Ahhh, the first post, the proverbial cherry popping in the literary sense. How exciting.

As an admin, I was given charge to manage threads that concerns the “artistic” aspects of Photoshop, a more creative aspect of Photoshop compared to Mr. Nino Carandang’s technical threads. This has proved to be more difficult than I thought. I mean, how do you even start to write something as spontaneous and sometimes erratic as creativity? Should I post tutorials on how to make textured skin, render hair, take out warts, clean your room, take out the trash? Tutorials you’ve seen a billion gagillion times done over and over on deviant art?
Or maybe you would like to learn more about the history of art? Things like Golden ratios, Gothic architecture, Chiaroscuros, Romanesque, Victorian and Art Nouveau. But I’d suggest you enroll in a more professional and trustworthy establishment rather than reading art threads from strangers.

Well, here we are, a couple of paragraphs and still no divine enlightenment from the great creative guru. How anticlimactic.

Maybe I should start off in a more casual tone. Probably about my career. “The paradox of being a creative digital artist". That would be a good start,

I guess.

I never really planned on being an artist, but after 7 years (don’t ask) of college life, I found out that I was extraordinarily good at it. So good in fact that one of the panelist for my thesis instantly gave me a job after graduation.

(Ok, fine, you may ask… 7 years, because it was in the fourth year I’ve discovered Photoshop. And like finding some sort of magic wand in the form of a bitmap manipulating software everything else was a breeze.)

Fast forward to today. I handed in my resignation letter a while ago. I’ve been meaning to do this even before I left for a month overseas, which is a prize I got after winning that Digital Canvas Awards sponsored by NAPP. I just got tired of doing menial and repetitive Photoshop work. This wasn’t the original plan my boss intended me for though. He hired me to be some digital manipulator/ illustrator for a project he would someday turn into a full length movie. But alas, the project died down due to natural causes, in which we were discussing over coffee and orange juice awhile ago.

Apparently one of his friend’s project “Big Time” was a flop, it wasn’t a flop because it was bad, it got itself a lot of awards, and the reviews were great. The only problem was it didn’t make any money, not even to even out the two million peso spent on production. And this went on with topics like; "people in this country don’t really give a shit about high concept movies", and "all they care about is their formulaic linear stories and their shallow plotlines". This was pretty much the reason why he scrapped the project that was ment for me in the first place, people in this country just wasn’t ready for something as high concept as this. And since there ain’t no project that needs me… ehe… you get the idea. It’s just funny that I had the intuition to resign first though.

But our conversation did bother me. Are we as artist stuck into giving in to what the “masa” wants? Are we stuck on being saturated by the incescent voices to keep our hair long and shiney, to never miss our ever so formulaic tv novellas, or “reality shows” that constantly insists to define what reality is, and the never ending onslaught of novelty song and retarded station ids perpetually played over and over by our love radio?

Is there really a point in being creative or to strive for something different in a society who clings on formulas and repetitiveness like a fungus deeply embeddeed under your skin?

What do you think?

And this went on with topics like; "people in this country don’t really give a shit about high concept movies", and "all they care about is their formulaic linear stories and their shallow plotlines". This was pretty much the reason why he scrapped the project that was ment for me in the first place, people in this country just wasn’t ready for something as high concept as this. And since there ain’t no project that needs me… ehe… you get the idea. It’s just funny that I had the intuition to resign first though.

Is there really a point in being creative or to strive for something different in a society who clings on formulas and repetitiveness like a fungus deeply embeddeed under your skin?

What do you think?

The day we think people will not understand our work is the day we rest on our laurels. Its the day we forget about doing the best we can and stop pushing ourselves. Its the kind of self-defeating mentality where we just give up trying for fear our audience will be clueless in the end. But then again, its also about taking risks. Guess they figured out the millions spent is not worth it.

Yes, there is a point in being creative. And its more personal. One that should't always be dictated by what others think.

AH, I know what you mean. But the thing that I’m trying to point out here is this: is it MARKETABLE to be creative? Sure, you could be innovative, smart, and strive to perfect your art. Become the next big thing in our small bubble or artists that appreciate each others works.

But in the end you really have to consider what other people think (though highly despised). Because it is those people who will directly or indirectly dictate if they are going to pay for your work.

As you said, creativity is personal. And apparently, in this market structure, that is all that will ever be IMHO.

You are right Amiel, short answer is not really. After all, even creativity is subjective. And I guess that's the reason why some directors prefer writing their own stuff.