Post by Omen on Feb 27, 2011 18:30:44 GMT -5
I get asked this ALL the time by 'Wryters' and Creators everywhere and I wanted to take the time to give them my 'pet-peeved' answer to such a sensitive subject for artists such as myself.
The NUMBER ONE issue and problem when it comes to dealing with artists is... PRODUCTION.
DEADLINES and COMPLETION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Artists are known to be non-technical free spirits who are rebels at their heart. From this… they rarely make deadlines and often do NOT complete assignments (unless they're fun). Many of them want an opportunity along with the money and fame that comes with it, but NOT the high level of expected production.
It is HARD to find an artist that produces on a constant schedule!!!! Many of them will do one or two pieces over a span of 1 to 3 months. They tend to lose interest in a project that goes too long and walk away from tasks with too many requirements.
This is also why… getting an artist that produces cost more money!! It is always the balancing act between the BEST artists with the worst production and the 'Not-so... uh... best' artists who get stuff DONE!!
Trust me, I’ve been there and done that. I was in charge of 2 groups of artists on an AWESOME project which includes a graphic novel and art for an animated film. My biggest challenge was getting them to PRODUCE!!! Once they knocked out a picture or two, they instantly wanted to ride on their laurels and suck up the fame. We needed hundreds of pieces of work done, not a few. Some of them started to miss deadlines, which grew into them missing project milestones. Their artwork degraded to hasty scribbles as the pressure of the deadlines loomed at every corner guarding their paychecks.
After a while, the pay and fame just wasn't enough for the effort and patience they would need to have. They complained all the time, until it became HELL!
I do need to make a quick note, though... not all of the artist were like this. Some were true, hardcore, go-getters that embraced this and any opportunity to shine! These are the artist that create inspiration and hope within ANY industry that our talents are needed. Watching their dedication motivated me to the point of writing something such as this article because I was one of the 'other' artists.
The lessons I learned by working with the strugglers, the hungry, the persistent, and the determined taught me to shut my mouth when it comes to an opportunity offered that very few with our talent can answer. This is also what drives me to produce so adamantly. Production is the key to success in this stuff. It makes your clients believe in you and allows them to return to you as a reliable source of skill and ability that get things done!!
Hopefully this gives you some insight into what to look for, be careful of, and what to expect.
-Omen
The NUMBER ONE issue and problem when it comes to dealing with artists is... PRODUCTION.
DEADLINES and COMPLETION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Artists are known to be non-technical free spirits who are rebels at their heart. From this… they rarely make deadlines and often do NOT complete assignments (unless they're fun). Many of them want an opportunity along with the money and fame that comes with it, but NOT the high level of expected production.
It is HARD to find an artist that produces on a constant schedule!!!! Many of them will do one or two pieces over a span of 1 to 3 months. They tend to lose interest in a project that goes too long and walk away from tasks with too many requirements.
This is also why… getting an artist that produces cost more money!! It is always the balancing act between the BEST artists with the worst production and the 'Not-so... uh... best' artists who get stuff DONE!!
Trust me, I’ve been there and done that. I was in charge of 2 groups of artists on an AWESOME project which includes a graphic novel and art for an animated film. My biggest challenge was getting them to PRODUCE!!! Once they knocked out a picture or two, they instantly wanted to ride on their laurels and suck up the fame. We needed hundreds of pieces of work done, not a few. Some of them started to miss deadlines, which grew into them missing project milestones. Their artwork degraded to hasty scribbles as the pressure of the deadlines loomed at every corner guarding their paychecks.
After a while, the pay and fame just wasn't enough for the effort and patience they would need to have. They complained all the time, until it became HELL!
I do need to make a quick note, though... not all of the artist were like this. Some were true, hardcore, go-getters that embraced this and any opportunity to shine! These are the artist that create inspiration and hope within ANY industry that our talents are needed. Watching their dedication motivated me to the point of writing something such as this article because I was one of the 'other' artists.
The lessons I learned by working with the strugglers, the hungry, the persistent, and the determined taught me to shut my mouth when it comes to an opportunity offered that very few with our talent can answer. This is also what drives me to produce so adamantly. Production is the key to success in this stuff. It makes your clients believe in you and allows them to return to you as a reliable source of skill and ability that get things done!!
Hopefully this gives you some insight into what to look for, be careful of, and what to expect.
-Omen
