Background
This month’s ‘Creativity Lab in Action’ blog we hear from the Research Communication Team at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) on how they tackle creative challenges in their role. Anjali Vyas-Brannick (Research Communications Officer) was tasked with creating a film focused on a particular research engagement event. The only problem? The brief was a little vague, and the deadline was very tight. Enter the Creativity Lab.
This project highlights the importance of flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to anticipate creative needs skills that have been significantly developed through engagement with the Creativity Lab.
Support from the Creativity Lab
The Creativity Lab has served as an essential resource, not only by providing equipment such as cameras, microphones, but also through long-term skill development.
Reflecting on her experience, Anjali noted, “With each training session (and I have taken quite a few!), I have gained knowledge, and every time I apply that creative knowledge, it solidifies just a little more.” Through numerous training sessions, Anjali built her knowledge base and applied what she learned in real-world contexts. “The introduction to Corel software made it easier for me to get to grips with the principles of Adobe Premiere Pro” and “The Video Editing Essentials training helped me to understand how I might plan content – so important when, as for this project, the researchers didn’t quite know what they would need to communicate their outputs, so I had to anticipate what material I might want to work with.”Anjali particularly appreciated the accessibility and practicality of the Creativity Lab’s skills guides. “I knew that I needed background music for the film I was making, and I knew that a carefully curated list of these resources would be available somewhere in the guides – and it was!” Anjali goes on to say “The Lab Team (Sam, Siobhan, and Steph) played an instrumental role in making digital creativity more accessible and achievable”.
Impact on Work
The Creativity Lab has provided the confidence to experiment and problem-solve creatively. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by creative challenges, she now approaches them with a “let’s figure this out” mindset.
Specifically, this film project would not have happened without the Creativity Lab – from the training to the equipment, everything needed was provided by the Lab. “Without the Creativity Lab-its staff, its training resources and courses, and equipment- this film would not have happened!”
Application beyond the Project
The skills and insights gained from the Creativity Lab extend well beyond this single project. Anjali frequently shares what she has learned with colleagues, effectively advocating for the Creativity Lab’s value within their team and beyond. “You should put me on commission – that’s how much I share the brilliance of the Creativity Lab with all my work colleagues.”
Reflecting on her learning process, Anjali compared it to a creative academic mindset: “I used to have a tutor in the English department who talked about an ‘essay-writing mindset’. By this, he meant you need to be ready to draw creative mental connections between things you see every day and practise this skill; the more tenuous the connections you try to make, the better. I think the Creativity Lab has helped me develop my digitally creative mindset: I see potential creative projects emerging with greater frequency!”
Watch the final film: ChatGPTree or discover more about the Branching Out project.