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✨ Creative Output Newsletter

by Kevin Parry

Revealing the mysterious process of being extraordinarily creative. Each weekly newsletter includes a magical video and the creative secrets of how it was made.

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✨ My favorite way to do brand deals as an artist

In the world of ads, there's a spectrum of time/effort/cost. On the high end is multi-million dollar TV commercials and on the lower end is someone talking to their phone camera. As an artist whose job is to create ads for brands, I'm often torn along this spectrum. The artist in me wants to make the highest quality, creative work. While the marketer in me recognizes that candid, lower-lift content can actually perform better on social media. Here's my favorite way to structure brand deals so...

1 day ago • 2 min read

https://youtu.be/1EoGX6bT21w This week's message - think big and then figure out the details. Ten years ago, I got really into the hyperlapse technique. It's basically a timelapse, except you're introducing camera movement over sizeable distances. I had recently moved to Portland, Oregon, and thought, "What's the largest thing I could move a camera around?" The answer was Mt Hood. A lot of creative endeavors start like that. Think as big or outlandish as possible and then try to make it a...

9 days ago • 1 min read

Sometimes, all you need to do with creativity is lean into a vibe. "Making a video" is a daunting task for a lot of people, especially in the age of scrolling where you probably want to instantly grab attention. What's the hook? Is there a beginning, middle, and end? Where's the punchline? Sometimes, I forget about all of that and lean into creative ideas that work 'on frame one'. The example below is a series where I meticulously sliced away fruits and vegetables in stop-motion. On frame...

16 days ago • 1 min read

There's a lot of creative value in experimental baby steps. Especially when you're stuck in a rut. (Personal note: I started a free Patreon page to experiment with making that the central hub for my behind-the-scenes content www.patreon.com/kevinbparry) This week, rather than attempting something epic, I've focused on making a small improvement to an effect I tried in the past. It was for a Logitech campaign and featured this effect where I trigger the frame to turn into a photograph that...

23 days ago • 1 min read

This video took me roughly 2-3 hours to make. That's the entire process - setting up, blocking the action, filming various takes, visual effects editing, and then posting it online: It's magical and might make you want to figure it out. It promotes me as a skilled editor. And most importantly, it scratches the itch to create something without pressuring myself that I need to make a viral video or my next greatest hit. Algorithms and analytics have tricked us into thinking we need to keep pace...

30 days ago • 1 min read

A new magical, looping video where I play with light: Planning the Video This video took a LOT to plan and film. A day of rehearsing and filming tests, and then about 20 or so takes to get it all right. The tricky part was freezing my position, switching out props/lights, and then continuing. There's a bit of luck involved where everything lines up perfectly. That being said, I didn't have a lot of time to write, so please enjoy the planning pages from my sketchbook as well as a look at...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

At the start of 2024, I told myself I'd create a new video each week. I didn't know exactly what I should make, but I knew it had to be simple enough to remain sustainable long term. What I initially came up with failed, but it evolved into a format that has massively sparked my creativity - proving that it's better to start badly than to wait to start perfect. Here's the creative journey in three short parts: Version 1 I thought it would be cool to share a short, weekly vlog of what I'm up...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

Honestly, I never know if a video is going to be successful until after I've made it. So many times I've had a cool idea for a trick, filmed it, and then discovered it's a complete disaster as I start editing. But that's the creative process. You conjure up a finished idea and then challenge yourself to bring it to life - one way or another. (I previously explored something similar to this effect, where I break your phone screen, here.) I Wrote This Part Before Making the Video The idea for...

about 2 months ago • 2 min read

I've always described my style of visual effects trickery as 'digital sleight of hand.' I boldly sneak in hidden cuts and then challenge you to find them, much like a deck of cards being manipulated right under your nose. Most people watch my videos several times in an attempt to see how it was done, kind of like the online version of 'do the trick again.' However, there's always been something missing from my videos to complete the analogy: starting with, 'Do you want to see a card trick?' I...

about 2 months ago • 2 min read

This one goes out to the millions of business owners and professionals suffering from "I'm not creative." Yes, you are, and here's how to unlock those creative ideas. (This one's a bit longer than usual, but it's something I really care about). Cartoon Acting Over 100 years ago, cartoonists and animators came up with a rule of thumb for cartoon acting: Show you're going to do it. Do it. Show that you've done it. You don't just naturally pick up a piece of cheese; you: Anticipate your hand...

2 months ago • 3 min read
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