We love the drive-in movie theater. Yes like the one your Grandparents went to. They still exist, man! It’s the perfect summer time experience: Drive out to the middle of nowhere, eat corndogs, watch movies in the open air. It’s awesome. We have yet to have our first drive-in visit of the year but trust me it will be happening soon. Because: corndogs.
Since Jen and I shoot weddings, we have a lot of work coming up this summer and I’ve been thinking about things that I can put on the calendar as an intentional experience to feed my creativity. The first thing that came to mind was the drive-in. We’ve been going for the past few seasons as a time to literally step away from work, rest, hangout with friends, and reset. I figure if I’m going anyway, I may as well go on purpose. #DriveInOnPurpose 🙂 But the question is:
How can going to the drive-in make you a better creative?
1) It’s Outside.
There is a definite link between creativity and nature. Being outdoors has inspired great works of art from every generation and it will continue to do so forever. Because we long for wilderness literally and figuratively. Plus there’s a different experience as a movie-goer watching a film in the open air that you just don’t get in the indoor theater. Being outside is awesome.
2) It’s a chance to rest.
Since Drive-Ins are few and far between, you usually have to drive a ways to get to one. Driving through Tennessee in the summer is refreshing. So you have the drive, then since there are usually two films playing (for one low price!!), you have the 4-6 hours of no cell service, no email, no Facebook. So it offers an opportunity to step back from your work, rest and watch epic movies. And eat corndogs.
3) The movies are usually different enough to shake your brain up.
Right now the closest drive-in to us (The Stardust Drive-IN Theatre) is showing Maleficent (Disney, dark fairytale, Angelina Jolie) followed by Blended (Rom-Com, Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore). I’ve talked before about dissonance and how it can be good for your brain to experience in order to shake things up when you’re creatively stuck. Well, turns out the drive-in has that feature built-in to it’s features. Win, Win!
4) It’s different.
I would venture to say that most people have not been to a drive-in, yes? It’s different. Different is good! Different means that we’re introducing something new into our brain and our brain will return in kind by helping us connect the dots because that’s how creativity works! Taking in new sources of stimuli is the beginning of creativity. So in this sense, you are literally feeding your creativity and eating corndogs! Who knew the drive-in could do all that? #BusinessExpense
Also stuff like this:
So there ya go. The drive-in: not just for making out. 😉
If you wondering if there’s one close to you, I found this searchable drive-in database to help you find the closest one. Call up your friends, make it a thing! Drive-in’s are a dying breed but an awesome part of history and good for your creativity. If you go, let me know how it was!
Happy Tuesday!
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