Recently I have been on a bit of a creative rut, struggling to develop ideas which has hindered the process of my latest film production Shine. In an attempt to combat this, I have been reading and researching ideas on creativity. In this new blog series, I would like to share with you some of the ideas that have helped me the most.
The first concept I would like to share is the idea of using and trusting your subconscious mind. Im talking about the part of your brain that keeps your heart beating, digests your food and allows you to tie your shoelace without you even thinking about it.
Sports players often talk about being "In the zone", where they aren't consciously thinking about what they are doing, their mind goes into auto pilot and they seem to perform at their best. I think this idea applies to artists as well. We have our moments when we are in our creative zone and we allow our subconscious mind to take over.
Often an artist will talk about how they come up with their best ideas while they are in the bath or just as they are about to go sleep. I believe this is because at these times, your brain isn't processing any information, your body is relaxed and you have little to no distractions.
With this concept in mind, the first tip I would like to give is to generate your own creative atmosphere. Dedicate a set amount of time in your day to put yourself into this mind frame by altering your surroundings. This could be something as simple as taking a bath or lying down in bed. I personally like to be in my room, listening to music and scanning through the internet for art and/or films. I keep a pen and paper near but don't pressure myself to write anything unless I find some genuine inspiration.
The ancient Greeks used to believe creativity was divine inspiration given to you from a group of goddess called The Muses (pictured above). They would accompany all creative processes such as theatre, art and even astronomy with music, believing that music is an integral part to the creative process. I believe that listening to music helps you relax and helps your brain to enter that creative zone.
Everyone will have their own approach to making a creative atmosphere, but the important thing is to make sure you can dedicate time every day to put yourself in this place. Think of it as almost a meditation session!
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