You Can Take It or Leave It

You Can Take It or Leave It

Sometimes I still have to put a visual back.

I'll find something that looks really cool. I'll work with it. I'll put it together with the music. I'll make adjustments and add layers, filters, transparency, movement, whatever I think it needs.

And then, after watching it again, I'll realize...

Nope.

It doesn't actually convey the feeling of the music after all.

That's part of the process.

But when everything finally clicks, I usually have a pretty simple reaction:

"Yeah, that's cool."

Because it is.

At least to me.

And honestly, that's one of the things I've learned about creating art. If I like watching something I've created, I have to assume there's probably someone else out there who would enjoy it too.

Is that a guessing game?

Absolutely.

Do I know that someone else is going to see exactly what I see?

Nope.

Are my visuals niche?

Yes.

But I don't necessarily see that as a problem.

I think about some of the things I enjoy. Not everybody likes British comedies. Not everybody is interested in old science-fiction cult classics.

I happen to like both.

That's just me.

And I think that's part of what should come through when you're an artist.

You are unique.

Your work is an extension of you.

That doesn't mean everybody is going to like it.

And that's okay.

You can take it or leave it.

I actually think there has to be a little bit of that attitude in every artist. Maybe "arrogance" isn't quite the right word, but there has to be some confidence somewhere inside you that says, I like what I created.

Otherwise, why would you keep creating?

You have to believe that what you're making has some value, even when you're fully aware that it may not be everyone's thing.

That's especially true when you're creating something as subjective as visuals for music.

I might look at a particular scene and think it is absolutely perfect for a track. Someone else might look at it and wonder what on Earth I was thinking.

That's art.

And when I'm creating for someone else, there's another part to the equation.

If you hire me to create something, then you get a say in what I create. It's your music, your project and your vision too.

But when I'm creating my own work?

You're getting me.

My imagination.

My taste.

My strange little collection of things that I think look amazing together.

And that's probably why my creations tend to exude a little bit of... me.

They should.

That's the whole point.

Maybe someday I'll find my people.

The people who see one of my visuals and immediately understand what I was trying to create. The people who hear the music, see the environment and think, "Yep. I want to be there."

And when that happens, I suspect we'll both be pretty happy that we found each other.

Until then, I'll keep making things that make me look at the screen and say:

"Yeah... that's cool."

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