our thoughts
Why Live Streaming is Important
Live Stream, what is the buzz around it? Is it even worth it? These are some of the questions we get asked a lot so we figured we would write a blog on it! Read below to see our take on live streaming.
builds the audience
Every event is bound to have its geographical and physical restrictions. Streaming events and content live makes it accessible to a much larger audience. This means attendance to your content/event could grow at a much larger rate and you could build your audience without ever having to leave your hometown! Check out a video by Lauren Friedman, Head of Social Business Enablement at Adobe, who shares three perspectives on why live streaming is making such a big impact today
creates desirability
Online users usually take passive action towards content they can access on a regular basis, but if your stream is only available at one moment in time, its urgency could create desirability it otherwise may not possess. Streaming content live for a one time only event can turn your make your stream appear rare and urge viewers to take action.
increases Online Interaction
Live streams are an effective way of boosting interaction between your brand and potential clients. If your content is appealing to your audience or an interesting topic to outsiders, you will be given the opportunity to engage with new clients who previously may not have known or thought about connecting with you. We personally like this video from Think Media which highlights how to get Facebook likes for business with Facebook live streaming.
stand out from others
Streaming live events and content could give your brand or business a fantastic advantage at standing out from the crowd. Live streamed events whether it’s a webinar, conference or just an informal tutorial/Q&A, are not something that are being used by many companies. If you capitalized on this effective and new use of the internet and aligned it with your marketing efforts, you could potentially see results that set you apart from others in your industry.
Opportunities For new Revenue
Yes, that’s right. If your stream is of a physical event you would be able to charge an admission fee for the physical attendees and another for online attendees, bringing in extra revenue. Offering a free live stream could allow you to interact with new clients and create new business opportunities that could potentially lead to new revenue. According to 8 Ways to Generate Revenue from Live Streaming by Streamhash, Individuals could spend minimal time, investment and effort to produce visual content and make money out of the same content in different ways.
arcpoint studios is a commercial film production company
based in dallas-fort worth offering branded storytelling and content creation
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What makes a great work culture?
Work culture — a lot of companies are beginning to understand the value of having a great work culture and are moving in a direction that supports employee happiness. This is because happy employees means more productivity and more productivity means a growing and thriving company. It’s important for a business to invest in its employees and nourish the culture. Below we discuss what makes a great work culture.
Make the mission and values clear
If no mission or values are set in place, it’s hard for company to create culture. It’s very important to have clear values so leadership can practice these values and instill them into the workplace. A company’s mission and values should be so clear that they are practiced everyday both internally and externally.
Create a work environment that fosters friendships
When there is a great work environment, friendships are bound to develop. Creating lasting and genuine friendships through work will not enhance en employees personal life but will also bring a level of positivity, trust and loyalty to the company. It’s a given fact that people will work harder and more effectively if they work with people they can call friends rather than colleagues.
Workplace involvement
Company culture is built upon how invested employees are to their employers. Hosting company wide happy hours and team bonding events (either during office hours or after hours) will encourage team members to be more involved. A lot of companies with great culture will actively have volunteer days to get their team together and involved to give back to the community. The little things can often times go a long way.
Be as transparent as possible
A workplace with positive culture will be as transparent a possible so that every team member knows where the company is headed and where they stand within that company. Lack of communication often results in a culture of insecurity and uncertainty. The more the top communicates with the team will help get everyone on the same page and feel included in the intentions of the company.
Celebrate the wins
A great company will have processes in places that recognize performance and company/team wins. The act of celebrating together will strengthen the team and create a culture of success. Everyone wants to be recognized so it’s important to implement a process as early as possible to keep team members engaged and fulfilled.
Leaders should be visible and accessible
Employees support leaders who are transparent and accessible to them. Especially if they are authentic and are willing to invest in their employees. When an organization’s leaders make themselves available to everyone, it creates a sense of unity, and employees are much more likely to feel good about the goals they’re working towards and the company’s mission.
Create comfortable workspaces with office perks
The kind of environment that employees work in each can easily effect the way the employees feel about their employer or the type of work that they’re performing. Creating an environment with a comfortable workspaces, i.e., lounge areas, stocked fridge/snacks, natural light, etc. will really contribute significantly to morale levels.
Keep things positive
Positive workspaces and thriving company cultures are where each employee feels valued, heard, and recognized. There’s absolutely no place for negative energy and gossiping in the work environment. Although it’s bound to happen in any team environment, it’s best to set the tone of inclusiveness and transparency and to ward off any behavior that is not constructive or kind.
Keep it diverse
Great companies and institutions embrace diversity. They embrace diversity in everything from hiring to thought and how they approaches problems. If a company is diverse, it should be a direct reflection of the team on a daily basis.
Ongoing career development opportunities
Building culture does not just come from having a stocked fridge and company happy hours, it also ties into giving employees the opportunity for professional development and advancement. Incentives and promotions will greatly contribute to an employee’s overall morale and will help building their confidence and trust in the company. Nothing says culture like long-term employees. Making sure your employees are happy and well taken care of will keep them on board for the long haul.
arcpoint studios is a commercial film production company
based in dallas-fort worth offering branded storytelling and content creation
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Pre-Production Checklist
Live Stream, is it worth it?
Pre-Production Checklist
Pre-production is one the most important aspects of production to ensure a project runs efficiently and stays within a proposed budget or deadline. Since projects vary in scope, size and scale, each production will have it’s own unique approach during the pre-production phase. Even though pre-production will look different per project, one thing will remain the same — if all goes well in pre-production, then production should be a breeze. Below are our the most common items on our pre-pro checklist. These don’t don’t always occur in the same order and often times are happening simultaneously.
budget
Let’s be real. You gotta have a budget to have any type of pre-production. Having a budget is vital to know what type of production you can produce and to what scale. Having a budget will help shape production and also guide you on where you will need to allocate funds. It will also help shed light on where you need to be resourceful or cut costs. Maybe you don’t need that extra PA for crafty after all.
Concept and script development
Every project needs a good concept. Period. Without a concept, it would be hard to plan the logistics of the shoot or really plan anything at all. Once a concept is development, the storyboarding and script development process can begin. Having a cohesive and solid script in place will help propel and determine all of the nitty gritty details such as, how many actors/actresses there will be, what kind of camera(s) will be used, what kind of props are needed, you get picture.
hiring talent
Hiring talent may be one of the most crucial parts to pre-production because it will determine a lot such as the production schedule and what kind of props/wardrobe, etc. there will be. The casting process can be quite lengthy and can be approached in many different ways such as putting out an ad to submit auditions or hosting a day long casting call. Some production companies may already have a specific person in mind for their project and have discussed rates and availability with their agent while building out the budget.
hiring crew
This usually happens simultaneously as the other items on the checklist and in some instances, some crew will come on board before others such as the Director of Photography, Production Designer, Wardrobe Designer, etc. These positions need ample planning in order to be ready to go for production which is why they come on board during the pre-production stage.
location scouting
Aside from talent availability, location is usually the second item to affect the production schedule. Location scouting can be as simple as making a Facebook post online, or driving out to West Texas itself to look for the perfect cantina. Getting in touch with your city’s film commission can be very beneficial as they may already have a list of film friendly locations.
production design and wardrobe
Depending on the scale of the project (and what is budgeted), these may or may not be heavily planned departments. Whether you’re creating a comedic commercial for a local coffee shop or creating a testimonial video for non-profit, some thought will need to be put into the overall look and feel of the video which includes set design, editing style, wardrobe etc. If budget is any issue, find a way to be resourceful such as seeing what the shooting location has in terms of set design and props. Touch base with the actors and actresses to see what they have in their personal wardrobe. It really boils down to the type of content you are producing and the scale of it to know how much planning you or your crew will need to do in these areas.
release forms and permits
If you film anyone and plan to distribute it ANYWHERE, make sure you get the proper documents and release forms signed. Same goes for any art or logos/brands that you use. This is essentially to protect you or your production company from any legal trouble down the road. Also, always be prepared to look into pulling permits, especially when filming in a public space. Without the proper permits, the production can come to a halt and be delayed which means rescheduling crew/actors, etc. taking a big dip in the budget. Just stay safe and look into permits before production begins.
shot lists and gear rentals
This kind of stuff seems second nature but you’d be surprised how many productions begin without a detailed shot list. Shot lists are important because they help plan the day and determine the shooting schedule. They are also important because they are a reference to make sure you get all of the shots that you want and you don’t walk into the editing room wishing you had gotten a shot that you didn’t.
shooting schedule and call sheet
A shooting schedule is essentially a project plan of each day's shooting for production. A shooting schedule is a simple breakdown of the scenes, talent, time, cast, company moves, and day breaks. It helps everyone stay on track and on the same page as to how production will do. From the shooting schedule, call sheets can be created and sent to talent and crew.
Every production is different and this only a high level view of what pre-production entails. We hope this at-a-glance checklist helps as a resource when preparing for your next project!
arcpoint studios is a commercial film production company
based in dallas-fort worth offering branded storytelling and content creation
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How to Make Your Video More Effective
With the rise of the digital age, companies are moving toward a model of internal content generation to create more leads, brand awareness, and elevated customer experience. Because of this increase in content generation, consumers are constantly bombarded by content in all shapes, sizes and media formats. They experience advertisements from brands they follow, sponsored ads that pop up in their feed every now, and not to mention, their cousin’s funny videos, that well, really aren’t that funny. With this surplus of content, it’s imperative that a brand has the knowledge and tools to create content that stands out from the rest. Below, we dive into three key elements to create a more effective video, taking your content from “just okay” to amazing!
1. Quality of Video
Ever watch a video of a cool new product and immediately turn it off because it looks like someone just set up their iPhone and filmed it in their garage? That’s a sign of poor video quality. It’s great to have a good story or product to feature but if it is not told in a professional and cinematic way, it can often lose the viewers. This is why we think it is important to either consult a professional like us (shameless plug) or invest in equipment that will enhance your video. One of the questions that we get asked the most is what camera should I buy? Truth is, it all comes down to what kind of videos you are trying to produce. When it comes to cameras, there are a few differentiators in the marketplace. One being sensor size. Two being ISO limit. Three being additional features. Since we’re not diving too deep into cameras in this blog, we want to share that as long as your camera is shooting 1080p and you have the correct lens, you are on the right track to enhancing the quality of your video.
2. Good Audio
Audio is often times overlooked when it comes to generating content and nothing is more cringe worthy than opening up a video and hearing the ambience of a reverberated, echoey room. If you want to elevate your content to get more views, we suggest investing in good audio equipment and studying up on ways to master it (or simply hire a sound person). It’s more than just buying a mic and hooking it up to the camera. There are audio levels that come into play, sound testing and if you want to get really technical, sound boards and on-location mixing. In the editing room, we get into sound design which is a whole other level of audio. For audio equipment, some brands we recommend are Rode and Sennheiser. They have not let us down to date are our go to on all of our shoots.
To dive more into what pieces of equipment to get and how to use them check out our blog on audio here.
3. Professional Lighting
Last but not least, we are left with lighting. Lighting is the basis for everything and without it, we would all be left in a dark cloud of nothing. In terms of video, we leverage lighting to bring the image to life and helps shape the mood of the story of which we are trying to tell. When it comes to lighting on set, it can be quite strenuous and really delay production. That’s why most professional sets have lighting experts called gaffers. They work hand in hand with the director of photography to make sure scenes are lit how they are supposed to. For those who are not working on professional film and commercial sets, there are still ways to incorporate lighting in a simple and professional way. Below, we give examples on way to create a mobile studio that will not only illuminate the face, but enhance the overall video.
Utilize Natural Light
Positioning your subject or product in a well light room with the subject or the product facing the window, will do wonders to your video. Doing this will ensure that the subject/product is illuminated by natural light and that the background is exposed properly (assuming that there are no windows behind you).
Invest in a Ring Light
This is the most practical outside of using natural light and are super affordable. You can find these on Amazon and buy them without breaking the bank.
Master the 3 Point Lighting setup
This is gearing toward the professional studio setup and allows more creativity with the tools at hand. This lighting technique lights the subject or product from multiple angles. The key light is the main light. It is usually placed on one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow. The fill light is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The third light is called the back light. This light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.
Utilizing and mastering these basic production techniques can help raise the production value on any project and how people perceive your brand. Honing in on the craft and paying attention to the details will help aide in crafting a compelling narrative and will elevate your message to the audience. For more info or questions about production or how to create an effective video, shoot us an email line here!
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How to Organically Grow Your Event
From networking to growing a brand, events are meant to make an impression and bring people together. After years of covering events, we have learned that the best turnouts are the ones with tons of of digital exposure. We dive firsthand into the fundamentals to growing your event organically.
Content is Key
This is probably obvious, but so many events happen everyday that do not utilize any type of content to help promote them resulting into smaller turnouts. Using photos or creating a promo video is a great way to get people excited about your event. If used correctly, photos or videos will tell audiences exactly what your event is about, or at least give them some type of idea. We recommend utilizing previous event photos and footage for content. If this is a first time event, consider creating a small “mock” event or a stylized shoot to really convey what kind of event it will be.
Sponsorships and partnerships
Let’s be real. An event is going to get more exposure with the right sponsorships. Partner with brands and companies who can help enhance your brand and event. It’s best to get these brands on board at an early stage so they can promote your event at the same time you do. Sponsors can also help assist with the funding of your event or offer extra amenities. If there is a similar event before yours, consider asking if you could partner with the event to cross promote at each other’s event.
Have a Social Media game Plan
In today’s digital world, events almost cannot exist without social media. When creating your event, consider your social media game plan. Create online profiles if you don’t already have one. If the event is public, consider creating a Facebook event so it can be shared across the digital landscape. Posting your event in social groups like Facebook groups can help spread the word. As you promote the event, consider implementing email marketing and event specific hashtags. The stronger your event’s social media presence, more likelihood your event will grow.
Targeted Ads
When it comes down to it, targeted ads are a guaranteed way to get your event in front of people. When it comes to ads, Facebook and Instagram are the best places to put money into. Targeting specific audiences will help grow your event organically and your event will absolutely get the attention and promotion it deserves.
arcpoint studios is a commercial film production company
based in dallas-fort worth offering branded storytelling and content creation
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What we've been up to: Ubbi Dubbi Festival 2019
Ubbi Dubbi is a brand-new two-day festival experience at Panther Island Pavilion in Ft Worth, Texas. Partnering with their sponsor, Rockstar Energy, we spent the weekend capturing festival magic. Take a look into the content we created which includes day of edited photos for their social channels!
our content featured on Rockstar’s Instagram story
watch the highlight film
photo gallery
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Novak Hair Studios Brand Commercial
developing the concept
Novak Hair Studios is a Luxury Solo Artist Salon in Fort Worth. We partnered with Novak and their PR/Marketing firm, HOLLAND collective, to create a brand video to be launched during Earth Week. The concept was developed during several discovery meetings. We dove deep into the brand of Novak to discover who they are and what message they wanted to tell the world. Through the process of tossing many ideas around between Novak and HOLLAND, we landed on a concept that included several key elements:
Introducing a spokeswoman to drive the narrative in a quirky and funny way.
Giving a tour of the salon and introduce the viewer to the salon’s amenities.
Touching base on luxury, affordable, modern and sustainable.
Highlighting the diversity of the stylists and services.
the pre-production process
After the concept was established, we worked with a scriptwriter to incorporate all of these elements. This essentially kicked off the process of pre-production. Through many drafts and revisions, we landed on a script that made us all laugh. Inspired by the character, Samantha Jones from Sex and the City, we began the casting process.
The casting process is exciting. We love seeing how actors and actresses add their own spin and bring a character to life. When we received Gina Hughes’ audition for the role, it was a no brainer. She was perfect.
After Gina was casted, she helped developed the character further. Naming the spokeswoman “Margaret” and adding little quirks, her character came to life. If you’ve ever worked on a scripted narrative commercial or film before, you know that a lot goes into pre-production. From props to wardrobe, to casting the extras (which were all employees or stylists at Novak), there are many things to prepare for. There’s scheduling, walkthroughs with crew, rehearsals with talent, rentals that need to be picked up and shot lists that need to be created. You get the picture. It’s an extensive process but a very important one. The pre-production process can help make or break a video. If all goes well in pre-pro (as we like to call it) then production should be a breeze.
Production and post
Production, or Principle Photography (as some like to call it), started early. We had an ambitious schedule, aimed to be shot all in one 12 hour day. Shot on a Red Helium, we all worked closely together as a team to make sure we stayed on schedule. You never know what kind of last minute issues need to be solved on set, i.e, what kind of decor can we add to a wall to spruce it up, how to match lighting, finding the source to a random noise, etc. Having a solid crew with experience and creativity, helps solve issues before they become problems. We like to think of it as, on-the-spot-problem-solvers. We also worked closely with Novak’s team, who are also great on-the-spot-problem-solvers. Call it the dream team, if you will.
After wrapping on production, the post-production (post) process begins. Our Post-Production Manager, Abby, takes the footage and audio from the shoot to begin editing.
Edited on adobe premiere pro and after effects, we utilized some of our favorite databases for music and sound effects. Artlist.io, Envato Elements, and Soundstripe are just some of the databases we like to use. After collaborating with Novak and HOLLAND, we created the final deliverables: one 60 second social teaser and the full brand video. In the first few days, the video received over 10k views and over 100 shares on FB alone. A lot of support and positive comments flooded in from the community. We’ll take this as a win.
watch the full video
60 second spot
Stylist Ad
Behind the scenes and photo gallery
arcpoint studios is a commercial film production company
based in dallas-fort worth offering branded storytelling and content creation
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In today’s digital age, developing trust in the marketplace is a must. People are smart, they are acquiring more resources and tools to compare just what brands and products they are buying from. Now, more than ever, a consumer can find out everything they need to know about a brand in one google search. Whether it’s a google review or the types of organizations the brand donates to, it’s easier for a consumer to filter through the good and the bad. What does all of this mean for you and your brand? It means that it’s imperative to create trust with your core customers and in order to do that, you need to start on a personal and emotional level.
Winning clients on a personal and emotional level
Before building trust, it’s important to get your message straight — establish your core value, purpose and beliefs. What is your mission? What is your why? People want a brand they can relate to on an emotional level, they feed off of story and want something they can get behind. No one has put this to truth better than Simon Sinek in his book, start with Why, he has coined the term, “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”
In order to develop a proper Brand Identity, first, aim to leave a strong positive influence to the world. If your business offers products and services that contribute to make this world better or promote a better way of living, then you’re in a good place.
What is a Brand Film and why is it important?
A Brand Film is essentially the face of the brand and business. It takes your mission, your why, and turns it into something relatable. A good brand film will communicate your why and serve as a way to connect and letting your customers and clients know that you understand them. It lets them know that you care. It also engages people on an emotional level, builds loyalty to the brand, and inspires brand advocates. It helps people understand how your company is fundamentally different from your competitors, why it’s relevant, and what it stands for.
Brand Films inspire action; it gives people a reason to be involved with your brand and people want to be involved with great purposes and story.
Telling your story in a way that it comes from a place of genuine passion, will help connect you to the world around you. Brand Films are meant to align with the target audience, and when a company’s passion is communicated effectively, they’ll receive an immense emotional response.
Let’s Talk About Budget
“Won’t this be expensive? What will this do for my brand? How do I measure the success of this video? Will it actually work?” all are credible questions and questions we receive daily. It’s important to be aware of the investment up front and what the return will be. Take Dollar Shave Club, they started as a subscription based razor company but after doing an iconic “Anchor” video and placing marketing behind it, it generated 12,000 new signups in the first 48 hours according to Gary Vaynerchuck’s, Why Every Small Business Should Have a “Super Bowl Commercial”. Safe to say, I think they made their money back plus some on their investment.
top reasons why it is so important to invest in a Brand Film:
Showcases company’s messaging and branding
Letting this video be an extension of the brand’s personality and what the brand’s set of beliefs are, will encourage the end viewer to align with the brand and start the decision making process at an early stage.
Center of a marketing campaign
Brand films land perfectly on landing pages, about us sections, along with different social platforms. Another rule of thumb for these is to edit them into different or smaller videos to land specifically for different platforms like Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Humanizes a brand
Information and emotion are two key components to an engaging piece that speaks volume and creates impact. The video should cover the “why” of you and your brand first backed by factual representation. With this formula, you create the emotional hook that resonates and also allows the viewer to know who you are and what your represent.
Viewable and shareable across multiple social platforms
Think share-ability with this. With these tips make a statement and show just what it is you and your brand are made of. Dream it, think it, document and share it.
key elements to keep in mind:
Keep it short
The shorter the video the more impact it will have. We recommend anywhere from 60-90 Sec.
These videos need to be short and to the point, people want to be in, out and on to the next. The trick to this will be to create pillar content beyond the brand film to suck them into all of the neat features of your brand.
Reinforce key messages with graphics, typography or engaging visuals
Aligned messaging and on brand typography and visuals pull the full brand together much like a house flipped by Joanna Gaines. With hard work and the right pieces, a masterpiece can be created.
some examples of brand films we think do this well:
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What we've been up to: Foam Wonderland
Foam Wonderland produces the biggest foam party production across the country, touring from city to city and bringing the world's hottest DJ's to take over the stage. We covered the DFW/Arlington part of the Sunken & Savage tour at Texas Live in Arlington featuring an amazing lineup!
The Lineup: TROYBOI | RUSKO | SLUGZ MUSIC | ARIUS | KAIVON
The energy of the venue was absolutely exhilarating, especially when the foam cannons were released! We got to experience the entire event from the artist’s perspective which is always an exciting way to spend an evening. Keep scrolling to watch the Event Recap from the concert!
Watch the Event Recap Below
arcpoint studios is a commercial film production company
based in dallas-fort worth offering branded storytelling and content creation
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10 Ways to Spark Creativity
Being in a creative field, finding the inspiration to come up with ideas is the often times the hardest part. That’s why we’re always gravitating towards advice or ways to draw inspiration. Here’s a look inside our brand, who we are as creatives and how we spark our creativity.
1. Music
Ah yes, many of us can relate. We have an open office environment, so most days we have music playing. Of course, each day is a different genre because we all have our preferences. Music helps us to not only draw creativity, but to also relax and zone out. One of our favorite things to listen to are lofi beats. Sometimes, just having something playing in the background can help put the brain in a deep state of concentration. Then there are the days we listen to top 90s and everyone in the office is singing. If our Post Production Manager is particularly busy, its safe to assume she’s listening to marching bands very loudly. It’s always nice to mix it up and break up the monotony of the day to day, even if you love your job.
2. Limit Distractions
This one seems obvious, but distractions can come in different forms at very different times. Take the open office environment, we love it but there are times it can be distracting. When music is playing and people are talking, it can pull away from focusing on the task at hand and festering creative thoughts. Even the time of the day can be distracting. Some of us here at Arpcoint find that we are most creative between 3:00 and 4:00 am when the rest of the city is asleep. Talk about limiting distractions. And if you’re limited to just your office, a good set of headphones are always an easy way to create your own oasis.
3. Collaboration
When it comes to projects or creative discussion, more minds are better than one. We recommend tossing an idea around with some close friends or colleagues that you trust. With open dialogue, honesty and respect, collaboration can be the best form to spark creativity. Multiple minds on a project or idea means more possibilities and more room for creativity. And if you don’t believe us, three people worked on this blog. Boom. Teamwork.
4. Travel
This is possibly our favorite one. Traveling taps into places in the mind that are sometimes left dormant for years. Traveling to new places, especially places that speak a different language, is guaranteed to spark creativity. Anytime the mind is used in a way it isn’t typically used, it puts the mind in a place of stimulation and curiosity. Change is good. Getting out of your comfort zone is good. In case you needed another reason to go to the beach this summer, now you have one.
5. Events
When we say events, we don’t just mean a company holiday party or a friend’s birthday party, we mean the kind of events that are happening all year long in your community. There are so many events every day in the world and many can be found simply by looking at the Facebook events section. From art shows, to charity drives, to concerts and poetry readings, there’s bound to be an event for everyone. Going to events not only helps spark creativity, but it also builds confidence and enriches the mind, especially if it’s fun, engaging and introduces you to new things or people. We at Arcpoint just discovered Mansfield, TX is the pickle capital of the U.S., and you better believe you’ll be seeing us at the next annual pickle fest!
6. Nature
With this technology driven world and screens everywhere we look, being in nature is, literally, a breath of fresh air. Now, it doesn’t have to be a trip to the nearest mountain range with a daylong hike to get the full experience of nature (although that does sound incredible), here are plenty of small steps to take to incorporate more nature in a busy lifestyle.
- Have lunch or arrange a meeting at nearby park
- Work from a park or a patio (WIFI permitting)
- Throw a company field day by making a trip to a park or nearby botanic garden (can you tell we really like parks?)
- Open the windows in the office
- Bring the nature to you; invest in more office/desk plants
- Go outside, even if it means taking a walk around the parking lot
7. Podcasts or Audio Books
Sometimes the best place to draw creativity and inspiration is through other people. Whether you have a long commute or enjoy a nice long bath, a podcast or audio book is a great way to learn new things, get inspired or tap into the world around you. Below are some of our team member’s favorite podcasts for sparking creativity.
Abby’s picks: Lore Podcast | My favorite Murder | The Coen Brothers Brothers
Bridgette’s picks: The goop Podcast | This American Life | TED Podcasts
George’s picks: Studio Sherpas
Sean’s picks: The Ground Up Show | Gary Vaynerchuk | The Dave Ramsey Show
8. Take a Break
Let’s face it. We’re human, and sometimes we just need a break in order to utilize our full potential. When working on a project, taking a break (which means not thinking about it for 24 hrs++), will help you to gain a new perspective when returning to it at a later date. Take your favorite book for instance. The author probably didn’t write out the entire piece in one setting. It probably took months, or even years to complete. They probably took many breaks and scrapped a lot of their work. Creativity is a process and it will constantly evolve and grow with time. Take breaks when needed so you can recharge the mental batteries.
9. Find Balance
We are huge advocates of a positive work/life balance. We believe time is precious and finding value in how you spend your time is very important, especially when it comes to creative projects that can easily engulf your entire existence. Having a balance between where you put your energy will not only help your creative work, but it will also help your personal life which in return will support and give you more confidence in your work and creative endeavors. We also find that switching mediums, like jotting ideas down on a notepad or white board vs a laptop, helps to shift the perspective and formation of ideas. Even switching up where you work from time to time will ignite the creative juices. We recommend changing your surroundings constantly like ditching the desk for a few hours and working from the lobby couch or lounge area OR if you’re office or job allows, work from home or a coffee shop. The change in scenery will always be a good thing.
10. A Good Night’s Sleep
Nothing is more important than getting a good night’s sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep will not only help you to be more cognitive throughout the day, but it will also help with your emotional, mental and physical health. Getting enough sleep is crucial for everybody. Whether you’re already a creative being or simply trying to invoke the creativeness inside of you, a good night’s rest can help you to be more alert and responsive to ideas and “gut feelings”. According to HelpGuide, the average adult (26-64) should be getting 7-9 hrs of sleep. Getting to bed early will not only help you get those precious Z’s, but also give you enough time in the morning to ease into the day.
“The best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime.” - HelpGuide
