Anyone who has dabbled in the world of improvisation is familiar with “yes, and.” It’s a foundational concept required for good creative collaboration as a part of an improv group, but I say it extends to all forms of creativity and collaboration. Basically it means this: when someone presents you with an improvised scenario or suggestion, it’s your obligation to listen, take it in, and then build on it. Say “yes”, I hear you, I acknowledge what you’re putting out there, “and” I want to add to that, I want to contribute in a way that pushes the idea forward. Yes, and.

And when it comes to visual storytelling and developing compelling content, I have expanded on that framework in the following way. I call it yes, A.N.D.

The yes part, that’s obvious. Listen to the people, and the feedback, and the stimulus around you. Don’t block ideas, or come to the table with rigid, preconceived notions that you refuse to let go off. And then AND becomes an acronym to cover these essential considerations.

• A — Adapt

  Creating good content requires constant adaptation. Whether you’re adapting a new idea to the screen for the first time, or revisualizing content that still has value but maybe needs a little glow up. You need to be engaged in the art of adaptation.

• N — Navigate

  We all have to navigate a future that is constantly changing. Today’s technological landscape is like an ocean of shifting sand beneath our feet. So you have to map a course, alone or with reliable guides, that’s safe and responsible, but leads you forward without losing momentum or sling ground

• D — Demystify

  Take the uncertainty out of new tech. Change scares people. We get set in our ways, and when we do it makes Adapting your approach, and navigating unfamiliar terrain very difficult. So don’t turn away from the unfamiliar, from emerging trends and new technology. Grab them by the shoulders, look them in the eye, research them and make yourself understand them. You don’t have to embrace them. You may end up cherry picking the tools and tech that work for you or choose not to engage with them at all. But don’t make those decisions in ignorance. Demystify the things that challenge you and make decisions from a place of knowledge and understanding.
  
  When I say I’m here for people and businesses as a content co-pilot, I mean that through the lens of this yes, A.N.D. framework. Adaptation, Navigation, and Demystification are kind of my obsessions. So almost all of my content relates directly to the idea of A.N.D., which is basically the idea of what comes next!