[MUD-Dev] Historical perspective (was: dealing with foul language)

[Joe Andrieu]

> Brian Green wrote:
> > > > You
> > > > cannot aim for a wide scope in the commercial sense and still make
> > > > things that matters.
> >
> > and I think that's just flat incorrect. I think that many
> examples can be
> > pulled from many areas of artistic endeavor to disprove it.
>
> Ola's sin is making it so absolute.  I think it might have been said
> that "When you aim for a wide scope in the commercial sense, it is
> significantly harder to make things that matter."  Bold artistic
> statements are much easier to make when I don't have to worry about
> funding drying up because of a prudish investor or parent company or
> offending sections of your needed audience.
>
> Anyone who disagrees with this restatement either has creative freedom I
> envy (and, did I mention I'm currently looking for work?), or delusions
> so deep they scare even me. :)


The real problem isn't so much that it is harder to make art that matters
when it is intended to be commercial.  It is that when one is in the
*business* of making art, it is harder to consistently fill the media
pipeline with artistically important work.

I mean, come on, Seinfield was one of the most sublime existentialist works
of media this century. The show was about absolutely nothing and said as
much time and again. Brilliant art and fantastic commercial success.

The problem *isn't* the commercialism, it is simply a lack of enough talent
density to fill the pipeline to meet consumer demand. The result is that a
lot of so-so stuff gets through because enough people will like it that it
will be profitable.

Perhaps a larger challenge is that to get the funds to do big projects, you
either need to be both an auteur and an entrepreneur (read
salesman/evangelist/fundraiser) or you need to get a big break that gives
you the creative freedom to make mistakes. Not many folks bridge the first
gap and the second is as much chance as anything else.

Point being, anyone--heck, EVERYONE--who has an artistic vision should be
busting their butts working to get it to commercial success, IMNSHO. That's
the largest audience. That's the largest impact. That's where art really
matters. Don't throw up your hands and say that commercial success is
antithetical to art. That just makes things worse.

-j

--
Joe Andrieu
Realtime Drama

joe at andrieu.net
925.973.0765





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