Another Movie Guide

Creativity – Lesson One, Television Production

Creativity, Your Third-largest Asset Creativity, one word, a thousand meanings, and a million ways to be creative – that is community access television. If you have creativity, the ability to think inside and outside and beyond the box, you will produce good television shows. Having and using good creativity means looking around your community and looking around your world and knowing that everything you see, touch, feel, experience or remember has the potential to be one excellent television show.

How do you grow your creativity? Grow your creativity, an interesting concept. Yes, you can grow it, enlarge it, just by changing your day a bit. The more you read, the more you view, the more you enjoy and experience life, the more creative you will be in your projects. Think about it. If you sit in a room and stare at a wall, you might get one idea, but if you go out into the yard or into the park or even into a library, your thoughts will wander and you will be at your creative peak for the day.

Using your creativity wisely, abundantly and wisely will bring awesome talent, co-hosts, hosts and audiences to your own television production. Look around you, right now, at this very moment, what do you see? Whatever you see in front of you has the makings of a show. All you need to do is look at this thing or person or place in a different perspective. Look into the thing, and ask yourself, “What is unusual about this thing? How can I work this into a show? What’s the message this thing is giving to me and what kind of message can this bring to the world?” How can I portray this thing in a positive light, in a respectful manner? Ask yourself all of these questions. Yes, we are suggesting you talk to yourself (but not out loud). We are suggesting that you have your best advice for yourself . (You can still continue to brainstorm and connect, but in between, ask yourself those vital questions about whatever you see in front of you. That is using your creativity wisely. I received an idea for a great show (and it turned out quite well) by just asking one simple question. (You will have to wait for some future lessons to learn what that most important question is). If you feel that your productions are getting boring, then it is most likely that they are. You, deep inside, know what is happening in your television productions. Listen to your own inner instincts in this area.

Magazines & Literature For ideas for shows, look in the magazines. See what topics interest you and then do the topic on television with your own slant or with some added note that the original author didn’t include. If you work, go to your place of business and see what kinds of clubs and what kinds of after-hours activities are available to employees. Right there you have an “in” because you are already there, you already know people there and you can speak freely with most of the people in that place. You will find great talent there. All you have to do is ask. You will be surprised at the answer.

Journals Begin a creativity journal and a show journal. Write down all your ideas for future shows. Make a progress chart. Mark down all the things that you need to do a good show. And keep going from there. Brainstorm with your friends; ask what they would like to see on television. Brainstorm with other producers. Talk. Yes, let down your guard and talk. Brainstorm. Stop being competitive for a short while and see what everyone is talking about. Ask around. You will come up with great ideas by brainstorming. Journaling is a most excellent way to see your show’ s growth without having to keep reviewing old shows on tape. Keep an active journal about your shows. Make notes of your research, your contacts and your ideas for new shows. From time to time, read this journal and this too, will spark your creativity.

Vacation Take a week off of doing television and go camp out. Or just take a day’s vacation where you do not think about television or productions. As contradictory as this sounds, you will be surprised that you probably will come up with great ideas once you stop thinking about producing television. (Like the adoptive couples who find themselves (the woman) pregnant right after they adopt a baby, your ideas will come to you full force once you stop trying to find ideas).

Best Learning and Life Tool, Travel: One of the best ways to spark your creativity, and one of the best ways to keep yourself growing and loving life is to travel. Many times producers say that they have no means or money to travel, but traveling isn’t about money. There are ways that you can travel that are almost free or low-cost. If you really want to do something, you find ways to do it. I remember once when I wanted to travel and had no money to do so, not enough money to afford a hotel. Since I really wanted to do that, I sought ways to do it and came up with an interesting idea. Work weekends was the beginning of my traveling many years ago. With work weekends, all you need to do is get yourself there, then usually, your meals and room and board are free. You have this free in exchange for some work that you do around the place. My first work-weekend was an awesome experience. I encourage you to travel, even if you cannot afford to do so. You can join our group and you too can learn about work weekends. My first work weekend was spent at a beautiful resort town, in a bed and breakfast that was two blocks for a beautiful boardwalk, two blocks from an awesome lake filled with ducks and swans, and two blocks from the main street of the town. You can not beat that for free room in board in a resort town. People staying at this bed and breakfast normally pay anywhere from $125 to $200. a night for their stay there. I stayed there for free and got my first work weekend experience. I will write an article about work weekends at a later date. For more information, feel free to write to us.

Never underestimate the power of travel and try to fit travel into your schedule so that you can enjoy that relaxation time. There are destinations near your home that offer a difference in your daily life. If you have no opportunity to travel far away, use your time to make sure that you travel –at least– short distances. Travel anywhere away from your home for at least a day, to give your life the proper balance that it needs. Travel makes people healthy,and healthy is a good thing.

This is just the beginning of using your creativity and your imagination. In future lessons, we will expand on this subject of creativity and imagination, more fully. Lesson Three will focus on “Resources.” You are welcome to contact the author anytime. I do look forward to hearing from you.

Check the resource box for more information.

For your convenience this article was updated on November 25, 2008 and on April 06, 2008.

Linda Perry, a published author, creator of genuine, unique television shows that air on Time Warner and on Cablevision in New York City. A warm-hearted individual who gives a voice to those who have been silent all along. This author produces television shows about almost all topics that help people in their lives. Many of the shows are entertainment; some are information and resources and still others are festivals, fiestas, and community events that bring all people together in one place in the city or in the country.