Art for Art’s Sake
At last week’s meeting of the Biola Studio Task Force, writer/director Lauralee Farrer asked:
Where do we get the idea we’re supposed to make money with our art? If we don’t are we not going to do our art?
The question was asked during a discussion about her newest film, a documentary entitled The Fair Trade. Lauralee was discussing her revolutionary approach to marketing, which is “Let the audience come to us.” She is trusting word-of-mouth to spread about her film by sharing it with friends and family, who share it with their friends and family, etc.
What’s your answer to her questions? Must we be paid to do our art? What if no one ever sees it? What if the film you labored intensely over is seen only by yourself and one or two others? What then?
That can surely be discouraging to an artist, but that’s probably the right approach..make art for arts sake. Your making it for God ultimately. On sin cursed earth unfortunately time is limited so it’s hard to pursue artistic goals or endeavors for most…
February 12th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Since there are many types of art — there are different aspects involved. Some enjoy being an artist as a hobby and others pursue it as a business and/or as a calling/ministry. For some artists there are less expenses to creating that art. Take a guy who just draws in his pad with a pencil or a girl who enjoys singing in a choir. There is very low cost to that.
But then some art requires larger amounts of money (even shoe-string budgets) - like making a feature film. These artists have to consider the business side of it. How will they raise their money to make it? How will they get their invested money back? How will they distribute their film? How will they get the word out? How will they support their family while it gets made? Many times, we as artists — get so stuck in our art - we end up forgetting about the business side of it or we just don’t want to think about it — but it’s there and if we don’t deal with it — we become poor stewards.
February 13th, 2008 at 9:39 am
For any creative project–book, podcast, film, whatever–as much time and money should be spent on marketing as on the production/creation.
There are so, so, so many ministries and organizations that produce great content… but no one knows about it. So what’s the point?
And if your art is designed to somehow bring people further along a faith continuum (even if only planting seeds of faith), what good can it do if no one knows about it?
peace,
-joshMshep
www.myspace.com/joshmshep
February 13th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
That is why so many people resisted calling movie’s art for so long. Because they are basically a business venture. But, anyone can write a screenplay, just as anyone can write a play or a book, so maybe that’s art? After all, no one would consider a particular production of Shakespeare to be a work of art. Or would they?
Movies are unique in history, since they are collaborative like theatre & architecture, yet the individual contributions can be easily seen(and credited).
I think if you don’t make something because you don’t think you’ll get your money back, then you don’t have much to say. To use a famous example, Kevin Smith sold his entire comic book collection and ran up all his credit cards to make Clerks. Why? Because he had something to say. Something that meant enough to him that saying it was worth selling his possessions and running up a huge debt with no guarantee of return.
February 14th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
It’s noble to sell what you have and use your resources to tell your story - even if nobody seems to care - but (with all due respect, Jonnyflash) to max your credit cards and get into debt over your head definitely not a wise decision.
Filmmakers should beware of the temptation of going into debt or taking out second mortgages on their homes to finance their films. This happens way too much in this industry and it’s a dangerous gamble not worth taking. It’s better to work with the resources you have and tell a shorter story within your means… taking one step at a time. We sometimes need to be guerilla filmmakers and starving artists with shoestring budgets… but should never be slaves to debt.
February 14th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
It’s the eternal question, the “safe” thing against the “daring” thing. Prudence is great, but prudent efforts never created a great work of art.
All I’m saying is that if the Lord give you something that you really feel is worth sharing, then you should go for it any way you can. Maybe it’ll pan out, maybe it won’t. Artists aren’t starving because they put all their money in the bank. Artists are starving because they put everything they have into their art.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
That’s a really good point, Jonnyflash. Doing the Lord’s work and being an artist is not about being comfortable for sure. We have to give it our all and sacrifice for the goal. I mean look at all the films that are made. Usually during years of development through post production nobody but the filmmaker has even heard of the project– nor been passionate about it and we the filmmakers may have watched our films a million times… without an audience - we have to stay excited about it when we might be alone in it until hopefully we gain that audience.
All I was trying to say was we are still called to be good stewards and maxing a credit card’s never a safe risk for anyone. I’ve seen too many people suffer from that in my life and have suffered its trappings myself. Grace and peace, my friend.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:55 pm