Erik and I had a bit of that "how artists should behave" conversation after Bakshi's chat with the audience, and before we went our different ways. Largely, he talked about how you should make art for your own sake, not for the sake of any audience. [I'm always tempted to write "Art" and "Artist" when it's in a context like this. That's the way Bakshi seemed to say it.]
And then I went to see The Movie Hero, a really likable movie for people who see movies made by someone who really loves movies. And you know what? He spent "only" $400k making it, he's off to make the rounds of the festivals, and can't even get distributors to look at it. Maybe that will change. But all around Cinequest are maybe 50 directors who more or less took Bakshi's advice -- they're making personal movies that don't have a pat audience, they didn't get production notes from any studio, and they care about what they're doing. And I'd be willing to bet that in five years half of them will be out of the movie business. Not because they're not good, not because they're not passionate, but because they didn't make movies that sold, and they're broke and tired. Is that what artists really should be doing?
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Art
Date: 2003-03-09 08:44 am (UTC)And then I went to see The Movie Hero, a really likable movie for people who see movies made by someone who really loves movies. And you know what? He spent "only" $400k making it, he's off to make the rounds of the festivals, and can't even get distributors to look at it. Maybe that will change. But all around Cinequest are maybe 50 directors who more or less took Bakshi's advice -- they're making personal movies that don't have a pat audience, they didn't get production notes from any studio, and they care about what they're doing. And I'd be willing to bet that in five years half of them will be out of the movie business. Not because they're not good, not because they're not passionate, but because they didn't make movies that sold, and they're broke and tired. Is that what artists really should be doing?