A Critical Lesson Creative People Can Learn from Sharknado

Sharknado gives writers, artists, and other creatives important ideas about writers' block and other creative blocks.Last Sunday night Sharknado 5 spun wildly onto our TV screens screaming its tornadic intention to “Make America Bait Again.”

We all got hit with the first four ‘Nados yesterday during Syfy’s marathon build-up to the big one. As I took in bits and pieces of all the scifi silliness throughout the day, I got to thinking. I did find serious contemplation to be difficult, mind you, as my husband and I lost multiple IQ points while watching Ian Ziering chainsaw yet another flying shark.

I remember looking over at Mr. Jenn during one windy scene. His mouth was full of pizza; I mean, who doesn’t love eating pizza while watching a flying shark chew some dude in half?

I asked, “Why do you love this?”

He cocked his head and slow-blinked at me like an owl.

He mumbled something through the pizza that I translated as, “Because it’s stupid. Duh.”

I watched as a horizontal Ian Ziering held onto the door of his stationary vehicle in an attempt to keep from being sucked into a shark tornado.

What’s so great about stupid?

As a flying Ian gets whacked in the leg by a flying great white, the answer to my question hit me, too.

I realized something critical that writers, bloggers, and other social media entrepreneurial types can learn from the Sharknado Empire.

Be wholly and decidedly you.Sharknado teaches us that virtually no idea is a bad one.

That’s it.

Consider this. The movie industry created multiple tornadoes, threw a bunch a sharks in them, showed some people getting chomped, got Al Roker to predict the storms, and made a mint.

Sharknado is stupid. Sharknado knows this. It doesn’t try to be smart. It doesn’t claim to be a “film.” It is what it is.

And social media has devoured the concept, hook, line, and sinker.

The next time you’re tempted to shut down one of your brainstorms, chew on the Sharknado concept. It worked. Five times!

If sharks in the wind can find a wildly loyal audience, then any concept has the chance to find a following.

So quit cutting your ideas to bits. Run with them instead. Your audience is waiting. Just bring your chainsaw in case things get out of hand.

This no-prep reading comprehension, text features, vocabulary, and writing packet is great for long-weekend homework, independent work, or sub folders. If you have a shark unit, a sea life study, or lessons on animal adaptations, this packet will engage your students.
What else is a teacher to do while watching Sharknado? Make a shark packet, of course! Check this one out at Meaningful Connections in the Classroom!

Sharknado lessons for creatives

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