What methods do you use to reduce influence on your work?

8 Comments

I am trying to work on some creative projects and I find that in some areas I am influenced too much by other people's works and I can't quite find my own groove because of that. I get frustrated very quickly and stop trying, then I get more frustrated because I'm not progressing on my work. I don't know what to do.

I tried cutting out words from newspapers and putting them into a hat and picking some at random to maybe get some inspiration. It's OK but it doesn't work for everything.

What are some methods you use to block out influence from things you have seen, read and heard?

I don't know. 17
This is how I do it....(comment) 4
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Comments ( 8 )
  • Ghost-of-the-Marlboro-Man
    11 years ago

    Smoking.

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  • dom180
    11 years ago

    Hmm, I'm not sure if it is completely possible to eliminate external influences. What I would do is try and gain influence from as many places as possible, and bland them in a way that is "original", and as a film writer you can gain new influences by reading and watching as much as you can.

    You could also gain influence from other kinds of media besides film and books, like music or photography or painted art. It's almost impossible to remove influences completely, but just because your work takes influences from other places that doesn't necessarily make it boring.

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  • robbieforgotpw
    11 years ago

    Im able to think clearly while taking a dump
    Take pen and paper with u

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  • FocoUS
    11 years ago

    Ideas come from anywhere. I like to get mine from history and news articles. You can't also work with something that interests you, an area of expertise.

    If you want to reduce influence observe the work that you think is too close and makes sure your own work differs. Sometimes things as simple as making the shots different changes everything.

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  • Short4Words
    11 years ago

    You can't, I think. I guess you made it clear in your post that there's no way to absolutely remove someones influence because art or writing, whatever it is you're doing, will influence your work, and it's for the better.

    Would you mind telling me what you're working on?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      11 years ago

      A horror film which might end up becoming a heavily illustrated book instead, a few horror shorts, an animated comedy and a skit/comedy show on the way back burner.

      I have no problem with coming up with original main ideas, my problems lie in characters, filler and some of the dialogue.

      Maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. Maybe I'm trying to do the whole job myself when I should be working with someone, although I'm leery of that. I'm going to see if there's a writers or artists club around here and maybe I can get some help.

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      • RomeoDeMontague
        10 years ago

        Try finding a better job that works for you.

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      • Short4Words
        11 years ago

        Interesting idea.

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