In today's media saturated world, the search for creative content is getting tougher and tougher. I have found it increasingly difficult to come up with a concept that hasn't been covered already in one form or another. Each time I find myself sitting down to write, I always end up shaking my head when my script inevitably runs up against a formulaic plotline or a story arc that has already been explored.
When I was shown the post on f-stoppers covering the gallery I was instantly struck by how the artist chose such a simple topic and skewed it into a daring and hilarious concept. She took "dick pics" and spun it into an entire gallery of elaborately dressed penises. She has encouraged people, through this gallery, to remember not to take art and themselves too seriously.
The content is, of course not safe for work, so I wont include any pictures here. I'll link the video below, and the gallery. I highly recommend giving it a look and reminding yourself not to always take yourself too seriously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XRnZ0wGGm4
http://www.dicturegallery.com/the-work/#prettyPhoto
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Creativity and Originality in Film
I've been thinking a lot recently about what it means to be creative. Pre-production does that to you, apparently. Am I creative? Should I be more creative? Are there even levels to how creative somebody can get, or is it just like this big, overarching bubble of creativity that once you're in it, you're in it? Is creativity the same thing as originality? Does any of it even matter?
Those aren't rhetorical questions either. If someone has an answer, feel free to let me know.
You can find tons of articles online about how different writers and directors go about their personal creative processes (here's one that talks about how it took Chris Nolan 10 years to finish writing Inception, while Steven Soderbergh knocked out a script for Sex Lies and Videotape in 8 days - neither of which makes me feel particularly good about myself) but I've found very little about how to inspire creativity in yourself. There'll always be clickbait-esque pieces like this, suggesting different activities that might open your mind to new ways of thinking - thus bringing about creativity - but there's no tried and true formula.
Because in the scheme of things, it's almost impossible to have a truly, never-before-thought-of idea. And that's kind of a bummer. It's an issue I've run into time and time again when working on scripts. Last year, I co-wrote a script about a washed-up TV star and had to listen to people go "oh, so you're making Bojack Horseman?"
No. Dick.
But that's understandable. With so much media constantly getting thrown in our faces, it's impossible not to regurgitate some of that back out into our own work. It even happens to people who have already made it big, like the whole confrontation between Dane Cook and Louis CK - reenacted and dramatized in this clip from Louie - about how Dane might have, possibly, maybe, stolen a teensy bit of a joke from Louis. We all strive to make something that people think is "new" and "refreshing," but how do you do that when literally everything has already been done, one way or another?
The more time I spend writing, the less time I spend thinking about being original. After all, every story you tell - no matter who you are or where you're from - is going to have the same basic structure when you get down to the bones of it. There's no breaking away from that. And I don't know if that's awesome or horrible. Instead, I just focus on making something to the best of my ability, with characters that I find interesting and a plot that ties things all together, with the hope that it will all culminate in some tiny spec of originality.
I guess I'm not really sure how to end this blog post, apart from giving what I - rightly or wrongly - assume to be the definition of being creative with a film. Creativity can't be quantitatively measured, despite what Cinemetrics seems to think. Films should make you feel something: whether it's happiness, love, fear, or anything in between. Shot lengths and camera settings and color palettes and every other "technical" aspect can be a part of this as well, as long as you play them to the overall effect that you're going for. You don't need to do anything groundbreaking. You don't need a 10 minute tracking shot (but oh man they're so cool). Emulate good films, take the techniques that you think will best help tell your story and use them. In the end, as I've slowly learned, all you need is a camera, a story, and people willing to work their asses off to make something good. The rest will come.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Bringing life to the past again
In the spirit of October and Halloween and zombies, I thought I'd make a post about movies that are being re-animated (no pun intended) and why. Finding Nemo hits theaters again, but this time in 3D; The Lion King and Titanic, both huge successes originally at the box office, came back for round two with an added dimension. The list continues on, and the future has even more in store (Little Shop of Horrors, The Birds, Dirty Dancing...see the rest here), both in our regular 2D movie experience and in pay-an-extra-four-bucks-for-glasses 3D. Why not just make something new, though?
The fact of the matter is, even these "classics" are just imitations of other stories that came before, and I'm not entirely sure that such a thing as an "original idea" even exists these days. It's sad to think of the world of creativity in that way, but really, what are we left with? Directors, producers, and screenwriters therefore must come up with ways to manipulate the same old song and dance into something that another generation can enjoy, with updated pop culture references, soundtracks, and images. Plus, with the relatively new frontier of 3D available for exploration, ticket prices rise (in a fair ratio to the increase in cost of making a 3D film, on average about 18% according to the MPAA) to add to the climbing cost of living in today's world. There has to be something flashy and new to add to the old storyline to attract an audience back to the theater, whether it's in the technology or the talent (you know that you see some movies just for the actors, admit it); otherwise, viewers just won't be pulled back in to see a plot they've watched unfold seven times before in various formats.
I'm not saying that this isn't a decent way to make up for a lack of new ideas; after all, it is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing filmmakers give a little more effort in the way of creating something at least slightly new, rather than spending more money to jazz up the same shots from the "original." If you want an upcoming generation to think outside of the box and to try new things, you've got to inspire them through what they see on the big screen, because who doesn't want to be just like a movie star?
The fact of the matter is, even these "classics" are just imitations of other stories that came before, and I'm not entirely sure that such a thing as an "original idea" even exists these days. It's sad to think of the world of creativity in that way, but really, what are we left with? Directors, producers, and screenwriters therefore must come up with ways to manipulate the same old song and dance into something that another generation can enjoy, with updated pop culture references, soundtracks, and images. Plus, with the relatively new frontier of 3D available for exploration, ticket prices rise (in a fair ratio to the increase in cost of making a 3D film, on average about 18% according to the MPAA) to add to the climbing cost of living in today's world. There has to be something flashy and new to add to the old storyline to attract an audience back to the theater, whether it's in the technology or the talent (you know that you see some movies just for the actors, admit it); otherwise, viewers just won't be pulled back in to see a plot they've watched unfold seven times before in various formats.
I'm not saying that this isn't a decent way to make up for a lack of new ideas; after all, it is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing filmmakers give a little more effort in the way of creating something at least slightly new, rather than spending more money to jazz up the same shots from the "original." If you want an upcoming generation to think outside of the box and to try new things, you've got to inspire them through what they see on the big screen, because who doesn't want to be just like a movie star?
Friday, October 12, 2012
Writer's Block
This is a little book that I would highly recommend picking up if you have even a slight interest in writing. You just open to any page and there's an idea that will get your creativity flowing. It touches on topics that are personal, funny, strange and so on. It's under $10 on Amazon and I would highly recommend picking it up, you won't be disappointed.
Here's the link for it: http://www.amazon.com/The-Writers-Block-Jump-Start-Imagination/dp/0762409487/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350070226&sr=8-1&keywords=writer%27s+block
Here's the link for it: http://www.amazon.com/The-Writers-Block-Jump-Start-Imagination/dp/0762409487/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350070226&sr=8-1&keywords=writer%27s+block
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Some times the crazy ideas are the best ones
I thought I was ready for school for school this semester. I was bored at home tired of working minimum wage jobs and manuel labor for under the table cash.
last semester I went hardcore. maximum credits. job on a show at ic tv. multiple clubs. I was spread thin. and what happend was everything i did sufferd the cost of not getting enough attention.
This semester I thought i was going to take it easy on my self take less courses and doing less clubs, but c'est la vie some how I am even more spread thin then ever before. over whelmed with stress I became extremely introspective wondering about what I want to do in the industry and trying to figure my self out. It was in one of these moments of self meditation when I got a crazy Idea.
What did I come to Ithaca for? I came to make movies. to learn how to make movies. I never considered my self an artist. But recently i came tot he realization I am. my free time is spent creating. weather it be writing short, storys script, music, jokes for my standup ( I am an amateur stand up comedian). but mostly I am insane im not ashamed to admitted it and every great artist is insane in one way or another. I am not trying to say I am a great artist, but that i do possess the qualities of one.
When my professor Arturo Sinclair told me he dropped out of college to make movies at age 15 i was impressed to say the least. it was such a simple answer to a question that seemed so complicated. how do you mange to do in life exactly what you want to do. you just do it.
I've done it before in life. when I was a freshman in highschool I wanted to fly to chicago to visit my best friend and go to lollapoolza. I had no money. my parents said if i would pay for it i could do it. (proably assuming i could never get the money.) to solve my problem i designed a Teeshirt I could sell at my school. to make a long story short I sold over 100 shirts and grossed over a thousand dollars and funded my trip.
this summer i was strapped for cash again but i could not get hired at any job in town. so i made a job. i started my own window washing service and made 4 times the money i could have at a regular minimum wage job in a quarter of the time.
The point I am trying to make is sometimes in life when you want something you just have to go take it. you can't sit around waiting for opportunity to find you.
now if you have read all of that you are proably wondering what my crazy Idea is. and it is simple I want to make a film a real film I can be proud of.
this is just a rough Idea and I am begging for input and advice.
If you look at the Ithaca website for the price of tuition and fees you see this chart
48,707 dollars a year is more money then I have ever seen in one place
If you are like me which i suspect there are quite a few you are not on scholarship or only partial scholar ship your parents help you pay some of the cost you use the money you make over the summer to help pay tuition while keeping some so you can buy things you want and need and you take out some student loans a massing a daunting debt especially with the uncertainty of of the future this can be terrifying.
well what if after the spring semester when you have a massed junior or senior standing and become way more polished in the skills it takes to make a movie you take a gap year and put those skills to use.
in this gap year plan to spend $10,000 put into the project of making a movie its a fraction of the money you would spend a year when at college and at the end of it all you would be part of something amazing. an original film that you co-produced had direct influence over.
If I can get 7 more people on board with this idea thats 80,000 dollars we could invest into this project.
with that money we could rent equipment pay for meager room and board, pay actors, and pay for permits for what ever we need too.
we could create a great low budget film and it would be ours.
on the side we could also use the equipment were renting to document the entire process so by the end of the gap year we have our own film and the footage to make a documentary about they entire project.
The type of people I would be looking for to join me on this crazy project are as follows
- A Head cinematographer
- A Head sound designer
- A Director
- 2 editor
- A lighting expert
- a costume/prop designer
of course i would also expect of these core people to be multi talented and can fill in to any other positions needed
we would need a script a great script that can be shot easily that does not demand to much capital.
It seems crazy. but at the same time it seems very possible. and at he end of it all we know we went for it. and will probably learn more then we every thought possible about this industry and our selves.
this is just a skeleton of an idea and i need help from YOU to fill the skeleton with meat and organs and blood and life.
if you are interested in this please contact me my phone number is 609-610-4445 and my email is Austin.Scharfstein@gmail.com
help me make this crazy idea into a crazy story.
last semester I went hardcore. maximum credits. job on a show at ic tv. multiple clubs. I was spread thin. and what happend was everything i did sufferd the cost of not getting enough attention.
This semester I thought i was going to take it easy on my self take less courses and doing less clubs, but c'est la vie some how I am even more spread thin then ever before. over whelmed with stress I became extremely introspective wondering about what I want to do in the industry and trying to figure my self out. It was in one of these moments of self meditation when I got a crazy Idea.
What did I come to Ithaca for? I came to make movies. to learn how to make movies. I never considered my self an artist. But recently i came tot he realization I am. my free time is spent creating. weather it be writing short, storys script, music, jokes for my standup ( I am an amateur stand up comedian). but mostly I am insane im not ashamed to admitted it and every great artist is insane in one way or another. I am not trying to say I am a great artist, but that i do possess the qualities of one.
When my professor Arturo Sinclair told me he dropped out of college to make movies at age 15 i was impressed to say the least. it was such a simple answer to a question that seemed so complicated. how do you mange to do in life exactly what you want to do. you just do it.
I've done it before in life. when I was a freshman in highschool I wanted to fly to chicago to visit my best friend and go to lollapoolza. I had no money. my parents said if i would pay for it i could do it. (proably assuming i could never get the money.) to solve my problem i designed a Teeshirt I could sell at my school. to make a long story short I sold over 100 shirts and grossed over a thousand dollars and funded my trip.
this summer i was strapped for cash again but i could not get hired at any job in town. so i made a job. i started my own window washing service and made 4 times the money i could have at a regular minimum wage job in a quarter of the time.
The point I am trying to make is sometimes in life when you want something you just have to go take it. you can't sit around waiting for opportunity to find you.
now if you have read all of that you are proably wondering what my crazy Idea is. and it is simple I want to make a film a real film I can be proud of.
this is just a rough Idea and I am begging for input and advice.
If you look at the Ithaca website for the price of tuition and fees you see this chart
Tuition and fees
|
$35,278
|
Board
|
5,980
|
Room
|
6,874
|
Health insurance
|
575
|
Total
|
$48,707
|
If you are like me which i suspect there are quite a few you are not on scholarship or only partial scholar ship your parents help you pay some of the cost you use the money you make over the summer to help pay tuition while keeping some so you can buy things you want and need and you take out some student loans a massing a daunting debt especially with the uncertainty of of the future this can be terrifying.
well what if after the spring semester when you have a massed junior or senior standing and become way more polished in the skills it takes to make a movie you take a gap year and put those skills to use.
in this gap year plan to spend $10,000 put into the project of making a movie its a fraction of the money you would spend a year when at college and at the end of it all you would be part of something amazing. an original film that you co-produced had direct influence over.
If I can get 7 more people on board with this idea thats 80,000 dollars we could invest into this project.
with that money we could rent equipment pay for meager room and board, pay actors, and pay for permits for what ever we need too.
we could create a great low budget film and it would be ours.
on the side we could also use the equipment were renting to document the entire process so by the end of the gap year we have our own film and the footage to make a documentary about they entire project.
The type of people I would be looking for to join me on this crazy project are as follows
- A Head cinematographer
- A Head sound designer
- A Director
- 2 editor
- A lighting expert
- a costume/prop designer
of course i would also expect of these core people to be multi talented and can fill in to any other positions needed
we would need a script a great script that can be shot easily that does not demand to much capital.
It seems crazy. but at the same time it seems very possible. and at he end of it all we know we went for it. and will probably learn more then we every thought possible about this industry and our selves.
this is just a skeleton of an idea and i need help from YOU to fill the skeleton with meat and organs and blood and life.
if you are interested in this please contact me my phone number is 609-610-4445 and my email is Austin.Scharfstein@gmail.com
help me make this crazy idea into a crazy story.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
WELCOME!
Welcome everyone!. The following project structure is intended to provide you with a methodology to be both specific and help you track the progress and meet your milestones. Since individual projects vary widely some points might not apply. However, you can use it as a roadmap to define/clarify your goals and go back to it frequently and methodically.
It has four distinct phases:
DISCOVERY
This phase helps you understand the big picture and the opportunity to achieve the main goals of your project; to take an idea from conception to completion in the most effective manner.
Brainstorming, sketch scenarios, analysis and feasibility assessments.
Define the requirements, scope, timeline, budget (your time and resources) and benchmarks for the project.
Synthesis:
- Produce a final script with the discovery result.
- Develop a production plan and a storyboard.
- Present a timeline and a budget estimate.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes! invent associations, structures, forms, silences, sounds.
DESIGN
During this phase, create the look and feel of the story. Develop the story requirements, the creative components, the technical design and the infrastructure that supports the project.
Creative Design:
- Storyline and character creation
- Script
- Storyboard
- Art Direction
- Audio Design
- Production Design
Technical Design:
- Equipment requirements
- Set/backgrounds/location/plates
- Lighting diagrams
- Special efx design
- Models, costumes and makeup
PRE-PRODUCTION
Develop and integrate all the creative, technical and information components.
- Research, research, research!
- Location Scouting
- Set design
- Casting
- Graphics, 3D video/audio production needs
- Technical integration
PRODUCTION
- Lighting
- Rehearsals
- Systems testing
- Problem resolution
- Cinematography
- Sound
POST-PRODUCTION
- Media Management
- Editing
- Sound Mixing
- Color Correction
- VFX
- Title Design
DEPLOYMENT
Live environment:
- Projection
- Audience Test performance and feedback
- Implement promotion/communication strategies
Showtime!
That's all folks!
1-Quality: the true nature of things, the peculiar and essential character
All Illustrations custom made by Rich Powell
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Getting Creative
I was on Vimeo the other day when I stumbled across this article. The article is basically a super basic intro to gels and diffusion. What I found interesting however was this picture from the article.
The neat colorized effect was created by holding a glass of whiskey up the flash. This got me thinking about all the creative, homemade stuff, guys were bringing on set when I was working this summer. The lighting guys were always experimenting with weird stuff to bounce the light off of. I guess the point is sometimes we get caught up in the latest greatest equipment, which is a good thing, but I think we can all think a little more creatively on all fronts. Even if your not lighting. Audio people for example might think of a new way to hide the mic in the car or producers might use a different layout when making the call sheets, etc. Its a struggle sometimes to not become complacent with your work but ultimately that creativity is going to pay off.
The neat colorized effect was created by holding a glass of whiskey up the flash. This got me thinking about all the creative, homemade stuff, guys were bringing on set when I was working this summer. The lighting guys were always experimenting with weird stuff to bounce the light off of. I guess the point is sometimes we get caught up in the latest greatest equipment, which is a good thing, but I think we can all think a little more creatively on all fronts. Even if your not lighting. Audio people for example might think of a new way to hide the mic in the car or producers might use a different layout when making the call sheets, etc. Its a struggle sometimes to not become complacent with your work but ultimately that creativity is going to pay off.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
How To Do It
Welcome everyone!. The following project structure is intended to provide you with a methodology to be both specific and help you track the progress and meet your milestones. Since individual projects vary widely some points might not apply. However, you can use it as a roadmap to define/clarify your deliverables and go back to it frequently and methodically.
It has four distinct phases:
DISCOVERY
This phase helps you understand the big picture and the opportunity to achieve the main goals of your project; to take an idea from conception to completion in the most effective manner.
Brainstorming, sketch models, scenarios, analysis and feasibility assessments.
Define the requirements, scope, timeline, budget (your time and resources) and benchmarks for the project.
Requirements of Analysis:
- Prioritize and validate requirements based on quality(1) and strategic factors
- Determine success criteria and metrics
- Define a preliminary list of production requirements.
Synthesis:
- Produce a final script with the discovery result.
- Develop a high-level implementation plan. (storyboard)
- Present a timeline and a budget estimate.
DESIGN
During this phase, create the look and feel of the solution (style). Develop the story requirements, the creative components, the technical design and infrastructure that supports the project.
Creative Design:
- Storyline and character creation
- Script
- Storyboard
- Art Direction
- Audio Design
- Production Design
Technical Design:
- Equipment requirements
- Set/backgrounds/location/plates
- Lighting diagrams
- Special efx design
- Models, costumes and makeup
PRE-PRODUCTION
Develop and integrate all the creative, technical and information components.
Creative Production:
- Location Scouting
- Casting
- Rehearsals
- Graphics, 3D video/audio production needs
- Technical integration
Technical Production:
- Set design
- Lighting
- Cinematography
- Sound
- System testing
- Problem resolution
DEPLOYMENT
Demonstrate the solution after all final specifications and testing results.
Live environment:
- Projection
- Audience Test performance and feedback
- Implement promotion/communication strategies
Showtime!
That's all folks!
1-Quality: the true nature of things, the peculiar and essential character
All Illustrations custom made by Rich Powell
Monday, February 7, 2011
Need Names?
So I figure as we're writing scripts, it's going to be hard to come up with some good names. If you're stuck for ideas on what to name that spunky alt chick character who kills serial killers and likes Captain Crunch, check this site out:
NAMES
NAMES
You can pick gender, countries of ancestry (such as English, African, Turkish, etc.,) and even time period. There's also options for different categories of beings and behaviors. There's an option to make hippie names. This generator doesn't screw around; you're going to get some pretty kick-butt results.
Next time you're stuck, I suggest you guys give this a whirl.
~Will
PS: Forget elevator pitches; I'm doing escalator pitches.
Friday, January 21, 2011
How to Do It
Welcome everyone!. The following project structure is intended to provide you with a methodology to be both specific and help you track the progress and meet your milestones. Since individual projects vary widely some points might not apply. However, you can use it as a roadmap to define/clarify your deliverables and go back to it frequently and methodically.
It has four distinct phases:
DISCOVERY
This phase helps you understand the big picture and the opportunity to achieve the main goals of your project; to take an idea from conception to completion in the most effective manner.
Brainstorming, sketch models, scenarios, analysis and feasibility assessments.
Define the requirements, scope, timeline, budget (your time and resources) and benchmarks for the project.
Requirements of Analysis:
- Prioritize and validate requirements based on quality(1) and strategic factors
- Determine success criteria and metrics
- Define a preliminary list of production requirements.
Synthesis:
- Produce a final script with the discovery result.
- Develop a high-level implementation plan. (storyboard)
- Present a timeline and a budget estimate.
DESIGN
During this phase, create the look and feel of the solution (style). Develop the story requirements, the creative components, the technical design and infrastructure that supports the project.
Creative Design:
- Storyline and character creation
- Script
- Storyboard
- Art Direction
- Audio Design
- Production Design
Technical Design:
- Equipment requirements
- Set/backgrounds/location/plates
- Lighting diagrams
- Special efx design
- Models, costumes and makeup
PRE-PRODUCTION
Develop and integrate all the creative, technical and information components.
Creative Production:
- Location Scouting
- Casting
- Rehearsals
- Graphics, 3D video/audio production needs
- Technical integration
Technical Production:
- Set design
- Lighting
- Cinematography
- Sound
- System testing
- Problem resolution
DEPLOYMENT
Demonstrate the solution after all final specifications and testing results.
Live environment:
- Projection
- Audience Test performance and feedback
- Implement promotion/communication strategies
Showtime!
That's all folks!
1-Quality: the true nature of things, the peculiar and essential character
All Illustrations custom made by Rich Powell
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