Essencia Media: Discussion and Study Questions

We can explain the physical origins of hunger, pain, and even lust (that urge to merge). How can we explain the origin of the creative "impulse"?
Ethics, responsibility, hate, and skills can all be taught. Do you think creativity can be taught? Discuss.
Consider the women who waited until their children were grown to explore and express their own creativity. How do you think that might affect the women's art? Has our culture perhaps missed out because their artistic impulses were delayed?
These interviews were taped during the era of threats of elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts and outrage over the works of Robert Mapplethorpe. Do you think society's attitude toward art and artists has changed? Is the climate more liberal or more conservative now?
Despite recent amoral and illegal activities of trusted community, religious, business, and political leaders (CEO's who bankrupt their employees' retirement funds; priests and politicians who prey on children; and a truly sickening number of other acts of breaking our trust), we still expect people in positions of influence to be responsible and accountable. Is there, or should there be, a "code of ethics" for artists? Why, or why not?
What if the artists say they create just for themselves? They can argue that their work is "for their eyes only." What happens if later, as so often happens, someone else's eyes fall on the work? What could be the ramifications of private work going public?
Do you believe male artists have similar sorts of trolls controlling their lives? How would their experiences differ?
The editors took a risk by including a segment that was seriously overexposed. Did the inclusion of that photographically flawed portion affect the overall integrity of the film? Should it have been eliminated?
What's the most important message that came through to you in the film? Can it be useful to you?