99u: ... if you can look at personal projects as investments offering long-term benefits, you’ll find that they are an important part of your growth and development. They provide value in many forms, from a potential future commission to bolstering your artistic toolkit to giving you the freedom to run wild with your beloved, batty ideas, unafraid of a client’s critique.
2 comments:
This is a wonderful article that touches upon so many important topics. The issue of passion is so easily lost when you begin to work professionally because you begin having to fulfill and work within the constraints of the client. I think that having side projects keep you sane but its crucial that the side projects you're working on are PERSONAL. That is the key part of participating in a side project-- the fact that it is coming out of you and solely because you want to pursue it, not because someone is paying you or because it needs to be entered in some sort of competition. They allow your creativity to flow unadulteratedly and without fear of costing you a job or losing money. I used to have many more personal side projects that I would talk on but with the schedule that the School Of Drama provides, it's since ceased. I do hope that as my schedule clears up more, the ability to take on personal side project increases. I think that it keeps you happier, keeps you more creatively flexible and makes you feel like you're being productive. What the article mentioned about the “crazy idea that could lead to a big future commission” project is really interesting because I feel like when it's one of those projects, often the scale and caliber of the project is rather large and grand. In that case what you're producing is really cool while also being a challenge which in turn, will help you grow as an artist.
This is a great article and a great list of justifications. I have always been an extremely busy person. In high school I was a member or leader of several clubs, I was a two-sport varsity captain, I was a stage manager and a techie, I led and competed on the speech team, etc. etc. There was never any time for personal projects or really anything that I didn't do in the time I had allotted for each activity. When I came to CMU, the situation was much the same: class, class, class, crew, crew, crew, show assignments. Until last week, my time was blocked out every single night from 6:30-10:30. So there wasn't any time for personal projects there either. Now, however...I have free time. And it's crazy to me. In some ways I completely hate it, because I'm used to being busy and I function well that way. So for the first time, I am able to take on some personal projects. I have been making homemade candles and other DIY home things, I've signed up to volunteer for festivals, I've helped my friends create installations, I'm learning Photoshop, and I've started writing again. This is all in one week of evening free time. Though I would rather be busy, I feel like these things are good for me and these personal projects will help me add all kinds of tools to my toolbox. I just needed the opportunity.
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