Buddhist view on Art and being an Artist I am wondering what is the buddhist view on Art and especially being an Artist? Meaning someone who creates something with an aesthetic quality that may or may not reflect the reality and express thoughts, feelings ideas etc.

As I try to study the basics of buddhism I am encountering this strange conflict when, for example (in my case filmmaking), you like to create a fictional stories, character and even entire worlds, universes.. and that often leads you away from the actual reality. Of course all the thoughts, concepts, stories, songs, plays, paintings, movies etc. in most cases have some symbolic, deeper meaning that does not changed much from the early times. They are rather variations of the "big" questions, pain, love, suffering, live and such and therefore can have the ability to enrich the viewer, provoke thinking and feeling or any other response. 

But the creation process takes a huge amount of energy, and a lot of thinking about. I am not sure if that's such a good thing in the end...
I am not sure if that's such a good thing in the end.


There is a sutta which suggests that that's a valid worry: it's the "Talaputa Sutta: To Talaputa the Actor"

Getting the Message by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu seems to me to soften that message, by suggesting (more specifically) that you should not inspire your audiences to greed, anger, and delusion:


  In this case, the Buddha's reticence and tact helped to make his teaching effective. A similar set of events happened when an actor asked the Buddha if there is a special heaven reserved for actors. The Buddha's reticence and tact in informing the actor of a hell for actors who incite their audiences to greed, anger, and delusion inspired the actor to respond in the same way as the soldier.




Some modern examples:


I can also find some examples of monks and nuns singing and playing music: for example here.
That is notwithstanding the fact that Music is apparently contra-indicted by the Vinaya.
Here is a Theravada monk (ordained at age 10) who composes music: including for film scores.


Music and entertainment and so on are against the Eight Precepts:


  The Eight Precepts are precepts for Buddhist lay men and women who
  wish to practice Buddhism more strictly than through adherence to the
  usual five precepts. The eight precepts focus both on avoiding morally
  bad behaviour, as do the five precepts, and on leading a more ascetic
  life.
  
  In Theravada Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand,
  Buddhist laymen and laywomen will often[citation needed] spend one day
  a week (on the Uposatha days: the new moon, first-quarter moon, full
  moon and last-quarter moon days) living in the monastery, and
  practicing the eight precepts.
  
  The Buddha gave teachings on how the eight precepts are to be
  practiced,[21] and on the right and wrong ways of practicing the eight
  precepts.[22]


According to the Visakhuposatha Sutta, the reason for the Eight Precepts is that Arahants refrain from music etc.:


  "[He considers:] 'For all their lives the arahants refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garments, smartening with perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics; so today I refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing ornaments, smartening with perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics. By this practice, following after the arahants, the Uposatha will be entered on by me.'


So I don't know; maybe it's a grey (not black and white) area, i.e. it's something to think about: neither always forbidden nor always recommended.