3 Things to give an idea wings

These past weeks I have been running around full of energy and inspiration. Call2Action is moving from strength to strength.  At Tribeca film festival and other meetings we heard a resounding need for someone to make taking action after seeing cause related media easier. The idea that such a simple service could create a groundswell for change was voiced again and again.

So C2A is on the verge of creating something that people are wishing for. It is incredibly exciting. The complete sense of involvement I feel has led me to wonder, what are the circumstances needed for inspiration, action, and energy to combine? Especially when salary is not commensurate with work. And let's face it- that is the case the majority of the time for us as artists or entrepreneurs. Here are my top three:

1. An idea you love

If you are anything like me (and let's PRAY you are not) you're attention is pulled about 7 ways per second. You are on the subway contemplating your hangnails, then the plight of Korean nail ladies, then South Park, then the general stench. Why does the A train always smell like sweet sweat? In certain situations (rehearsal, work) if that pull is not there one (I) might become disruptive, disengaged, and may even recruit others to my campaign of disengagement. I am working on that. But sometimes an idea pops in our heads that keeps us on it, and it alone. It arouses our curiosity and may even fill us with a bit of fear... We run away with it in a string of "yes, and" and "what if" so that the nail ladies are kept at bay.  For me, the idea has to have that kind of pull or I will eventually lose the signal for all the noise.

2. The right team

 Man, have I learned this the hard way --and several times over. This is a tough one but certainly not impossible. The key is a strong leader, and a team made up of personalities that challenge and respect one another. Click here for a great article on these types. Also, you want the people on your team/cast to also ideally, be excited by the idea/play/product. (See#1) Once you get the chemistry right, the flow of ideas is quick to follow. With the right team though, you will move from the fun part of brainstorming to next actions. Actual movement towards realization of an idea. Side note- make sure your team is incentivized to work- pay them, or find some other way to include them in a back end deal, or at least be honest about the situation. That way, they can join knowing the risks and demands. The longer a time commitment you are requiring from them, the more important it is to address this. And please please KEEP YOUR PROMISES. I am ashamed to admit I have been promised pay- even been lured from one acting job to another, only never to get paid. Another director promised a favor- any favor, in return for my acting in his project. Needless to say I never got my favor. That, in my book, is theft. I still work for free at times- just don't promise me something you can't deliver.

3. A defined goal/Expected outcome

Without some sort of goal in place - a performance date, a beta launch, a deadline that next steps depend on, something, all of the planning has a lot of air in it. Air your team members may float away on one by one towards more concrete projects. 

Having an expected outcome also draws all your resources and planning into alignment. Decision making and prioritizing become easier. This is true for large projects and small, artistic or entrepreneurial, personal or public.

There are obviously more than three things necessary for an idea that moves you to come to fruition. But without these three, the move from a daydream on the subway to an actual outcome in the real world is pretty hard to get to.

So, what would you change or add to? Or agree with?

Special thanks to Stefano and Lameece Isaaq for having the conversations that led me to write this!

To see Lameece's current project at the Public, The Fever Chart, click here

To see Stefano's at Cedar Lake, click here