Jon Troy Nickel · @HazardousArts
21st Jan 2021 from TwitLonger
If Mike Nash has to fight for credits, what chance do the rest of us have?
I know I've been on this for the last few days and probably driving people mad, but I'd like to again give you guys something that I know a lot of artists have to deal with / think about / struggle over.
Woke up this morning to the insane news of Mike Nash's passing.
Mike was and always will be one of the juggernaut artists of our time.
You know his work, you've all seen it and have been blown away or influenced by it in some small way.
I feel horrible because the last convo we had a few months ago was left unfinished because I had to deal with some IRL stuff that was going on right then and there.
I don't have anything to say now, except that I'm gutted and wished we could have finished that convo.
But the thing that I wanted to say, was this (and I hope all artists read this)
Even at the level of artistry reached and produced by Mike Nash, you can and probably will at some point be treated poorly as an artist.
I would like you all to remember the debacle that was credits for Horizon Zero Dawn and the fact that Mike had to publically call the dev's out to be recognized correctly.
Let's be 100% brutally honest here:
Horizon Zero Dawn won awards and gained worldwide recognition for its art direction.
One of the most iconic designs that was marketed everywhere for this game was a piece of Mike's design work - I will attach it here for you guys to see.
You have all seen this creature and you all know that game has Mike's aesthetic all over it. I'm not claiming that he did everything - and I'm not claiming anything beyond the fact that he clearly played his part.
I would now like to ask you again and please think about this rather than just moving it to the side.
What level of skill needs to be reached?
What level of persistence and perspiration much be reached?
What level of determination and devotion to your craft is required?
At what point of sacrifice, personal or otherwise does an artist need to reach to simply be recognised?
If a Juggernaut at Mike's level must fight for simple recognition - what does that mean for the rest of us peons?
I would also lastly like ask you to think about this - if you are an artist that is struggling with depression, or has problems with self-esteem, imagine producing work that propels a project to the lofty heights of truly worldwide recognition and see the project winning awards due (in clearly no small part) to your work, then not even receive the correct credit.
Imagine what that does to a shaky self-esteem.
Imagine the potential damage that could/would do.
I could only imagine the thoughts.
"I'm still not good enough?"
"Do I not deserve it?"
"Do I say anything?"
"If I say something is my career over?"
"What do I say, if I do say something?"
"Who do I talk to?"
It's not hard to credit people correctly. It really isn't.
I don't care about your policy - change it.
I don't care about your name limit, increase it.
I don't care about 'it's just the way it is'. - the people responsible need to do something about it.
I don't care about in-house politics - credit the damn artist.
Digital credit space isn't physical - make the credit list 50 minutes long, you owe them that.
It's such a small and simple gesture and for most artist's this meager gesture is enough!
Say thank you.
RIP Mike, Legend.