Filmmaking as a creative pursuit can be one of the most rewarding things that a person can undertake, especially if you're proud of the content that you create and it's well-received by an audience. On the other hand, filmmaking is one of the most difficult creative mediums to work in, because it's not only inherently collaborative (which can cause problems if you're working with the wrong people), but the technicality of it can be prohibitively overwhelming. And when you have high standards, which almost all of us do, failing to live up to those standards can be entirely devastating to your creative morale. Luckily, famed radio star and producer Ira Glass has some inspiring words that will put your creative woes to rest.

The Ira Glass speech in the video that follows has been a popular one in creative circles for the past year or so, but Vimeo user Frohlocke's visual interpretation of the piece is absolutely fantastic, and it brings the memorable message of the speech to its full potential.


The message here is such a simple, yet incredibly profound one. Your creativity is a muscle, and without flexing it and constantly forcing it to grow stronger, it'll never live up to your standards, which are derived from the creativity of the artists you admire the most. Through working often and working hard on your creative pursuits, the gap between your abilities and your ambitions will begin to shrink, and over time, you will find that the work you produce will live up to your standards, and maybe even exceed them.

What do you guys think about "The Gap?" Have you found this philosophy about creativity (or perhaps another one) to be true in your work and your creative journey? Let us know down in the comments!

Link: The Gap by Ira Glass -- Vimeo Staff Picks