Week 10 Lab: TEDed Videos: Style

Kanye West gif about creativity. Web source: Giphy. 

This week I opted to do a lab where I watched videos about writing and the creative process. I wrote my thoughts on my favorite video below.


The Power of Creative Restraints

In this video Brandon Rodriguez talked about creative restraints, and how they can actually be helpful and freeing in the creative process. I thought that this topic was especially relatable and interesting. There have been many times when I have been assigned papers or projects where I could write about, read, or test anything that I want. This was something that I ran into most often in high school. While at first glance the idea of no boundaries, guidelines or constraints sounds like the optimal environment for creativity. Without any parameters, it is nearly impossible for me to come up with a creative idea, let alone execute it.

One idea that Brandon Rodriguez expressed is: constraints are the foundation of creativity. I thought that this idea was really profound, and I think it is something that I can keep in mind when I am working on my own projects and creative works.

As the video explained, restraints are not always formal rules or guidelines. It can be looking at past projects, missions, or inventions and seeing what didn't work so that you are starting ahead next time. Restraints are able to give us a creative starting point, which is something that I think can be very empowering.

I think that one way I can use "restraints" to help my creativity, especially with my writing for this class, is to look at the feedback and comments that I have received throughout the semester. By looking at what "worked" or "didn't work" in my projects or stories, I can get off to a better start on my future stories. Also, the process of retelling stories, like we do most weeks in this course, give a "restraint" or a story idea to start with. For me, this has been very helpful with coming up with creative ideas to make my own story.