career or hobby should be rewarded, in a perfect world. Just as professional atheletes are paid a fortune for being so good at professions that offer less to society than art in general does, artists should have some kind of income for the entertainment they provide. I'm sure most artists can easily relate to Coppala's thoughts, and if there wasn't an option for payment, would continue to produce art. And absolutley, the internet has changed everything regarding the ease of finding art as well as artists. It's a big jumble. Arists have always had a tough time earning large amounts of money, but I think the internet has opened up many many ways to allow more artists to have a chance to make SOME money or even enough to live on, which previously weren't available. I'm fine with that. And the appetite for fun and entertainment is only growing in this digital age... what's inspiring is Nick Cross' "The Pig Farmer"!
And therefore, who says artists have to make money?
R/ Artist need to make money so they can do more and better art...
As an artist who made a living from it for decades it infuriates me when others expect it for free. Salable art takes time, effort, and tremendous skill as well as the sacrifices of maintaing a less than ordinary lifestyle to court the muse. Others may have made even more than I did from my efforts but that was the agreement I entered into willingly. I wasn't ripped off.
A future wherein art has little monetary value may indeed be upon us but you won't get it from me. If you want free art then make it yourself. I'd rather push a broom.
To be clear, I'm not advocating doing work for others for free. NO WAY!! Absolutely not. I get emails (as I'm sure most artists do) asking to work for free on some project with the promise of future work etc. I would never in a million years advocate doing that. That is basically slavery.
What I get from this is more of a DIY ethic. Don't let the pursuit of money dictate your own art and goals...
Wow!! Thanks for share this interview, Nick!
Hey! Here in Brazil we really love your films!!
Hug !
I agree with anonymous, if people who hit a ball with a stick can make a fortune doing it, why should an artist be ashamed at the notion of earning an income from art?,setting up a little animation studio and making some adverts to make a living is something ive seen a lot of people do.Im not saying every artist is going to make a stack of money,but as if Coppola didn't earn a lot of scratch from the Godfather alone,i would say in the millions,and in the article he makes out as if he needs a wine business to prop himself up so he doesn't starve,hollywood bullshit.
That's certainly a big issue to someone with the talent and drive to create. Knowing there's a large commercial market that a lot of people make a good living at with that same skill set can lead you to think there's bound to be a place for you in it. The sobering truth is that's it's only a small portion that gets that far, and the level of talent isn't even the deciding factor. As far as making money from it goes, real talent is a lot like having a dollar to buy a lottery ticket. It only qualifies you for a slight chance at the "prize". Even then, most of the opportunities are just basically jobs that use those skills, like winning a $100 scratch off ticket. The mega-lottery is the chance to do your own thing as a successful product. In nearly 100 years of animation, the amount of people to score this prize could nearly be counted on your fingers. There's just no one to support every artist who wants
to explore their own muses. Certainly not the audience that's used to being handed this stuff for the price of watching a few ads.
As said in the interview, the film business is mostly about commerce, which means the artists are there to serve a calculated formula. The risk isn't merely about doing new things, it's figuring out how to do it on your own time while supporting yourself some other way. Animation is time consuming, and when most of that time has to be devoted to a money making job to survive, little time and energy is left. A cartoon only a few minutes long can take years to do at that rate.
It's important to have people willing to do this though, or we'd see nothing but proven formulas wearing out their welcome, and the money holders wouldn't know how to rejuvenate the market because they can't think in terms of innovation. Very few projects will ever be seen outside of YouTube or Vimeo, etc, since there's just not enough opportunity to go around. There's only enough room for an occasional fresh thing, then a handful of imitations of it to ride it's coat tails. For the rest of us, we'll just have to settle for the "labor of love" route while hiring ourselves out for drone work to survive. We can't even use the grass roots approach struggling musicians use. Try to imagine street corner animators out there with a display screen set up and cup full of change, it's not too likely. Natural born artists just feel the need to do what they do regardless of the opportunities, they're just wired that way. It's too bad more of them weren't born with a driving passion for stacking boxes, pumping gas, flipping burgers and filing papers. Since that's all most of them will be given the chance to do.
Very true JC very true.
Wow what a beautiful interview!
I'm a bit stunned by his honesty and humility.
It was very inspiring and reassuring.
Thank you for sharing.
~ HOBO
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