CREATE WHAT YOU DESIRE
Satoshi Kon, the anime director responsible for the movie Paprika, which is currently gaining much notoriety on the festival circuit, is being interviewed everywhere in connection to this masterful work. In some of these interviews he makes some great points about the influences on his work and the process of creation of both films like Paprika and his TV series Paranoia agent. His thoughts are, of course, based on a concept of "what is" as opposed to what can be or perhaps, "should be" in the opinions of some.
To create manga takes a great effort and it is a personal work. That is a good point, in manga you can create what you want to create. But the opposite can also be said, that you can only do what you are capable of. In anime, the staff gets together and creates together. I am attracted by the idea of a team making the best work possible.
That's what he said in a recent TOKYOPOP interview. Of course, from his perspective he is quite correct, but those of us who desire to change the very nature of the industry may see things differently. What I am basically talking about is technology opening new doors. Those who saw Makoto Shinkai's Voices of a Distant Star and it's extra features may remember than in his interview he talks about how technology has literally brought the creation of anime into the realm of manga, where it is possible for one artist to create what they want in total freedom. I also remember how manga artists like Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow, having seen works like Urda or Kakurenbo, decided he wanted to delve into that world of CGI creation because of the opportunities offered there.
In another interview with Satoshi Kon on Coming Soon.net, he wrote:
I read the novel of "Paprika" right when it was first published years ago. Right after doing my first film, "Perfect Blue," I really wanted to do a film adaptation of "Paprika" next, but at the time, it was just as an idea that was floating around, and the production company that I was in talks with actually went out of business and it never came into fruition. Afterwards, a lot of the works I did—"Millennium Actress," "Tokyo Godfathers" and "Paranoid Agent"—the works that I was doing were original pieces that were developed. I think some of the production houses had expected or were anticipating me to do more original works.
That's not freedom. No one wants to be dependent on a company which might go out of business to get their project made. There is no longer a need to spend years with your idea floating around or looking for some studio to develop it with you. Today, because of the tools available, you can have an idea and just start making it. You can create what you desire right now and there are no forces that will prevent you from doing that.
When it comes to forces that might prevent one from creating what they want, they are often only in the mind of the creator. Even though I knew for years that the technology said we can create what we want without the need for millions of dollars or major studio backing, it wasn't until recently that it really hit me that I can create what I truly desire right now. I knew there were no real world barriers preventing me from creating, but I was still stuck "in the box", so to speak, in the belief that I had to create certain types of shows, characters, lengths and scenarios. When I say create what you desire, I mean without limits. In today's world with a multitude of markets and delivery systems, a 3 minute animation for cel phones is as viable as a feature film with the hope of theatrical distribution. You can really make anything and believe there is an audience for it. Because there is.
To create manga takes a great effort and it is a personal work. That is a good point, in manga you can create what you want to create. But the opposite can also be said, that you can only do what you are capable of. In anime, the staff gets together and creates together. I am attracted by the idea of a team making the best work possible.That's what he said in a recent TOKYOPOP interview. Of course, from his perspective he is quite correct, but those of us who desire to change the very nature of the industry may see things differently. What I am basically talking about is technology opening new doors. Those who saw Makoto Shinkai's Voices of a Distant Star and it's extra features may remember than in his interview he talks about how technology has literally brought the creation of anime into the realm of manga, where it is possible for one artist to create what they want in total freedom. I also remember how manga artists like Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow, having seen works like Urda or Kakurenbo, decided he wanted to delve into that world of CGI creation because of the opportunities offered there.
In another interview with Satoshi Kon on Coming Soon.net, he wrote:
I read the novel of "Paprika" right when it was first published years ago. Right after doing my first film, "Perfect Blue," I really wanted to do a film adaptation of "Paprika" next, but at the time, it was just as an idea that was floating around, and the production company that I was in talks with actually went out of business and it never came into fruition. Afterwards, a lot of the works I did—"Millennium Actress," "Tokyo Godfathers" and "Paranoid Agent"—the works that I was doing were original pieces that were developed. I think some of the production houses had expected or were anticipating me to do more original works.
That's not freedom. No one wants to be dependent on a company which might go out of business to get their project made. There is no longer a need to spend years with your idea floating around or looking for some studio to develop it with you. Today, because of the tools available, you can have an idea and just start making it. You can create what you desire right now and there are no forces that will prevent you from doing that.
When it comes to forces that might prevent one from creating what they want, they are often only in the mind of the creator. Even though I knew for years that the technology said we can create what we want without the need for millions of dollars or major studio backing, it wasn't until recently that it really hit me that I can create what I truly desire right now. I knew there were no real world barriers preventing me from creating, but I was still stuck "in the box", so to speak, in the belief that I had to create certain types of shows, characters, lengths and scenarios. When I say create what you desire, I mean without limits. In today's world with a multitude of markets and delivery systems, a 3 minute animation for cel phones is as viable as a feature film with the hope of theatrical distribution. You can really make anything and believe there is an audience for it. Because there is.
4 Comments:
Terrence, thanks for this article and your follow up piece. I can identify with the notion of creating what you desire. To be perfectly honest I only created what 'I desire' when I was creating comic books. I had variety of characters and ideas that cross every boundary. I was completely flying like a bird and people saw a lot of substance in those wonderful stories and surprisingly, they were hooked.
Ever since I dropped comics for animation I have never created exactly what I desire, rather I allowed reaction from people and what is obtainable from the 'mainstream' to influence my choice of stories. It even got to a point where I started working on a 3D comedy (not talking animals). Luckily I had a sledge hammer so I whacked some sense into my head (Okay that was some big exaggeration). I NEVER WANTED to do a 3D film, I refuse to accept that concept and have always believed it is best suitable for video games and digital stunt doubles (VFX).
I remember doodling with the trial version of Lightwave back in 2003 and actually shelled out some cash and got a license after watching one of your DVDs. Now I bought Lightwave so that I can bring to life those wonderful comic book concepts that people so much loved, I wanted to tell those stories once again because I believed I could reach a wider audience in the process.
I took a different turn the moment I was able to make something move. It is not that I have no connection with my past projects, I do, but the problem is they were one sided. The story teller in me never talks about ordinary people doing ordinary things in a very ordinary environment, the real story teller in me talks about ordinary people in extra ordinary situations and more often in an extraordinary environment. My concepts sometimes appear esoteric but I always delivered them with a great accuracy. That was me during my comic book era. Now I have flushed down that story teller down the toilet and I feel like a hypocrite.
It is time to go back to the real story teller and do that which really matters to me, I am prepared to damn the consequences. Sure I love films like Pocahontas and Lion King, sure I love films like Shrek and Shark Tale, but it was never my intention to make anything that is remotely similar to these kind of movies, not even in my wildest imagination, not even if I was paid to do it because it will become 'work' instead of 'fun'.
I am going back, way back to where it all began for me, to dig up those wonderful concepts that made people hound me for more. I am going back to actually have 'fun' doing what I want to do.
The thing is that Satoshi Kon had to wait because it sounds like he did not own the rights to Paprika. Even though telling your own stories is getting easier and easier, when we want to show people how we envision another's work, there will almost always be an investment required, unless you partner up with the original author. I think that the wait was not a lack of freedom but simply the cost of freedom to do something with a novel that wasn't his.
We can, as you say, do our own stories, but I think everyone also has a version of something out there that is cool and that they'd like to share. In that case, we have less freedom by definition no matter how easy to actually make the final product we envisioned.
Even though I have stories of my own I also have some "dream" ones I'd like to tell based on my favorite works. I am willing to wait for the opportunity to do those, working in the meantime on my ideas. Maybe I'll never get the opportunity to do those other stories but that is ok. In most of the interviews I read, people are always grateful to get the chance to work on things they love. I'll be doubly lucky if I get to do mine and some favorites.
That is why I always like your message that you can do what you love right now in making animated work. Just don't rule out getting to adapt too! :)
-Alex
PS> I guess if you are a real purist you could adapt something as a fan and offer it for free, but distributing it would still be risky without some sort of author approval. Then the dream I guess is worry free distribution for the optimal form(s) of the work.
Alex: I personally didn't see it as an issue of rights, but an issue of dependency. It seemed that the production company was more than willing to move forward with the movie adaptation, but they went out of business. That's what struck me. Financial dependency can still surface as a lack of freedom.
Also I think there is no better road than to partner directly with the author of your favorite works and just do it. I know people who have done that, and usually the author is happy to have their work adapted and doesn't ask for a huge licensing fee.
Obinna: Thanks for taking the time to share that story. Hearing these ideas expressed from a different perspective is very inspiring.
Thanks for clarifying. Insightful as always T. :)
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