Why Artists Are Never Happy - Blayne Weaver

In this Film Courage video interview, actor/writer/filmmaker Blayne Weaver reflects on the emotional rollercoaster experienced by creatives. He explains that artists, particularly in the Hollywood context, often grapple with a sense of insecurity, constant criticism, and the challenging process of realizing their creative visions. Despite the highs and lows, from pre-production anxiety to the joy of collaboration during filming, Blayne emphasizes the importance of embracing various emotions throughout a project's lifecycle.

Actor/Writer/Filmmaker Blayne Weaver most recently directed the romantic comedy MISS VALENTINE and wrote the partier comedy PRETTY STONED for MTV. Other recent works include directing the holiday romance CUPID FOR CHRISTMAS for Hulu, writing & directing the horror GetAWAY and co-writing the raucous comedy AMERICAN PIE: GIRLS’ RULES for Netflix. He previously wrote, directed and starred in the Southern Noir Thriller CUT TO THE CHASE and the acclaimed romantic comedy 6 MONTH RULE (alongside Martin Starr, Natalie Morales and John Michael Higgins). Previous films he’s written and directed include WEATHER GIRL (with Tricia O’Kelley, Mark Harmon, Jon Cryer and Jane Lynch) and OUTSIDE SALES. He also co-wrote and acted in MANIC (Don Cheadle, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel), directed by Jordan Melamed, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. ​ He starred in writer/director Paul Osborne’s psychological thriller FAVOR and has appeared in such films as JUNK, DEEP DARK CANYON, OFFICIAL REJECTION and THE GOOD OLD BOYS opposite Tommy Lee Jones. His numerous episodic television credits include ER, NCIS, and THE MIDDLEMAN. He also provided the voice of Peter Pan in the Disney animated feature RETURN TO NEVER LAND. ​ A native of Bossier City, Louisiana, Blayne has studied acting in New York, Los Angeles, Oxford University and graduated from UCLA with a degree in English Literature. He currently runs the West Coast office of Secret Identity Pictures.

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#psychology #actor #filmmaker

[ViperChief]

Suffered from depression my entire life as a bullied high school kid. The only time I’ve been happy? Is when I started writing screenplays and making YouTube videos.

[francineh.]

I don't think artists/creatives are never happy I just think we view the world differently than most people and we feel a lot of emotions, most of us are sensitive souls. I know when I paint or draw it pulls me into that other world where time has no meaning and when I am done whatever I'm working on I shake my head as if I'm waking out of a dream, and then the reality of this world comes crashing back.

[daniel_najar]

Artists are almost always tortured souls.

[alexo]

Oh man.. I can't express how this guy makes so much sense.. I thank everyone out there who writes. The quietest have the loudest minds -king

[batman]

I’m deeply insecure and unsatisfied as a writer. That’s why I’ve rewritten the opening passage to my current novel around a dozen times. Very often, I’m satisfied with my writing one day, but hate it the next. I’m also guilty of changing my writing based on the opinions of others and not based on what I think. I’ll never completely change my style for others, but if people like one passage more than another, I will occasionally go with the edited passage, even if I like the original more, but then I might also change my mind again. The worst part is I’m constantly comparing my current work to my previous work. I’m in constant competition with myself, and that’s where the insecurity comes from.

[erikaanterie]

I'm in love with how Film Courage is aimed for human beings and not for megalomaniac alpha bros who want to win win win 8 figures yadda yadda yadda.
Even if I'm working in becoming a great manga author, which is very different from working in Hollywood, and even though I'm trapped in Argentina, where things are very different from USA, especially in the economics, I'm always looking forward to extract the maximum amount of value of these interviews.
Thank you so much for your hard work ♥

[JesseBakerH]

GREAT questions and great talk. Really spoke to me.

[soft]

Life is for living, we are here for a short time. Word!

[ComicBookGuy]

Tortured artist is a trope for a reason, misery often breeds creativity

Well done to the creators of this for trying to help

[BMFstudiosNYC]

People I showed one of my friends something I was really proud of and all he could say was, "Am I supposed to be impressed?" 🙄 ...and if it's not others, it's ourselves. I'm working on having to cut down my film because it's too long... struggling with cutting out things I love or plot points because they're in a section of the scene that's too slow moving.... torture.

[martarubiocervantes]

I think we tend to be more in touch with our emotions...

[randyperdew]

"For anxiety is a Janus-faced phenomenon. It has a demonic side which can ruin your life, but it also has a constructive side that can guide us toward the development of a greater self." - Soren Kierkegaard

[peter_shadow]

Artists are never happy because we are people with a high degree of sensitivity towards the abstract, the sublime, the beautiful and the ugly of things and we live using our 5 senses. So we have to share the planet with 99% vulgar people who don't even realize that 99% of what they make and use on a daily basis is part of an artistic process. And I don't mean enjoying a movie or a song, I mean that a cell phone is art, also a car and even the freaking shampoo container is art. But we tell one of these people that we want to be an artist, and they tell us that we're going to starve while they stand in line to buy a ticket to see Bad Bunny.

[RogueWolfArtist]

I can’t recommend normalizing this perspective. I love life, to a tremendous amount, but I’m always striving to build more. Pessimism & nihilism, do nothing for the creative construct. I”m not getting how this is an acceptable perspective. Hunger for critique and persevere. I don’t say this unsympathetically, but artist should be finding joy in being able to see the world differently from everyone else. That said, it can tempt frustration as most people will not understand you and have expectations for you that you may not as necessary causing a lot of conflict, but that’s where we fortify our independence as well as independent thought.

[GRORGvideot]

It must be common among us as they made a whole series with 7 seasons about a writer who is not happy/not writing.
Californication maybe spiced with a lot of sex but the message is still there. Doing f*ck all but writing (sorry about the pun). Got some pages down last night myself and felt short contentment after but it’s fading again to the feeling of ”write again. Do it. Now”

[Thenoobestgirl]

Can you do an interview with someone who's written a lot of adaptations and focus on stuff like what makes a good one, how to get the gig, etc?

[divittokelly]

Believe in what you do, don't look back, and keep that creative chip on your shoulder. The right people will like your work.

[TmuchFDchannel]

It makes for a better product. My cinematographer said he respects that instead of being happy with X product that I make the call to make the huge change of doing X thing to make it better.

[grubbraw]

I think simply put, we don't want to be.

[MinorMotionPicture]

Guess I’m doing one thing right as an “artist”…