Category: creativity

art, commitment, creativity, television

Inspired: Lena Dunham and Sheldon Cooper on the Power of Career Commitment

Christa Avampato
Zosia Mamet, Lena Dunham and Allison Williams. Photo by Jason Laveris/FILMMAGIC
Zosia Mamet, Lena Dunham and Allison Williams. Photo by Jason Laveris/FILMMAGIC

Lena Dunham, the creator and star of Girls, and Sheldon Cooper, the quirky and maddening character played by actor Jim Parsons on The Big Bang Theory, have something in common and something powerful to teach us: commitment and focus create the magic sauce of achievement. It’s hard to imagine two people who are less alike and yet they arrive at the same conclusion when it comes to their work. They bet the farm and won.

Lena Dunham was on David Letterman this week. She was so funny and authentic that I decided to learn more about her career. She built her rising star through a web series, Delusional Downtown Divas, and SXSW Film. In 2009, SXSW Film screened her first feature film, Creative Nonfiction. In 2010, the same festival screened her second feature film, Tiny Furniture. Dunham wrote, directed, and starred in both films. Tiny Furniture earned two Independent Spirit Award nominations and that caught the attention of Producer Judd Apatow. Girls is the result of their collaboration; she creates, stars, and sometimes directs it while he serves as the Executive Producer.

Sheldon Cooper said something profound in this week’s episode, appropriately titled “The Occupation Recalibration”. His neighbor and friend, Penny, decides to quit her job as a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory to focus on her acting career. After five years in LA, she does much more waitressing than acting and she decides to give her near-impossible dream all of her attention. Sheldon supports this decision with one simple statement: “The best way to achieve a goal is to devote 100% of your time and energy to it. When I decided I was going to be a physicist, I didn’t take some other job in case it didn’t work out…We’re dreamers.”

Who says there’s nothing good on television? People who don’t watch television. There’s plenty of inspiration to be found in the content squeezed in-between expensive commercials. Lena and Sheldon are just two examples and they serve as powerful role models for all of us: if we really want to achieve a dream, we must double-down on it. There’s no guarantee of success, though focus gives us our best possible chance to make it come true.

* Tonight, The Big Bang Theory and Girls are competing for the Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical Golden Globe. Lena and Jim are both nominated for Best Actress and Actor, respectively.  

child, childhood, children, creativity, inspiration

Inspired: Bikers Against Child Abuse International (B.A.C.A.)

Christa Avampato
B.A.C.A.
B.A.C.A.

When you hear a brigade of motorcycles roaring down the highway, they might just be on their way to save a life. Bikers Against Child Abuse International (B.A.C.A.) is a global network of bikers who are devoted to stopping child abuse cold in its tracks.

I saw an interview with a few members last week and contrary to their gruff exteriors, they were very emotional. This mission is personal. Many of them were victims of abuse and / or knew children who were victims. They have banded together to bring an end to it. Help and inspiration can come from the most unlikely places. Now more than ever it is important for all of us to stand up for children who can’t stand up for themselves. B.A.C.A. is leading the charge.

“We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.” 

B.A.C.A.’s impact:

art, creativity, theatre

Inspired: I’m Looking for Team Members for My Play, Sing After Storms

Christa Avampato

unnamedLooking to stretch your creative wings in 2014? I’d love to have you join the on-stage or behind-the-scenes team for my play, Sing After Storms. Most roles don’t require any experience, though if you have experience we will gladly find a way to put it to use. I’ve done all of these roles at some point in my career and I can help as much as needed. So if something below looks interesting, don’t be shy. Hop on board – I’d be glad to have you join us. I’m also glad to take referrals of friends whom you think would be interested. Please feel free to forward, share these details, and ask questions.

Business / Promotion
Photographer, Videographer, PR, Marketing, Fundraising, Event planner (opening night party and talk-back event with actors), Investors / in-kind sponsors, someone interested in crowdfunding (Kickstarter, etc.)

Production (I would love to have these people involved in the casting decisions)
Stage Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, Assistant Director (we have an incredibly talented director on-board!), Production Assistants

Design
Costumes, Props, Set

Performance team
Light and sound board operator (very simple system)

Cast
We will be holding auditions in March / April for the remaining roles that have not yet been cast. If you’re interested in auditioning, or you know someone who would be interested, please let me know!

Additional info:
– Rehearsals will be held in the evening in mid-town Manhattan from mid-May to mid-June, Monday nights through Thursday nights.
– Performances will be held as part of New York City’s Thespis Theater Festival on June 18th @ 8:45pm, June 21st @ 9:00pm, June 22nd @ 9:30pm at Cabrini Repertory Theater, 701 Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights (northern Manhattan.) All actors, the stage manager, assistant stage manager, assistant director, and the light and sound board operator will need to attend the tech rehearsal in the theater on June 18th from 2:30pm – 8:30pm.
– Many people are cast in roles of other productions and hired for off-stage roles as a result of Thespis Theater Festival performances.
– All roles are volunteer-based (mine included!) You will receive comp tickets to give to anyone you’d like and you’ll have your headshot and bio listed in the play’s program and on the website. I will also be forever happy to provide you with references and loads of good karma for the rest of your life. My goal is to make this a fun, close-knit community that will continue to work together on future productions of this show and others.
– It’s my hope that Sing After Storms will have a long and healthy life long after the theater festival is over. As original team members, I would love to have everyone from this production continue on with us wherever this path leads.

Have an idea for a role that’s not on here? Please let me know!

creativity, work

Inspired: Work at Your Level

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

I’m currently working on a project that is far below my ability level. I’m overqualified for it. The organization thinks they need me and my skill sets and education, but they don’t. Putting on my strategy hat for their best interest, I will have to engineer myself out of the job and help them see why that’s the best option for them, and for me.

This is another tough lesson from freelance land: we have to work at our level. Even if it is just a day job, a way to pay the bills, or the fuel that supplies our creative projects. The work still has to be interesting. We still need to learn something. It still has to matter than we spend our time and energy doing that work. Otherwise, boredom sets it. And boredom is the straw that breaks our creative backs.

I have learned this ugly lesson the hard way and I don’t want you to go through it. Learn from the many mistakes I made in this area. I’m all for having a day job because I’m all for you finding a way to do your very best creative work that lights you up and makes you feel alive. Just make sure it’s a day job that gives you more than just money.

art, creativity, film, movie, war

Inspired: How the Monuments Men Saved Italy’s Artistic Heritage

Christa Avampato
The cast of The Monument Men
The cast of The Monument Men

While generals were in war rooms plotting and re-plotting ways to defeat Hitler and the Nazi forces, a small band of brothers thought of art. Specifically, they thought of Italian art. Next month, the movie The Monuments Men and its star-studded cast will pay tribute to these soldiers who thought of art in a time of war. During World War II, Italy was at risk for being pillaged and pummeled beyond hope. Supported by President Roosevelt, the Monuments Men made it their business and risked their lives to make sure that didn’t happen. Today, Italians and tourists alike can delight in the glory of Italian art because of these brave soldiers.

Smithsonian Magazine did a marvelous and in-depth article on the Monuments Men in their January issue. You can view that article online by clicking here. It is an emotional, riveting read. It made me want to run out and buy my tickets to the movie right now. We owe so much to these men who had the foresight and courage to save priceless and inspiring treasures for future generations.

Trailer for The Monuments Men:

creativity, work

Inspired: Keep Up the Creative Energy

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” ~ Socrates

The hardest thing to manage, and the most valuable asset we have, is time. When we are following a dream, especially when we’re doing it on the side, our success is largely determined by our ability to eliminate distraction and stay inspired about our creative projects. This is especially difficult when the distraction (our day job, for example) pays well and the work is easy to do. I’m dealing with a bit of this right now: a project that as a whole is interesting and will be great for my portfolio, but with daily work that doesn’t excite me. Because I’ve committed to it, I will finish it, produce high-quality work with a smile, and move on as fast as I can. Here are the lessons I learned from this experience:

1.) It’s a wonderful thing to try something that gives you the resources (whatever they may be) and identify very quickly if it’s the right fit. Don’t beat yourself for making a choice that doesn’t work out. Recognize it, learn from it, and let it go.

2.) There is just so much homework you can do when finding a day job that works for you. In interviews, everyone is on their best behavior. Even in the first few days or weeks, everyone does their best to make any set of circumstances work. That’s human nature – we do the best we can with what we’ve got. For dream chasers with passion projects, this state can only last so long. And that’s okay. When it’s time to go, go. And do it with grace.

3.) In every situation, there is something to learn. It may not be what you intended to learn, nor what you wanted to learn, but learn you will. And you never know when that knowledge will be valuable. So take it in stride. While you are somewhere, learn everything you can. Take it all in, and then take it with you when you make your exit.

4.) Don’t let your day job deplete you. This is the biggest lesson and challenge. The past couple of days, this is what’s happened to me. The work I’m doing for this client is very important to the project and equally mind-numbing. I get home and I’m worn out. It’s been an act of sheer will to keep going on my own creative projects, but I’ve muscled through, just as we do to exercise even when we’re tired. And you know what? I’m never sorry that I’ve exercised once it’s done. The same is true for creative projects. It might be a struggle to create at the end of a long day, but it’s always worth it.

Have you ever been in this situation? How did you find the energy and inspiration to create, even when your day job sapped your energy?

art, creative, creative process, creativity, theatre, writer, writing

Inspired: Shakespeare Didn’t Write for a Living

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

“This above all: To thine own self be true.” ~ Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Maybe your creative projects have taken a backseat to other parts of your life. Maybe you aren’t making the progress you want to make in the time you’d like to make it. Don’t beat yourself. And please don’t give up. People whom you will never meet and never know could gain so much benefit from your creativity. If you love the work, then keep at it. Bit by glorious bit. Here’s why:

When I say Shakespeare, what do you say? Theater. Hamlet. Romeo and Juliet. Playwright. Old Globe. All of these are probable, wonderful answers. Shakespeare made a life in the theater and he made a living in real estate. He wrote plays because he loved to write them. I was shocked to recently learn this and I want to share it with you for a very specific reason: your career does not have to define your legacy. What you do to make money and pay the bills doesn’t need to consume you. You can choose, independent of your paycheck, how the world will remember you. Your title does not determine your passion, nor does it dictate where you place your heart, loyalty, and energy. Those are choices, and only you can make them.

Shakespeare could have easily thrown himself into his real estate work and abandoned his writing altogether. He could have relegated himself to be a laborer who didn’t have time for creative pursuits. And we would all be worse off for that choice. It took a long time for him to stabilize his finances so that he could spend the majority of his time writing in his later years. Creative pursuits are like that – we do as much as we can when we can out of our sheer desire to make something that matters. If that sounds like you, don’t despair. You’re in good company; the Bard felt your pain. He kept going. So should you.

creativity

Beautiful: Meet My New Client, the World Science Festival

Christa Avampato
Photo from World Science Fair May 2013 in NYC
Photo from World Science Fair May 2013 in NYC

Today I’m starting a new contract with the World Science Festival, “a nonprofit organization that works to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.” In January, we’ll launch a new website squarely focused on this mission. The site will be free, open source, and chock full of incredible content for anyone with any level of interest in science. I’ve seen the beta site and it’s gorgeous. I’m thrilled, honored, and excited to join this talented team to put this amazing work out into the world. I’ll let you know when it’s live and ready for your engagement. Until then, you’ll find me happily buried in content production schedules, project plans, timelines, and bug fix trackers near Columbia University’s campus.

books, creativity, fear, science

Beautiful: Don’t Let the Fear of Criticism Stop You the Way It Almost Stopped Darwin

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

“In the long history of humankind those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” ~ Charles Darwin.

This Christmas I got a subscription to Smithsonian Magazine, the perfect publication for nerds like me with a motley collection of interests. In the first issue I read about giant pandas, the Monument Men, and the last Christmas card sent by President and Mrs. Kennedy. One of the most interesting articles discussed Darwin. Though he published his seminal work, On the Origins of Species, in 1859 at the age of 50, he started developing his theory in the 1830s. He never planned to let it see the light of day while he was alive. It was only at the urging of his friend, Alfred Russel Wallace, that he published the work at all. Why did he hesitate for almost 30 years? He feared criticism. He feared that he was wrong despite so much evidence to the contrary.

Darwin changed the face of modern science in a radical way far beyond anything he ever imagined. Yes, his work was controversial and in some circles today it remains so. The lesson of Darwin is this: everyone who creates anything carries some amount of fear in their hearts. In Darwin’s case, it was extreme. Maybe that’s true for you, too. Don’t be Darwin. Please don’t let fear of criticism, fear of being wrong, stop you from putting your work out into the world. Do your best, release it, and let history be the judge and jury. Being wrong is painful, though not nearly as painful as never letting your ideas have a chance at a life outside of your own mind.

creativity

Beautiful: College Student Jackie Tuner Finds a Family for Christmas on Craigslist

Christa Avampato
Jackie Turner

I saw this story on CBS Sunday Morning. Jackie Turner is a college student in Sacramento and though she’s acing her way through college, she longs for something she’s never had: a family. The story of what she did next is incredible. She placed a Craigslist ad for a family to be with on Christmas and found so much more in the process, for herself and many others. This inspiring story of honesty and coming to grips with the past made me want to find a way to play a part. Sending lots of love this Christmas to Jackie and all the people who share her feelings and experiences. Even if you feel alone today, please know that there are many of us who want to help. Like Jackie, all you need to do is ask.