This is what we talked about today. For artists, like composers, choreographers and directors, they might just come out a fresh idea in the beginning, then they have to build up their own plan to complete this idea. However, too much planning can get in the way of creativity, so how does an artist balance the two?
In my experience, most talented music students have short attention span and are messy and lazy. But they always have better performance than other students who work harder than them.
I also taught some students who really had talent to create good music, but their parents or them just do nothing about their talent, Finally, it just become a part of their habit.
On one hand, creative students usually have talent in the beginning, but without a plan, their talents would never grow. With a plan, they can develop step by step and continue to grow. On the other hand, if they just have plan but not so much talent, they also won't shine. I think both are important.
Sometimes, it's not that simple. Three years ago, I wrote a musical with every details and planned every scene step by step. But in the end, the music and the scenes become very bland and boring, I was getting struck in that project. I did not know how to be flexible during this connected series scene. In that time , planning got in the way of my creativity.
For people who really want to complete their great work, it is definitely necessary to be creative and logical. Although this is kind of opposite character, it indeed happens for some great artists. Of course, it requires lots of effort to make it. It is possible!
This reminds me of two things:
ReplyDeleteThe first, about my own experience writing or creating something. I am overly rational, and so I tend to plan or analyze things too much sometimes (which, as you say, ends up castrating your creativity). I think what works best is to start with a sketch, with a few seed ideas of what you want it to be. Once the embrio is ready, you just gotta sit down and let go.
The second, about my brother's experience as an acting student. His dream had always been to become an actor, but during his second year one of his professors finally told him "you are too rational. It is obvious to me that you know EXACTLY what you want to see on stage, but an actor does not do that, he just feels, he just executes, he IS. You should become a director or a playwright instead". (He did, and I think it is his true calling indeed).
So, some creative endeavors are more rational than others, and one can always look for that which best suits his or her talent, personality and/or balance between the two.
Is the issue really creative versus logical? Maybe the issue is the ability to be disciplined... if one is creative but does not have the discipline to see the work through to completion, then the creative effort may be blunted... there is a delicate balance between the spontaneous moment of creation and the work involved to bring it into some sort of structure that communicates to an audience or a public...
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