After 34 years of writing professionally in many platforms, you’d think I’d know to expect and to manage the process and consequences of being (a) creative.
This week, I’m delightfully heartened by the sublime interview scenes and quotes in Art & Copy. This powerful film about advertising and inspiration, and directed by Doug Pray was released in 2009.
By the good fortune of my muses, who from time to time ensure that I see materials I need to notice such as this documentary DVD, dropped it onto my head as I perused my local library shelves last weekend.
For today’s step up to the conscious communication I’ve embarked on, I’m sharing some juicy quotes from only a few of the film’s power players.
See if you agree that they nourrish all our collective, creative souls:
“Creative people need this sort of duality of feeling very secure at some deep sense-enough that they can be very risky and put themselves into the work.
What I’ve tried to do is focus on the environment in which people work here and let them relax here and be themselves and be adventuresome.” …………………David Wieden of Wieden+Kennedy
And from his partner, David Kennedy, who reflected on the upscale hangout spaces referred to as High School with money, the firm has created for their uber hard working staffers:
“It’s like Santa’s workshop here at 3 a.m. The elves don’t go home at 5.
You know, art is hard work man. It’s physically hard. It’s mentally hard. It’s a hard sell.” (When you have to convince clients of the content and strategy, he means)
“I think most creative people are so damn insecure; they want to think they know everything, but I think they know deep in their hearts that they are in deep trouble from the minute they get up in the morning.David Wieden
So, if you tell them that’s the way you’re supposed to be, that’s kind of liberating.”
Personally, I love ads. There’s nothing as focused as an ad. It’s even faster than a tweet. Such a limited piece of time and attention to make your point with clever, clear and instantly understood writing or art.
It’s partly what got me into copy writing to start.
Do you remember the reels of the world’s greatest TV commercials? They used to show them as ticketed movie nights when the annual awards came out. I even took my children to them when the Winnipeg Art Gallery screened the CLEOs as they were first known to us.
What an education about culture, trends, other nationalities and life lessons learned. Every 15, 30 or 60 seconds we were shocked, informed or entertained.
“I think the real risk comes in trying to be authentic.” David Wieden
That’s validation from a player in the multi billion dollar, global advertising industry. Only one of which talks in the film about sustaining our colleagues, nourrishing each other and being able to produce best in a setting of love for the work and support for each other.
And then there’s that other side of creative life – selling whether directly to a client or within the agency process.
“You have to talk to people who are not like you.” Jeff Goodby of Goodby, Silverstein and Partners.
Any wonder I got rattled? I’m a willing collaborative player, but I work like most of you, solo. This Fab 45 is my choice to pay attention through structure and commitment to my own neglected website. To be active daily and therefore to be open to reinvention. Maybe a little less afraid of returning to work ON my business, not simply in it and only in the service of my client’s content needs.
“Intuition. Trust. Bravery. Imagination”. These are what Jeff Goodby said are the factors needed in helping clients get their message out.
I think they precede and envelop the actual craft of writing or, ha! – the rites of crafting.
I’m werkin’ on mine.
Time to reclaim yours, too?
“Creativity can solve anything” see for yourself in the documentary, check the trailer here:
