ENDA Episode 14→ The time when the Endless Apprentice learned about the Artitst’s complex (Part 2)

The Artist’s Complex exists in everyone who has artistic tendencies. However, if we do not know how to control it, it would only create problems in getting or keeping jobs, even as a freelancer.

The VFX industry and in general every industry works with tight schedules, deadlines are fixed and rarely changed. Directors, producers, supervisors, and leads of different departments all have schedules that depend on one of the other. A delay means more money in the production and clients do not like that.

So if we started thinking that just because as artists we deserved more time to create our “masterpieces” and the rest should follow our schedule, we may never EVER get a job in the industry.

You could be a great artist with a talent that surpasses many Juniors, Mids, and even Seniors, but if you cannot follow a deadline or you need others to wait for you, to get “inspiration”. You will be replaced by someone who may not be 100% gifted as you are, but if he/she can give 60 or 70% of that and can keep a schedule, the production will keep him/her instead of you.

Now don’t take this the wrong way, the creative process is important and during the production process there is time for it. We may not have much, but it exists. The challenge is to adapt to that time and work with what we have at the end.

Clients won’t care if you were blocked or you did not have inspiration, they would care to see what they asked for and I know it sounds cruel, but that’s the reality.

Now, I do not want to dismiss how difficult is to deal with a creative block or the lack of inspiration, I experience those from time to time and for longer periods too. Nonetheless, that’s something that you can allow when you are working on personal or passion projects in your own time.

The moment you are part of a team or you're being paid to complete a task, you need to make compromises and give your best with the time you are given, because others depend on you. And that makes the difference in the industry: Trust.

But then, what about the perfectionism that comes with this complex? Well, that would be for the next episode.