This was the most common clothing item and sight at our house. A sign of duty and getting down and dirty to do the work that was necessary.
“If the farmer is poor, then so is the whole country.” — Polish Proverb
I come from a family of farmers. Several generations of farmers. Farmers carry with them a level of service, professionalism and dedication like no others. One could argue that they’re the bedrock of civilization. They show up each day, rain or shine to prepare and perform their duties. Some, like my father, work almost the full 365 days a year. It’s a level of dedication almost unfathomable today. But it isn’t even so much the daily devotion, but how they worked. I witnessed this growing up, firsthand by watching my father and then my brothers, who would follow suit after him. Unlike the common managers/workers of today, farmers set very high standards of daily performance; they wake early (four or five in the morning), performed the same routines, worked incredibly hard and rarely, if ever, took shortcuts (for whenever they did, they learned very quickly NEVER to do it again). Farmers pay careful attention to the cycle of seasons and adapt accordingly. Spring (preparation), summer (work), fall (harvest), and winter (rest) all signified various stages of activity and prudence. And this process has been respected and followed for thousands of years. It’s proven stuff that works.
How can the modern day artist/animator learn from farmers? It turns out their habits can be easily applied to our creative practice. And in so doing, the artist will come to find that, again, it’s in the quality engagement — ie. the process — where he’ll find fulfillment.
The old Farmer’s Almanac, founded in 1792, is still sold this very day.
1) Farmers plan for the year. (They think long term)
They know what their goal/destination is and set all the things in order for the growing season. They buy the seeds, prep the soil, know where things will be, how and at what intervals throughout the year for planting and harvesting. They know their budget — what time, effort and resources they have at their disposal.
The Animator, likewise, needs to prepare. He needs to know what his work is about and why he’s doing it (i.e. what drives him). He must plan his shots carefully after much debate and deliberation. And he does this in the form of thumbnails, exploratory video work and all kinds of other research (like studying older shots for style, technique or consistency). He does whatever is needed for the task at hand. He also sets the amount of time he has to do the work; a reasonable assessment of the budget and resources. He must be dedicated to being a good professional and know to deliver the goods and deliver them on time. He won’t underestimate the amount of work needed to do the job, nor does he try to do too much or beyond what he can actually deliver. When it comes time perform, he’s ready to excel.
Many seeds are sown, but far less will reach their full potential.
2) Farmers plant more than is necessary. (They raise the odds for success)
The Farmer KNOWS that he’ll reap less than what he sows. All the obstacles that might get in the way of his prosperity — bad weather, insects, bad seeds, or inconsistent soil quality — are all potential disasters that might only reveal themselves later. He must EXPECT them too even if he doesn’t know which one(s) or when. History has proven to him that life can be unexpectedly difficult so he keeps this in mind. Failure has taught him that prevention is far more effective than cure, so he looks in all directions — past, present and future. He knows that good early work can also pay off in surprising ways later. Therefore, he always does more than he has to. He never accepts just doing the minimum or assume that life will be “fair.”
The animator, too, must put in the serious hours, thinking and feeling, and doing his absolute best effort to make sure he raises the law of averages. He improves his odds by getting his blocking right and solid with a believable start to good weight, nice paths of action and clear acting, WAY BEFORE the spline process. He aims for the best possible poses now rather than casually accepting what’s there and trying to fix them later. He ensures all the main points of his scene all read clear and are as appealing as possible. He knows he must hit all the marks his audience or supervisors/directors want else he doesn’t move forward. Still, he’s prepared for non-acceptance, and if things prove to go wrong, he’s adaptable and can change on the fly because he KNEW that change was coming. The time to re-do is now, not later when it’s that much more difficult, time-consuming and painful. He wastes little time as possible in frustration or complaint. Instead, he’s resourceful and focuses on solutions, right from the get go.
“I’d rather be on my farm than be the emperor of the world.” — George Washington, First US President
Before my father brought our family to North America, he worked the rice fields in China. He continued similar back-breaking work when he got here. Animating sure looks a lot easier.
3) Farmers focus on the work they love doing (They’re not distracted)
Farmer’s love what they do. My father, the consummate farmer, had nothing else on his mind when he worked. He didn’t eat, play games, nap or yap when he was doing his job. He didn’t think about money or status, nor did he spend time whining or complaining. When he was at his job, he DID HIS JOB. There was never any screwing around. It’s the trademark of professionals — commitment and consistency. It’s not what others think of us, but how we conduct ourselves. Farmers, like all true professionals, find joy and pride in doing the simple and mundane while giving their attention to the present tasks.
The animator today, unfortunately, seems to jump from one anxious moment to another, his mind rarely on the present. Often times, he tries to juggle ten things at once, including checking email and chat windows. When I was directing I sometimes wondered whether animators today are more talented than ever or crazier than ever. How can they possibly multi-task while doing this incredibly difficult task? I couldn’t (and neither could Milt Kahl from what Richard Willaims noted). It doesn’t surprise that artists today take so long to do their shots and re-do work more than ever before. Lack of focus is a huge issue. We must pay attention. Developing the ability to concentrate by eliminating distractions may be hard but absolutely necessary for delivering purposeful and congruent outcomes. A scrambled mind delivers a scrambled product. Besides, how can we claim to love our craft if we pay such poor attention to it?
Weeding. I witnessed my father spending as much time doing this as much as anything else when he was on the farm.
4) Farmers are good caretakers (They manage their land and themselves)
He’s always on the lookout for signs of danger or negligence. Is the soil still good? What are the early sprouted leaves telling him about the roots and the plant’s overall health? Are there anu unusual signs and what do they mean? (The presence of certain insects for example, were tell-tale signs of rot and water damage). What about weeding or pruning, did he forget? The farmer keeps on top of all kinds of bad stuff that just keeps showing up and he continually adapts to the changing scenarios. A lot of DAILY care goes into making sure all the hard work put in isn’t wasted even if he wasn’t the cause of those problems.
Animators need to understand the need to sharpen the saw; to stay on top of his game, to manage his work and himself. He needs to push himself to a higher standard, a personal standard. He needs to make sure to check if what he’s done is working and working the best he knows. Are the body mechanics good? Is there solid weight in every frame and at every turn of movement? What about the appeal? Are the arcs present in each transition, forming “C” or “S” curves or forming figure “8”s? And, after the splining process, has anything been lost in terms of the idea or feeling? Did the work improve as he worked on it or has it gotten worse?
Concerning his own working environment, is it optimized for optimal performance? Is his house in order? As for his own being, has he kept a tab on his attitude and his energy levels. Has he remembered to sleep, eat, exercise and rest? Has he taken the time to remove the weeds of doubt, worry and negativity that are bound to make their presence felt? The good artist is proactive and adapts to change.
There are few things as beautiful as the sight of rows upon rows of varied crops on a small family farm. I always got a kick out of it, that and getting to see my dad who, like most farmers, worked from dusk till dawn.
5) Farmers rest when the day’s over (They give it their all and then are done with it)
After a hard days work, the farmer goes home with a clear conscience. No matter what happens tomorrow, he’s done his job and put in his time. My father never looked forward to going home while he was working, but when they day ended, he savored being at home, where he would eat, rest and spend whatever time left with family. He kept things simple, and his life each day seemed fulfilling. There was never time or energy left for extra stress or anxiety.
Animators, likewise, would do well to leave the work, AT WORK. Good animators I know of, work really hard, and then are purposefully spent for the day. They rarely did overtime or stayed overnight and yet they did the best work at studios. They were fresh and sharp, which often was mistaken for “natural talent.” Making art requires hugely intense mental effort. Without sufficient rest and recuperation, the artists cannot sustain any sort of prolonged excellence.
“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.” — Will Rogers
Whether a lot or a little, farmer’s take what they can get and are grateful.
6) Farmers accept the outcomes they get. (They are grateful)
Success and failure are dependent on many things in life, many of which are out of our control. When my father saw that our greenhouses/crops went down due to a bad winter storm, blight or contaminated soil — costing our family all the revenues for the year — he just beared the pain and tried to learn from the lesson, if there was one. Sometimes there wasn’t. Like I said, life sometimes is JUST PLAIN HARD. Farmers though, continue to live with optimism and hope, but never is that hope unaccompanied by persistent action.
Like the good farmer, the artist needs to be able to manage the disappointment of failure or suboptimal outcomes. He must focus on the experience and what it has taught him. He must be reminded that pain is often where the growth is, not just in his craft, but for his person. It might sound cliché, but dealing with adversity builds strength and character. As best-selling author Ryan Holiday states; “the obstacle is the way.” Lastly, this brings us back to patience. Nothing could be harder at times than dealing with impatience. It’s been a challenge my entire life. An artist must learn and practice patience. Both personal growth and optimal results take time. Sometimes much more time than what seems reasonable. It’s been said that “most people overestimate what they can do in a year, and underestimate what they can do in ten.” You can’t rush your artistic progress anymore than you can hurry along plant growth. We take action, we wait, and we learn. That’s what constitutes experience.
“The years of searching in the dark for a truth that one feels but cannot express, the intense desire and the alternations of confidence and misgiving until one breaks through to clarity and understanding, are known only to those who have themselves experienced them”. — Albert Einstein