The 48 Hour Film Project

Creativity Is a Renewable ResourceTuesday, February 8, 2022

Do you ever notice when you are in a particularly creative phase of your life, the ideas keep coming one after the other?  Maya Angelou said it best, “You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have.”

Where does creativity come from?  How do you find inspiration?

Creativity is all around us.  It stretches from the mundane (how can I make a better sandwich?) to the complex (how can we stop climate change?).  Creativity isn’t always spawned by problem solving. It often starts with one’s passions.  For most filmmakers, that’s how it begins, with the desire to tell a story using moving images. 

The beauty of the human brain is that you can use it both consciously and subconsciously to be creative.  Take a screenwriter, for example.  She may work all afternoon on a scene that doesn’t quite come together.  When she quits for the day, her subconscious keeps working on the problem. 

Many people swear by the practice of thinking about something challenging right before sleep and then letting the brain takeover.  While they’re sleeping, the brain keeps working. 

Why does this work?  During sleep the pre-frontal cortex (where executive decision making happens) shuts down.  This allows the brain to freely associate and for fragments of ideas to come together.

What are some popular ways to inspire creativity?

Feeling uninspired is a natural part of the creative process.  So, how do you get your mojo back?  There are many ways to jump start your creativity—like making a film in 48 hours—but here are a few of our favorites:

• Create a vision board—a physical collection of items that display your goals and dreams (photos/words/colors/quotes).
• Rewatch a favorite film—What’s your favorite part?  What did you notice new this time?
• Read the biography of someone you admire.
• Keep an idea notebook (or go one step further, a Daily Journal or Morning Pages)—capture those ideas throughout the day (or especially first thing in the morning) or if journaling daily, use it for stream of consciousness writing.

As a filmmaker, creativity comes with the territory.  If you’re looking to be more creative try one of the above techniques to get back on track.