From: "Jonathan" <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
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Subject: Re: [AE] getting out of a rut
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2019 09:22:55 -0700
References: <list-7449186@media-motion.tv>
To: After Effects Mail List <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
In-Reply-To: <list-7449186@media-motion.tv>
Message-Id: <416FFE21-10CD-4166-85B2-9F53EEC7AF78@charter.net>

I have the same problem. I wrote this and then realized after letting it =
sit for a while that I was writing to myself:

Go to museums, different kinds of museums, not just art. See =
experimental films, video and 3D/enhanced/virtual reality. Go look at =
graffiti and murals. Seek out events that don=E2=80=99t fit into any =
particular form or mold. Listen to music that you haven=E2=80=99t =
thought you=E2=80=99d be interested in. Listen to music you listened to =
ages ago.

Michael Kamen =E2=80=93 composer, rock musician, classical musician, =
orchestrator, etc =E2=80=93 quoted someone (I wish I could remember who) =
saying that when you compose, don't let your imagination be limited by =
the instruments you play.

I went to the Cooper Hewitt museum in NYC recently and saw an exhibit =
melding art and ecology. I saw a model of a completely self-sustained =
building, utilizing techniques I never even came close to imagining.

But also: question what you believe. Be ready to toss out assumptions =
=E2=80=93 though not your ethics and morals =E2=80=93 and try to imagine =
radically different ways of achieving your goals. Read novels, short =
stories and poetry, old and new. Look at something you take for granted =
and investigate it. You will no doubt be surprised what you find.

Learn another language and discover how others think about the world =
from their grammar, expressions, sayings and histories.

Connect to people outside your circle. Listen to people with different =
experiences and views. Try to work with other people. Engage people with =
humor and kindness and see what comes back.

In other words, explode your bubble. It=E2=80=99s about much more than =
your work.

After I wrote this, I realized I am not doing enough. And yes, what =
Chris Zwar said, too.


Jonathan Penzner


> On Oct 14, 2019, at 10:08 AM, Cary Spenser <AE-List@media-motion.tv> =
wrote:
>=20
> All -
>=20
> Been creating AE since v3. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that my =
work is looking repetitive after 23 years. Pretty embarrassed about it =
after doing a retrospective of the last 5 years. IT ALL LOOKS THE SAME!  =
;-)
>=20
> What to other do to get a fresh breath of creative juice, to break out =
of the old patterns?
>=20
> Thanks.
>=20
> Cary