Death of the Artist

“Nobody would ever need more than 640 kilobytes of memory on their personal computer”, words allegedly said by Bill Gates in 1981. Twenty-eight years later, people commonly carry around iPods and thumb drives with storage spaces measured in gigabytes.

The issue here is not whether Bill Gates really said those words but rather how technology seems to progress every minute. Be it just a speculation or real words uttered by the Microsoft tycoon, it is a fact that technology has defied the impossible. After finding out how technology progresses even in a span of two decades, what are you to expect then?

In just a few years, the world has slowly loved the intervention of technology. No matter what type of chore, technology has been an aide in lessening any strenuous work. But aside from reducing the hassles of everyday life, it can also be said that technology is used to polish the defective work of humans - not to mention, create the undoable ones. But up to what extent are people willing to be overtaken by this technological encroachment?

Hollywood Extinction

Cinema is one industry where technological advances are very well-taken advantage of. Gone are the days of play-dough-and-chicken-foil E.T.’s or puppet Godzillas. Some of the most recent flicks one may have watched probably included Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, or Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, both of which rely heavily on digital graphics.

Others would admit that the films’ appeal isn’t for their plots alone, but the spectacular visuals. The Harry Potter series and 300 are some productions from recent years that have been filmed almost entirely in front of a green screen. And, if not for spectacular backdrops, digital renderings can also be thanked for creating some astoundingly realistic characters. Most people have memories of Jar Jar Binks from the Star Wars franchise, The Hulk from the Ang Lee adaptation of 2004, and even Gollum, probably one of the eeriest Computer-generated Imagery (CGI) characters ever created.

Most of these characters were made because actors couldn’t really play them, be it for their appearance, size or anything that may hinder the storytelling. But what of those that could actually be played by real people, but aren’t? As of the moment, there are scenes that could at least be played by stunt doubles, especially in action or superhero films, but are simply animated instead. It seems harmless, maybe even less of a hassle for the production staff, but how much does this suggest about where the future of film is heading?

Can you imagine Hollywood without the celebrities? Or watching a movie starring the future’s Brad Pitt or Jessica Alba, except you know they’re not real? How long would it take before directors realize just how unnecessary actors are to films, when they can be replaced by animated characters instead? Animated people don’t have attitudes, don’t need salaries - they don’t even need makeup or prep time! They have the potential to be perfect, flawless not only in appearance, but in terms of performance as well. Why depend on actual people and risk wasted production time, or endless retakes, when technology can do the job for you? These days, digitally-rendered voices and completely 3D-animated movies are one thing, but what of the possibilities when it is perfected? Who needs actual human talent, when computers can be a thousand times better with minimal effort, and maximum revenue? It seems even actors aren't irreplaceable, but then again, who is?

The Death of Musicians?

Aside from actors, the need for musicians is also being threatened by the progress of technology. A popular digital program developed in 1982 called MIDI (or Musical Instrument Digital Interface) enables electronic musical instruments such as keyboard controllers, computers, and other electronic devices to communicate, control, and coordinate with each other. Today, this program is known for its many repackaged names by various brands such as Pro Tools (DigiDesign), Live (Ableton), Reason (Propellerhead) and GarageBand (Apple, Inc.). One of the plus sides of using these programs is that they have a cache of pre-recorded instruments. Virtually any instrument is at the owner’s disposal.

On the downside, this deconstructs the perceived definition of a band, which is supposed to be “a group of instrumentalists playing music of a specialized type”. Anyone can become his/her own recording artist and/or musician. During the recording process, performers become obsolete and are replaced by machines with their technical precision. Acts such as Nine Inch Nails, Death Cab For Cutie, and Daft Punk employ the use of synthesizers, drum tracks, electronic instruments and are usually led by 1 to 2 people during the recording process.

Artists resort to the use of digital instruments only to evade the hassle of having to spend large amounts of time and money cooked up inside a studio. Awin Galang from Independent Minds recording studio mentions, “It’s definitely cheaper to record digitally. You just have to buy the program and set it up in your laptop and you’re good to go.” It also means that one can work in their own time, not having to wait on other musicians or follow a strict schedule to help in finishing the project. However not all genres of music embrace such a one-sided workmanship. Mostly artists of Pop, House, Electronica and Hip-Hop are the ones who frequent other electronic devices such as turntables, synthesizers and drum machines when constructing tunes. For rock bands, in general, digital recording has alleviated their work, in a way, but it hasn’t taken the place of genuine instruments and artists. When it comes to studio recordings and gigs at live sets, they still employ the use of fellow musicians.

But what if the use of MIDI technology takes a turn for the worst? What happens when computer programs finally replace human performers in musical groups? What then when sentient machines start mixing and producing albums not based on feelings or artistic creativity, but on calculated Pop chart results? Computers aren’t exactly as diverse or abstract in thinking as human beings, meaning strictly computerized records could become repetitive and boring. Envision attending a rock concert with the stage filled with computers hooked to massive speakers playing mechanically engineered, preset music all while a giant LCD screen flashes the digitally simulated artists to it’s very human crowd. Is this where the music industry is headed?

Technological Innovation Influx: Good or bad?

In this generation, what you see is not really what you get. Who can say that the Angelina Jolie featured in E! News is the one who played the role of Fox in the movie Wanted? What if all the characters in movies are just products of advanced computer applications? You can never blame filmmakers for trying to improve their movies through editing. The same goes for music producers who use auto-tune to improve their artists’ voice. Perhaps they just want their consumers to be satisfied - or in a capitalist’s view, get the highest possible profit.

If people know where to draw the line between real and edited then squabbling about this issue is very unnecessary. You just have to admit it, without the editing, a typical person wouldn’t appreciate the raw product. It‘s like Star Wars using a puppet Yoda holding an illuminated “glow in the dark” stick for a light saber; or in music, it’s like a Fall Out Boy song without the distortion. Just like art, all of those products are skillfully crafted together to create a masterpiece altered by technology to come up with a better effect.

No one can tell up to what extent technology has been applied in certain artistic fields. It is never wrong to experience these changes - in the first place, it is the consumer who benefit from it.

Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the current situation, the former surpasses the latter. For as long as technology does not get into people’s personal values and morals, why not be glad with it?

Sources on Bill Gates:

Readers‘ Digest.(May 2009). Top ten worst tech predictions of all time p. 24.

Newstrack India. (December 10, 2008 ). Bill Gates, Sir Alan Sugar make top 10 list of Worst Technology Predictions Of All Time. Retrieved from newstrackindia.com.