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GRAND Ideas: They Don't Just Happen

Derrick Bassett

Have you ever walked out of a performance wondering, "How did they come up with THAT idea? I want to use that for my next show!" Do you stuggle with finding creative production concepts or find yourself not knowing where to start? Taking a show from script to stage and creating all the production concepts can be a long, difficult process. In fact, many don't realize that creativity is just that; a process. So what does it look like? I like to divide it into five steps, GRAND: gather, reflect, adopt, nurture, and debut.

Gather
The first step in the process is to gether inspiration and research. There are many ways to gather inspiration as you're working on a project; personal experience, environment, observations, books/magazines, and other productions. Inspiration can be in the form of magazine clippings, pictures and videos online, production ideas from a message board forum, from observations of people and everyday life that surrounds us; the possibilities are endless. Gathering inspiration can happen at any time or place. Due to this fact it is helpufl to carry a small note pad and pencil or a way to capture and keep ispirational ideas for future reference. This is also the time to compile research for the project such as pictures of clothing trends or facts about world events for period pieces. Most people tend to skip past the gather stage and move immediately to brainstorming. Gathering is a very important step as it will allow you to htink more freely and get your mind ready for brainstorming new concepts and ideas. Each step builds upon the nex.

Reflect
The second step is to reflect; this incorporates analyzing research, brainstorming, and collaborating with others. During brainstorming there are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
  1. Postpone and withhold judgement
  2. Wild and exaggerated ideas are ok
  3. Quantity not quality
  4. Use both sides of your brain
  5. Watch the clock
  6. Reading
  7. Exercising
Brainstorming is designed to let yoru mind run wild and come up with crazy ideas. The most important part here is to make sure you write down EVERYTHING your mind thinks of during this time - even if it doesn't seem related or seems too far-fetched. The goal of brainstorming is to end up with a wealth of ideas; quantity, not quality. It is important to operate without a filter at this point in the process. If this step is executed well - it can help propel you past trite ideas to "WOW" ideas.

After brainstorming - take a break! Allow all those ideas to sit on the paper, white board, or where ever and ripen for a while. Once you come back you will start to see connections an begin the next step.

Adopt
The third step is to adopt - select and develop the best ideas, as well as invent and innovate. The initial part of this process starts with sorting through all the ideas from the "reflect" stage; cutting, combining, and finally choosing the ideas that will work and are going to be used. Once they're chosen; it is time to develop the ideas further. This is where the rubber starts to meet the road - taking idea sketches and descriptions to concept drawings, fabric swatches, pain samples, models, and starting the final product. This is also the time to invent or innovate technologies or techniques to accomplish complex production concepts. Often there are already technologies and techniques in place to accomplish a desired effect; the main concern is adapting them to work in your performance space. When all the ideas are in place and being developed - it is time to move on to the fourth step.

Nurture
The fourth step is to nurture. This is where you make some hard decisions - you may be a week or just a day away from production and it's time to figure out what's working, what's not, what can be adjusted, fixed, or what has to be cut. Can the dance lift be perfected in time or would it be better to use a different combination of moves? Will we have time to build that highly complex set piece or should we settle for a basic variation? This is where everything gets polished and ready for the show.

Debut
The fifth and final step is to debut!

This creative process, GRAND is a great tool for taking your show from script to stage. While some creatives already go through this type of process; it helps to have it laid out so that every vital step is accomplished to make the show a success. When you use this process for you production, people will be saying: "WOW! How did they come up with that?!?".