Art vs. Entertainment

When you hear the word “art,” you immediately think of paintings in a museum, because that’s where a lot of art is. Art is a beautiful thing. However, it is also very deep and complex, and sometimes, it’s more than a person can handle.

How many times have you looked at a painting and just thought “what the hell is this?” or “what does this mean?”

This applies to film too, but in the indie film department. Indie films are where it’s at because it’s where a lot of experimentation and randomness occurs. Also, many famous movies are art films—movies that totally redefine how a movie is made. But sometimes you come across some art film that looks absolutely stunning, but the meaning of it all completely escapes you.

Let’s switch gears.

Entertainment should not need an explanation. Just go to the movie theater and watch one of the movies that are showing. Friends With Benefits, for example. These movies are pure entertainment; they tell a story and entertain the audience with love, scandal, explosions, and excitement. There’s a reason why the movie industry is so powerful: Entertainment sells.

But it doesn’t mean the movie is always good.

The difference between a movie and a good movie is presentation. There are a lot of movies that have little to no artistry to the way it’s filmed. Nothing in the way it’s filmed dazzles you, save for some CGI backgrounds. I mean, who cares about the way lighting is used? Who cares about the camerawork or the depth of the story? Who cares about stupid things like that?

Well, I do.

One of my goals as a filmmaker is to balance art and entertainment in a movie. I know people like to see exciting things. But it doesn’t mean I can’t be creative with how I frame things, or how I light the set. I want to make pretty pictures, but I want it to sell. I want to be able to entertain others while being proud of my work. It’s a balance between earning money and just being happy with myself I guess.

That’s my rant.