understand the box

creativity is all about knowing the rules and thoughtfully breaking them.

in order to think outside the box, you need to understand the box.

it's not about fully living outside the box either. use the box as a central hub you can build spokes out from.

for example:

everything everywhere all at once has been revered as a ground-breaking film that pushed the limits of innovative storytelling through film. but at its core, it's a somewhat typical three-act story about family.

storytelling tropes exist for a reason. because they're tried and true. because they can reliably elicit responses in humans.

keep one foot in the box while you dance around it with the other and you'll surprise and delight your audience.