The wonderful thing about the Creative Arts Fellowship is its ability to unite different disciplines under the large umbrella known as “creativity”. It creates a structure for students to work side-by-side, yet still provide different perspectives on both creativity and field of study.
The creative process is different for everyone, but one common thread is that it includes many steps and decisions along the way. Because of this, my peers and I share similar experiences in finding a path to the final product. Along this path, our vision may evolve into something entirely different than what we initially intended, and knowing that others are going through the same process is reassuring. In this particular group, I have found that there are many similarities in our processes. For example, my documentary requires me to interview others, taking outside input and converting it into something that serves a larger creative purpose. Although others aren’t necessarily working on documentaries or the same subject matter, they are conducting interviews for a similar purpose. We have discussed the specific logistic and intrapersonal obstacles that come with interviewing, and have come away as better interviewers because of it.
Our group is doing group presentations, where we all give a brief presentation of our choice to let others into our creative process. I will be giving mine on film analysis and filmmaking, but letting others speak freely and at length about what they are passionate about is incredibly valuable. It allows understanding that goes beyond logistics and thesis statements. If everyone understands each others projects just a little bit better, then we all become better at helping each other along the way.
Listening to these presentations and discussing the projects with my peers over the summer has helped me understand the importance of “soft skills” and professional communication. I am interested in filmmaking because of the creativity of the medium and the power it has to communicate ideas. However, in doing my largest film-based project yet, I have realized more and more the power of intrapersonal skills. As an independent filmmaker, I need to wear many hats: director, editor, writer. Perhaps the most important of these roles for my current project is producer. Producing a film means scheduling interviews, establishing larger goals for the film, guiding the logistical development, getting the rights to use certain media, planning the films release, and more. I have struggled with these steps because I am much more geared to the creative process. Understanding how my peers navigate the issues of organization and logistics helps me to improve my own skillset. And the faster I overcome obstacles with logistics, the more I can exercise my creativity.