Tag Archive for: Creative Services

Creative Direction in a CGI Creative Studio

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Shaping Brands with Vision and Communication

In the dynamic world of branding, advertising, and design, creative direction plays a pivotal role in shaping the identity and success of a brand or agency. At the helm of this creative voyage stands the Creative Director, and as one myself, I understand the importance of vision and effective communication in this role. In this blog entry, I will delve into my personal philosophy of creative direction, emphasizing the significance of communication and bridging the gap between artistic vision and client expectations.

The Role of a Creative Director

In creative/ad agencies in Singapore, the Creative Director is a role with huge responsibility.

As a Creative Director, I shape the creative vision and empower the artists. I’m the driving force behind conceptualizing, strategizing, and executing creative campaigns. I possess a unique blend of artistic talent, strategic thinking, and effective leadership. I oversee a team of talented creatives, including designers, copywriters, animators, and more, guiding them towards achieving a unified vision that aligns with the brand’s objectives.

My Philosophy on Creative Direction

I firmly believe that creative direction is a collaborative process that involves working closely with fellow creatives and clients to explore the boundless potential of 3D animation and motion design in driving creative campaigns. However, I also recognize that effective communication is paramount to the success of any project. When interacting with clients, I understand that they often prioritize the business and marketing aspects over the artistic details. Therefore, I adopt a language that resonates with the clients, enabling them to comprehend the impact and value that the creative work will bring to their brand.

Bridging the Gap

One of the challenges faced by creative professionals is bridging the gap between being a craftsman and a strategic thinker. Many artists start their careers focusing solely on perfecting their craft, but as they progress, they encounter the need to understand the business objectives and communicate their artistic vision in a language that clients can comprehend. I acknowledge this struggle and believe that Creative Directors play a crucial role in bridging this gap by translating the creative vision into terms that resonate with clients and stakeholders.

My approach is to elevate the conversation surrounding the creative process, moving beyond technicalities and focusing on the broader impact and results. By highlighting the value that creative campaigns bring to a brand, I ensure that clients feel confident in their investment and understand how it aligns with their business goals. This shift in perspective fosters stronger relationships between the creative team and clients, promoting trust, collaboration, and ultimately, the success of the project.

Conclusion

Creative direction is a multifaceted discipline that combines artistic prowess, strategic thinking, and effective communication. As a Creative Director, I understand that while the artistry is crucial, the ability to speak the language of business and marketing is equally important. By bridging the gap between the creative and the commercial, I empower my team to bring their vision to life while ensuring clients understand the transformative power of creative campaigns. My philosophy highlights the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and elevating the conversation around creative work. With my guidance, brands and agencies can navigate the ever-evolving landscape of creativity and make a lasting impact on their audience.

Know your Value as a Creative

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Art Student Dilemma

It’s graduation year at art school. Classmates believe that focusing solely on their craft will lead to success, and the money will follow. Is that true?

“Real artists don’t talk Money. We talk Craft!”

It’s a common notion amongst art students, and while it’s not entirely wrong, it’s also an unhealthy and naïve thought.

As a freelancer, not addressing clients’ needs can lead to dissatisfaction and lack of payment. As an employee artist, simply following the script can result in a mediocre story, and as a director, not explaining unconventional creative decisions can cause clients to worry. It’s essential for creatives to communicate the value they bring and deliver on their promises, rather than solely focusing on their craft.

Turns out, discussing money is healthier than avoiding the conversation. Yet, many artists steer clear of it due to their lack of understanding about the value of their services. Avoiding the possibility that your hard-earned skills may not be valuable is tempting, but it’s a form of avoidance that doesn’t solve the issue.

Let me explain.


Knowing Your Value as a Freelancer

When I started out as a freelance 3D generalist, I focused on my craft and found myself struggling to find the balance of what works for my creative soul and clients. My internal push for rendering realistic images with believable imperfections wasn’t necessarily aligned with my client’s needs. “Realistic” wasn’t what they were looking for; “Flawless”, “Clarity”, “Perfection” are often words that sit much better with the rest of their campaign messaging.

If I don’t address the needs of my clients, they won’t be happy paying me, and I won’t be happy accepting payment knowing that they aren’t satisfied.

Knowing Your Value as an Employee

When I was a junior storyboard artist, I focused on my craft and found myself drawing panels exactly as the script says. Sounded like a responsible thing to do, but the stories fell flat. I changed my approach and arranged for discussions with the director to break down the script, to ensure logical plot, interesting character arcs, conflicts, emotional beats etc. before I pick up my pencil. Worked like a charm!

If I continued to imagine the job of the story artist to be simply drawing panels based on what I read in a given script, and not attempting to improve the story when I see clear opportunities, then I’m doing a disservice to myself, my team and the company.

Knowing Your Value as a Creative Director

When I was a creative director, I focused on excellent visual storytelling of the commercials, and at times, clients worry about less conventional creative decisions. It’s not the client’s fault if I didn’t help them see why it’s important for their product messaging.

If I don’t help them to understand why certain creative approaches are more suitable for their messaging, no amount of stunning visuals will address their inner worries.

So, what’s the problem?

As creatives, we often believe that conflicts in a project arise because non-creatives fail to comprehend our perspective, and that it’s their duty to take the initiative. But doesn’t this attitude come across as entitled? Instead, why don’t we make an effort to bridge the communication gap by speaking their language and taking the lead?

And the solution?

In hindsight, it’s plainly obvious that we as creatives need to know our value proposition regardless of whether we’re a freelancer, an in-house artist or an executive creative director. Negotiating price, salaries, and articulating the value of our work to and for our clients – these need to be seen as part of our work. 

Focus on Understanding the Value you can provide

See, real designers communicate the value we provide to others, and deliver on our promises. As a creative, understanding the value of your creative work is being responsible to both yourself and the people you work with. You’ll find it easier to justify prices, salaries, and your clients have an easier time understanding what exactly you are here to help with.

So, take the time to determine the value of your creative work and communicate it to your boss/clients. It will lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable creative career.

How to Identify & Determine Your Value

Here are some questions to help you find your intrinsic creative abilities:

  • In past group creative projects,
    • Where do you find yourself most comfortably contributing?
    • Which contributions helped to propel the project forward?
    • What did you do to align every party involved in the project?
    • When people turn to you for help, what type of questions do they usually ask?
    • What are you naturally good at?

If you’re ready to dive deeper into understanding your value as a creative, this article is a good place to start: Understanding Your Value as a Creative: You Need to Know This.

If you’re already aware of this but still struggling with project management, consider adopting the approach of viewing yourselves as creative partners with your clients – this is the approach taken by Masonry Studios and it may be effective for you.