EXPLORING CREATIVITY IN WRITING

My interest in creativity and imagination probably started with television series 24 (Jack Bauer) and Criminal Minds, epics with well thought out story lines. I saw the Chris Nolan space travel classic, Interstellar, arguably the best ever movie of its type. Netflix has exposed me to multiple choices. I saw The Haunting of Hill House and its sequel, Bly Manor. While watching the US sci-fi series Manifest, my attention was diverted by another sci-fi series, 1899, which hooked me in with the most radical and interesting opening sequence/soundtrack I’ve seen/heard, backed up by an innovative, mind-busting series. That Netflix did not pursue this project beyond the first series and allow the resolution of plotlines and themes is … unfortunate. Travelers is the futuristic series which up-ended the time travel concept and which is concerned with saving the planet. Last but not least … Blade Runner 2049, the underrated sequel to the original, dark, cult classic of the 80’s, and which mirrors the disturbing haze of North American wildfires.

These efforts, in particular, represent cutting edge imagination and intense, creative, lateral thinking. They are ball busters, aimed at capturing and absorbing the audience. They explore concepts and they ask ‘what if’. Their creators went hard. Hill House and Bly Manor are the brainchild of number one supernatural/ghost story director Mike Flanagan who re-engineered the haunted house thriller. Both are scintillating, although I give Bly the edge because NOTHING is what it seems. The key episode, chillingly filmed in black and white and brilliantly acted, explains how it all came to be.

I call this level of creative writing ‘moving the dial’, like with a company’s share price. To ratchet up the valuation, you need innovative, hot shot products. The best of those companies make it their mission to think outside the box, outplay their competitors and shoot for the stars. So it is with TV/movies/writing.
One of the kings of adventure thrillers, the late Clive Cussler, told us that books, TV and movies are as good as any writing course. It’s all there in front of you. Study what you see and work it out.

Whatever you’re writing about, aim to move the dial.

Have a good week.

Drew

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