Giving direction on creative is a delicate thing. It’s human nature to leap ahead to a solution instead of allowing others to come to their own conclusion. But, merely assigning solutions for execution can be deadly to momentum and strip the life from even the best concepts.
Transferring a formed concept will usually lead to diminished returns. Terms like “creative spark” have become cliché because they are true. It’s exhilarating when you come up with, or contribute to, the idea. You can feel that you are on to something special. The momentum of that excitement carries through in the execution and shows in the final piece.
Conversely, something is lost in translation when trying to create someone else’s vision. Like this scene from the 1990s Michael Keaton movie Multiplicity a copy of a copy just doesn’t come out as sharp.
Attempting to recreate exactly what another is picturing, can be frustrating for all involved. What a client, a creative director or an account team needs to bring is a clear view of the situation, a deep understanding of the requirements, a succinct explanation of the intended goal and a focused direction to explore.
Too much, or too rigid, control can smother creativity. If the goal is clear, the direction is explicit and the appropriate tools are provided – brilliance is possible. Ownership breeds inspiration.
Have an interesting story of attempted translation? Please share.
(Post by Mike Bell )
