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Taking a Chance…
By Lerone D. Wilson | January 30, 2007
I think that one of the biggest faults I’ve found with the New York University film school is their tendency to turn a blind eye to ‘the real world’ with regards to what the typical student faces after graduation. In retrospect, there seems to have been an unspoken rule with regards to faculty members painting a rosier scene of the art world especially, than the one they knew existed (such considerations I’m sure entered their heads when they made the choice to begin teaching). I for one surely struggled in the beginning, and I have posted as much wisdom as possible with regards to how to succeed as a working artist on this very blog in the hopes that it will be less difficult for those who follow. Nevertheless one of the biggest struggles of the working artist is not something I’ve written about, as I have yet to truly find a solution for it. One of the biggest struggles is the influence of those around us.
One of the problems seems to be that everyone considers themselves to be an authority on art. I don’t mean black turtleneck, West Village ‘art’, rather - everyone has some concept of what they believe art is and should be. This isn’t a big problem in that art should appeal on some level to everyone, after all thats its purpose. However unfortunately many feel the need to not only tell you very frankly about the validity of the work you’re doing, but in your life as a whole.
For some reason it would be inappropriate for me to go to my friend’s job at an insurance company, or bank, or whichever professional locale, and give a commentary on the merits of the work they are performing, and the course their life has taken. However it is entirely appropriate for them to routinely criticize my work and my life, even if they have no serious qualifications to do so. I’m not being sarcastic here, this is the way it works.
I realize that the routine stability of a desk job which most artists envy (for the reduced hours and constant income simply to follow orders), can be interpreted by those occupying such jobs as ‘boredom’. The converse is also true as well. I’m sure that many sit at their desks, with their salary and benefits dreaming of a life with the ‘freedom’ of an artist as well. However I only ask that people realize one thing about that lifestyle: it is very hard to enjoy that ‘freedom’ as it comes with the cost of impossible amounts of hard work, fear, and misery.
It’s not the work that creates this environment. Artists do what they do because they enjoy it. However it’s a world in which creating the actual art is only the beginning. Consider that if I’m working at XYZ corp., and my boss, or even myself is charged with taking on a risky yet potentially rewarding project for the company. The team works constantly for several weeks, and finally produces a fine product - which flops. Best case, they try again. Worst case, they get fired and collect unemployment until finding another job. The artist on the other hand has no such luck.
The great artists are those who constantly take on risks. The greater, the better - as far as the work goes. I’ve all too often seen artists in every mode simply stop when something works. I understand it, we all long for success and stability - and thus I don’t frown upon it. Nevertheless you must constantly wonder about the heights such an artist would’ve reached otherwise. Unfortunately the ramifications of the chances artists take are literally life and death. Failure literally means food, clothing, and housing, and there is seldom a safety net. For this reason it is nearly impossible not only to stop at 5pm (or any reasonable hour short of ‘working yourself to death’) but it’s very difficult to sleep at night. This being considered the best thing one can give to a working artist is support and encouragement, unfortunately thats rarely what happens.
The majority of startup companies in this country fail within the first 3 years. Nevertheless the people, nay ‘entrepreneurs’ who start such firms are not looked upon with the universal disdain in which artists are. Obviously, the successful artists are accepted as ‘visionaries’ (meaning the check to the gallery has cleared) so they are excluded. Rather, the working artist is constantly looked down upon. There seems to be merit in running say a new heath club, yet saying you’re an ‘artist’ seems to imply you spend days listening to jazz records and smoking pot.
I realize that people are usually looking out for the interests of those they care for, and thus in many ways their discouragement can be seen as a sign of affection. On the other side of that there are many who have believed in you from the very beginning despite the times you stumble and even fall. But the most shocking thing you realize when you take on this career is not the doubters - you always saw them coming, and with a thick skin you can learn to ignore them. The thing that really hurts are the ones whom you expected to be in your corner, only to find them curiously absent.
…but when the premiere rolls around, everyone always knew you’d make it 
Topics: Film/Video |