Creativity & Copying.

Part 1: Mad Men.

My favorite television show in the world is Mad Men.  And I have to admit, I discovered it out of pure vanity.

About a year or so ago, a dear college friend emailed me to say she had found my twin in the form of “Betty Draper” and went on and on about how much she reminded her of me and vice versa (we’re talking looks folks….I don’t do the naughty things the lovely Mrs.D…or  I guess now it’s Mrs. F tends to do…..I’m not nearly that cool…and may God strike me down if I ever slap a child across the face…but I digress) so I had to check it out.

At first, I was flattered.  Who wouldn’t be?  Betty Draper is divinely beautiful and elegant.  I took a look in the mirror and spent a few minutes questioning my aforementioned friend’s sanity, remembered that it’s been at least a good 10 years since I’ve seen my friend, and furthermore, it was also 10 years and 10 pounds ago that she last saw me.  Her comparison was making a bit more sense, but was still extremely generous.

Regardless, my curiosity about Betty led to my curiosity about Mad Men which led to a fabulously fun addiction that I am (sadly) nursing with re-runs until next fall.  It is, without a doubt, the most creative show on television, and as one critic summed it up “if you’re a creative, you get it.  If you’re not, you don’t.”   Furthermore, it is unbelievably original, and it seems that every detail – from the costuming to the writing to the way the cigarette smoke swirls – has been deliberately crafted and executed to perfection.

I promise, I’m going to tie this into the rest of my post.

Part 2: Copying.

Without fail, about once every six months or so, I’ll get an email from a fellow photographer or design colleague with an attached link and a “have you seen this” type of teaser.  It’s often referencing a set of textures or overlays or a particular designer or a particular post which is similar to something I’ve created or written in the past.  Now, I have to admit, in my first year of so in this biz, I would have been pretty annoyed by such a thing.  And if you’re a photographer or designer who has ever been “copied” (hate using that word, but it’s necessary to illustrate my point) you understand….you’ve experienced that same annoyance.  But then something happens: you mature as an individual and as an artist, and all of the sudden, not only does someone else’s work that you have “inspired” (strongly prefer that word) become less annoying to you, it actually becomes extremely flattering.  And, you begin to realize that in this business everyone copies everyone  else to some extent.  It’s nearly impossible not to.  Creativity inspires creativity, and as a whole, in this industry, if you’re whining about someone copying you, you are either a.) brand new or b.) completely delusional.  If you’re new, it’s natural at first. Dont’ worry, you’ll get over it.  If you’re delusional (which I believe anyone who still whines about being “copied” and has been in this biz for longer than a year or so can easily be categorized as) you need to take a nice, long look at yourself – with a very big mirror – and be really, really, honest….particularly about what first “inspired” you to create.   Otherwise, you’re going to be destined to be eaten up by the “annoyance” of the unseasoned and, ultimately, your individual creative energy will suffer, and you will never have peace.   Nothing zaps creativity and destroys peace like brooding over that which you cannot control.

So, here’s a tip to ponder: As someone who has been there, who has been “copied”, and whose ideas have surely inspired other designers to create new and unique things;  And, as someone who is a blatant copier (I prefer the word “inspired”) of those who have gone before me….GET OVER YOURSELF.  Seriously.  So you had a great idea and someone turned out their own version of it….let it go.  You were probably inspired to get into photography and/or design by someone else’s great idea.  And as an industry….let’s please all now grow up, shall we?  I mean, seriously…when’s the last time you heard Paula Deen accuse Rachael Ray of copying just because they’ve both done shows on meatloaf?  Or how about this example….did you know that Claude Monet did not actually “invent” Impressionism?  Nope.  Nobody really knows who first came up with the style of painting, it was born by a group of artists in Paris, but the style just happened to get it’s name from one of Monet’s paintings: Soleil Levant.  Who the first artist was to actually paint in that manner will never be known….maybe it was Monet, and maybe it wasn’t.  Maybe it was just someone who inspired Monet who ran around in his circle and never experienced any fame.  Thank God for such inspiration.  I mean, can you imagine the world without Water Lillies or  (my personal fave) Gondole a ‘Venise?  And, to take it a step farther, can you imagine the pride of the guy who inspired Monet?  All I know, is that if I were that guy, I know what my epitaph would say.

Furthermore, being “copied” is actually a gift.  It means, in someones’s eyes at least, that you are good, and that you are worth copying.  That’s not just your mother’s voice echoing in your conscience, it’s really true.  Allow what you’ve inspired in others to create to serve as flattery fuel for your next stroke of genius, and go with it.  Let your confidence enjoy a little boost, and move on to creating something else new and original.  Trust me, it works.

So, if that new girl who moves in down the street from you starts taking pictures that look a lot like yours, or if that hot, new texture designer starts making files that look strikingly similar to what you came up with last year, don’t sweat it.  In fact, be inspired by it.  Get all big headed about it if you will….and bask in the victory of knowing you actually helped create creativity.  After all, what she produced is a creation too.  And so it will go, onward, until we are all gone from this place, hopefully leaving it a bit lovelier than when we started.

Oh, and finally, on one more note.  If you’re still struggling with being blatatantly ripped off, no matter how hard you try to rise above it, keep something in mind.  An original almost always has more staying power, and is almost always, always better than even the most well plotted imitations.  For example, a couple of shows aired this fall, which, stylistically at least, are very reminiscent of my beloved Mad Men.  One of them was something about a Playboy Bunny Club, and I believe the other is called Pan Am.  Point being:  I can hardly even remember their names.  And, in a year, I doubt they will even still be around.  They will never be Mad Men, because although creative, they are just not very original.

And, let’s face it, there will forever be only one Don Draper.

And he would not want to listen to you whine about being copied.

Until next time,  Cheers – PB