A strong concept is key to a good creative process, and not having one is a common pitfall for aspiring creators. So, let’s discuss the difference between an idea and a concept, what makes a strong concept, and what it will do for you.
What’s the difference?
An idea is your first general thought. Perhaps a story you want to tell, an image you want to create or a technique you want to explore. A concept is a developed, fleshed out version of an idea. It is more specific and sophisticated than your original idea.
Mixing music with acrobatics is an idea. Concepts based on this idea could include:
Exploring the push and pull of how playing instruments and performing acrobatics requires you to breathe in different ways.
Applying different genres’ rhythms to acrobatics, and acrobatic rhythms to existing music.
Creating a loop show using only the sounds of acrobatics.
Why is it important?
A strong concept is a huge boon to your creative process. Practically, it helps you to choose what to work on and how, as well as keeping your work cohesive. More importantly though, it propels you forward into more interesting creative spaces by acting as a kind of map of what to explore.
Bear with me for a metaphor. Imagine everything that could ever be created as an endless sea stretching out from a beach. Armed with your idea you march into the water. There are infinite possibilities here and you couldn't be more thrilled! However, with your general idea you just don’t know where to go and end up splashing around in the shallows. You cover a lot of distance, but it’s all along the coastline, creating content everyone has seen and done before. A strong concept however, points you in a particular direction. You no longer need to spend your time on the coast, you know where you want to go. So, you dive deep into unexplored territory, and you create something new, unique and interesting.
A reassuring note:
Sometimes it can be scary to commit to a particular direction with a strong concept because it can feel like you are limiting yourself from other directions you might want to travel. Remember that creative possibilities are literally endless, so by narrowing your focus, you are not actually reducing your possibilities, just focusing on the most interesting ones. Plus you are always free to follow your creative whimsy in a new direction, you just have to pick one to start with first!
How do I create a strong concept?
Start with an idea that inspires you, then spend some time thinking about why you find it interesting. You can create mind maps, mood boards, playlists or anything else that helps you to conceptualise your idea. Some questions you could ask yourself include:
How does my idea make me feel?
How would I like my audience to feel?
What movement qualities do I imagine?
What aesthetics do I associate with my idea?
What soundscapes could I imagine?
What themes do I associate with my idea?
When developing your concept, keep in mind the following principles of what makes a strong concept:
Inspiring: Your concept should excite you! The more pumped you are to work on your project, the more fun you will have and the higher chance there is that you will, A: finish it, and B: make something you are proud of.
Clear: You should be able to clearly articulate your concept. Can you pitch your concept to your mate in one or two sentences and have them understand it? If not, you probably need to refine your concept. Clarity is important, both for yourself to have a productive creative process, and for others when you try to share or sell your work.
Actionable: You should be able to imagine what creating material for your concept will look like. Similarly, having some idea of what the finished piece could look like helps a lot too. Having an actionable concept lets you jump into the thick of creating right away.
Rich: There should be plenty to explore within your concept. You should be able to think of plenty of ways to explore your concept and be able to imagine many different versions of what might come from that exploration.
Create Awesome Art
So take your awesome idea, and turn it into an even better concept. A strong concept is an immense help as it guides you in your creative process and allows you to reach more interesting places. Aim for a concept that is inspiring, clear, actionable and rich. Armed with that, you will be in a great place to create something awesome.
Let me know what you think! I'm genuinely interested in hearing your thoughts. Was this interesting or helpful for you? Anything you disagree with? Anything you'd like to add? Drop a comment here, or contact me through Facebook, Instagram or my email circus.coach.sol@gmail.com.
I also love to work with people in their creative processes and am currently available for private lessons both in person and online. Contact me in any of the above ways if you are interested.
Cheers!
Coach Sol
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