/the preface

Previously from /an introduction:

“Olivia. Babe.” The gorgeously confident voice said.
“It’s going to be just fine.”
“Will it though? Be just fine…”
“Baby girl, you have nothing to lose.”
“True. Been there. Done that.”

In advertising, when a creative director comes up with a motion picture, like a TV spot, a social media post, a case study video, or any form of motion/animation, we create something called a ‘storyboard’. Everything goes on a storyboard. The artistic style of the work, the angles and frames of each shot, the voiceover, the character dialogue, sound effects, the words that appear on screen, and the list goes on. When something cannot be shown in the frame, it’s described in parenthesis, [like this]. This gives the producer more context on how we’d like to ‘show and tell’. I’m not creating full storyboards, (at least not yet), but until then, welcome to my creative dumping grounds. I hope you enjoy it.

PREFACE

[We open on a computer screen, to a blank Word document]

…There’s something about opening a wordless ‘Document1’ and what that empty screen holds.

Potential, maybe?

It is certainly different than staring at a blank canvas before starting a painting, at least for me.

Not always, but MOST of the time, (and yes, 100% contrary to popular opinion), I immediately think ‘perfection’. In no way shape or form does a blank canvas sweetly and calmly say to me, “Ah, potential”. No. As my eyes become glued to the white canvas’ abis, at this moment, I’m in an entirely different state of mind: short breaths, fast heartbeat, and sweaty, SWEATY palms (and feet)! Yeah, you CANNOT forget the sweaty feet…

“EW! Babe!”

…Yes, I know. Ew, ick, Nasty. But also, please tell me you don’t get sweaty feet. I dare you. In a matter of seconds from seeing the white endless hole and the start of my heart palpitating I’ve somehow managed to create an endless list of “things to do BEFORE starting to paint”. This is another reason why I’m here, to make sure every new painting I start has a shorter “pre-painting to-do list”.

I digress a bit. 

So back to the comfort of the empty Word doc (or a blank sheet of lined paper). I just feel like there’s SO MUCH ROOM for mistakes when writing. Maybe I think this because it’s been so ingrained in us from a young age at school. We were literally taught the process of drafts and revisions — the writing-building process since we were in kindergarten. From sentence structures to later on full-blown essays or thesis’ (which by the way, I absolutely HATED and you couldn’t catch me sitting down to do this for longer than 10 minutes at a time, even if you tried) 

But as a creative, developing ads, writing music, and making artwork, the draft, and revisions part feels more ominous and daunting. I just don’t want to make a mistake even in the beginning, and yet I know how important getting messy is to the creative process... I just want it all to look perfect. Straight away and head on. 

“Just not reality, Babe.” 

I know, I know…

Which leads me to my “Why” for starting this space. 

Let’s shorten the “pre-painting to-do list” — Let’s fight the fear of making mistakes. Let’s get messy. Let’s ride the waves of being unsure. At least, until the fear goes away. 

Like Herb Farmer says about his son Frank Farmer (who’s played by the young and talented Kevin Costner) in the award-winning 1992 Film with Whitney Houston, 

“If something scared him, he’d just keep doing it until the fear went away.”

That’s me — this is what I set out to do. 

“Conquer the fear, Babe” 

Yep, that’s what I plan to do.

“Slay Queen, slay.”

LOL M’kay.

But also, I’d love for you to join me if you’d like.

So, until then. 

Thanks for being here today and I hope you come back around tomorrow — 

Xx 
Love yours truly,

Olivia Babe.