Stretching Mediums

I have a lot of ideas.  Not just about physical things like a machine that plays the trombone or effective apple sticker management, but feelings and imaginary situations as well.  For anyone to communicate ideas, they need a medium through which to present it.  Whether it's film, writing, speaking, art, Twitter, animation, or performance, ideas need something to travel through.  There's no sound in space because there's no air.

After I develop an idea and write it down, I try to think of the best way to communicate it.  Sometimes I think I could make a really cool animation with the idea, or film an awesome music video, or present my idea to an audience on late night television.  Unfortunately I am not an animator (although I tried to be once), nor do I have the resources to film an entire music video.  If it was already not assumed, I am also not a television personality.  As a result, I am forced to (1) use a medium that I am effective with, (2) put the idea aside, or (3) stretch the idea to make it fit into my range of capabilities.

Option 1 is great.  I have a great idea for a comic about how bad books receive prestigious awards, and I draw it.  Simple enough.

Most people try to avoid option 2.  Well, if I have a a great idea, why should I throw it away?

This is where option 3 comes along.  Although my idea about a girl looking at the clouds might work best as a short film, because I am better at drawing, I'll turn it into a comic instead.  Or, since I am terrible at public speaking, I'll just type out my stand-up routine and hopefully that will work just as well.

I actively reisst option 3.  I have a whole stockpile of ideas that fit best for mediums I lack full control of.  By stretching them to fit a blog post or graphical image, for example, I feel as if I'm not reaching their maximum potential.

Part of me wants to pull a reconnaissance renaissance man and watch enemy movements get good at every medium available.

When I see an idea presented through an obviously stretched medium, I feel like I'm looking at the remains of a 6-year-old's lunch, where she ate the middle of her sandwich and left the crust.