by Charles Loveless

Created on: March 13, 2010

A Poison Pen In The Well of Creativity

   It seems at times as has been said, that every idea has been done and every song has been written.  This is an absolutely untrue platitude.  The truth is that human imaginations are infinite in their ability to create new space for our thoughts deliberations and entertainment.  Unfortunately, as a society of readers, movie fans, theater fans and music lovers...we have basic human needs from our entertainment.  Our imaginations can dress it up in new and exciting was, but we need things pertaining to the human journey.  There will never be a shortage of ideas, only a shortage of people willing to utilize them.

   From Back to The Future to Avatar, the best movies, books, plays, music and more, involve the participants in the life and concerns of the person, time or situations presented.  If there is no human emotional connection, there is no success.  A rapper taps into the worries and frustration's of youth.  An author writes a science fiction story with that includes no "physical" humans-but we all cry when the robot is deactivated.

    Creativity can play to the lowest common denominator sometimes, it is not always bad, because as a society, we need simple at time.  Simple can be funny, scary or even just plain vulgar at times. That's not to say that there is not a place or even a need for those areas of entertainment. Our needs are infinite and wide.

   Creativity can also "die on the vine" , when we don't root through our deepest fears, thoughts and emotions to let the world understand who we really are-in every dark corner or funny situation.  Sometimes dark human situations are even funny if we can shift our perspectives.

   Mash was hilarious and successful because it displayed "semi-realistic" characters in a dark and dangerous setting handling it with one of the best of human tools-humor!  Mash as some of us know was cancelled after two seasons then sold to another network to later become one of the most beloved series of all time! 

   Under pressure to produce revenue over art, producers, executives and even musicians have resorted to playing a kind of manipulative game.  They take a story, song or movie from our childhood and make it sparkle with new technology.  Sometimes, as in Star Trek, it works (nostalgia aside it had was good story telling).  Songs at times are remade using new beats or the old drums sound are cannibalized for new songs.  Movies are made and named after and old show or movie-sometimes having nothing in common with the old show but the name's the characters and similar situations.

  In short, creativity needs risk to continue moving forward.  It takes financial, creative and emotional risk to truly meet our needs for "new" entertainment.  But, for all you producers, executives and musicians out there, new does not mean outside of the human sand box. We have to keep in mind what art does to and for society.  There is never a shortage of ideas, only people willing to take a risk to use something new.

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