The Economics of a Career in the Arts Part Deux
As my er, prolonged, readers know, my blog ebbs and flows. Some of my RIAA rants can go on interminably, sometimes I'll do a longer, more thoughtful piece to send out to other blogs. Other posts have been very short. One was only one word. It was called The Economics of a Career in the Arts and the word long post was, "Poor". It was 1/14/05, in the midst of a number of posts addressing how file sharing and the needs of artists and society operate economically in our culture. After spending a lot of time talking about the various needs and economies, when it came down to that reality, one word said it all.
I was catching up with a friend the other day and told him about a number of creative projects I am working on. After going through a few of them, the response was, so, what are you doing to make money? I don't remember the exact words, or need to. I've certainly heard it before, most frequently from my ex but also from a guy who spent 20k on a home recording studio... and now from an internet pioneer.
I sometimes feel I'm not getting through here. Before, we really were at the mercy of the distribution channels which were well controlled. Now that the internet is here, people can hook up. People can go out there into the common marketplace and be found and be heard and have the possibility of building a business, a life, a livelihood out of whatever it is they have to offer.
Lots of folks have said they like my art. Make me an offer. Some like my songs... so pay me to download it just cause you know it took me some time, or use it in your movie and promote me. I mean we're not there yet but, basically, especially around here, it's all about intellectual property now. It's simply so new that we don't have a real economic system to reflect that. Think of it as the eBay of IP. Imagine an eBay where it's not old crap for sale, but new ideas.
People can build up little businesses not by selling all their discarded stuff but by selling creative, beautiful expressive stuff. Instead of our most creative youth being pushed into advertising or god help us, law (like me), they can have a means to build their own creative identity and output. Wouldn't you rather look at my beautiful painting than some stupid soap ad I had to make? I'd rather make the art, you'd rather see it... but still we get shifted/shafted into that corporate morass. Let's stop the madness, or at least have a forum for those who want to give it a go.
So, that is the great cultural hope, at least for me. I have a dream... that some day people will not be judged by the color of their goals but by the content of their minds. That creative people and dull people can join together and expand each other, that those people who dedicate themselves to artistic expression can build a business around it and not have someone say, essentially, so, what are you really doing? What's your real job?
And, what will happen to our wonderful American way of life? More diversity and customization (yes, both) in our artistic and cultural product. A truly free marketplace will raise the level for all entertainment and IP, as it does in any industry. This is no April Fool... this is the reality of our future... it's almost here and it'll be great.
I was catching up with a friend the other day and told him about a number of creative projects I am working on. After going through a few of them, the response was, so, what are you doing to make money? I don't remember the exact words, or need to. I've certainly heard it before, most frequently from my ex but also from a guy who spent 20k on a home recording studio... and now from an internet pioneer.
I sometimes feel I'm not getting through here. Before, we really were at the mercy of the distribution channels which were well controlled. Now that the internet is here, people can hook up. People can go out there into the common marketplace and be found and be heard and have the possibility of building a business, a life, a livelihood out of whatever it is they have to offer.
Lots of folks have said they like my art. Make me an offer. Some like my songs... so pay me to download it just cause you know it took me some time, or use it in your movie and promote me. I mean we're not there yet but, basically, especially around here, it's all about intellectual property now. It's simply so new that we don't have a real economic system to reflect that. Think of it as the eBay of IP. Imagine an eBay where it's not old crap for sale, but new ideas.
People can build up little businesses not by selling all their discarded stuff but by selling creative, beautiful expressive stuff. Instead of our most creative youth being pushed into advertising or god help us, law (like me), they can have a means to build their own creative identity and output. Wouldn't you rather look at my beautiful painting than some stupid soap ad I had to make? I'd rather make the art, you'd rather see it... but still we get shifted/shafted into that corporate morass. Let's stop the madness, or at least have a forum for those who want to give it a go.
So, that is the great cultural hope, at least for me. I have a dream... that some day people will not be judged by the color of their goals but by the content of their minds. That creative people and dull people can join together and expand each other, that those people who dedicate themselves to artistic expression can build a business around it and not have someone say, essentially, so, what are you really doing? What's your real job?
And, what will happen to our wonderful American way of life? More diversity and customization (yes, both) in our artistic and cultural product. A truly free marketplace will raise the level for all entertainment and IP, as it does in any industry. This is no April Fool... this is the reality of our future... it's almost here and it'll be great.
posted by Intervision at 3:33 PM
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