This is a recent conversation I had with a friend on the nature and purpose of creativity. We tried to examine the question: How do you offer your own experience as context to discuss the greater human condition?
A documentation about writing the ultimate heist novel. Get the full series here: charleskunken.com/hollywoodheistbacklot
How do you offer your own experience as context to discuss the greater human condition?
This is a little experiment I made using Procreate on the ‘ole iPad. A picture is worth a thousand words. Next stop, Pixar. Here’s a time lapse of how I drew it.
This question is the whole crux of our creative endeavors and pursuits. I haven’t figured it out. It’s think that's the magic thing we're trying to figure out with every new creation - every song or story or post.
I have some thoughts that I try to use but I definitely don't know the formula.
One thought is that universality comes from specificity. Like for example, you can tell a story and just say there was this man who really loved his wife so much, but that’s not very impactful. Or you can tell a little anecdote like how when she woke up she found that he had brought her blue tooth headphones in from the car and plugged them in so that they would be charged up for her morning run.
I don't know if that makes sense, but what I'm thinking is that is that old adage from writing of 'show' don't 'tell' (and it applies to writing of songs, poems, etc.). That's why we have books and songs instead of merely writing on a piece of paper, ‘love is beautiful' or 'life will be ok'. Just telling the punchline doesn't carry that emotional punch. But when you provide the perfect detail you can communicate the whole message way better than if you were to say it explicitly. The whole reason we write a song, or a story, or a book, is because simply saying the words doesn't do it justice. You know, a picture is worth a thousand words.
That's one idea i try to think of - universality from specificity.
Another idea is projecting low status. This is kind of the idea of showing flaws rather than showing expertise. People relate to characters who screw up or worry like the rest of us. Self-deprecating is always more attractive than making fun of someone else. (Being alpha would be the opposite of this). This is kind of a tightrope because I think too many people mistake 'being vulnerable' for good art.
Like how often do you see someone post something on social media that is too personal and you just get that feeling that it's like T.M.I. (too much info). I can't explain what gives it that feeling but, I feel like I see it a lot. So, yea - being vulnerable isn't necessarily good art. I think that's a myth that trips people up.
I don't exactly know how to stay on that tightrope, but I'm thinking maybe it's sharing flaws if it has a purpose. Like sharing a lesson that comes out of it, or a teaching, or a realization.
I also think humor is huge. And this is really hard to do. Laughing at yourself or at a tricky situation and injecting humor is a huge relief and I find it very pleasant when someone does it right. I personally tend to do make better stuff when I am overall joking about a situation, because at the end of the day, if you can laugh at something, in a way you have mastered it. Comedians, to me are great creative role models. The great ones are pure genius.
Not being melodramatic is another one. Like I could say, "my boss yelled at me and later that night I was so depressed I shed a tear when I was by myself in my room". That's just like overly dramatic and I am not literary or poetic enough to pull that off. Like, I couldn't write Titanic. I'd probably do better at writing a rom-com. I might instead say about the boss situation: "the guy was always riding everybody and making them feel like $h!t. So, one day when he wasn't looking I dipped my &#^$ his coffee. I'm not proud of myself." (not a real anecdote)
I dunno , those are just some examples and ways I think about it. I like the question and it is the ultimate question we have to try and answer with every single creative attempt. There is no final answer. It is the whole point of each new project.
Have some thoughts? Feel free to drop a comment or hit me up: charlie@charleskunken.com
Other Posts In The Hollywood Heist Series
Please judge.