CAMP thoughts from the art and technology of creative storytelling conference

After two days and 15+ speakers the following thoughts and ideas stayed with me. These are the collective ideas from speakers and conversations this week. These might be specific to us and our company and industry but more so I think they are universal thoughts applicable to anyone so we wanted to share.

≈ Design is nothing but creative problem solving. It doesn’t matter the medium or the industry. Our job is to find a way into the project and solve the problem.

≈ Don’t just talk about an ideas – show them too. Everyone needs to see a sketch, model, photo bash, mock-up of an idea to buy in. Show your thoughts on the purpose and direction. It’s a faster way to get to the end goal.

≈ Hold the best version of the idea in your mind and pursue the best fit solution. There are so many ways to express an idea – handmade objects, digital, installations, video, animation and many more. Don’t let your ‘go to’ solution dictate how you solve it.

≈ Share your personality in the work – the nuances in the texture, energy, vibrancy that are uniquely you. The human element should show through. Use your hands to create – not just your keyboard. Every problem needs a different solution.

≈ Challenge is inevitable – suffering is optional. If we are enjoying the ride, loving the process, we don’t have to suffer as much as we all do sometimes. Don’t play into the suffering-creative stigma. There is no reason for it.

≈ Pitch for the project, have a good idea and figure out the rest later. Don’t just find a solution for something you already have the skills for. Dream bigger, find better problems to wrestle with.

≈ Being weird will serve you well. There is an element of needing to dig deeper to accentuate the weird in each of us to create the best work possible. Why, because it means you are open to a slightly more exaggerated version that will stand out.

≈ We are all creative in this field – embrace that. It’s our job to communicate to clients, research the concepts, and new outside-the-box ways to achieve goals.

≈ Since being creative requires so much mental weight-lifting our minds need to be right. Mental health and wellbeing matter. If we don’t take care of that we loose our ability to solve hard problems.

We have surrounded ourselves with a team that is smart, supportive and driven – this  has helped immensely. Surround yourself with inspiring people doing good work in the world. We are proud to do this everyday.