Have you seen the movie “Up” by the folks at Pixar? It’s a funny, but touching, and beautifully made film. In fact, if you can watch it without alternating between crying and laughing, I think you may be a monster. I also found the film inspiring.

Who do you think inspired the people who made the film? Wha?

Yes, there is someone, a few people actually, in the world of movies whose job it is to inspire the people making the film. For “Up” this job belonged to Lou Romano. Lou and I went to the California Institute of the Art together back in the early 90′s. He’s a great guy. Crazy talented. Really smart. And a bit strange. Just how I like them. When we were in school together Lou stared as the lead character in a series of short films I made called, “Iron Loser.” Since then he has played a mime in a No Doubt video, done voices for a handful of Pixar features and most influentially created artwork thats sole intention is to influence the other artists working on the film by inspiring them.

Lou draws characters interacting with each other, things that aren’t even in the script. He designs possible costumes they might wear. He puts selections of music together that make the listener (or other artists) feel the way he wants the audience to eventually feel. He even does color and lighting “scripts” for each scene in the film, making sure the dominate colors and style of lighting for any particular part of the film are adding to the desired effect. Every single element is thought through. Nothing is an accident. It all comes from a specific place to create the emotion they want you to feel. That’s how you make a film or a photograph or a painting or a song that moves or even inspires your audience.

And where did Lou get his inspiration? Pixar sent Lou and the other team members to Venezuela to check out the locations in person. Lou says: “A challenge in film is conveying how something feels, not how it exists in reality. Imagination and feeling should dictate everything, not reality.”

Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes. But it’s something I think artists sometimes undervalue or even overlook. However uninspired work tends not to inspire others. Seems like a waste of work to me. So the next time you get the itch to make some art with your photography or movies, take the time to get out there and find some inspiration.

You can see more of his work from “Up” on Lou’s blog.

Nice!

Now Shipping: The Nice Clip! - The lens cap clip and cord catcher Wired called, "A super handy little widget!"

Chase Jarvis Portrait Sessions - Inspiration from a Master of Photography
Strobist Lighting Diagrams Photo Tips & Tricks Vol. 1

| Del.icio.us | Technorati | Stumble it! | Digg