Post by KP Spark on Nov 8, 2012 21:39:28 GMT -6
One complaint I often hear is that people don't have enough motivation to pursue their projects. Or they want to do it, they just don't know how. Generally this is because they're uninspired. Now how does inspiration matter? Inspiration is the influence that drives and stimulates your project. It allows you to put your mind in the place it needs to work on your with clear image and character.
Inspiration isn't necessarily where ideas come from. Its the force that gets things moving. An idea can't just be a shell of a concept, inspiration gives it flavor. As a machinimator, I struggled with my inspiration for a long time. Only till recently have I managed to settle it for my projects. It was important at the time to let my idea reach its maximum potential, and right now I'm pretty satisfied. Don't fool yourself and try to justify going without inspiration just because your project is a machinima. Machinima isn't a genre, its a medium. Every piece of art has inspiration. Shooting a machinima without an idea or inspiration is the equivalent of filming someone do their taxes, or sit on a bench.
If you have a good idea, you need to think about how to present it. Picture it in your head. Develop it. If you still aren't sure about your project, then try shifting your perspective on it. Read a book, watch a movie, or TV. Look at art. What reminds you of your topic? If you were to do a machinima based on zombies, watch Dawn of the Dead, or read World War Z. Makes sense right? If you think about how they present their ideas, you may have a thought or two about your own idea. You'll run into a lot of cliches while researching your topic. Avoid them, or better yet, subvert them wherever you can. What if the group of survivors isn't trying to escape, but infiltrate someplace? You might think while reading/watching what if we moved into space to escape from the zombies?, with that comes how would we get the earth back?. Remember, don't just borrow ideas. Knowing whats out there allows you to avoid repeating the same thing. With every beat of a story, there's an opportunity for expansion, subversion, or a different interpretation.
For example, the idea I had in my series Theta was what if I were to do an alien invasion from the point of view of one of a motley B-team? Some of the feel of the show was derived from the show Firefly, with some of the run-down, almost western feel. Whereas some of the more alien moments of the show are colder, and more inspired by the film Aliens with claustrophobic interiors and heavier contrast. The writing of the show is inspired primarily from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in terms of both dialogue and overall structure. Whenever I'm conceiving the show, and find difficulty, I think back to any of these things for inspiration.
Also, real life. You know, outside? Keep up with the news out there, and not just the boring stuff, the interesting stuff. The shocking thing is, reality is more unexplainable than anything fictional. Naturally, we try to make sense of things with fiction. Observe the people around you, the way others talk, what makes people strange even in hindsight. Looking around you will give you a different view of the world. So that when you sit down and work, you'll have a broader perspective on the way things are.
If you feel like you're inspiration is run dry, try one of these things. You may think you have a great idea, but with enough inspiration, you can have it down perfectly. And I guarantee you, you will be motivated enough to complete it.
Thoughts?
Inspiration isn't necessarily where ideas come from. Its the force that gets things moving. An idea can't just be a shell of a concept, inspiration gives it flavor. As a machinimator, I struggled with my inspiration for a long time. Only till recently have I managed to settle it for my projects. It was important at the time to let my idea reach its maximum potential, and right now I'm pretty satisfied. Don't fool yourself and try to justify going without inspiration just because your project is a machinima. Machinima isn't a genre, its a medium. Every piece of art has inspiration. Shooting a machinima without an idea or inspiration is the equivalent of filming someone do their taxes, or sit on a bench.
If you have a good idea, you need to think about how to present it. Picture it in your head. Develop it. If you still aren't sure about your project, then try shifting your perspective on it. Read a book, watch a movie, or TV. Look at art. What reminds you of your topic? If you were to do a machinima based on zombies, watch Dawn of the Dead, or read World War Z. Makes sense right? If you think about how they present their ideas, you may have a thought or two about your own idea. You'll run into a lot of cliches while researching your topic. Avoid them, or better yet, subvert them wherever you can. What if the group of survivors isn't trying to escape, but infiltrate someplace? You might think while reading/watching what if we moved into space to escape from the zombies?, with that comes how would we get the earth back?. Remember, don't just borrow ideas. Knowing whats out there allows you to avoid repeating the same thing. With every beat of a story, there's an opportunity for expansion, subversion, or a different interpretation.
For example, the idea I had in my series Theta was what if I were to do an alien invasion from the point of view of one of a motley B-team? Some of the feel of the show was derived from the show Firefly, with some of the run-down, almost western feel. Whereas some of the more alien moments of the show are colder, and more inspired by the film Aliens with claustrophobic interiors and heavier contrast. The writing of the show is inspired primarily from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in terms of both dialogue and overall structure. Whenever I'm conceiving the show, and find difficulty, I think back to any of these things for inspiration.
Also, real life. You know, outside? Keep up with the news out there, and not just the boring stuff, the interesting stuff. The shocking thing is, reality is more unexplainable than anything fictional. Naturally, we try to make sense of things with fiction. Observe the people around you, the way others talk, what makes people strange even in hindsight. Looking around you will give you a different view of the world. So that when you sit down and work, you'll have a broader perspective on the way things are.
If you feel like you're inspiration is run dry, try one of these things. You may think you have a great idea, but with enough inspiration, you can have it down perfectly. And I guarantee you, you will be motivated enough to complete it.
Thoughts?