My friend John Green likes to remind me that once we finish a project, it no longer belongs to us, it belongs to the audience, the readers, the listeners, the viewers. This is difficult for me to accept sometimes.
For instance, in my iTunes library, all of my albums are organized by release date. By default, iTunes lists albums alphabetically, so I know everyone is listening to my releases out of order. Storytelling and chronology is important to me. Overall, it’s a small concern, but a concern nonetheless.
No matter what I do in the foreseeable future, I will probably be known for my song “Can’t”. It has over 520,000 streams on YouTube, it’s been covered dozens of times in every genre you can possibly think of, and it remains my best selling song on iTunes, even though I’ve released three new (and in my opinion, better) titles since.
It’s a total crap shoot, which work becomes known and which doesn’t. A quick in-the-moment work might blow up while other projects you spend months on may stall.
My friend John asks me to photoshop lots of weird things for him to use in his videoblogs. From Zuckerberg’s head up a giant squirrel’s ass, to shanedawson-type neon thumbnails to attract views. But this one time he asked for two giraffes, humping.
Given the popularity of the vlogbrothers’ videos, I think more people have seen the giraffes I photoshopped having sex than any other piece of art I’ve created.
And if that’s not depressing enough, I think my second most viewed work is the thumbnail of his childhood dog’s poop in his Nintendo that I was asked to photoshop by John (used in multiple videos).
Now I’m not saying these aren’t fine examples of my artistic abilities – okay, yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Ten minute bestiality photoshop sessions should not be viewed millions of times more than week-long digital paintings. But lowest common denominator stuff always does better than pieces that require a little more work to access or appreciate.
John has this great quote, “What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?”. It’s just too bad that the real remarkable stuff is usually only appreciated by a small audience, while the rest celebrate poop jokes.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
So true, and so deep. Loved that last sentence.
And it sucks that that happens, but it's true for most people. You never really know what's going to make it or not. That's why you always make sure that everything you put out is something you can be proud of if it becomes popular.
I have a video I posted on youtube three years ago that has over 60 000 views, and it's one of the few videos I've made that I really really don't like. It's so bad, and I didn't try on it or anything.
It's my only video with a lot of views.
-alex
but poop is so cool, alan. jeez get with the times :P
Thus is the way of the internets. It's often hard for me to word exactly what I want to say, so forgive me in advance if this doesn't make sense or something.
I can understand your problem with what gets seen and what doesn't. Makes me wonder, would you rather not even be noticed for your "ten minute bestiality photoshop sessions?" Many people on the internet are here for, or enjoy most, the cheap laughs that they can get quickly and efficiently. The ones that matter are the ones who dig further and find the works you feel should be appreciated more.
I personally think that everything you do is remarkable, that you are remarkable. I'm envious of your talents. I mean, I know this isn't a good example, but even through those seemingly unremarkable photoshopped pictures, you have successfully attracted thousands of people to those vlogbrother vids – which certainly sounds remarkable to me. *hugs*
I know what you mean. Poop is so much more appealing to the internet especially, sometimes, and people just prefer having fun to appreciating good things. I'm not saying fun can't be good, but people just like easy, funny things more than complex, important ones. I guess.
Also, I organize my itunes by album year too.
I didn't realise itunes could arrange albums within time order, now I've figured it out, I'm so much happier with itunes1
I always think there's more to success than numbers. The thumnails you created for the Vlogbrother videos may have been viewed the most but I expect each view was a mere glance that lasted a second or two. Apreciated, yes, but not for long. On the other hand, the things you have spent much longer on such as 'CAN'T' and 'Erase This' are apreciated in a totally different way. They may have fewer 'views' as it were, but each of those views represent a person who has decided to download your work and undoubtedly listen to it more than once. Furthermore, if they are anything like me, they will listen to your work over and over again! Sure, it's dissapointing that "Ten minute bestiality photoshop sessions" get seen by more people but at least, by the nature of DFTBA (this sort of relates to your last blog as well) that the work you spend more time on will be apreciated much more!
The you quote you used “What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?”, was said by Colin in “Abundance of Katherines”. John doesn’t actually believe in that. It was just Colin believing that you can’t possibly matter unless you have done something everyone sees as great.
you mean the giraffe photo is photoshopped… nooooooooooo!
…don’t worry Alan, if you wouldn’t have told me, I would’ve had no idea that the Giraffes Who Like Giraffes thumbnail was related to you in any way.