Civixen photo.

The PopVox Awards and closing gala for VIDFEST was great, and the impromptu party that happened a couple warehouses down the way was more fun than any one person should be able to handle. The Mondo Spider was in attendance, and a number of meetings were called on the mobile boardroom (photos: daytime / partytime) as we did laps around the warehouse, it was very productive.

The parties were fun, but this is why VIDFEST is best: you could practically reach into thin air and pluck an idea out of nowhere, the energy was just electrifying. Everyone around you is doing something amazing, fired up about whatever it is they’re working on, and it was really inspiring to meet so many supercoolios in one short week. The other thing I appreciated was, unlike film industry events, nobody was too good to attend (an old boss used to say of film networking parties, “They all want to talk to me, but I don’t need to talk to them..”) The scope of panelists, attendees, and everyone involved spanned from folks like me to CEOs and master planners, and we had no trouble getting along.

Me in the red, eyeing a reporter asking Chris Anderson an irrelevant question.

In addition to Chris Anderson’s talk, I was also able to attend the McLuhan 2.0 session and the Right Brain Rock Out session on creativity with Evan Biddell, Jonathan Tippett, Jan Sircus, and Graham Clark. You can read about McLuhan 2.0 here, and continue on for highlights from Right Brain.

The panel opened with the question, “What is creativity?”

Evan Biddell (EB), fashion designer and winner of Project Runway Canada, said that creativity is finding what’s missing in an environment and filling that niche, and turning imagination into something tangible.

Jan Sircus (JS), creative architect and “story place maker,” thought that creativity is exploration, crossing creative fields in search of an integration of thinking processes that creates new genres or redefines the existing envelope.

Graham Clark (GC), pop culture comic, thought that creativity is skewing what you see every day, shining a light on everyday events or actions that you may not have noticed or thought about that way.

And Jonathan Tippet (JT), industrial artist and engineer of the Mondo Spider, thinks that necessity is the mother of invention. If you create the necessity to make something new and different, then you create an environment where creativity and invention is also necessary. He cited that the Mondo Spider was born out of a junkyard wards competition that he created with his friends. JT also mentions that having the creative spark, but real creativity is the ability to actualize your idea, to fabricate it. That idea means nothing if you can’t pull it off.

The next topic on the big spinning wheel was “Build It” – how do you bring that great idea to fruition?

JS says the creative process is often similar for different projects, but how you bring people together to execute that vision really determines the design process. Practical parameters must be respected in order to realize your vision – this doesn’t mean that you can’t redefine the envelope, but there always must be a real process to back it up. JS adds that the larger the project, the simpler the idea has to be. A complex idea will get eaten up by the multitude of those involved, while one strong idea will carry everyone involved through to the end. This was a very valuable point for me – a good idea is often the simplest and most basic.

EB is a bit of an enigma because while most designers send off their patterns to manufacturers, he currently creates all of his own work from start to finish. He admitted that he couldn’t imagine a fashion designer could call themselves a fashion designer unless they knew all the steps involved in creating that garment.

Next up on the wheel, “Unblock Me,” how do you get over creative blocks?

GC says that creative blocks happen all the time, especially on longer projects. The trick is to just keep going and eventually you will dig yourself out, by finding that one piece that leads somewhere valuable.

JT thinks the key is brainstorming, bringing in new POV’s or fresh eyes, surrounding yourself with complimentary people. He elaborates on GC’s point that it’s important not to give up, but sleeping on it can help.

JS agrees that trying to power through it is beneficial, though he knows many people who need to walk away from their projects and give it some space. The trick is to keep the creative process going constantly, and be perpetually stimulated. Those people don’t walk away and watch TV for a day, they walk away and work on another project. You must feed yourself the ingredients, or you’ll have nothing to cook with. JS also thinks that flipping your vision and trying to see things in a new way can help unblock creative tension. Think laterally, find inspiration in the most unlikely places. Some of his best ideas occurred in zoned-out moments, like at the gym or half-awake at 5am.

JT adds that freeing your mind is often the key – whether it be yoga, working out, spirituality/meditation – because the mind is a tool. Keep it exercised.

EB adds that listening to loud music is that motivates him while he’s designing and creating.

JS and GC stress this vital point: keep a notebook around at all times! We all have had that one great idea that we thought we would never forget because it was so good, but the truth is the best ideas are the ones that slip away from us an hour later. WRITE IT DOWN!

The final point the panelists talked about was confidence.

EB said that you need a thick skin in fashion, especially when you’re doing something new and different.

JS notes that whenever you take a risk, it requires confidence. When you’re putting something new on the table, you’re entering a potentially uncomfortable zone. A loss of confidence can impact the creative process and destroy the project. He calls himself introverted and shy, noting that he has simply learned how to deal with the rest of the world.

GC gives great advice when he explains that the way you put your ideas out there is vital. He often hears people talking about a project and saying “Well it’s not finished yet, but…” Don’t sell down your product or idea – sell your idea like it’s gold.

JT notes that confidence is closely affiliated with commitment – having the perseverance to follow through on your vision.

This was an AWESOME panel, I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of the speakers. They were funny, inspirational and wise. Thanks guys.