UlasanAnime.com – The concept of patronage and authorship in creative endeavors, particularly within the anime and broader digital content landscape, is undergoing a significant evolution, prompting discussions about the power dynamics between creators, funders, and audiences.
The article highlights a new project by Quarkboy (Sam Pinansky), which is expected to be officially announced later in the year. This project is presented as potentially huge news, with its confirmation stemming from Quarkboy’s online presence.
A discussion originating from the ANN Cast on March 9th, 2012, delves into the intricacies of patronage. Quarkboy, in a segment starting at 31:20, touches upon the concept of patronage.
Further insights are drawn from the ANN Forums, where a user named Surrender Artist poses critical questions about the influence of fans who fund a project. They inquire whether these patrons would have a say in production, akin to delegates on a production committee, or if they would be treated as individuals making substantial advance pre-orders or as shareholders entitled to a portion of the revenue.
Zac [Bertschy] offers a stark perspective on the current model, suggesting a cycle where traditional avenues for artists to earn money are undermined by legal ambiguities, forcing them to rely on alternative methods. He posits that in this new landscape, the funders dictate the nature of the art, a situation he believes many people accept without question.
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Quarkboy counters this by proposing that a micro-patronage model could circumvent such issues by making individual opinions too insignificant to wield substantial influence. He questions whether having a million donors contributing $1 each would grant an artist more freedom than a single company providing $1 million. He argues that the notion of a funder dictating artistic direction is already prevalent with large corporate funding, citing examples of anime directors being pressured to use specific songs for opening and ending themes due to the involvement of music production companies in the committee.
The dialogue on the ANN Forums continues, with Zac [Bertschy] framing the choice as being a “slave” to either a “huge soulless corporation” or “demanding fans and their terrible ideas.” He expresses the belief that creative input should not be a part of any micro-patronage or “angel investment” scenario. He advocates for total creative freedom for the artist to be an inherent part of any agreement, as fans are investing because they believe in the artist’s vision.
A related discussion from Penny-Arcade on March 16th, 2012, addresses the issue of ownership in cultural products, specifically in the context of Bioware’s response to the Mass Effect 3 ending controversy. The article points out that the success of such products is intrinsically linked to how players integrate these stories into their lives. It raises questions about the implications of the convergence of digital goods, interactive storytelling, algorithmic content creation, and democratized funding on the concept of authorship.
The author concludes by suggesting that the implications of these evolving models are becoming apparent and are “terribly exciting.”
