Creative Principles

Adele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 5 million plus copies and has been translated into over 30 different languages. She has published 21 novels, all of which have been London Times bestsellers. The film adaptation of her book 'The Image of You,' starring Sasha Pieterse, follows the story of two identical twins, Anna and Zoe. When Anna meets a stock trader, she thinks he's perfect, but Zoe doesn't trust him, so she sets out to discover the truth about him. 'The Image Of You' was released In Select Theatres and is Available to Buy on Digital on May 10, 2024. In this interview, we talked about how she found her writing voice, how she pitched her first novel, being vulnerable on the page, the benefits of having a pseudonym, and her novel 'The Image of You.' Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Zach Woods got his start at the Upright Citizens Brigade doing improv. Brandon Gardner followed a similar path, eventually shifting to playwriting and sketch. The two continued to share work and support one another as they moved from New York to Los Angeles. For their latest collaboration, In the Know, where they’re listed as co-creators with Mike Judge (Office Space, Silicon Valley), the story follows Lauren Caspian, the third most popular host of an NPR-like interview series, who happens to be a stop motion puppet. As improv veterans with similar taste, the collaborative writing process somewhat follows the classic “yes, and” structure. “I think it’s easy for me to think where it can go positively before I’m critical,” says Gardner. “It’s not a partnership where I’m nervous to have an idea.” The casual and polite interaction can go one of two ways: “I’m very trusting of his taste. Do you like this? If he says ‘yes,’ I’m 100 percent confident in the idea. If he says ‘I’m not sure,’ then I’m also confident in knowing there’s another way.” The writers describe the UCB approach to improv as “playing everything to the top of your intelligence,” continues Gardner. “Why is the character doing that? It’s not to be funny. To them, it makes sense, so how do you treat the character respectfully?” (Paul Rust made a similar point in the interview for Love). Woods adds, “Even if I have an idea that doesn’t feel right, if we have divergent impulses, neither of us wants to win. We want to figure out where those impulses intersect. We take each other's reservations and confidence very seriously.” Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on hundreds of interviews here at Creative Principles. If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60-seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Jeff Annison is the Co-Founder and President of 'Legion M,' the world's first fan-owned media company. With 50k investors, over $20M raised, and over 150k members overall in the community, 'Legion M' is paving the way to democratize the business, challenge the traditional studio system, and open the doors for fans to become genuine stakeholders in the creative process. This year the company has premiered the SXSW Audience Award Winner 'My Dead Friend Zoe,' self-distributed the documentary 'William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill' theatrically, released another doc on FUSETV in 'This is Not Financial Advice' and will see another feature released in theaters this fall. In this interview, we talked about entrepreneurship and creativity, the entertainment industry, his company 'Legion M,' how does a 'hit movie' looks like, and investing in indie films. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“There was David Cronenberg (The Fly, Scanners), but not many other examples,” says Don McKellar, about his childhood as a Canadian where he felt there were few role models in the business. “But I did love theater. I created shows with my friends and all the disciplines — writing, directing, acting — blended together for me.” Those live performances helped to shape his work. “I co-wrote a musical called The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway. In that kind of show, if you do a show and it doesn’t work, it’s obvious. What I think helps as a writer is having that actor’s eye ingrained in my bones. You can sort of feel what works, what can play, what’s enjoyable to deliver. That instinct really informs my writing.” “Knowing what actors will enjoy is consequently knowing what viewers will enjoy. I think that helped me work with Robert,” he jokes, in regards to the new series The Sympathizer, which stars Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Oh, and Hoa Xuande. The plot reads, “Near the end of the Vietnam War, a plant who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community where he continues to secretly spy and report back to the Viet Cong.” Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on hundreds of interviews here at Creative Principles. If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60-seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Ned Benson is a writer, director, and producer known for his profound storytelling. His debut film, 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,' premiered at Cannes in 2014, showcasing his unique narrative approach by exploring dual perspectives on love and loss. His recent film 'The Greatest Hits' follows a love story centering on the connection between music and memory and how they transport us, sometimes literally. In this interview, we talked about 'Eleanor Rigby', networking, how he got into 'Black Widow,' his latest film 'The Greatest Hits,' the process of moving from shorts to full features, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“I was hungry,” says Kurt Johnstad, who took any position he could find to get on set. “I was just looking for an avenue to tell stories. I looked at all the jobs and the flow and rhythm of being on set. I realized a director or cinematographer needs all these people, but you could be self-reliant and self-generate — it’s the writer.” “The writer can just sort of be in their little shack and type away. I gave myself ten years to have a career, from my 20s to my 30s. Just try to do this. I don’t come from an entertainment business family, so it was hard. By 30 though, I felt like I had a career and was going in the right direction.” Johnstad recalls that he wrote about three full films before he got his first credit, which was a straight-to-video kickboxer / bloodsport movie called True Vengeance. “That’s what it ended up being anyway. I’ve never seen it,” he jokes. But, it got him his first credit and fueled his career. He also credits this early relationships with other martial artists for career longevity. Friendships with people like Chad Stahelski (Dir. John Wick), Sam Hargrave (Dir. Extraction), and Dave Leitch (Bullet Train) have led to multiple collaborations. Now, Johnstad is best known for writing scripts like 300, Act of Valor, 300: Rise of an Empire, Atomic Blonde, and most recently, Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire and Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on hundreds of interviews here at Creative Principles. If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60-seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Stephen Moyer is a renowned actor and director best known for his role as vampire Bill Compton in HBO's 'True Blood.' Starting his career on the London stage, Moyer transitioned to television and film, starring in productions like 'Quills' and '88 Minutes.' He has showcased his versatility by directing several episodes for different television projects, including 'True Blood', and more recently the film 'A Bit of Light.' In this interview, we talked about his trajectory as an actor, working with Michael Caine, acting, his time in 'True Blood', directing, and his film 'A Bit of Light,' a story about a forty-year-old woman named Ella who is forced to move back in with her father Alan, and is trying to stay sober having temporarily given up custody of her young daughters to her ex-husband Joseph and his new partner Bethan. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Lee Hardcastle is a renowned claymation director celebrated for his dark humor and innovative style. Through the years he has honed his skills to create captivating short films blending horror, comedy, and absurdity, and his unique storytelling and attention to detail have earned him a global following. Hardcastle's work ranges from grotesque parodies of popular franchises to original tales of macabre madness, pushing the boundaries of clay animation. In this interview, we talked about what led him to claymation, how he approaches his stories, going viral on social media and how comments and feedback have affected his work, getting comfortable in his creative process, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

In high school, Bill Kennedy got a job making copies at a law firm. Back then, he pictured himself taking the bar, buying a collection of three-piece suits, and making a career as a lawyer. But, when he met someone a decade older also making copies, who was producing records at the time, asked, “Dude, why would you want to do this? Why be a lawyer?” The beneficial challenger concluded, “[Do] you think the people here are happy?” The realization sunk in. “In college, I started to explore a career in creative writing. I got really into it. I wrote some short stories and a novella. Moved out to LA and did the assistant thing for a long time, eventually becoming the Writer’s Room Assistant on the first season of House of Cards.” As an assistant, Kennedy would do anything from answering phones to scheduling meetings to reading scripts (he estimates he read over 1,500 scripts at this time). Most importantly though, he got to be a fly on the wall to learn the business from working in the business. “You see how the business works and develop your sense of taste.” He also worked as Beau Willimon’s assistant, who wrote Andor and The Ides of March in addition to creating House of Cards. “That was an extremely formative experience for me. I got to pitch a lot in the room and got promoted to staff writer Season 2.” As a staff writer, Kennedy has credits for 22 episodes of House of Cards and more recently, became a staff writer for The Morning Show. The whole time, he’s also been staying up late, writing spec scripts at night. “Even at its most tortuous, it’s the best.” Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on hundreds of interviews here at Creative Principles. If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60-seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Whether through art, animation, or filmmaking, Julian Curi has dedicated his life and work to telling stories and helping others tell theirs. These days he is best known for his work in paper puppetry and animation. His latest work, GRUFF, a paper-made short film about his relationship with his late dad is out now: https://youtu.be/5p4s4k3eB_I?si=GHg0_z09Yx-xTqXF In this interview, we talked about what led him to animation, the origin of GRUFF, crowdfunding and how to start a campaign, dealing with the pressure that comes from social media, his future projects, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!