When we dive into the creative process and begin production, we often fall into the "incoherence" trap. This problem affects even seasoned producers. We might do everything beautifully, brightly, technologically, and innovatively, yet the result looks unfinished. Something feels off. Your contractor is overwhelmed with revisions, you're stressed out, and the solution remains elusive.
The problem often lies not in the specific footage or its animation but in the overall concept. This isn't about philosophy or discussing eternal truths—it's a practical issue. Your show isn't just a collection of elements; it's something more. There are a few seemingly elusive aspects that are crucial. One of them is the overall artistic concept, which determines everything from colors to how and when each clip is played.
The problem often lies not in the specific footage or its animation but in the overall concept. This isn't about philosophy or discussing eternal truths—it's a practical issue. Your show isn't just a collection of elements; it's something more. There are a few seemingly elusive aspects that are crucial. One of them is the overall artistic concept, which determines everything from colors to how and when each clip is played.
Why Do We Overlook the Concept, and How Do We End Up Here?
As a client, you excel in organization, finance, and marketing. The art side isn't always your priority, and discussions about concepts or a unified image can seem tedious. However, skipping this step can lead to three main problems:
1. “Patchwork quilt ":
- Due to various reasons, such as deadlines, the need to incorporate the creativity of different artists, or covering different topics during a show or event (concerts with various performers, presentations about multiple products, DJ shows with diverse music styles, etc.). The result often looks like a flashy outfit where everything is loud, and nothing matches.
2. The desire to impress or get everything at once:
- You or your studio look for references and "bring home" all the best ideas. But is it appropriate now? I have a notebook full of "unrealized hopes"—ideas I love but haven't yet found a place for.
3. Revisions without direction:
- You receive the first drafts of your content, and something doesn’t look right, and you start “saving” it by adding ideas and trying what worked before. But your content starts to turn into a patchwork quilt, falling apart.
- Due to various reasons, such as deadlines, the need to incorporate the creativity of different artists, or covering different topics during a show or event (concerts with various performers, presentations about multiple products, DJ shows with diverse music styles, etc.). The result often looks like a flashy outfit where everything is loud, and nothing matches.
2. The desire to impress or get everything at once:
- You or your studio look for references and "bring home" all the best ideas. But is it appropriate now? I have a notebook full of "unrealized hopes"—ideas I love but haven't yet found a place for.
3. Revisions without direction:
- You receive the first drafts of your content, and something doesn’t look right, and you start “saving” it by adding ideas and trying what worked before. But your content starts to turn into a patchwork quilt, falling apart.
So, what brings everything together? It's called the artistic concept. Let's define it briefly and practically, without pretense of academic rigor.
Artistic Concept: The core idea or theme behind your content. It defines what you want to express and how you plan to do it. It includes the content itself, the stylistic choices, and techniques that will convey your message to the audience. A solid concept gives you a checklist to evaluate everything you do and adjust your actions accordingly.
Working with an artistic concept for your show's visual content creates a framework, guiding you to maintain a unified idea and style:
1. “One Idea to rule them all”:
- Clearly articulate the central idea you want to communicate to your audience. This will be the foundation of all your content. Define precisely what you want to say. The idea should be expressed in one concise sentence without unnecessary details.
- Clearly articulate the central idea you want to communicate to your audience. This will be the foundation of all your content. Define precisely what you want to say. The idea should be expressed in one concise sentence without unnecessary details.
2. Express Your Idea Visually:
- Create a visual representation that accurately conveys your idea, emotions, or message. This might include choosing a style, color palette, symbols, and other visual elements.
- Create a visual representation that accurately conveys your idea, emotions, or message. This might include choosing a style, color palette, symbols, and other visual elements.
3. Develop Connecting Elements:
- To create a cohesive style, one connecting element might suffice, but it's better to have two or more:
- Overall Theme: All show aspects should be tied to a common theme to create a unified impression.
- Color Palette: Choose a color palette used across all visual elements, from advertisements to decorations.
- Spatial Design: Consider how visual elements interact in the space, including scenography and decor placement.
- Recurring Element or Character: Having a recurring element or character can help tie different parts of the show together.
- To create a cohesive style, one connecting element might suffice, but it's better to have two or more:
- Overall Theme: All show aspects should be tied to a common theme to create a unified impression.
- Color Palette: Choose a color palette used across all visual elements, from advertisements to decorations.
- Spatial Design: Consider how visual elements interact in the space, including scenography and decor placement.
- Recurring Element or Character: Having a recurring element or character can help tie different parts of the show together.
Tip: Be the visionary. The technical work of assembling colors or elements can fall to performers or specific designers. Your job is to be critical, discard the unnecessary, and crystallize ideas.
4. Communicate Your Ideas to the Whole Team:
- Your contractor might not always understand your goals and tasks and simply do their job within their qualifications. This applies not only to video content but to all services. Often, the lighting at a show doesn’t match the video or decorations. Bring everyone together and share your concept and vision. This will help contractors make decisions based on your concept without constant approvals and revisions, ensuring everyone moves in the same direction.
- Your contractor might not always understand your goals and tasks and simply do their job within their qualifications. This applies not only to video content but to all services. Often, the lighting at a show doesn’t match the video or decorations. Bring everyone together and share your concept and vision. This will help contractors make decisions based on your concept without constant approvals and revisions, ensuring everyone moves in the same direction.
5. Control and More Control:
- Always keep the key question in mind: "Does this align with our overall concept?" Remember that beauty can be multifaceted, but not everything at once. The main thing is to maintain focus and avoid excessive randomness. Always return to your idea and vision and evaluate everything from that perspective.
- Always keep the key question in mind: "Does this align with our overall concept?" Remember that beauty can be multifaceted, but not everything at once. The main thing is to maintain focus and avoid excessive randomness. Always return to your idea and vision and evaluate everything from that perspective.
In Conclusion
I hope the concept of style no longer seems daunting and you are ready to create and formalize your own. Remember, this is a practical tool, not about achieving "perfection." When creating video content for a show, style is crucial. Even the brightest ideas can lose their impact without a clear concept and unified style. Always remember the central idea and ensure it’s reflected in every element of your show. Diversity is good, but only if it doesn’t dilute the overall picture. Capture the idea, stay focused, and create a show no one will forget!