When you are a writer or a filmmaker, ideas constantly reverberate in the back of your head about a story to tell. The only way that story can get out there is by getting your ass in the chair or placing yourself behind the camera.
Sometimes the creative well is dry, and you find yourself looking for that project that will inspire you to do the work it takes to get that project rolling. But that doesn't mean all creativity should come to a halt.
That is why being involved with people who share your interests is so important. Creativity doesn't happen in a vacuum. There is always that spark starting the flame. But that shouldn't be limited to the projects done for yourself. Some of the most fantastic creative fires started for me have been when I have been helping others realize their dreams. And believe it or not, it does count as you working.
We creatives can't help but keep working in some form or another. It is what we use to welcome our day every morning. And right now, helping others is where I am on my creative path.
Local Orlando, Florida writer, Jeffrey Rembert, has always been intrigued and fascinated by World War II. It more than likely stems from his father serving during that war. So inspired by his interest in that conflict, Jeffrey was driven to write a script for a short film based on his father's experience.
Jeff asked me to look at his script, and I approached it with a bit of apprehension. I am not a war story fan and therefore have had no reason to explore the history of America's war stories. But when I read it, I was struck by how this wasn't a war story in the physical sense. There were no recreations of epic battles or soldiers in the thick of it. This was a different war story. A war story within the mind.
We've all seen movies, especially movies about war, that tackle the topic of PTSD. And in a way, that is precisely what his script is all about. But we haven't seen war stories about mental traumas occurring in those soldiers who fought in World War II and its effect on those men.
The story is very human, with battles fought within memories and the weight of those remembrances on the human psyche. The main character is an older man, and with every word of dialog written, we FEEL the baggage of war weighs heavily on his shoulders. And this is where it becomes a human story. We all have baggage.
Jeff has asked me to work on it with him, and I welcome the opportunity to help him tell his story because that's what it's all about. Writers and filmmakers tell stories.
For me, it doesn't matter that Jeff's script isn't my script. Helping him becomes another way to expand my creativity and fuel a creative life. But having a creative life isn't just limited to writing o filmmaking. It can be in everything we do.
As creatives, finding sources of creativity is what life is all about. I can't think of a day where I haven't drawn from the creative well in something I was working on. The trick is recognizing a moment and infusing it with your creativity. For instance, take something you feel bored with and use your imagination to make something different and alive.
YOU can do this, and so can I. Always keep working, and having a relationship with people does make a difference. I am very excited to be a part of Jeff's project. In fact, his determination to see this through has already inspired me.
What is happening in your life right now? How can it fuel what your own individual fire is?
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