The Creative Imperative

The Creative Imperative

A Documentary Film

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The Filmmaker’s Statement

One of the musicians in my film said “When toddlers hear music they begin to dance. If that isn’t proof that music is one of the most powerful forces in the world, I don’t know what is.” This statement embodies the way we, as human beings, are inspired by the sheer force of creative impulse, and how by extension, we are uplifted by the arts in general.

My film showcases individuals speaking about the rigor, wonder, devotion and immense satisfaction of working in art forms that are common to virtually every culture: music, theatre, dance, art and literature. What I attempt to reveal, through their interviews, is the notion that the arts are the way in which everyone, regardless of background and beliefs, religion or race, can come together and find common ground. Disagreement can be set aside when we immerse ourselves in reading a book, or attending a performance, or observing art. Creativity, as a catalyst, encourages us all to pause, and it is in that moment that we might better understand one another.

In addition to celebrating the brilliant artists who appear in my film, my ultimate mission is to encourage young people to not only dream of a life in the arts, but to understand that it is possible. That what they have to offer is unique and needed. And that though it may not be an easy path, the fulfillment is immeasurable. Living an artist’s life is a gift to the world, because artistic expression is one of the most valuable things we can do to make the planet a better place. And creativity itself is the bedrock of what it means to be human.

Background

In the 1980’s, as I was building a career as a professional oboist, I read a book by Robert Ardrey which had a lasting effect on me. At the time, I could never have imagined how this book would emerge again in 2018 to inspire and influence my documentary film, The Creative Imperative.

The American author Robert Ardrey died in 1980. This resulted in a resurgence of interest in the quartet of books he’d written about his research and conclusions on human origins. At the time, his views were controversial among most social scientists and anthropologists of the day. I was curious and read his second and most popular volume, The Territorial Imperative, in which he attempts to disprove the theory that most human behavior is culturally determined. From my naive view, I’d assumed that all animals had the drive for sex and food, certainly; that was obvious enough. Ardrey posited that the inherent urge for territory essentially trumped both those drives, in both man and beast. He pointed to nation building and man’s extreme defense of territory, as an outgrowth of this primal drive. This resonated with me, because if an animal has no guarded and safe space in which to rear young and gather food, then the species has little chance to thrive long term.

Over the years, The Territorial Imperative has stayed on my mind. I’ve often wondered: exactly how are humans different from all other species. Are we really that exceptional? Experts have proven that, though our brains are more fully developed than all other animals, we typically utilize only 10 percent of that brain potential. We know that many species, including birds and even insects, have complex and successful “life styles” and are able to adapt quickly to adverse conditions, sometimes within one generation. On the other hand, wild turkeys are so successful as a species, their DNA has not changed at all since prehistoric times. Many animals are ingenious “problem solvers” and we also know that certain species, such as – surprisingly – octopus, exhibit “play” behavior for its own sake, having nothing to do with managing the tribulations of survival. All this data leads me to suspect that species other than humans may actually use their smaller brain capacities to a greater, and more effective, degree. And given the current state of the world, one could argue that human beings are not doing very well at all. We seem to be our own worst enemy; continuous war, genocide and climate change as just a few examples of our collective failure on a massive scale. So, again, what makes humans truly special?

I’ve come to believe that the drive to create is unique to human beings. It is the fourth imperative. Music and drawing are as ancient as our species. When humans rose up on two feet, dance emerged. Story-telling, through speech and then in writing, is the way we develop and share our imagination. In a broad sense, creative expression represents the essence of what it means to be human. Absent these art forms, we certainly won’t die. But we know very well that with them we, as a species, thrive.

Personally, I view creativity, and the arts in general, as a mechanism by which we understand our nature and the world around us, and also how we explore our individual identity. When we make things up, we free ourselves, if momentarily, from the struggle to just simply live. And while every person on the planet has creative potential, only a small percentage truly experience the drive to create to be as nourishing as food, as sheltering as home, and, at times, as invigorating as sex. Indeed, creativity is like birthing a child. I could not imagine a life without being deeply involved, every day, with the art forms in which I have immersed myself – whether interpreting great composers when I was a musician, or creating beautiful environments as an interior designer, and now as a writer, as I imagine worlds in my books. Indeed, all of the artists in this film have spent their years listening to a relentless pulse, that inner guide, as well. We would be lost, bereft, and pretty much useless if we did not fulfill our creative mission every day. This is not an exaggeration. It is The Creative Imperative and it is a calling very few are drawn to.

In early summer of 2017, I approached the 86th Street Second Avenue subway, and stopped short when I passed a trash can at the street corner. It was filed to the brim and sitting right on top was a beat-up copy of Ardrey’s The Territorial Imperative. With a sense of nostalgia, I considered taking it. But on closer inspection, saw that it was covered with filth so I left it there.

But something unconscious clicked – perhaps in itself a creative pulse of awareness. How this would translate to my documentary would not become apparent for some months. But that week, I devised three questions I might ask people in the arts about their creative life.

• What is a point of inspiration that has greatly inspired your creative life?
• When you are in the midst of your creating or performing your art and things are going very well, what does that feel like in the body center?
• Why is your art form essential for the world?

With these questions as springboards for the artist’s inquiry into their relationship with the creative process, I hoped to distill common themes and also illuminate the limitless ways in which the imperative shows up. Later that summer, I began to make short research iPhone videos, asking musicians, artists, actors, dancers, and writers the three questions. I gathered almost 100 interviews. From there, the idea of making a formal documentary quickly coalesced.

Creating is a human impulse and reflects an inner experience. And with this act comes an implicit moral generosity, because the things we create are not really ours. These things, whether music, art, dance, books or theatre, are meant as gifts to be received by the world. When borne out – as a life-long mission – this is The Creative Imperative.