In a creator’s toolbox

As a person who considers himself “creative” (I stand-up, I make silly videos with friends, I have a podcast and breakdance in the privacy of my own home), learn from other creatives, whatever their specialty, is always fascinating to me. It’s great to hear how others are using the hardware and software that is available to them and I love to be in awe of the end result.

We spoke with two of these people, Jordy vandeput and Jesus ramirez. Jordy edited and produced tutorial videos for Cinecom.net using Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Jesús, a digital artist with Photoshop Training Channel, makes precise, “lint-free” videos that teach people how to use Photoshop in one of the best ways around.

I wanted to know where the ideas come from and how they brainstorm. Everyone works differently. For me, my ideas (some would call them “jokes”) come from people who watch, observe everyday situations or my kids drive me crazy. For fun videos, skits, or podcast guests, I look around and find what I personally would like to watch or listen to.

Jordy said: “I look at what’s trending and how I can create around these topics. I think it’s important to brainstorm with other creatives to come up with great ideas. Knowing what’s hot these days is the key to making a great video capture and going viral.

With bigger, better software being developed all the time, it can be intimidating to just pick something and start using it. “It can be overwhelming. But I always tell people to focus on the features that will help them with the type of work they do. For example, a photographer probably doesn’t have to worry about learning Photoshop 3D. said Jesus. “I think you should try to get the best software and the best hardware you can get. And MSI offers amazing material that is perfect for any designer. the Creator Z16 the laptop is fantastic. I really like the 16:10 display which gives me more room to see more of the app while I’m working. Plus, the GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card is fantastic. This allows my image editing apps to work properly.

It is fairly new in the MSI but a sure convert. “I started with the Creator 15 laptop and am now with the Creator Z16. The best thing about the MSI Creator products that I have used is that they just work. Concentrating on your work and not having to worry about your programs running slowly is very helpful for a creator.

“MSI is my go-to workstation laptop, because of its performance. Whenever I’m away and know that I might need to edit videos or do some special effects, I feel more comfortable bringing the MSI Creator with me. MSI generally puts performance first with some excellent components inside. You can feel the difference when you are working in Adobe applications, ”Jordy said. As for Jesús, “I need laptops that can handle my professional workflow in Photoshop and other creative applications. The MSI Creator series offers laptops with powerful video cards and their displays offer excellent color representation. Performance and power is what they were looking for and found it.

Jordy likes it MSI Creator. “I’ve never liked the look of gaming computers, so I’m very happy with the new design of the MSI Creator some products. I take pride in placing them at home and in the office. Having excellent material underneath allows me to work with confidence. Personally I really like the design [of the Creator Z16 laptop], but even more display. The color accuracy and color profile allow me to perform color grading tasks on the go. The 16:10 ratio gives me more room to work and the touchscreen is actually quite fun to use while editing. Having the freedom without lag while creating is amazing. I think it speeds up my creative process and makes it more fun. I can focus on the creative part rather than the hardware. Adding fun to a creative process can make all the difference.

Jesús spoke more about power, “The MSI Creator laptops come with powerful video cards that speed up filters and other intensive rendering tools in Photoshop. With other laptops, these tools can be slow and take a long time to complete a task. In addition, with the new touchscreen on the Creator Z16 zooming and panning a document in Photoshop is faster and more intuitive. These are just a few of the ways the MSI line has sped up their creative process and benefited their work over other products they have used in the past.

Coming from people with expertise in this field, I wanted to know what software changed their lives or made them go, “OK, that’s really cool. It was obvious to Jordy. “Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. The first time I opened these programs, I was very overwhelmed. But as I learned the basics, it became super fun to learn more and create more.

Jesús also had a few in mind. “There have been several pieces of ‘life changing’ gear that I have encountered. Wacom tablets have definitely been something that has completely changed my workflow. More recently the MSI PS321URV was an incredible upgrade from my previous monitor. It is much bigger and the colors on it are amazing. It definitely made a huge difference in the way I viewed my work while I was creating it. It’s pretty cool when a program or software can change your own perception of your work and your creative process for the better.

Tutorials help the average person. But how does the tutor, like Jesus, learn? “I am fortunate to work closely with Adobe and have access to the preview version of Photoshop. I receive information about new features and familiarize myself with those features before they become available to the public. With other applications, I learn like everyone else, whether through YouTube videos, books or training. School is never made for pros! That’s part of what makes Jesus so good at what he does – he never stops learning.

For those of us who have sat at desks for hours painfully editing a video or tweaking a photo, you know efficiency is very important. Jordy ruminated, “A creative process is a little struggle every time and the more you can streamline your process, the easier you do it yourself and the more you can focus on creativity.” Jesús feels the same, adding that “efficiency is very important”. None of them like to waste their time.

It all comes down to the specifications. “The specs were my main concern,” Jordy said. “I have other laptops that are super thin and light, but I can only use them for email and some office work. When I’m on the road with my camera, I need something with power. Jesús agreed: “I don’t want my creative workflow to be limited by the material. Getting that error where your laptop “cannot handle” what you are trying to do is more than frustrating. We’ve all been there.

But where does the inspiration come from? We all sat in front of a blank screen or a sheet of paper for hours, just waiting for an idea to appear. It can really come from anywhere. Jesús said: “I do a lot of personal projects or just try things out for fun. Thanks to this, I am able to experiment and learn new techniques. Sometimes inspiration comes from television and film. I am a huge fan of storytelling. For Jordy, it’s about writing it. “I have ideas running through my head. I try to write them for the future. They are usually stories or conceptual arts. When I run out of ideas I can always go back to my notes, ”he said.

Getting creative is the first step, but finding the right gear to make your work shine is so important and almost easier than ever these days. I know that once I find the right program or the right hardware to do what I want to do, it makes the rest of the process more efficient. Choose some of the best materials for creatives like the Creator Z16, Creator 17, or Creator M16 by MSI will take your skills and passions to the next level.

Brian McGuinness is a comedian, voice actor and writer and also the host of the Podcast on playable characters where he interviews a different video game character every week.

This article is a sponsored collaboration between MSI and TO GO Multimedia studios.