Day 257: Adele on a Saturday morning

This morning I have been doing a spot of knitting (for one of my sisters, but sshh, don't tell her!) and listening to the lovely, Adele.

She's got such a soulful voice and it make me feel calm, you know, like it's ok that I'm spending the morning knitting instead of getting on with uni work! Jamie Cullum is another one of those who has this affect on me. I listen to them and enjoy their melodies and push on with my own creative works, whilst they get on with theirs.

Like I've said many times over the last 257 days, creativity feeds creativity. It all works together to help each other along...

What helps you to be creative? What do you enjoy listening to, watching, doing...? Add a bit of creativity to you Saturday afternoon and see where it takes you...

Day 256: Tavi Gevinson: Teen Queen of Fashion

Now if this girl is not an inspiration, then I don't know who is. She is a teen blogger who just started writing about what she loves; fashion. Now she is considered a big name in the fashion industry, and has been invited to fashion shows around the world. She even has her own clothing label now and is in the process of starting a magazine about, you guessed it, fashion.

Check out her blog, Style Rookie, here.

What do you love? What are you passionate about? I think it's time the world heard about it to be honest. So get on it and blog it!

Day 255: Bieber Fever

So, this is the trailer for Justin Bieber's movie, Never Say Never, all about him and his triumph to the top...



To be honest, I think it does look pretty inspirational. He is only 16 and it looks like he's being pretty creative to me.

BUT, I have to ask the question, is his story being made into a film because he's a truly inspirational example for young girls (and boys) or is it because a movie all about the latest teen heart throb is bound to role in the big bucks??

Perhaps the coolest thing is, you get purple 3D glasses when you watch this fantastic film. I mean, you can't get much better than that, can you?

Check out Charlie's video on Justin Bieber...

Day 254: Arts Award. Get Involved.

If you are sitting there thinking no one cares about your creative talent. If you're wondering why the government are cutting all the Arts funding, then don't fear...

I found out about this yesterday and was SO excited. It's an award you can work at, kind of like the Duke of Edinbourgh, but for the Arts. You can put it on your CV and it even goes toward UCAS points for Uni.

I wish they had this award when I was a school! If you're between 11-25 and you wanna get invovled in the arts, this is the award for you!

Check it out here and see where it can take you...

Day 253: Black Swan and The King's Speech

On Sunday night I went to see Black Swan and to be perfectly honest, I hated it. It freaked me out and I could not get to sleep for thinking about it.

Maybe it's just me, but I find, as a visually fueled person, images stay with me for a long time. I have also been told I have an over active brain, aka, I think too much, so watching to a film like that and then going to bed just reeks chaos in my mind!

About an hour after I'd settled down into bed, a picture from my wall fell down and scared the hell out of me! Seriously, I thought my heart was going to explode.

I'm just not very good at scary stuff, okay!

Anyway, mixed in with these fears was this thought; cinema (and films) have the power to affect us in incredible ways. In the past people have written about cinema audiences as passive. In other words, we just watch the screen with no interaction with what we see. But that is so NOT true. If that were the case, I would not be up for hours, fearing what might come up from under my bed. I wouldn't laugh at The King's Speech when King George VI is swearing at the top of his lungs. I wouldn't cry when he finally gives his first war time speech.

The cinema is a powerful creative creature. Don't under estimate it's affect on it's audience and don't go straight to bed after you've seen Black Swan!

Day 252: Christopher Lee at the Baftas, 2011

Last night was the Bafta Film Awards where the Brits tell the world what they think about this year's films. Everyone comes out in their pretty dresses and smart tucks to wow the world. There's always a few tears up on stage and, of course, the token drunk that gives an embarrassing speech.

For me, this year was all about Christopher Lee, who took home the Academy's Fellowship award. Everyone knows who Christopher Lee is, he's been acting for so long. From Dracula to Saruman in Lord of the Rings, he has kept us entertained through his acting talents. But, as he came onto the stage as a frail man with a walking stick, I was shocked. In my mind he was fighting fit with a long beard and a flowing white gown. His voice was shaky and slow as he gave his moving speech. The revelations hit me; he is an old man now.

Cinema has this wonderful power to freeze time and make people ageless. It blows them up to unearthly size and then keeps them that way in our minds. Unchanged.

I forget that my Lord of the Rings obsessed phase was nearly ten years ago. It turns out that Christopher Lee is 89 years old. I think he's allowed a walking stick! Thank you Mr Lee, for all you've given the world...

Day 251: Thoughts from an Odeon worker...

As many of you know, I work part time at the Odeon. Pocket money whilst at Uni, I guess. Yesterday, I spent 10 and a half hours telling people they'll be upstairs in screen 8 and to enjoy their film.

The thing I've noticed, as a creative thinker, is that people believe they're being funny and original when actually, they all respond with the same 'jokes'. When I ask someone where they want to sit ('cause the Odeon has allocated seating) they say, 'In a seat,' nudging their friends, like they're the first person who ever thought that one up.

At the moment, we have to try and make people buy an Odeon Premier Card (which actually is a good deal) but as soon as you say it, they cut you off with a firm, 'NO'. That's when I tend to give up. I've started calling it a loyalty card, in the hope that it'll sound more appealing, but then you get the wise cracks that say, 'No thanks, I'm not loyal.' One day I'll respond with, 'Well done, mate. You've taken the word I just said and turned it around. Rocket science, that one!'

Yesterday, however, someone did stand out. When I asked them if they would be interested in one of out loyalty cards, they looked me straight in the eye and said, 'No, I'm extremely fickle.'

What a thing to say! Was he joking? Who knows, but it really did brighten up my day in a weird way because he was different and it gave me hope. People are the same, but there's always those few who don't conform to the norm. They are the people who stand out and they are usually creative thinkers.

Creativity is always the envy of others. People wanna know how you can do that or maybe why we do it, but it's what makes you you! So, keep up the good work, folks. You never know whose day you'll make better.

Be that different voice, be creative and be proud of it!