Hey everyone! Today I want to talk about something every creative in animation direction, animation consultancy and game development needs to get good at: managing your ideas. Whether you’re an experienced artist, developer or game director, being able to ideate and execute fast and well can make a big difference in your work and impact.

The Two Types of Creatives: Grinders and Visionaries

I’ve come across two types of creatives over the years and it’s worth understanding both:

• The Grinders – These are the hardworking, driven people who get through the tough bits. Their ideas might not be the most exciting but they can execute consistently.
• The Visionaries – This group brings big, bold ideas to the table but assumes their ideas will magically come together without putting in as much effort to execute.

Success in the creative field, especially in animation and game development, often requires a mix of both: the big ideas of a Visionary and the work ethic of a Grinder.

Ideation: My Process

In the fast paced world of animation and game design ideas need to be processed quickly. Here’s how I organize and evaluate my ideas to get the most out of my time:

1. Write Everything Down – Whenever an idea pops up I write it down. I use a journal to capture these thoughts so I don’t lose them. This step is all about getting ideas down on paper without worrying about perfection.
2. Give It Time – Rather than acting on every idea straight away I let each idea sit for a while. This allows me to explore its potential and the what ifs that come with it. Often I find some ideas get better with time, others reveal limitations I hadn’t thought of.
3. Test Your Ideas – Once an idea is refined I talk to someone I trust, a friend or family member. This gives me feedback and a fresh perspective and often reveals new directions for my ideas.

Quick Ideation for Game Development Deadlines

In game development creative demands are constant. Your game director may ask for a new concept on the spot and you need to deliver. To handle this I keep a log of quick raw ideas that I can polish or adapt to a project quickly. Having a bank of ideas ready helps me be responsive to these tight deadlines.

Ideation Through Visualization and Feedback

Visualizing ideas fully before diving in is key, especially for high impact elements like animations. For example, imagine an animation of Bruce Lee’s one inch punch. To make it interesting I visualize different camera angles and think about the viewer’s reaction, refining until I’m sure it will have the desired impact. By sitting with the idea and imagining it from multiple angles I know the concept will be good before I invest time in making it.

Execution: The Value of Early Feedback

One of the hardest parts of creativity is sharing work before it’s “done”. But early feedback is priceless. When I create a rough concept, whether it’s a sketch or a simple block out animation I share it with a trusted peer to get their reaction. Early feedback saves time by not allowing me to invest too much time in ideas that won’t resonate with others.

Categorizing Ideas into Three Buckets

I categorize my ideas into three:

• Quick Ideas – These are short projects, a storyboard or animation sequence I can complete in a few weeks.
• Big Ideas – This bucket is for big projects, starting a YouTube channel or a new game. These ideas require ongoing effort and planning.
• Work Ideas – Work specific ideas go here. These are for the company or client and once handed over are no longer mine.

Animation and Game Development Ideation

In these fields creativity requires innovation and the discipline to judge ideas objectively. Not every idea will be a winner and that’s fine! By refining and testing ideas regularly I know I’m focusing on the best concepts.

In the end being a creative isn’t just about coming up with ideas; it’s about managing, testing and executing them. I hope this helps you try these out in your own work, whether it’s animation, game development or whatever creative pursuit.