January doesn’t have to be all about the cold, dark days and tired nights where you toss and turn waiting for spring to arrive. Or where you run to the gym in panic over loosing those few extra pounds from the holidays. Unless you believe the rumors that the world will end this year, then January is the perfect time to kick your creativity into shape and well, basically, get on with it.
Here are some quick inspirational tips to maybe get your mind buzzing with ideas:
Take a closer look at architecture
Take a walk on your next lunch break and instead of looking down or zeroing in on that phone in your hand, look up. Let your mind wander inside those top floor apartments or onto the rooftops and imagine what scenes unfold up there – an important business meeting, a murder plot being crafted or someone packing a bag to make the trip of a lifetime maybe to never return? Or just look at the exterior of the building. From gargoyles to elegant laser cut shapes, there is always a personal story behind a building and the people who have chosen to live there. Or, if you have some spare time, read up on cool theories such as the “dream house” that according to Gaston Bachelard has three or four levels – the middle ones hold our everyday lives, the attic is the place where our most cherished memories go, while the basement is a space for negative things that we would like to forget or push out of our lives and our consciousness. Don’t think this kind of theory around a building can matter in storytelling? Watch the final scenes of Psycho, where Lila starts in the Bates House attic and ends up escaping down into the basement where Norman’s mother’s corpse awaits… Anyway, not sure how inspiring any of this long rant here was but take our advice and watch and study architecture a little closer, we’re pretty sure it will offer some kind of enlightenment.
Listen to real dialogue
This is an exercise some of you may remember from film school, and it is a good one. Take your notebook or a recording device with you and hit the town, subway/tube or the park. Walk around and eavesdrop on conversations around you. Make notes or record, and when you get back home – survey the results. You’ll be amazed by what you can pick up and create stories from.
Follow the monsters
In every culture there are different versions of angels, demons and monsters. Check out illustrators you love and go on a quest to find supernatural beings in your environment and culture. Ask for tips from friends, and you may just find some pretty inspirational monsters to make you think of contemporary problems or issues in your country that are worth exploring in your own creative language. Example of the kind of monster we love? Yokai – a kind of supernatural monsters that exist in Japanese folklore (we have no idea what the text says in this picture):
Take a closer look at that old photograph
Maybe you don’t collect old black and white portraits or pictures (you should tho!) but we’re pretty sure that you can dig some out at your grandmother’s house or even in a box in your neighborhood antiques shop or at some (not too dusty) flea market. Group portraits are especially interesting, as is street photography from almost any century or decade. Study your picture(s) and make some notes of what you see in the subject’s eyes or over their shoulder. And do watch “The Facts in the case of Mister Hollow”. We’re not gonna say anything more about this particular tip, the film will say it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzw8qdXCep8
Go running
There is evidence that good physical health promotes a stronger mind, so if you’re feeling blue or uninspired put those running shoes or boxing gloves on and get a move on. While all exercise is good, it can be nice to engage in something where you don’t have to think – so that your thoughts instead can wander over to your projects, your new ideas and beyond. Just remember to write down those brilliant thoughts as soon as you finish so they don’t go lost while you’re in the shower.
Newspapers
No getting around that what is in the headlines can inspire you to create a story, right? But don’t just read the big, bold headlines. Dive deep into the articles and search for clues of a subplot or just an interesting character that has a comment on a particular subject. And, look for ads that make you think. Once heard of an author whose first book was based on an ad she saw in a local paper, where someone had announced they were holding weekly swimming lessons for grown-ups in their pool in the garden. She started thinking “what kind of person decides to give swimming lessons in their garden pool?”. Her book became a bestseller.
Watch films
Sure, maybe you are the very best creative or filmmaker in the world but chances are you have forgotten some of the magic of seeing a really great film for the first time – without analyzing it to death. Browse The Smalls, browse all kinds of sites where you can find great short films and videos and take your time to cry, laugh and re-watch stuff. Look outside your own genre too – if you are a zombie film producer, sink your teeth into a good documentary or if you make rom coms, take the time to watch some good horror films. Look at old classics too, where the stories can be absolutely amazing.
Read up on religion
OK, you don’t have to be a believer but the ideas in some religious writings are truly inspiring. And don’t think that you only have to study your Christianity, Buddhism Judaism or Islam, there are so many cultures and smaller religions out there. Feeling unsure if this is for you? Google religion and within minutes we’re pretty sure you’re hooked on reading something.
Explore your own home
Take photos of tiny details in your home, textiles or pillars of light that flood in through the windows and see what you discover. Or, why not do some research into who has lived in your home before? If you want to start to look into the genealogy of your home/house, local government should have more information – ask for everything from land titles, city directories or street directories. You never know what you’ll find (be prepared, it can be kind of scary).
Play a mindless computer game
This one is not too different from the exercise tip – by doing something where your hands are hard at work but your brain needs little bending can actually help you relax and slowly those great new ideas may creep up on you. And hey, by mindless we don’t mean killing people or shooting a terrier we mean solitaire or something like that.
Change a light bulb
Ok, this is not really a tip and it is actually #11 on this page. But in case you feel nothing else helps you – take a break and do something useful with your hands – because maybe your brain just needs a little break.
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