Art as Innovation

By Enza Sebastiani

San Mateo, California - January 2, 2004

A few days ago a friend of mine forwarded me an article from Fast Company.com (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/78/jobs.html)
It was about business models and the limitation of innovation, as in: “Not All Innovation Is Equal…Technical innovation will earn you lots of adoring fans (think Apple). Business-model innovation will earn you lots of money (think Dell).”

This statement compelled me to review just a few of the 2003 Apple (http://www.apple.com/hotnews/) releases and the true stories from creative people like us.

If you come from a perspective that art is innovation, it is tough to grasp a statement such as: “If your cool new thing doesn't generate enough money to cover costs and make a profit, it isn't innovation. It's art.” Say that to Walter Murch (http://www.apple.com/pro/film/murch/) who chose to cut an $80 million picture, “Cold Mountain”, on Final Cut Pro and a bunch of Power Mac G4s.
Or just check out the story on the master digital restorer John D. Lowry, (http://www.apple.com/pro/film/lowry/) who removed “a piece of dirt from only every frame or two,” from the “Adventures of Indiana Jones” (”Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Temple of Doom,” “The Last Crusade” DVD set.) Which translates to half a million pieces of dirt for two versions each of three movies. All this in Lowry’s Burbank lab, stacked with G4 towers and a passion for film preservation.