Too Lazy; Didn’t Read (TL;DR)!
Starting your first animation involves developing creative ideas that can take time to evolve. You can brainstorm directly by sitting down with intention (e.g. making mind maps or asking family for stories), or indirectly by letting ideas pop up when you least expect them (like during daily life activities). Ideas does not always come instantly, and that’s okay – it’s normal for them to fully develop. Recording on-the-go and storing your ideas in a reliable place can keep your creativity flowing. Encouraging subconscious creativity, using memories and conversations as inspiration will help you generate better ideas for your videos.
How to Start Your First Story-Time Animation:
A Beginner’s Guide to Coming Up with Ideas
If you are thinking of starting your first story-time animation but feel stuck on where to start with ideas, you’re not alone. Coming up with creative, engaging stories for your animation can feel overwhelming, especially if you are just getting into it. Don’t worry though – Today’s blog is here to help you navigate through those tricky moments when ideas don’t seem to be coming, and show you some easy techniques to generate stories that will captivate your audience.
A) Where Does Ideas Come From?
A common myth in the creative world is that ideas come instantly, like lightning striking. But the truth is, ideas take time to develop. If you are struggling to come up with your first story-time animation, it’s normal. Sometimes, you can’t rush creativity. If you remember, in blog 4, I said that if quick money making is your goal, then this is not for you, and yes similarly, ideas take time to come, as well. Ideas often evolve over days, not hours, so be patient with yourself.
So, why don’t ideas just appear when you want them to?
Our mind works in mysterious ways. Often, the brains need time to sift through thoughts and experiences before anything concrete emerges. This is especially true if you are a beginner and haven’t yet formed your creative process. The key is to trust your process and know that creativity takes time.
B) Direct vs. Indirect Brainstorming
There are two types of brainstorming that can help you spark ideas: direct and indirect brainstorming.
a) DIRECT BRAINSTORMING is when you sit down with the intention of coming up with ideas. You can do this by:
- Mind mapping: Draw out a central idea and branch out with related thought; even if they feel unless or disgusting.
- Prompt–based brainstorming: Use creative prompts or challenges (e.g. “Write about a time you tried to help a friend but it went terribly wrong”).
- Asking family for stories: Your parents, siblings, or grandparents might have interesting stories from your or their childhood that you can transform into animation ideas.
- Making lists: Jot down anything in Wordpad, Notepad or Google Keep that comes to mind, even if it seems silly at first.
b) INDIRECT BRAINSTORMING happens when you are not intentionally trying to come up with ideas. This is when a new idea suddenly pops into your head during something like:
- Prayers or meditation: Sometimes, when your mind is clear, it is more effortless for ideas to surface.
- Watching cartoons, movies, or videos: You may be watching a random YouTube video, and suddenly, an idea for your own animation pops up.
- Daily activities: Your mind works in the background when you are doing thing like walking, rocking, talking, cooking, or working.
- Conversations with people: Sometimes a simple chat with a family member or friend sparks a brilliant idea.
This is where your subconscious creativity comes into play. Your brain works while you are not paying attention, so being open to new experiences and allowing your brain to wander is important.
C) Staying Calm When Ideas Don’t Come
It is easy to feel frustrated when ideas aren’t flowing [trust me, I know! I have been there], but it is crucial to stay calm. First of all, don‘t force it. If you are struggling, take a break. Do something else – whether that is drawing, talking, talking a walk or reading. Ideas can sometimes come when you least expect them.
Another trick is to lower the pressure on yourself. Instead of thinking, “I need a great idea right now,” try thinking, “I am just going to try and write down anything that comes to mind, and the best ideas will appear over time.”
D) How to Record Ideas on the Go
Sometimes, your best ideas can come when you least expect them – during a car ride, while waiting for a bus, or even in the middle of a class or an office meeting.
So, how do you make sure you don’t forget these spontaneous ideas?
- Voice memos: Keep your phone handy and record your ideas when they pop up. Many people find it easier to say their thoughts aloud rather than typing them down.
- Note–taking applications: Use applications like Google Keep, Notion or Evernote, which let your quickly jot down or record ideas. Having an idea storage system will assist you to keep your creative thoughts organised.
- Physical notebook: If you are old-school, a small notebook or dairy in your bag is always a good backup for writing down ideas when you are on the move.
The important part is to capture the idea in some way so you can come back to it later.
E) How to Encourage Subconscious Creativity
Sometimes the best ideas come from doing something else entirely. This is why activities like reading, watching a film or a show, or just chatting with friends are great for stimulating your creativity.
Here’s how you can encourage your subconscious creativity:
- Rest & recharge: Creativity thrives when your brain isn’t overstimulated. Take time to relax and let your mind wander.
- Be open to inspirations: Read books, watch cartoons, listen to music, and engage in other art forms. You never know when something will spark an idea.
- Reflect on memories: Think about serious, funny or touching moments from your own life, or from conversations with others. These can become the foundation for your animation.
In short, creativity is everywhere – you just have to be open to seeing it!
F) What If You Struggle with Creativity or Imagination
You may be wondering, “what if my creative just feels stuck, or I do not have any imagination in me?” That is completely okay! Not everybody feels super imaginative all the time. Here is what you can do:
- Start small: Creativity does not need to be grand at first. Start by observing small moments in your life – something as simple as a conversation like wrong phone number stories, a hilarious incident at school, or something strange you noticed during the day, as something you can rant for hours about.
- Practice creativity: You may have heard or seen this coming. Like any skill, if you haven’t gotten as a talent, creativity and imagination get better with practice. Try engaging in activities that stimulatesthe brain, like drawing, playing board, card or video games: mainly educational, or journaling that require problem-solving.
- Break the myths: Don’t let the thought that “Only certain people are creative or I am not imaginative enough” hold you back. Creativity is a skill or a muscle you can built, and it does not always look like what you expect. It is about perspective – finding something engaging and interesting in the everyday and learning how to shape it into a story.
Remember, everyone has creativity potential [Or else, how did you draw pictures as kids]. If you feel stuck, that is just a part of the adventure. Don’t let it discourage you!
G) Where to Type & Store Ideas
Once you have come up with an idea, you will need to store it somewhere right away. Here are some options for optimising your thoughts:
- Idea journal: For those who like to handwrite like in Galaxy Note, a dedicated notebook or journal works just fine. You can sketch, write or jot down random thoughts that might become something bigger.
- Digital documents: Google Docs, Notion, Post-it notes or even a simple Word file can be utilised to store your ideas. These are great for quickly adding or editing ideas.
- Cloud storage: Taking photos, if you have written it down on a piece of paper, and storing them in the cloud, like through Google Drive, Dropbox or Onedrive, makes it easy to access your ideas from any devices.
Your Next Step:
Now that you have some tips on how to generate and store your ideas, it is time to start turn your ideas into your first script! Excited to bring your dreams to reality?In the next blog, we will talk about how to convert your idea into a script for your story-time animation and how to choose which idea should be scripted first. Stay tuned until the next summon, and get ready to take your ideas to the next level! Keep going and let’s animate together.