Speed Racer as an analogy of the Independent music artist

Speed Racer (the movie) just came out on DVD. I wasn’t a fan of the Speed Racer cartoon as a kid (Gigantor was more my thing). But a friend of mine wanted me see it , so I did.

First of all, I was surprised at how much fun the movie was, I surprised by it's heart, but most of all, I was surprised how much the films story worked as an analogy for the struggles independent musicians/recording artists (of whom I count myself one) and the indie music scene.

When the film starts Speed is an independent racer. He is sponsored by no one but his Father's own equally independent Racer Motors.

When Speed wins the films opening race and makes the papers, his pit crew of 1 wonders why Racer Motors wasn't mentioned in the story.

Pops racer grimly states "The sponsors control the media". This sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Speed Racer struggles between the idea of signing with a major sponsor or staying independent.

Once upon a time, if you where a musician/songwriter, the only way you where going to release an album was if you signed to a Major label. Oh sure you could release an album on your own, but it would cost you a LOT, and no one would know about it after you where done. The labels controlled distribution. They controlled what made the shelves (they still do for the most part) they controlled what got on the radio through payola (and for the most part they still do).

The 2 big differences between now and then is that digital technology has made the recording process affordable and digital distribution is open to everyone and the labels have no control (but they keep trying to control it god bless em' LOL).

Speed quickly learns that signing to a major sponsor can put a lot of money in his pocket,but that they (the sponsor)can decide what he can and cannot do. They can even tell him he has to lose the race.

And like the Major labels, if speed doesn't sign with them, if he dares to race against them as an independent racer, they will bury him. They will make sure he never leaves the starting gate.

Even with the Internet the Major Labels try their best to control any avenue of promotion they can.

IE: It's not enough to beat the competition. They don't want the world to know that it even ever existed in the first place

Speed is told by the sponsors that his ideas of racing are all wrong. That racing is not about anything grander then the commerce it provides. Later his mother confirms that watching him race is like watching art.

numerous are the stories of recording artists with a real vision of their own finding themselves at odds with a label, who doesn't see their vision as "commercially appealing". Many times an artists signs to a label ecstatic at first, only to be frustrated later when desicions about their music, is not in their own hands.

In the end, Speed chooses his independence. As a result of his decision he must face impossible odds. He must face a giant promotion machine that wants him to not exist, and a system that works completely against him. Speed faces all these challenges and he triumphs (This a Hollywood movie after all).

In the real world The Indie music artist must face pretty much the same challenges. Our victories may not be as dramatic as a motion picture but they do happen and they are shared. When indie musicians  Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová won the Oscar for their song "Falling Slowly" from the Film "Once" it was a victory for the entire independent music community.

I am sorry to hear that Speed Racer did not do as well as hoped at the Box office. It is a visually stunning film with a surprising amount of heart (Not to mention a lot of fun). Go seek it out on DVD  if you haven't seen it yet, and if you have already, perhaps after reading this, you might see it through different eyes.

Speed Racer on DVD

Speed Racer on Blu Ray