Something about musicians and bands that don’t write their own songs has always rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I’m silly and idealistic, but I like to know that the artist thats performed a song actually wrote it and its coming from a place thats theirs. It makes the music seem more real to me. Knowing they’re playing music and/or singing lyrics that were written for them smacks of playing it safe and letting (or being forced to allow) their record label manage their image and manufacture something through them that is more likely to generate sales. Im not saying anything about the quality of the music itself or how well these words and notes are being sung and played, but I usually don’t feel anything much when I hear it personally. I feel like I can smell the stale board room meeting that chose the right words that would illicit a certain response in the label’s favor.
I’ve been thinking about the kinds of animation projects I’ve done recently along these lines. The last two projects I’ve taken have been commissioned films written and directed by other people. The writer/director(s) are the ones speaking, and I am the visual translator of their words and ideas. How different is that from the scenario I wrote about in the first paragraph, really? I don’t know of too many examples of solo animators commissioned (paid) to create short films for other people, so I’m trying to find something to relate to.
The 2 projects I’m talking about have both been short films. There were 2 writers/directors in the case of Foot, and one writer/director for the film I’m working on now. So we’re talking very small teams. In that sense its not like a big team of writers and/or executives are generating safe, sellable content for me to “perform” visually. These stories were personal to the writers, and they chose me to translate it for them in a way that best gets their ideas across. Its not like I’m trying to pass it off like its my voice either. Its their story and their names are bigger than mine in the credits.
Im not trying to get up on some kind of high horse or anything or disrespect anybody trying to pay their bills… I guess I’m trying to feel OK in the shoes I find myself in every day. I wish I could write great, personal stories and then had the financial resources (and maybe a creative team) to actually make films that convey how I feel and what I think, but truth is I’m not all that good at writing and I highly doubt anybody wants to fund that kind of a thing. Fun, non-paying side projects aren’t really what Im talking about here…
I can imagine a two person, writer/singer duo being a really cool thing actually – and thats closer to what I do I think. That is, one person writes the songs but stays in the background, and the other performs it in the studio and on stage. I can imagine that possibly being a healthy collaboration. I’m sure there are artists out there doing that but I don’t know of any good examples right off the top of my head. (I know, lame excuse while I sit at a computer with an internet connection, heh) I feel like that could be a healthy setup for a musician, but what do I know? I’m just a listener.
Great post Vance. I have thought about that too. I suppose anybody doing creative work commercially has thought of that at some point.
I also wonder what it’s like for people in bands who aren’t the primary writers of the music. What about the drummer, or the guitarist?
In any case it seems like part of the act of “translation” is being entrusted to make all sorts of tiny little decisions along the way to tell the story best. It may not be your voice, but you’re ideally qualified to tell the story.
— Brian Warren · 508 days ago · #