Your first day working with a new client is always exciting. You’re energized, creative, and ready to go.The last day is usually the opposite. I tend to trust my gut, and when a client isn’t happy, I do my best not to take it personally—though that’s easier said than done.
I recently worked with a company for over eight months that didn’t really know what they wanted. They had been given advice like, “Go on YouTube, find something you like, and do that.” In my opinion, that’s terrible advice. Being inspired is one thing. Copying is another.
I’ve pulled inspiration from people like Casey Neistat and Stanley Kubrick—maybe an extreme wide shot into a close-up, or a time-lapse that carries into real-time action. I’ve even recreated a version of that famous tracking shot from Goodfellas. That kind of exploration is how you grow. But there’s a difference between being a student of creativity and just copying someone else.