The Right Reference
Paul Smith said: 'You can find ideas in anything'.
Nothing is original.
If you're trying to make something: theft is a gift.
Great designers start with moodboards.
Great writers start with great writing.
For The Matrix, The Wachowskis' debt to The Invisibles is obvious.
George Lucas got high on Dune for Star Wars.
Justin Timberlake sings like MJ.
Arronofsky bought Perfect Blue to recreate its perfect shots.
Spotify is iTunes in black.
OnlyFans is Instagram with flesh.
Blurred Lines was Got To Give It Up in vibes - so much so, they had to give up all the royalties too.
If you're trying to solve a problem, someone else has done it, as something else.
You just have to know where to look.
Because if you want to be inventive, you don't need to invent.
The right reference powers everything.