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REVENGE OF THE
SITH ~ CREATIVITY AND STRUCTURE by Kal Bishop, MBA
The common belief is that lack of structure
and randomness enhances creative output, whereas in truth, creativity is
enhanced when it is organised, systematic and based on highly structured
processes. This article will use Episode III of the Star Wars trilogy –
Revenge of the Sith – to demonstrate that point.
First, some basic
concepts.
a. We can measure creativity by observing the number of
ideas produced, their novelty and diversity and the frequency of
production.
This allows us to gauge which of the two methods
indicated above, produces more output. Using it, we can say for example,
whether a structured approach with incremental deadlines and goals yields more
of a screenplay than a “do your best approach.” Graham Green, the
famous English writer, insisted that his success was due to writing, without
fail, 500 words a day. Similar examples of incremental goal setting, the
experience of people who regularly have to generate ideas (e.g. creatives in
advertising) and experimentation reveal that incremental deadlines do indeed
help us complete that screenplay much faster.
b. Creative output versus applied creative output.
Creative output is enhanced to some degree by unstructured and random
thinking. This is the essence of lateral thinking, where ideas are generated
for i) the sake of generating them, ii) without direction, iii) without
evaluation, iv) using random stimuli to open up pathways and so forth. However,
applied creativity results from i) the use of frameworks that relate to the
problem and ii) critical thinking – reducing the idea pool to feasible
ideas. In effect there are three stages, first creative thinking which is a
combination of lateral and logical idea generation and second, critical
thinking.
c. Structures and formal processes trigger a problem
finding and resolving attitude and induce the goal state.
This
establishes boundaries, consistency, focuses creative energy and is a major
source of motivation. It is commonly noted that people seem to be creative when
constrained to some degree.
d. Prolific output.
Structures such as
incremental goals force output and lead to prolific production, which increases
the likelihood of quality. It can be declared with great certainty that quality
positively correlates with quantity. The single best creative product appears
at that point in the career when the creator is being most prolific.
e. Incubation.
Incremental goals can be short
and longer term. Short-term goals increase output. Longer terms goals allow
problems to incubate at various cognitive levels and lead to richer insights.
With the above in mind then, how did George Lucas go about writing the
screenplay for Revenge of the Sith? He didn’t just sit there and hope for
the muse to strike. He had a deadline, a budget was involved and distributors
and marketers had expectations. So he used structure.
As screenwriters
know, the modern screenplay has evolved from three and four act structure. The
modern dividers are known as plot points 1 and 2 and the midpoint, which break
up the screenplay into four thirty page parts. By page 30 George knew that he
had to set up the characters and Anakin had to set off on a journey, triggered
by a set of events. A cataclysmic event had to take place around page 60, which
sparks the meat of the Ordeal and significant change and by page 90, the scene
is set for the final confrontation between the Jedi and the Dark Side. In
effect, each section is reduced to a set of problem finding and solving
exercises.
Going even further, classical story structure (on which the
original Star Wars is based) breaks a film into 19 parts and many of
today’s successful movies are framed around it. The parts are: Ordinary
World, the Call, Refusal, Supernatural Aid, First Threshold, Belly of the
Whale, Trials, Meeting the Goddess, Woman as Temptress, Atonement, Apotheosis,
Boon, Refusal of return, Magic Flight, Rescue from Within, Crossing the
Threshold, Return, Master of Two Worlds, Freedom to Live (Campbell, 1968).
Thus, even four acts are too random. Screenwriters need a structure of 19
distinct stages of problem identification and idea generation to maximise their
creativity in terms of speed and output.
The above 19 stage structure
can legitimately be expanded to around 40 stages and there are theories that
allow for as many as 240 micro stages.
In conclusion, creativity can
be measured by the frequency, speed, novelty, diversity, amount and
applicability of output. Significant research and practical experience indicate
that organised, systematic and highly structured processes increase creativity,
so if you want to help George write Star Wars Episode VII, don’t take a
random and structure free approach (commonly known as waiting for inspiration)
– use the appropriate structures and get on with it.
These and
other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing
Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased at a deep discount from the
following
link only.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kal Bishop
is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual
media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for
London. He has led improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited
artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of
screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. Visit his website at
http://www.managing-creativity.com
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www.StoryScribe.com)