I can’t really make anything original anymore

[Anamonator]

When ever I think up a really good idea for like a little animated series, a few days later I find out it’s already been done. And yes I’ve heard it’s about what you do with the idea that makes it original but I don’t want to feel like I’m stealing someone’s idea. I want to make something original without feeling like I’m stealing

[Czyszy]

At 5/1/25 05:42 PM, Anamonator wrote:When ever I think up a really good idea for like a little animated series, a few days later I find out it’s already been done. And yes I’ve heard it’s about what you do with the idea that makes it original but I don’t want to feel like I’m stealing someone’s idea. I want to make something original without feeling like I’m stealing

Every good animated show is a balance of derivative and original in its premise. If you're struggling with the concept, you might want to go to TV Tropes to read about how different shows, movies, comics et al. utilize recurring tropes and plot devices to get some clues on how to get your own ideas flowing.

Hope that helped.

[Anamonator]

At 5/1/25 07:27 PM, Czyszy wrote:

At 5/1/25 05:42 PM, Anamonator wrote:When ever I think up a really good idea for like a little animated series, a few days later I find out it’s already been done. And yes I’ve heard it’s about what you do with the idea that makes it original but I don’t want to feel like I’m stealing someone’s idea. I want to make something original without feeling like I’m stealing

Every good animated show is a balance of derivative and original in its premise. If you're struggling with the concept, you might want to go to TV Tropes to read about how different shows, movies, comics et al. utilize recurring tropes and plot devices to get some clues on how to get your own ideas flowing.

Hope that helped.

I’ve visited tv tropes before. I think looking there more should help me out. Thank you

[Czyszy]

@YourWorstDirector , care to explain your "meh" reaction? Would love to see what you have to say. :)

[YourWorstDirector]

At 5/2/25 10:25 AM, Czyszy wrote:@YourWorstDirector , care to explain your "meh" reaction? Would love to see what you have to say. :)

TVTropes isn't something I'd use if I'm feeling uninspired, at some point you're going to have to come up with your own ideas for once.

[Czyszy]

At 5/2/25 10:47 AM, YourWorstDirector wrote:

At 5/2/25 10:25 AM, Czyszy wrote:@YourWorstDirector , care to explain your "meh" reaction? Would love to see what you have to say. :)

TVTropes isn't something I'd use if I'm feeling uninspired, at some point you're going to have to come up with your own ideas for once.

Yep, exactly this! I think you misinterpreted what I had to say in my previous post. I suggested to use TV Tropes as a starting point, to warm up your initial stream of ideas. Once you get in the inventive tropey mood, you then, of course, gotta flesh out the concept with your own original things.

[CRAZZCLUB]

Here's my hot take... Nothing is original. (I will add a TLDR)

"Our" ideas are actually OUR ideas. Everything that was thunk and that will be thunk is just consequence of the world and everything in it. You yourself probably participated in some grand "idea" that has been made, or still to come. Even just by being a bystander. Every little thing adds up in our:

- c o l l e c t i v e u n c o n s c i o u s -

Now with the esoteric part out of the way (Kinda), here's a more real example of "originality"

Would you say the guy who invented the escalator just copied the guy who invented stairs? Or maybe the Italians "Stole" noodles from eastern Asia?

Innovations and the remixing of ideas is integral to being HUMAN!

So, so what you have an idea for an animation that has some (insert modern relevant idea). I've came to the conclusion that when I form a new idea, many others will have captured the same fish. Some sorta cultural influence will inspire us to analyze and break it down. And most of the time, people will come to the same conclusions (Ideas) WE'RE HUMAN! We work like a network. We think similarly to fit in and benefit the tribe. The caveat is, our personal experiences is the tool we use to mold all this information into a understandable thought. So if you need help making something more original, dig into that. Who YOU are. The unique being that has only lived the life you live.

And when it comes to idea theft. We're human after all, and because we're human we can understand other humans intentions. So giving context clues, we can tell if someone's work has "soul" or is just a cheap imitation for the soul purpose of chasing the bag (fame, money, power, whatever)

TLDR & Conclusion:

In the least cringe possible way. You are one of one. The way you think Is truly unique to you. If you believe in yourself and are not trying to "copy" someone else interpretation of an idea. GO FOR IT!

Don't let over thinking hold you back, Trust me.

[KagoDev]

At 5/1/25 05:42 PM, Anamonator wrote:When ever I think up a really good idea for like a little animated series, a few days later I find out it’s already been done. And yes I’ve heard it’s about what you do with the idea that makes it original but I don’t want to feel like I’m stealing someone’s idea. I want to make something original without feeling like I’m stealing

When I was younger I felt exactly the same way, I get it. You naturally want to break new ground with your work, and it feels like to do that, you're supposed to make something nobody has ever seen. But at this point in time, with this many humans, it's not a reasonable goal for anyone.

I hope this thought will help: humanity doesn't share a consciousness, so your work can still be the first time someone sees a concept. You could think of it like, this is your turn to do that idea. And to truly make it your own thing, your execution of the idea is what accomplishes that.

[DaelJericho]

There is a actual philosophical school of thought, which states it is impossible for the human mind to invent something new. As you create from within the contents of your mind, it is inherently infeasible to to create something that lies outside of it. Everything is just a remix of something else and nothing is original. To create something - which to say is to create art - just means this: to infuse your personality into your work and present your individual perspective to someone else. If you manage that, you actually created something unique, since noone else is you.

[xeiavica]

Ideas are cheap. I like to see it that ideas and 'originality' is like the laws of energy: You can't just make it out of thin air, it must be created from something else. Don't outright plagiarize, but instead remix based off many things you like. You be surprised, there's more stuff out there based off other stuff than you think.

[BoiledMilkz]

At 5/1/25 05:42 PM, Anamonator wrote:When ever I think up a really good idea for like a little animated series, a few days later I find out it’s already been done.

Many animated shows have a similar premise and similar tropes, you just need to add a bit of your own charm to it.

Some people gave me really good advice in two of these threads I made.

Webshows & Series: Where should I start?

Ripoff vs Heavily Inspired?

If you're on the writing phase, this video might be helpful for you.

[YuukanVulture]

It is not healthy to keep telling yourself creativity has completely died just because you watched something very unique that uses ideas you thought of. Some basic ideas could be the same but have their own sets of twists that make themselves pretty distinct from one another.

[ADR3-N]

There is a short book I recommend on this topic, Steal Like an Artist. Others have reiterated its overall message, but the author gives several great ideas you can incorporate into your workflow, with refreshing brevity. These will take you from that unoriginal, uninspired state (induced by imposter syndrome) to fresh, informed, "original", and new creative heights.

Also, I will add my two cents. You need not reinvent the wheel in order to create something worth seeing. Nothing says your work has to be groundbreaking, phenomenal, or different. What's new and hip is up for the viewer to decide. Maybe they've never seen the work you have, or are unaware of the cliches that you've grown accustomed to.

[Quinnfinity3]

It's all about the execution. Imagine if a fight scene in avatar was replaced with heavy metal music and the choreography was excessively violent and aggressive? That would feel very different. I'm working on a comic and it's inspired by the most cliche thing ever...

Power rangers and gi Joe like toy brands. I basically removed the fancy jump suits and mechs and made them normal ass thugs in Tennessee. Replace the mech with a rusty truck, uniforms with ski masks, and Villains create minions by drugging people rather then using magic. The hq is just a meth lab in the trailer park. A lot can change from an inspiration. A fistful of dollars is legit just yojimbo but instead of samurai, it's cowboys.

[kaiakairos]

i agree with the others for the most part, its impossible to completely original, and its not worth it to worry about being super original either. Not sure how much it applies to animation, but in game dev i often see the problem of attempting to be TOO original and failing to execute on it, where they could have just been more derivative and ended up with a better finished work.

also as a professional idea haver myself, most of the ideas i have for stories and whatnot come from my irl life, from people i meet and things i care about or peak my interest. (im also of the opinion that real world inspirations hold up better in the future, but im not exactly experienced on actually executing said ideas, so grain of salt please)

when i was 14, i had none of that, because i simply had not lived long enough to have time to experience things and to reflect on them. so at least for now, dont worry about that stuff and just live ur life man, make whatever u feel like, whatever excites you and gets pen to paper. maybe sometime in the future an idea so good will strike your soul in such a way that it consumes your thoughts for years. happens naturally though, can’t force that.

[detergent1]

what about an animation where the Library of Alexandria burns down

[hazlenaut]

Have you look at a character in a story/series and think they were wronged. A side character or one they did not deserve what happen to them. Could be a start of story.

[NuclearTaco2004]

Maybe you can try taking some ideas from those animations that took your idea and add your own twist to them; add something new to something that already exists but don't directly copy something. It's easy to tell who uses other ideas as a base for inspiration vs someone who intentionally copies existing ideas with little to no creative thought.

[Czyszy]

TBH, TV Tropes helped me realize that worldbuilding/storytelling is like a language. It's not really about the tropes/words that go into it, but rather how they're put together.

If you break apart the most seemingly original and pionering pieces of media, all the litte "particles" that they're built upon are pretty standard and generic. The originality comes in when it's time to make sense of all those ingredients and combine them into one. It's like cooking.

[thepixelizer]

Dude there are no original ideas, Mickey Mouse was inspired by a real mouse and rubber hose characters combined, Sonic rubber hose, Felix the Cat, maybe Mickey too, and of course the real animal the hedgehog, Pac Man an incomplete pizza, Scooby Doo is a mixture of many dog characteristics, with a human chin...

Creativity isn't about fabricating something that defies all logic and is a brand new to the universe, that's a miracle.

It's about taking things that already exist that excite or interest us, and combining them or modifying them into something different and unique. Think of art and design like Legos. The more pieces you find the more interesting.

As for story writing only share things that you've personally experienced and have learned.

People are smart and can unravel your elaborate scheme and see holes in your grand illusion.

[Scout-from-tfc]

Just do an Aqua teen hunger force, and have almost no continuity whilst the most ridiculous shit happens in one episode

Like the world could literally be blownup in the episode and then the next one it is like nothing ever happened

[Guidodinho]

At 5/1/25 05:42 PM, Anamonator wrote:When ever I think up a really good idea for like a little animated series, a few days later I find out it’s already been done. And yes I’ve heard it’s about what you do with the idea that makes it original but I don’t want to feel like I’m stealing someone’s idea. I want to make something original without feeling like I’m stealing

Just be sure to give to ideas back when you're done, with em.

Then it's technically not stealing.

Stop worrying bout that.

[Skoops]

Nobody is original. When you think you see originality in others' work, what you're really seeing are existing ideas that are executed well. A lot of people make that mistake because they just don't know the influences of the art they admire, and it will hold you back in more ways than one if you think people get good ideas out of literally nowhere.

I can tell you that kids that obsess over "originality" definitely don't obsess over proficiency to the same degree. They think that if their ideas are original enough, it can make up for poor craftsmanship, and they're always wrong.

[YuukanVulture]

At 5/3/25 05:58 AM, Skoops wrote:Nobody is original. When you think you see originality in others' work, what you're really seeing are existing ideas that are executed well. A lot of people make that mistake because they just don't know the influences of the art they admire, and it will hold you back in more ways than one if you think people get good ideas out of literally nowhere.

I can tell you that kids that obsess over "originality" definitely don't obsess over proficiency to the same degree. They think that if their ideas are original enough, it can make up for poor craftsmanship, and they're always wrong.

Actually well said.

[nicolistheguy]

I've been watching a show called Arrested Development recently and on the surface its not groundbreaking, just a family sitcom with weird people. But it's what it does with the format and the characters that makes it one of the most innovative comedies/sitcoms I've watched. In other words, many things may feel like they've been done, but there's always something unique you can add that can elevate what you're trying to do to unprecedented heights of originality

[ErasmusMagnus]

At 5/1/25 07:30 PM, Anamonator wrote:I’ve visited tv tropes before. I think looking there more should help me out. Thank you

NO IT WON'T. You're learning all the wrong lessons kid. Instead of derivatives of derivatives, you must take inspiration from the original source: Reality. All good characters and stories have some basis in reality. Derivatives of tropes become dry, cliched, and meaningless for looking for greater insight. Stories originally took inspiration from real life, so that's the richest source to make them. Building a story out of tropes is like building a house out of popsicle sticks. It's certainly unique, but it won't stand up to scrutiny. You think George Lucas based Star Wars from template?

[Czyszy]

Instead of derivatives of derivatives, you must take inspiration from the original source: Reality. All good characters and stories have some basis in reality. Derivatives of tropes become dry, cliched, and meaningless for looking for greater insight. Stories originally took inspiration from real life, so that's the richest source to make them.

I'd say it's a combination of both. Real life is an incredibly rich source of inspiration but there are some fundamental non-realistic tropes in narration that are so burned into the history of writing and generally speaking, viewers naturally expect to see them in fiction. I personally think that it's beneficial to balance out standard tropes or cliches with elements taken from real life and mix them up.

(Besides, on TV Tropes a lot of tropes have history/real life examples listed as well, aside from fiction.)

You think George Lucas based Star Wars from template?

Well, yes. Star Wars is actually a perfect example of how you take the archetypical tropes and twist them to create something new. The main outline of the plot of the original trilogy is a centuries old classic fairy tale framework about a brave knight but in space. Darth Vader's helmet is a funky futuristic take on Roman galea and a German stahlhelm. The X-Wing battles are almost remixes of air combat scenes from World War II films from the 50s and 60s. The list goes on.

[Czyszy]

At 5/3/25 08:20 PM, ErasmusMagnus wrote:All good characters and stories have some basis in reality.

BTW, I was talking about plots. Constructing characters per se is a whole another topic.

[jthrash]

At 5/2/25 04:41 PM, ADR3-N wrote:There is a short book I recommend on this topic, Steal Like an Artist. Others have reiterated its overall message, but the author gives several great ideas you can incorporate into your workflow, with refreshing brevity. These will take you from that unoriginal, uninspired state (induced by imposter syndrome) to fresh, informed, "original", and new creative heights.

Also, I will add my two cents. You need not reinvent the wheel in order to create something worth seeing. Nothing says your work has to be groundbreaking, phenomenal, or different. What's new and hip is up for the viewer to decide. Maybe they've never seen the work you have, or are unaware of the cliches that you've grown accustomed to.

I got that book a couple years ago as a gift, I still refer to it from time to time, specifically the part on social media and how, if I have any problems with the "modern" industry, it's better to make my own stuff rather than gripe about it online endlessly.

A good example of this is how, as a Sonic fan (don't laugh), I have long learned to tune out the endless video essays YouTube recommends to me of whiny fans who think they know better than anyone at SEGA on how to make a "perfect" new Sonic game, but certainly don't know enough to actually try making their own. But then I play a really good Sonic fan-game and I think "Yeah, you have a point there with your unique take on classic Sonic tropes. SEGA should try this for Sonic Frontiers 2. SEGA, HIRE THIS MAN!!"

Basically, it's like an online-art-specific take on Mahatma Ghandi's "Be the change you want to see in the world." Tuning out toxic fanbases is basically a job requirement for modern-day game devs and especially Disney writers, but if you can make something kind of similar (not plagiarizing and falls well under Fair Use, of course) to prove your point about, say, the direction you want modern Star Wars and sci-fi action movies in general to take, and it turns out really popular, it's definitely worth paying attention to and taking notes from. I'm convinced all the Wario Land games on NSO (especially Wario Land 4) only happened recently because Pizza Tower and Anton Blast proved there is still at least a little bit of demand for "Wario-likes."

[jthrash]

At 5/2/25 07:25 PM, detergent1 wrote:what about an animation where the Library of Alexandria burns down

That's just the Ohara incident from One Piece.