“The Power of Story”

T hese posts are about the creative process and the emotional, spiritual and intellectual journey that we undertake when we choose to face the empty page or screen, and commit to the telling. All creatives are explorers in this great human wilderness, and I was hip deep in that big muddy searching for a key to unlock the deeper mysteries, when these words popped into my head: ‘Story is Action – Action is Story.’ I know a key when I see it, so let’s clear our minds and start opening up locks.

S tory is who we are, and action is what we do, they are the ‘Yin and Yang’ of human existence. Story is the creative principle = the cosmic egg; and action is the active principle = the fertile motion, that gives birth to you, me, and even more stories. This magnificent ouroborical helix contains the DNA of thought and experience, and shines with the uniquely personal themes that reflect our beliefs, history, and purpose.

Continue reading ““The Power of Story””

“The Biz 4.0”

I ‘ve shared the fact that I’m a film brat who grew up in a working family of ‘Golden Age’ Movie & TV professionals, with experience that reached back to the Silent Film era. As part of my work-life education they connected me to a wildly diverse pool of performers, technicians and business pros who opened my eyes to how the entertainment business works. So this week I thought I’d take a moment to look back, and forward, and unpack the glittering modern media circus that I call: “The Biz 4.0.”

T his post is going to be a little Thought Experiment where I peer into the mists of time to see if I can pluck out a few futuristic gems for us to examine. My goal is to look at this brave new world full of screens, and find the uniquely human threads that link past to present, and present to future. So keep reading and enjoy the show!

Continue reading ““The Biz 4.0””

“The Art of Re-Invention”

I f you’ve been perusing these posts you may have noticed that I’ve been busy exploring creativity, power, memory and story, and now that I have a moment to pause between pilot drafts, I thought I’d tackle “The Art of Re-Invention.” So let me play Virgil to your Dante, as we wing our way from Inferno to Paradiso, and re-boot how to look at Re-Invention.

W hy ‘Re-Invention’ and not just ‘reinvention?’ Because reinvention is a craft, a gradual process that shapes identity by adding and subtracting all the day to day influences received from family, friends, co-workers, and the media that we consume. But Re-Invention is an Art, because it is a psychological & spiritual process that requires our complete attention and focus on the essential beliefs that drive us; and a commitment to alter any belief that blocks the free flow of our creative expression & will.

Continue reading ““The Art of Re-Invention””

“Thinking Big!”

I ‘ve been Thinking Big lately, pondering the why’s & wherefores of ‘Visioneering,’ and diving deep into how ‘The Intuitive Art of Creative Resonance’ transforms our quicksilver mentality into fabulous reality. I admit to being a serial visioneer, and when I’m on a roll I can riff on anything, because the flow of creative energy connects me to the intoxicating Universe of Possibility (the UP), where all ideas reside. So in that spirit of creative play, I’m going to take you on a Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride into the UP, where we’ll map the territory and create a DIY, so you can joyfully engineer any Vision that your heart desires.

V isioneering is the process of building a creative vision from the initial spark of an idea, to it’s fully realized completion. It’s at the heart of every business, craft, or endeavor that humanity engages in, and provides a thrilling magnetic framework that inspires VC’s, execs, co-workers, or supporters to help us transform our ‘Big Picture’ into ‘Big Reality.’

Continue reading ““Thinking Big!””

“Wild Work” – Your Purposeful Bliss in Action

W e wake up every day with a singular question roaming our consciousness: ‘What’s next?’ No matter how stoic our outlook, no matter how set in stone our daily routine, we thrill to the call of the unknown. Then an image, or idea pops into our head, the room fills with the crackling ozone of anticipation, and ready or not, we  jump in – activating a dizzying stream of synchronicity, serendipity and deep collaboration. This my friend, is ‘Wild Work’ – Your Purposeful Bliss in Action.

M any of these posts have been dedicated to helping you to reach this point; to fully inhabit the place where your creativity takes charge of imagination, and creates possibility. The next stage is fully stepping into that possibility and guiding it into reality. You are the architect & builder of Your reality, and this is the ‘Wild Work’ that you’re here to accomplish.

Continue reading ““Wild Work” – Your Purposeful Bliss in Action”

What's in a Story

What’s in a Story?

A hhh story. Like most of us, I grew up thinking stories were what you read or watched, and thought of them as entertainment, a fun way to pass the time. As the only child of ‘busy’ adults, I devoured them and developed an urge to scribble my own, without realizing – until much later – that my creative muse was giving me a tool to know myself, and with that knowing, decipher the story of everything.

E verywhere you look, corporate story engines are influencing billions of people and raking in trillions of dollars in the process; crowding our devices like an aggressive gaggle of garrulous Carny Hawkers desperate to sell us everything from toothpaste, to ideology, to hookups. My goal here is  to play through all that noise, and help you understand & master the universal ‘What’s’ in every story – because these ‘What’s,’ are at the heart of your own high-powered story engine.

Continue reading “What’s in a Story?”

Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter Two

I was waiting for the Solar Eclipse to remind us of the celestial mechanics that drive the universe, when my creative sensors lit up and suggested that I jump back into my Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ Series. If you read ‘Anatomy of a ‘Creative’- Chapter 1′, you know that I believe everybody is a ‘Creative,’ and that creativity works through us to power everything we are and do, so welcome to Chapter Two: Your ‘Creative’ Legs: What you ‘Stand On,’ ‘Stand For,’ and the strength of your ‘Standing.’

Standing is Essential – Physically, it keeps you fit; emotionally, it keeps you strong; intellectually, it gives you perspective; and spiritually, it represents your connection to you earthly journey. And when you choose to stand, you set the wheels of creativity in motion, and make magic happen.

I ‘ve mentioned a few of the amazing folks, from Norman Lear to Ray Bradbury, et al. that I’ve ‘Stood With’ over the years, and it’s through their example that I learned what ‘Standing Up’ is all about. Throughout the long arc of their lives they developed a profound understanding that their ‘Standing’ in the world depended on how much positive creativity they shared with us; how committed they were to ‘Standing For’ the people, places, causes & beliefs that underpinned their beliefs & vision; and how solid their ‘Standing On’ reflected the collective power of our shared creative purpose.

Continue reading “Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter Two”

The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter 2

W elcome back scribblers! I’m in between drafts, and was inspired to jump into The UWT C2 while the perspiration & inspiration are fresh. I just had a call with a dear friend and I marveled at her tenacity, and willingness to move past the ‘E’ and into the ‘CC’ – the ‘E’ being Ego, and the ‘CC’ Connected Creativity. If you’ve been perusing my posts, you may be growing weary of hearing me expound on the many juicy delights of getting out of your own way, so I decided to go really, really big, and show you how to re-purpose ego by using ‘Presence’ to expand your Ultimate Scribbler’s Toolkit!

B ut Scott! You just said we have to move past the ‘E,’ absolutely correct! But moving past it, doesn’t mean that it evaporates like a bad dream. Ego, when applied properly, is a scribbler’s delight. How? Well, I hate to annoy the enlightened souls out there, but stripping the world of ego, also strips it of conflict, and conflict my dear scribblers, is the lifeblood of all fiction. Without it we would sit around the maypole in blissful satiety, singing ‘Kumbaya’ ’till the cows came home. So today we’re going to put ego in it’s proper place and practice using it the way it was intended, to help us build powerful stories.

Continue reading “The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter 2”