Tuesday Musings #08 — Don’t Fall in Love (with an Asset)

Last week I was driving my mom to the airport (shout out to Patti Pascoe), and I drove past the San Fernando Valley icon Circus Liquor.?

This reminded me of working on the poster for the 2006 movie Alpha Dog. Circus Liquor features in the film, and its wild, recognizable sign was in the unit photography. I was instantly in love.?

I dropped that image into Photoshop and felt victorious … until I had to figure out the next step. Really ANY of the next steps. Where to put the type. How to get talent into this. What’s the color treatment? Honestly, what does this have to do with the movie at all? What am I selling?

It was a trap. And I’m not saying that a good poster couldn’t have been made out of that image, but what I am saying is that I wasted a lot of time fighting the asset. Trying to make it work, when it wasn't going to work. It's not your fault, it's the asset! I'm telling you! Sometimes the asset is a sad, pathetic, imitation of a good asset (anyone who has searched stock for hours has found more than a few of these) – so you just have to walk away. Sometimes the asset is a great, fantastic, funny asset (like the best joke in a movie) – although even the best jewels don't always fit into the crown.?

Of course our industry is filled with the brilliance of manipulating assets – from head strips to working with music stems – great things can be made from raw materials. But I’ve seen too many people (myself included!) who can spin wheels when trying to get something to work when there’s a better path (a better asset) somewhere else. This isn’t just about wasting time; it’s about letting a bad decision stray you away from good creative.?

So the next time you feel stuck, redirect that energy into another something: another direction, another concept, another asset. As long as you don’t redirect your energy into a stop at Circus Liquor (leave that for the celebration after you nail it).

love,

jpp