Comments on: Learning Your Craft In The New Media World http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/ filmmaking and geekery from the co-Creator of AskANinja.com Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:16:53 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Daisy Whitney http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/#comment-204 Daisy Whitney Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:59:11 +0000 http://kentnichols.wordpress.com/?p=26#comment-204 Hey Kent: I moderated a panel yesterday at NATPE where Jordan Levin said something simple but true, "Creators want to create." At first blush, duh! But, it's true. And new media is allowing that for so many creators these days. It's giving them the opportunity and chance to do that very simple thing they want to do more than anything - create, create, create. Daisy Hey Kent:
I moderated a panel yesterday at NATPE where Jordan Levin said something simple but true, “Creators want to create.” At first blush, duh! But, it’s true. And new media is allowing that for so many creators these days. It’s giving them the opportunity and chance to do that very simple thing they want to do more than anything – create, create, create.
Daisy

]]> By: Bill Cunningham http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/#comment-203 Bill Cunningham Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:18:05 +0000 http://kentnichols.wordpress.com/?p=26#comment-203 Kent - Having toiled in the D2DVD industry learning my craft - writing, producing, and/or marketing over 60 movies - I have to say that everything you're talking about here can be summed up in one word: Pulp. If you study the history of pulp literature, you can see many writers, editors, etc.. learned by doing -- a lot. There was no time to sweat the small stuff, you had a deadline to meet and an audience to entertain...on a budget. Now Pulp has moved to the web. Not only in text but in video, audio, art, etc...and in a variety of combinations. The only barrier is that you have to be entertaining. Cool. Kent -

Having toiled in the D2DVD industry learning my craft – writing, producing, and/or marketing over 60 movies – I have to say that everything you’re talking about here can be summed up in one word:

Pulp.

If you study the history of pulp literature, you can see many writers, editors, etc.. learned by doing — a lot. There was no time to sweat the small stuff, you had a deadline to meet and an audience to entertain…on a budget.

Now Pulp has moved to the web. Not only in text but in video, audio, art, etc…and in a variety of combinations.

The only barrier is that you have to be entertaining.

Cool.

]]> By: Tim Walker http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/#comment-202 Tim Walker Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:43:45 +0000 http://kentnichols.wordpress.com/?p=26#comment-202 Amen to all of this, sir. I was talking with a couple of buddies recently about the hyper-precious-ness some would-be auteurs invest in their work -- like they can't go out and make a semi-crappy short film, fail with it, but then learn from it and go on to make less-crappy stuff the next time. It's a useful lesson for many, many areas far beyond the world of entertainment. I also particularly like this: "Too often the mentorship you find in the system is not about becoming a better craftsperson, but it’s about how to work the system better." My personal experience, combined with many years of writing about the business world, tells me that this is oh-so-very true about too many people in the corporate world generally, where being a so-called "team player" or "knowing how the system works" is often prized above actual performance of job (read: craft) functions. Amen to all of this, sir. I was talking with a couple of buddies recently about the hyper-precious-ness some would-be auteurs invest in their work — like they can’t go out and make a semi-crappy short film, fail with it, but then learn from it and go on to make less-crappy stuff the next time. It’s a useful lesson for many, many areas far beyond the world of entertainment.

I also particularly like this: “Too often the mentorship you find in the system is not about becoming a better craftsperson, but it’s about how to work the system better.” My personal experience, combined with many years of writing about the business world, tells me that this is oh-so-very true about too many people in the corporate world generally, where being a so-called “team player” or “knowing how the system works” is often prized above actual performance of job (read: craft) functions.

]]> By: T. Barnes http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/#comment-200 T. Barnes Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:51:07 +0000 http://kentnichols.wordpress.com/?p=26#comment-200 I think as a new media artist, it's people like you that are innovating, pioneering and leading the way for future generations to follow. As you know, I've been producing a daily podcast from the picket line since the WGA strike began and I'm moved by how many writers attribute their success to their mentors. Now, I'm not a writer. However, I think that mentors in the biz not only help fledgling writers with the art and the craft of writing, but I also think they help provide support and counseling for the business end. You kind of touched on that when you said "learning how to survive/thrive the system". But I think it might go deeper than that: perhaps mentors provide guidance, advice and insight when their padawan learners go to broker a deal with the networks or the studios. Like I said, I'm not a writer. But that's what I've been coming away with when interviewing pro H'wood writers. FWIW...this is a very inspiring post and thank you for it! Perhaps someday *you* might take a young new media creator under your wing and show them a thing or two to help them on their path. Keep it up! I think as a new media artist, it’s people like you that are innovating, pioneering and leading the way for future generations to follow.

As you know, I’ve been producing a daily podcast from the picket line since the WGA strike began and I’m moved by how many writers attribute their success to their mentors.

Now, I’m not a writer. However, I think that mentors in the biz not only help fledgling writers with the art and the craft of writing, but I also think they help provide support and counseling for the business end. You kind of touched on that when you said “learning how to survive/thrive the system”. But I think it might go deeper than that: perhaps mentors provide guidance, advice and insight when their padawan learners go to broker a deal with the networks or the studios.

Like I said, I’m not a writer. But that’s what I’ve been coming away with when interviewing pro H’wood writers.

FWIW…this is a very inspiring post and thank you for it! Perhaps someday *you* might take a young new media creator under your wing and show them a thing or two to help them on their path.

Keep it up!

]]> By: cultofuhf http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/#comment-198 cultofuhf Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:59:53 +0000 http://kentnichols.wordpress.com/?p=26#comment-198 Good on ya Kent. Dead on. Good on ya Kent. Dead on.

]]> By: Trisha http://kentnichols.com/2008/01/28/learning-your-craft-in-the-new-media-world/#comment-197 Trisha Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:57:46 +0000 http://kentnichols.wordpress.com/?p=26#comment-197 This is perfectly timed for me - because I'm right at that tipping point of breaking out. Wonderfully written - thank you! This is perfectly timed for me – because I’m right at that tipping point of breaking out. Wonderfully written – thank you!

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