Blank slates are the worst.
Okay so back when I was a communication major, my chosen focus of study was advertising. First up in that course curriculum: copywriting. This was basically a class about the process of creating all manner of advertisements from tv to radio to print. Now I don't remember the name of our professor, but I do remember that he was a professional in the field, a copywriter for one of the larger local ad agencies.
I also remember the first thing he taught us. It started with an assignment: create an ad.
Of course our immediate reaction was An ad for what product? An ad in which medium? An ad that does... what?
But no answer was forthcoming. Only the assignment.
It would be for whatever product we chose in whichever medium we desired to accomplish whatever objective we determined.
Basically, this was a blank slate assignment.
Completely unhelpful, by the way.
So then the assignment after that one was for all of us to create an ad for a product specified by our professor. The rest, as before, was open-ended. A nearly blank slate.
And then for the final assignment of this trilogy, he gave us the project and the objectives.
Well, we learned that blank slates suck. We learned that working without product and objectives was hardest, working with product but no objectives was second hardest, and working with product and objectives was easiest. That last one was very much like having all the puzzle pieces on the table... allowing us to jump right into the creative and critical thinking process as opposed to hunting around for puzzle pieces.
Another metaphor for the lesson our professor was teaching us is to think in terms of arenas and games. As in it helps to know what game you're playing and where you're playing it.
So as I'm thinking about the music for an upcoming tv series project, that's what I'm looking for: a definition of product and objectives. An understanding of which arena we're playing in... and what game we're playing. Limiting factors, basically. Something to sweep a ton of options, alternatives, and distractions off the table. Something to help me define the character of these shows, the sound of these shows, and the instruments that'll color them in the best emotional and experiential shades. Something to help me focus on the external vibe, on a natural beat, on a kind of internal reasoning.
And yes, I understand. There are no scripts yet. But we've been doing iterations of travel shows for quite some time now with the same production team. So I have a pretty good understanding of the arena in which we're playing as well as the game itself. Generalities... for now. Detail To Be Determined... but definitely on the way. Which means I'm engaging, for the time being, in a tremendous exercise of imagination. Of conjuring sort of proxy shows in my mind. Things to look at and play with and judge and tweak.
It’s my way of priming the pump while we’re still in pre-production. Spinning up the engine of my creativity...
