A Scale for Artistic Depth

From its inception, cinema has undergone remarkable transformations, driven by visionary and audacious filmmakers. I hold the highest regard for those films that boldly attempt to reshape the very essence of cinema through their audiovisual choices. And, of course, I harbor an unceasing aspiration to contribute to this cinematic evolution. This reverence runs so deep that I’ve grown accustomed to overlooking works that don’t align with the experimentations I hold dear. Yet, over time, my cinematic journey has led me to explore new horizons. I’ve delved into the creations of filmmakers who wielded stylistic palettes seemingly distant from my taste. Surprisingly, I encountered films that, despite being akin to my favored style, failed to resonate with me. It was here that I stumbled upon a more profound factor at play: Artistic depth.

If an artist’s point of view truly captures me, I become incredibly open to various styles and preferences. Conversely, even a film within a genre I typically enjoy can lose its worth in my eyes if I don’t resonate with the filmmaker’s perspective. I’ve come to understand that, just like Jean Renoir once expressed, what captivates me is an artist’s distinctive viewpoint. However, whenever I encounter an approach that piques my interest, I often hesitate to label or classify it since it is not something tangibly addressed like audiovisual choices. Nevertheless, through introspection of my artistic journey and the evolution of fellow creators, I’ve contemplated a potential scale for assessing the profoundness of an artist’s creative perspective, which I now present. (I’m totally on board with the point that I haven’t exactly unearthed a groundbreaking innovation, this is just some old-fashioned contemplating.)

A Scale for Artistic Depth

1- Seeing: Gazing at the world around.

2- Connecting: Weaving societal threads, being part of activism, politics, and community pulse.

3- Empathizing: Delving into the human culture, unveiling identity dilemmas and struggles of people.

4- Reflecting: Honing in on intimate experiences, exploring existential quests and individual chronicles.

5- Encompassing: Tapping into universal human emotions and experiences, addressing every soul across time.

6- Transcending: Crossing beyond human boundaries, channeling the divine essence in your artistic cosmos.

On this scale, the 6 embodies an unattainable abyss to strive for—a depth never quite touched but always aspired to. Meanwhile, the 5 embodies an elusive position, a depth achieved by a precious few creatives. But who’s gonna call the shots on where a piece of art lands on this scale? Godard once said that a film’s real critique is another film. So, I reckon an artist’s real measure comes from fellow artists, especially those down the road. So, I dare to say, my affection for a film parallels this very scale.

Significant events while composing this post: seeing an anti-violence Western film, buying six packs of underwear at an affordable price.