Studio Goals and Desires
With our first week of the Constraints as Creative Fuel studio complete, I’ve started thinking about what I’d personally like to gain from this experience to enhance my skills as a media maker. I’m particularly interested in exploring ways to broaden my creativity and expression across various environments and industries. Roles that are more expressive, open-ended, or loosely structured appeal to me, as they offer the freedom to bring creative ideas into form with greater flexibility.
The idea that constraints can actually fuel creativity is what drew me to this studio, and I’m excited to explore both practical and theoretical approaches to enhancing creativity and media-making. Since I’ve often steered away from technical aspects like filming and recording equipment, I find the thought of using cameras somewhat intimidating. Without much experience in areas like adjusting colour and focus, I sometimes feel limited by a lack of technical skills. However, I’m beginning to see this as a valuable constraint that could expand my creative skills and push me beyond my comfort zone.
While I’ve long been interested in working as a casting director to help address the lack of ethnic and racial diversity and to represent marginalised communities in mainstream media, my academic journey has opened me to other media practitioner roles. I enjoy brainstorming creative ideas, expressing myself through abstract or experimental forms, and transforming those visions into something tangible and structured for others to experience. Alongside casting, I’m intrigued by the role of a curator for exhibitions or film festivals, where I could support diverse creative voices and shape the narrative presented to audiences.
Additionally, working as a creative director appeals to me as a role that aligns with my skills and allows me to contribute to something greater than myself. I am passionate about the concept of collective creativity, and the idea of collaborating within a creative community excites me. Being able to add my ideas to a larger, shared vision is something I would love to explore further as I continue developing my career.
Workshop Activity 1 – Day 2: “Camera Exercise”
On Day 2 of our studio, we explored creative constraints by working in groups to film and capture specific shots. Some of the shots we needed to capture included matching geometric shapes, the four elements of nature, and a human subject following certain actions, like sitting or entering and exiting an environment. I found this activity particularly inspiring because it allowed me to look at my environment in different ways, as well as see how my group members captured the shots in their unique styles. For example, I really appreciated how one group member interpreted “wind” creatively by noticing my hair blowing and suggesting we film it as our representation of the element.
Reflecting on the concept of constructive constraints discussed by Feiten et al. (2023: 316), the idea of creativity emerging from ‘spontaneous coordination of interactions’ between individuals working within constraints became evident in this camera exercise. The “shape shot” constraint, along with our shared brainstorming, allowed our creative visions to emerge through sharing ideas of what to capture. Initially, I was drawn to more obvious shapes in our surroundings, like the squares or rectangles of windows or doors, but as I searched for less common shapes, I became interested in different ways spirals appeared in objects, like the shapes forming in trees or bike racks when viewed from certain perspectives. Viewing the task more abstractly helped me break away from seeing it as just an in-class assignment and made me want to get behind the camera to capture what I was noticing.
At first, I wasn’t overly excited about the exercise, especially since we all had to take turns operating the camera. However, the in-depth tutorial we watched before filming, along with the support of a more confident group member, helped me navigate the camera in a way that sparked creativity and inspiration. Viewing the camera as a tool to capture my vision—as an extension of my perspective—makes me more excited to take a proactive role in filming. This shift has encouraged me to explore new ways of capturing the creativity I feel within.
Workshop Activity 2 – Day 3: “Idea Generation – Music As A Stimulus”
On Day 3 of our studio, we experimented with generating ideas to support our genre-constrained screenwriting projects, using a creative method I hadn’t tried before: music as a stimulus. I often have creative ideas floating around, but I struggle to capture them in a way that feels productive. This exercise introduced me to a process that helped with precisely that, giving me a structured way to let my ideas settle rather than pass by unnoticed.
In this exercise, we were asked to listen to a randomly selected song we’d never heard before and loop it to encourage idea flow. Although I occasionally use music in my personal creative projects—such as drawing or writing to specific songs that mirror my emotions—this approach felt new. Instead of carefully choosing music to match a mood, I was open to unexpected imagery and ideas that arose, no matter how disjointed or seemingly irrelevant they were. The random experimental song we used in class acted almost like a bridge, connecting me to hidden memories and emotions. Certain sounds in the song felt like triggers, resurfacing memories I hadn’t thought of in years and sparking a kind of nostalgia for experiences I’d never actually had. It was as if the music allowed me to time-travel, envisioning scenes and feelings that were vivid and real, even if they were imaginary.
Each loop of the song created a rhythm that grounded my ideas, helping them crystalize into clearer concepts. This experience showed me that creativity doesn’t have to be fleeting or elusive; it can be nurtured and given structure. I realized that using music this way could be a valuable tool, allowing me to dig deeper into the emotional layers of my creative ideas, rather than just letting them drift by. The exercise encouraged me to see my thoughts as something I could actively shape, creating a rich foundation for future creative projects.
The Initiative Post – Constraints in Indie Cinema
Reflecting on creative constraints in the media-making industry, I found myself considering the different kinds of media that I’m drawn to and how specific sets of constraints, both self-imposed and external, might shape them. The idea of constraints in artistic forms of expression is fascinating, especially because I tend to value creative freedom and agency in art-making. I realized that constraints aren’t necessarily restrictive; rather, they can spark creativity in unexpected ways. I also became aware of how I might unconsciously impose limitations on myself. This interest in the balance between creative freedom and boundaries led me to reflect on the indie film genre—a genre known for its expressive, freeform qualities, yet clearly shaped by unique constraints that give it its distinctive character.
When I think about indie films, my understanding is generally based on the type of feeling they evoke rather than rigid definitions. However, I wanted to explore what gives indie films, especially romantic or dramatic indie films, that specific emotional resonance and distinctiveness. Some of the films I focused on include Take This Waltz (Polley 2011), Drinking Buddies (Swanberg 2013), Blue Is the Warmest Color (Kechiche 2013), Nymphomaniac (von Trier 2013), Victoria (Schipper 2015), Man Up (Palmer 2015), Lost in Translation (Coppola 2003), Im Juli (Akin 2000), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry 2004), Her (Jonze 2013), Nobody Walks (Russo-Young 2012), and Closer (Nichols 2004). While these films vary in genre, budget, and commercial success, they all feel undeniably indie to me.
In exploring what ties these films together, I reflected on King’s (2017: 7) analysis of indie films as defined by three overlapping qualities: autonomy, authenticity, and opposition. These characteristics help indie films emphasise individuality and expressiveness, creating a space where filmmakers can explore unique perspectives and emotions that diverge from the polished narratives and aesthetic standards of mainstream cinema. This framework helped me recognise a shared quality among these films – – an emphasis on raw, authentic portrayals of human relationships and emotions. Indie films often focus on complex, deeply personal narratives, allowing the audience to feel a sense of intimacy with the characters. There’s often a feeling of voyeurism in these films as if we’re glimpsing moments of real, unfiltered human experience.
This quality is particularly noticeable in the way indie films portray romantic relationships and personal struggles. Wyatt and Phillips (2023: 408) highlight how the Before trilogy (Linklater 1995, 2004, 2013) captures the essence of indie culture through its use of long takes and extensive dialogue, which allow relationships to develop organically over time. The trilogy uses these techniques to convey the raw, evolving nature of romantic connections, diverging from the tidy, often idealized portrayals in mainstream films. This approach exemplifies a creative constraint in indie film such as using minimalist techniques to convey authenticity and complexity. Through simple, unembellished cinematography and storytelling, these films create a heightened sense of realism that draws viewers into the characters’ emotional lives.
Additionally, while indie films sometimes gain mainstream success, they often retain their commitment to authenticity, resisting the tendency to conform to commercial expectations. This is a notable constraint within the genre: indie films strive to balance artistic integrity with accessibility, and success is celebrated as long as it doesn’t compromise the film’s core values. King (2017: 54) addresses this tension, explaining that while indie films can achieve popularity, they are often carefully constructed to avoid being labelled as sellouts. This delicate balance allows indie films to maintain their essence even as they reach wider audiences.
In identifying these overlapping qualities in the films I explored, I see how indie cinema uses constraints to emphasize the humanity and sensitivity of the stories it tells. The combination of autonomy, authenticity, and opposition serves not only to shape indie films’ aesthetic and narrative choices but also to reinforce their commitment to honest, unfiltered expressions of human experience (King 2017: 35). Constraints, in this sense, are not limitations; rather, they enable indie filmmakers to create unique works that resonate deeply with audiences, allowing viewers to see themselves in the characters and stories on screen. In deepening my understanding of indie cinema, I am able to see more clearly how I might one day create a film or story with indie themes at its core.
References
Feiten TE, Peck Z, Holland K, and Chemero A (2023) Constructive constraints: On the role of chance and complexity in artistic creativity. Possibility Studies & Society, 1(3), 311–323. https://doi.org/10.1177/27538699231193539
King G (2017) A Companion to American Indie Film, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, ProQuest Ebook Central. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=4721398
Wyatt J and Phillips WD (2023) Screening American Independent Film, Taylor & Francis Group, ProQuest Ebook Central. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=3120115