Get Schooled.
Sure, if you sign up for our weekly newsletter, you’ll get new episodes delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll also get my behind the scenes takeaway from the week’s chat. But there’s more.
In the creative industry your portfolio is your passport. It’s all it takes to unlock the opportunities you might not have right now. That’s why I want to send you my Epic Bucket List for Creatives. It’s full of wild destinations you can get to, if you just make the work.
19: Sam Mason -- Director, On Old Civilizations, 90s Videogames and Individuality
Since discovering his portfolio, Sam Mason has been one of my favorite artists of modern day. Getting the opportunity to talk to him, I found him as brilliant and I hoped and genuinely humble. Romantic and lo-fi, yet produced with cutting edge technical acumen, his work stands out with it’s stunning whimsy.
18: Catherine Turp -- Creative Director & VJ, On Raving, The Moment Factory and Magic Tricks
Catherine started VJing in high school and she’s only continued putting on bigger and better shows since. Becoming a creative director at the Moment Factory has allowed her to coordinate the most sophisticated live experiences the world has ever seen. It was a treat getting to talk to her about what it takes to conjure magic.
17: Brian Solomon -- Immersive Designer, On George R. R. Martin, ARGs and Realtime TV Shows
Brian creates immersive experiences. That can be anything from creating flying simulators for SXSW to pioneering the future of interactive livestreamed television shows. He’s got some wild ideas, stories and advice to share from the pioneering edge of the experience design industry.
16: Peter Clark -- Designer & Director, On Practical Setups, Happy Accidents & Meeting Tony Hawk
Peter Clark has long one of my favorite designers in the biz and getting to speak with him made me an even bigger fan. Peter stands out from the crowd as a big advocate for shooting things practically. Hearing about his process and the amazing experiences he’s had working this way made me a convert.
15: Christoffer Bjerre -- Designer & Director, On Discipline, Cultivating Taste and Feature Films
He’s one of the industry’s most prolific creators, creating beautiful short films with the biggest names in town. Chris taught me a thing or two about what he’s learned and how he gets so much done.
14: Al Benoit -- Editor & Filmmaker, Breaking into Features, Finding Funding & Getting In the Cage
Al Benoit is obsessed with filmmaking. Little did his grandma know that by taking him to the movies on Sundays as a kid, she would create a lifelong soldier of cinema. Al’s done more short films than anyone I’ve personally met and has made it clear he is going to make it in this career no matter what it takes. Some might say he already has, but if you ask him, he’s just getting started.
13: Shannon Wilkerson -- Senior Motion Designer, On Overcoming Tragedy, Teaching & Technical Direction
Shannon is an up and coming motion designer who’s persevered through misfortune to make his way into an industry he loves. Shannon’s house burning down ended up being the kick in the teeth that got him serious about his career in motion. He’s been killing it ever since.
12: Filipe Carvalho -- Designer & Director, Title Sequences, Emmys & Pitching On Westworld
Talking to Filipe felt like a masterclass in title design. It’s no surprise he’s so good at talking about it once you realize how many talks he’s given around the world. Then there’s the Emmy he won for Outstanding Main Title Design in 2018. A true patron of arts, Filipe couldn’t have been more generous sharing his time and expertise.
11: Nik Hill -- Designer & Studio Owner, Film VFX, Building a Studio, & Ultramarathons
For a superstar designer, Nik is incredibly humble. Yet he has credits on features like Guardians of the Galaxy & Blade Runner 2049. He’s a studio owner. He’s an athlete, submitting himself to physical challenges that would make you cry. Enjoy his zen energy & frequent moments of brilliance in this conversation.
10: Nidia Dias - Designer & Art Director, On Branding, Art Director Struggles & Career Choices
Nidia’s sophisticated brand of abstraction has shaped the look of studios like Tendril, Future Deluxe, and Man vs. Machine. She’s spoken at industry conferences from Prague to Melbourne. And she lives in Portugal. Needless to say, I picked her brain on everything I could.
09: Ian Frederick - 3D Designer, On Concert Visuals, Houdini and Hard Work
If you browse Behance as much as I do you might recognize Ian’s work from his wild concert visuals and fan projects. In our conversation he motivated the hell out of me with his self-starter attitude & work ethic. Literally the day after this conversation I signed up for a $700 Houdini course.
08: Jenny Kleiman - Filmmaker, On Screenwriting, Pitching Feature Films & Working the Wound
Jenny Kleiman is a talented, visionary filmmaker. Recently Austin Film Festival X No Film School declared her “Top 5 Screenwriters to Watch for 2021.” Having been in writing groups with her, I’m not surprised. Hear Jenny discuss life as a professional director & screenwriter and its many highs and lows.
07: Joe Garrity - Filmmaker, On Working at Pixar, Screenwriting MFAs, Touring & Being The Messy Twin
Joe Garrity was studying Molecular Biology. Instead he ended up on Saturday Night Live. That lead to a job at Pixar. His coworkers helped him with his (award-winning) short, Twinsburg. Then he went on tour for a while with a Canadian pop band. Now he's getting his MFA in screenwriting.
06: Thomas Smith - VFX Supervisor, On Film Sets, Working in Tech & His Freelancing Masterclass
Take advice from Thomas. He’s gone from Compositor to VFX Supervisor by working at every studio on the bucket list. He’s freelanced around the globe. He’s a teacher at the School of Visual Arts…he even won a Grammy.
05: Austin Marola - Lead 3D Designer, On Rendering Photorealism & The Future of Digital Imagery
Having worked at Imaginary Forces and The Mill, Austin is a gentle giant of CGI and rendering’s technical minutiae. He shares some secrets and speculates on digital imagery’s relationship with the fate of our species.
04: Abe Duque - DJ, Producer, Audio Engineer, On World Touring & Beating The Recording Industry
His service to the cause of quality underground techno now spans three decades. High profile projects with the likes of Pet Shop Boys and the Chemical Brothers pricked the consciousness of the mainstream to his talents.
03: Shane Csontos-Popko - Senior 3D Designer, On NFT Success and AI Generative Workflows
Big dude who likes big computers, Japanese stuff and Pokemon cards. Has worked with studios such as Brand New School, Hornet, PSYOP and CNN Motion.
02: Bradon Webb - Experience Designer, On Concert Visuals, Math and the Multiverse
Combining a love of fine art with a curiosity for code, he has lent his talents to brands such as Dolby, BMW and artists like Amon Tobin. Designing, apps, animations, concert visuals, experiences, and spaces, this man has done it all.
01: Arsen Arzumanyan - Previz Artist, On Working with Film Directors and Changing Your Ego
Senior Previz artist on films like Ready Player One, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunger Games, Jurassic World, and more. Award winning short filmmaker. Globe trotting freelancer.