The ability to tell a story through written and visual communication is indeed valuable and the tools that we now have access to in the digital world can enhance these processes. But sometimes we have creative blocks – no inspiration to motivate us to complete the next creative project.
Therefore, I have compiled a short guide of three ways that can be used to unlock creativeness and perhaps even motivate you to develop your own exciting projects.
”You never know what moment will spark an interest and give you the inspiration to create something wonderful.”
Making short films using household objects
Film is a brilliant mode of storytelling because it provides the perfect way to transform an audience into the writer’s narrative and have offered us alternative ways of experiencing the world. But whether you’re a film fanatic or someone who simply likes to watch moving image from time to time, making your own short films is a great way to engage in various aspects of the creative industries. You don’t need to own any specialist or professional equipment to make one from home because most smartphones have editing software with microphones and video capture already built in. But when it comes to deciding what story you would like to tell, mind-mapping is a good place to start because it allows you to visualise what it is that interests and engages you enough to make a film about it.
Moreover, making short animations using household objects gives you the opportunity to experiment with various styles of storytelling without the pressure of anyone seeing it. This also harnesses your imagination when thinking about what objects could be implemented into your film that best captures the story. Overall, making short films allows you to develop creative skills in areas including scriptwriting, editing, and storyboarding – skills that you can take forward into your next creative project to continue building your portfolio of work.
Free writing
You never know what moment will spark an interest and give you the inspiration to create something wonderful. In fact, sometimes we even find that our most exquisite ideas come to us when we least expect it. Therefore, free writing is a brilliant way to explore your writing style and to express your thoughts and feelings on paper in a relaxed environment. A place where you are free to create with no rules or expectations. This is an activity that I participated in when I was completing a screenwriting course and it was encouraging to get lots of ideas that had been circulating around my head down on paper.
To free write, give yourself a topic such as ‘what I love about film’ and set a time-limit of five to ten minutes of non-stop writing to answer this question. Continue writing consistently until the timer stops to allow the flow of writing from pen to paper and for your ideas to develop creatively. After all, you never know, this piece of writing could become the inspiration point for your next short film or screenplay.
Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking is an activity that provides a thoughtful and caring way to record special moments in our lives. Instead of memorabilia such as photos, leaflets, or postcards being left untouched in a cupboard, these can be presented creatively to highlight unforgettable memories – offering the perfect souvenir. The key is to find the right size: your theme, however, will determine the size that you should invest in. For example, if you are scrapbooking about a cherished summer holiday, then I would recommend a larger size of around 12×12 inch to accommodate photos and enough space to write down your favourite moments.
One aspect of scrapbooking that I personally love is how the creative process can be continually flowing over a period of time. It is something that you can return to whenever you want to relax, but also stay creative. Ultimately, like film, scrapbooking is about telling a story and decorating it with handmade notes, drawings, and a splash of paint, helping add that all-important personal touch.
As an additional note, I would always recommend keeping a notebook or designated space to write down creative ideas for those spontaneous light-bulb moments. Also, like a lot of creatives nowadays, digital resources are becoming invaluable and social media sites like Twitter and Instagram are a great way to keep in touch with what’s happening in the creative world. So…what will be your next creative project?
Zoe Williamson
Featured image courtesy of Jess Bailey via Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
Zoe Williamson
Hello I'm Zoe and I currently study Media and Communications at university. My interests are in writing, film production, researching and fashion communications.