YOU CAN’T FAKE YOUR WAY INTO A FLOW STATE
Here at FLOWSTATE Films, we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can work effectively and maximize our creativity. Recently, when scripting and producing a few short films on a tight deadline I found myself very quickly getting into a flow state where the stories were just pouring out of me, I reflected back on just how much I have developed as a writer for film over the last 10 years.
““This is the guiding force of FLOWSTATE Films. WE WILL NEVER FAKE IT. We pride ourselves on grasping the building blocks of storytelling, shooting for story, and editing.”
Early in my career when I was producing projects ahead of my skill level and having panic attacks about it, one of my friends told me to “fake it, til you make it.” Well, I was raised in a salt-of-the-earth New England family where my parents taught me to never tell a lie and never be fake. I just didn’t quite grasp the value of faking it, til you make it, especially when what I needed was some training. Without a degree in film, but due to my strong work-ethic, I had moved up from a production assistant to producer quickly, but truthfully, I needed to take ownership of my fears and educate myself on my own terms.
Not until spreading my wings and producing my own projects did I have the chance to learn from some extremely experienced film writers and producers. Working independently, I was able to make mistakes, but also learn without worrying about clients or employers.
Kiley Kraskouskas in Bamako, Mali directing the documentary, The Last Song Before the War.
Now, I have a go-to process when I write a script – I research the topic, pour over transcripts, look through all the footage, pace around, until eventually an idea comes to me, usually, it’s a structure or theme that I then can pull sound bites and footage into. There is no faking it; it's just digging into the material and thinking about frameworks and compelling moments. Pulling sample music also helps me a lot in setting a tone. I then give that script to Rachell or Leola who tell me straight up if they like it or not. I know with Leola, if she thinks it's a strong concept on paper, she will take it even further in the edit.
“Fake it til you make it” is a phrase that gets passed around a lot in positive psychology circles. But it’s the one notion I have to completely disagree with. You just can’t get into a flow state if you are faking it. In order to make a great film or really tap into your creative stream, you must move beyond fear and negative energy by having a process. Only then can you really tap into flow.
This is the guiding force of FlowState Films. WE WILL NEVER FAKE IT. We pride ourselves on grasping the building blocks of storytelling, shooting for story, and editing. When we need to learn, we educate ourselves. Our clients and collaborators can be assured we are not faking it because we have spent years learning both on the job and through some of the masters in our field.
Don’t Fake It, Master It and Do It. #FlowStateOfMind
