The Merchant's Right

Friday, May 10, 2013

My twitter timeline--aka my portal into the vocaloid-covering community--right now is full of people talking about how artists/illustrators are too often underappreciated, disrespected, bullied, and stripped of opinion. (Of course this would really only happen in this community because K-pop and H!P don't even care about animating or art.) One significant and repeated argument is: "They could easily charge $__ for their art, but you expect it for free!"

I don't disagree with the fact that artists need more appreciation and that they are people too with their own busy lives and opinions. They put a lot of work into their art and it takes a lot of talent and time. But I feel like I'm seeing double standards.

It makes me wonder why artists are perceived and treated differently as opposed to mixers and animators/video-makers.

Artists, mixers, and animators all put in effort to create a work of art in different mediums. They all benefit from advertisement as long as the final product is displayed and viewed/heard. But it seems as though artists have the right as merchants, whereas mixers and animators are public service workers. If an artist can charge money for art, why isn't it acceptable at all for mixers or animators to charge for their efforts?
Is it because artists have traditionally been taking commissions for their work due to the standard systems of sites like deviantart? Because most artists used in vocaloid choruses were brought in, and not originally part of the vocaloid-covering community? Because "friendship" is the expected (and rarely given) reward and incentive to willingly offer yourself up for the job as a mixer or animator?

Where is the line drawn?

9 comments:

  1. I think it's because this whole thing over art is a rather new thing in the community. From what I've seen, older choruses didn't have to worry so much about this. Artists in general are newer to the idea of choruses and therefore, like a lot of us do when exposed to new things, try to find the cracks in it.
    It's also a lot easier to simply steal an artist's work compared to singers, mixers, and animators. (Kirsten's mic, anyone?)

    But yeee I do agree that mixers and animators need love too (and there are quite a few people arguing for staff members' rights in general).

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  2. I'm not in the community nor am I an artist or anything, but to me (I admire everyone in the community though *A*) I feel like it's because mixers and animators are 'given' the base of everything, whereas a singer or a artist has to 'make' the base before handing it over to a mixer or animator. I guess that's why they're overlooked because they weren't the ones that made the base. But then again I'm not experienced in anything and I think that everyone should be equal ^^;

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    1. Hallo person 8D I don't think you know me but HI

      I actually have thought of that base thing before, but I just kinda dismissed it-- but the way you say it sounds kinda convincing LOL. Although that kinda shows more with singers and mixers. (And there has been conflict over the fact that mixers probably get the least amount of appreciation in the community-- which I won't go over here--) It's also possible for animators to make PVs without original art (and a good number of animators also draw).

      Imeanwhathipleasedon'tmindme

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    2. AHHH... (Hi Alyssa and Lee!)
      I didn't even think about the fact that artists do make their things from scratch whereas mixers and most animators don't. Good point :'D

      Arguing from a mixer's standpoint though (not against you guys.. just kinda defending the position in general LOL), it might actually be MORE work to have been handed over your materials because you basically have the pressure of fixing everyone's mistakes. :/ For example, when someone has a bad mic or is really pitchy, the first thought often is, "Why didn't the mixer EQ better or tune this better?!" You have to make up for others' slacking, etc.

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    3. Ohey, I just noticed that LOL Singing, animating, and drawing can all be done as solitary tasks while mixing... can't really LOL

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    4. .......OH. HEY. THAT IS PROBABLY WHY I AM A MIXER LOLOLOL (plus the fact that I'm maso and like helping people even if it means giving their lines extreme vocal surgery)
      what is artistic sense and creativity welp

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    5. IT'S ALSO FUNNY BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW ANTISOCIAL YOU ARE BUT BEING A MIXER REQUIRES BEING WITH OTHERS THE MOST.

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    6. NAH IT DOESN'T REALLY REQUIRE SOCIALIZING THOUGH. If it's a project with an organizer and you're just mixing then people can just drop their lines to you and stuff .. IDK. although for me, I mostly just mix for my friends...and then I get really bossy and help organize it too.

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    7. Suddenly an influx of posts OAO
      @Lee Chao, hello, it's nice to meet you! ^^ Although this isn't really the right place to say it but thanks for following me on Twitter~ also, that is true (about the animators and how they don't need to rely on original art), sorry for overlooking that ;w;
      @Eva, hello!~ The life of a mixer sounds tough OTL Kudos to you for being a mixer! ^^ Also, I'm sorry for overlooking your standpoint too ;w;

      There are so many standpoints in this situation and it's so interesting to read them XD and I am (once again) sorry for writing so much OTL

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