It’s every creative’s worst nightmare. You’ve got an important project with limited assets and need to commence your Greatest. Brainstorm. Ever. Fingers on the keyboard or favorite pencil at your sketchbook, you’re poised, ready, and then… nothing. The blank page stares back as your brain cues up the theme song to Jeopardy. The minutes seem to fly by and you suddenly realize you’ve made four trips to the break room, adjusted your chair twice, cleaned out that drawer in your desk (you know the one) and checked your entire Instagram feed.

At this point, your pursuit of The Big Idea is about as likely to end well as the Detroit Lions Hail Mary defense (Yes, I am a lifelong Lions fan. Thank you for your condolences).

How do you arm yourself against the battle of the blank page and actually turn nothing into something great? Having faced this more than once in my years as a supervising writer/producer, I have formed a list of helpful tips. But, even before you get the creative juices flowing, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the four Bs—your client’s Brand, Brief, Budget and “By When.”

Brand – Have a true sense of the network’s brand. Where has it been? Where is it going? What’s the attitude or voice? Something HBO will sound different from Discovery, which will sound different from USA.

Brief – Make a point to listen to your client and understand what they’re asking for. If you don’t get something, ask questions. Try to become more of a creative partner in the process.

Budget – You may have a great idea for a $250,000 shoot, but if the budget is only $30,000, you’ll have to figure out how you can still push the limits with the resources at hand. It’s about getting the most out of what you have to break those boundaries.

By When – Have a clear understanding of your project’s deadlines and confidence in your team’s capability of delivering what you promise. Time and budget go hand-in-hand. Be realistic but dream big.

Once you’re clear on the four Bs, it’s time to break out your creative arsenal. Here are six tips I have found helpful in not only generating big ideas, but also successfully communicating them to your clients:

Find inspiration in unconventional places.

Go beyond your obvious sources to find inspiration in different forms of art, music, technology or even nature. The lyrics of a song may generate ideas, just as the scene in a painting brings a new vision to life. Photography, design and typography are capable of sparking creative thought. Or, your next idea just might be right outside your window.

Collaborate early and often.

Don’t work in a bubble. Involve your team from the start, making sure they understand each client’s vision. Encourage them to grow and even change ideas that aren’t initially working. And listen to each other. Sometimes the act of saying something aloud is enough to generate or refine ideas. Develop a collaborative process that both taps and rewards its collective creative energy. When people believe in and are excited about their ideas, they create better work and everybody wins.

Don’t be afraid of the blank canvas.

Just start writing, cast your net wide and remember “the only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas” (Alfred Whitney Griswold). In other words, keep them coming. Years ago, when I interned at a local TV station, someone with many years in the promo business told me that no idea was stupid; I just needed to start writing. How very right he was! I have found that the more ideas you put out there, as absurd as some may initially seem, the more likely you will spark a flame that will fuel and fire up into that ultimate winning concept.

Push boundaries.

Give your clients more than what they ask for, and don’t be afraid to take chances. Sometimes, what they end up truly loving is the concept they didn’t even know they wanted. And, no, I’m not suggesting that you disregard the original brief—It’s always important to deliver what’s being asked—but maybe you also throw in that extra idea… the graphic-driven angle that transforms a clip spot with title cards into something really spectacular and pushes what they asked for even further. They may ultimately opt for the original concept, but now you’ve also shown them you’re capable of doing more… and they may just come back to you for that.

Do whatever you can to present a clear vision.

Again, it’s about going the extra mile. If a client asks for a couple paragraphs and an idea, do a little more to help them visualize your concept—from mood boards and scripts to Vimeo links that help demonstrate the camera style or animation technique, and music that will help create the ambience. Sometimes, it’s even getting a designer to create style frames. If that’s what the concept requires, do it. You don’t want to leave an idea vague.

Be prepared for and be OK with change.

Once you’ve put it all out there, don’t love your idea so much that you’re not open to change. Rather, try to think of it as a conversation starter. You may be convinced that you’ve come up with the concept of a lifetime, but if the client sees it going a different direction, embrace the feedback and make it kick ass. Sure, you want to sell your idea, but it’s really about sparking a creative conversation that will ultimately result in what’s best for the brand. Transcend the role of the “vendor,” and become a creative ally to your clients.

With more than 11 years working in television, Ben Frank is supervising writer/producer for 2C Creative, where he has been instrumental in the promo campaigns for such clients as CNN, HBO, NBC Olympics, TNT and FXX, among many others. Ben began his career in local news before joining 2C as a preditor in 2008. Since then, he has grown with the creative agency, promoted first to senior writer/producer before assuming his current supervising role. When he’s not busy in the promo business, Ben enjoys exploring Miami’s culinary scene.

2C Creative is an award-winning creative agency and content production company. 2C’s creative + content = award-winning promos, brand integrations, live-action shoots, design & original series for TV networks, studios and national advertisers. The company’s promotion and design clients include, among many others, such notable brands as FOX, HBO, TNT, Discovery Channel, Velocity, FXX, Oxygen, Science Channel, Nickelodeon, Optimum, 20th Television and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. 2C’s passionate creative team, which has earned 22 coveted PromaxBDA Awards in the past five years alone, comprises some of the nation’s top talent from film, television, advertising and design.

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