This is an excellent piece from Dan Rupple that speaks to anyone who creates anything. I thought I would post it to share here. Dan is a friend of mine with whom I serve on the Biola Media Conference Advisory Board. Dan is also one of the founders of the legendary Christian comedy troupe Isaac Air Freight.
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Who Commissions...by Dan Rupple / www.SeriouslyFunny.tv
I recently watched a documentary on the legendary rock band The Who. The band’s leader and guitarist, Pete Townshend, was talking about the early days of the group in London. He mentioned that numerous rock bands were forming at the time, many who would go on to make their mark as pillars of the British Invasion, all of whom were striving to get started. Then Townshend made an interesting comment. He said that most of the bands were running after financing, trying to find someone who would offer them a paying gig or fund their studio time. But Pete was looking for a commission – a commission that could only come from the audience.
He went on to say that as The Who was experimenting with their sound, nothing seemed to strike a chord with the audience; nothing made the audience cry, “We want more of the THAT!” Then he composed “Can’t Explain” which went on to be the Who’s first hit. When performing “Can’t Explain” for the first time, Pete instantly knew that this was the sound the audience wanted more of. Pete, and subsequently The Who, had his commission and the rest is rock-n-roll history.
We all know the difficulties and frustrations of trying to get any type of project financed. We write/produce/perform something, run it from office to office, follow-up on contact after contact, make phone call upon phone call; all in a fervent attempt to make our artistic dream a reality. All this being a necessary part of the process of Show Business - emphasis on the later word of the term.
But how many of our projects, that we are willing to bleed for, does anyone want to see other than us?
Before we beat the pavement with our pet project; I suggest that we perform our sets before a couple small crowds (non-family members), have a choice group of objective critics read our scripts, or show some of our less ambitious films to an Internet audience. Before we ask someone to take up our banner, let’s run it up the entertainment flagpole and see if anyone salutes it with thunderous applause or a few thousand clicks.
Like Townshend discovered when he performed “Can’t Explain,” when we do something, no matter how small, that the audience echoes back, “Give us more of that!” – that’s our commission! If you make fifteen short films and crickets chirp, then make an artistic alteration and your sixteenth everyone goes crazy for; whatever stylistic change you made, that’s what the audience wants. And you’ll probably know it instantly. This is a universal truth throughout the arts and media. There are countless stories of artists, writers, media makers, who couldn’t get arrested until they stumbled upon their signature technique. I think of comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who for years kicked around dingy comedy clubs and nightspots until audiences roared with laughter when they identified with his “I get no respect” persona.
Now I’m certainly not saying that we should lock into a formula and just keep producing more of the same – do we really need a “Klumps 8”? Just look at the awe-inspiring experimentation and development of The Who’s catalogue. But every endeavor harkens back to their signature sound discovered in “Can’t Explain.” However different an album or song may have been, we always knew it was The Who.
It’s the law of supply and demand. Maybe we should be slow to demand that someone finance what we do, until there is a demand for what we are supplying.
Hi Scott,
It's Paul here i agree with all that you are pointing out here. Just like all other passionate people who create. We find ourselves scared to what's going to happen to our hard work in a project we deprately hope will impact the industry. If we are open to peoples opinons and search out what people like about your project and take the harch critizisim(Not a very good speller, sorry! Maybe you guys should put a spell check on this site.) Maybe we would see results to how far are heart desire(your project) will impact the industry. I get struck down by other believers who are artist or writers who give me the cold shoulder when i express my opinion on their projects. I hope i don't offend anybody, but to get good opinions from other brothers or sisters in the lord. I'm for it! Man i love it when i get that kind of response from the body of christ as a whole. It keeps me striving to improve the whole body of my work for God.
So I open my page to any one who has an opinion to visit my blog or page on this site and lets have some dialog. So how are we as members suppose to impact a world with our projects if we don't step out? Maybe it's small like creating something like posters or a mini comic? Proverbs 27:17, Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man shatpenth the coutenance of his friend. Before you talk to that person pray first and ask the lord what you should say. Is what your intentions are to build up or tare down? As the proper tool shapes and sharpens iron for its desired use, so a man sharpens his friend morally and intellectually by their personal friendship.
Comments
It's Paul here i agree with all that you are pointing out here. Just like all other passionate people who create. We find ourselves scared to what's going to happen to our hard work in a project we deprately hope will impact the industry. If we are open to peoples opinons and search out what people like about your project and take the harch critizisim(Not a very good speller, sorry! Maybe you guys should put a spell check on this site.) Maybe we would see results to how far are heart desire(your project) will impact the industry. I get struck down by other believers who are artist or writers who give me the cold shoulder when i express my opinion on their projects. I hope i don't offend anybody, but to get good opinions from other brothers or sisters in the lord. I'm for it! Man i love it when i get that kind of response from the body of christ as a whole. It keeps me striving to improve the whole body of my work for God.
So I open my page to any one who has an opinion to visit my blog or page on this site and lets have some dialog. So how are we as members suppose to impact a world with our projects if we don't step out? Maybe it's small like creating something like posters or a mini comic? Proverbs 27:17, Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man shatpenth the coutenance of his friend. Before you talk to that person pray first and ask the lord what you should say. Is what your intentions are to build up or tare down? As the proper tool shapes and sharpens iron for its desired use, so a man sharpens his friend morally and intellectually by their personal friendship.