Creative Lives

On this week’s podcast we sit down with Dem Gerolemou, a visual designer at Google Health. It was after graduating from Winchester School of Art’s graphic design course, that Dem came across his true passion – product design. He soon found himself working in healthcare at ustwo, as part of the team at AI company, DeepMind. Now based at Google’s offices in Kings Cross, we meet with Dem to talk about the highs and lows of working in health, the importance of embracing uncertainty and using design to solve real-world problems.

This week on the podcast we chat to Tarik Fontenelle, a researcher, anthropologist and co-founder of strategic insight agency, ON.ROAD. Based in London, Tarik and his team investigate the thoughts, passions and trends driving young people – anywhere from Bow to Bolivia – helping brands create advertising campaigns and products that really resonate with them. In this episode, Tarik tells us more about how his research for Nike laid the foundations for the Nothing Beats a Londoner campaign, the people skills needed to be an anthropologist and he how he knew research was his dream job while still in his teens.

This week on the podcast we catch up with Olivia Ahmad, a curator at the House of Illustration and the editor of Varoom magazine. Since joining in 2014, Olivia has developed more than 50 exhibitions at the London gallery, celebrating illustration greats like screen-printing nun Sister Corita Kent and unearthing lesser-known narratives as in the current exhibition dedicated to Polish illustrator George Him. In this week’s episode she tells us about tracking down illustrators that have slipped through the cracks of time or have never exhibited before, the need for diversity in museums and galleries and gives us some tips on the dreaded networking.

On the podcast this week, we catch up with Teemu Suviala about some of the innovative work he’s doing as the director of brand design at Facebook’s AR/VR team. Whether that’s face filters, AR glasses or new virtual reality platforms. Listen in to hear Teemu talk about how agility and collaboration are essential skills for graduate creatives, explain the multidisciplinary mindset needed to work in VR and describe exactly what brand design in these spaces involves.

This week on the podcast we meet Jody Quon, the photography director of New York Magazine and the brains behind some of the publication's most ambitious shoots and covers. A firm believer in the power of photography, Jody role’s involves a great deal of creativity, lateral thinking and meticulous organisation. She tells us more about her journey from fashion to editorial, the importance of work ethic and precision, and gives us tips on how to catch her eye on Instagram.

On the podcast this week we catch up with Nadine Chahine, one of the foremost experts in Arabic type design. Rising up the ranks at foundry Monotype from intern to UK Type Director, the ridiculously driven Nadine has been entrusted with crafting Arabic versions of some of the world’s best-known typefaces, including Frutiger, Helvetica and Univers. She reveals her unorthodox night owl schedule and gives advice on dealing with self-confidence, stress and burnout.

On Creative Lives this week, we chat to Chrystal Genesis, the London-based journalist, cultural programmer and creator of acclaimed podcast Stance. We hear all about her career journey to date, from blagging her way onto a media course despite being under-age, to her varied experience at the BBC as a producer in both the UK and the US. On top of this, we also gain brilliant insight into the podcasting process, with advice on how to hone your idea, edit a story and – most importantly – how to monetise your show. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress; it was presented by Indi Davies, the editor was Ivor Manly, with production support from Laura Snoad. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of our brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, giffgaff, Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week we chat to Wilfrid Wood, a London-based artist and sculptor who, through the medium of plasticine, transforms celebs and politicians into incredibly well-observed – and often very funny – versions of themselves. As well as being commissioned to create these portraits for editorial and commercial projects, Wilfid also runs workshops teaching people how to capture the essence of others in 3D. A Central Saint Martins graphics graduate, he worked a string of dull jobs before scoring a traineeship on 90s satirical TV show Spitting Image – an experience that shaped his whole career. Wilfrid shares his advice on nailing public speaking, the importance of having several strings to your bow, and how it’s ok not to have a clue what you’re doing in your twenties. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly, with production support from Laura Snoad. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of our brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, giffgaff, Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest on the podcast this week is London-based art director, designer and illustrator Kate Moross. Best known for their energetic, joyful and colourful work for clients like MTV, One Direction and the Spice Girls, Kate has also earned a reputation for radical transparency, calling out poor employment practices, and being refreshingly open about subjects like money, diversity and their non-binary identity. Here Kate shares their advice on managing your money, working for free, being opinionated in your output and using social media, rather than letting it use you. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress; it was presented by Indi Davies, the editor was Ivor Manly, with production support from Laura Snoad. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of our brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, giffgaff, Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we’re joined by Yinka Illori, an artist and designer whose colourful, pattern-filled work brings a joyful approach to a broad range of disciplines from furniture design and architecture to exhibition design and graphics. Looking back over his career, Yinka tells us about the hustle he inherited from his parents, answering client emails from his job at Marks & Spencer and the point he nearly gave it all up. Listen in for his advice on dealing with money worries and tips on how to stay motivated when you’re waiting for your big break. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly, with production support from Laura Snoad. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of our brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, giffgaff, Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

We’re joined by founder and creative director of Studio PSK, Patrick Stevenson-Keating. Patrick explains how his journey evolved from creating parallel universes at university to founding a studio collaborating with glass-blowers and anthropologists. From finding inspiration in Etsy customers' disgruntlement at losing their ‘cha-ching’ to harnessing the cat as the “spirit animal of the internet”, he talks us through the inventive orbit of PSK’s work. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the guest was Patrick Stevenson-Keating, interviewed by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation. The Creative Lives podcast will be taking a summer break, but we'll be back shortly with a new set of podcasts. Be sure to subscribe so you’re the first to know when the next one is out!

Alongside a great many other impressive pursuits, Amie Snow is a creative at Ogilvy UK. Armed with an incredible amount of energy and an almost infinite number of strings to her bow, her skills range from achieving a degree in Forensic Investigation to being a semi-professional roller skater. She talks us through her unconventional route to advertising. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter is Indi Davies and the editor is Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On this week’s podcast we meet multidisciplinary creative Danny Sangra. Based in London but often working all over the world, Danny’s career sees him switching between mediums including illustration, film, animation, design, photography, writing and painting​, all while creating work that is distinctively his own. We talked to him about his journey since graduating with a degree in graphics, maintaining your own identity within commercial commissions and the nature of working for yourself. ​... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter was Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week we meet San Fransisco-based art director Matt Dunn, whocurrently works at renowned ad agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners. Originally from the UK, Matt only began his career in advertising around two years ago. He tells us what he finds most challenging in his work, and shares some of the unlikely but lasting career advice that he picked up as a skateboarder in his teens. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter was Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we are joined by Dan Adeyemi. Currently the lead creative technologist at fashion brand Farfetch, it’s Dan’s job to experiment with how technology can be used to bring various ideas to life. Having previously been freelance, Dan tells us about the challenges of going from self-employed to full-time, working in the world of fashion, and why it’s important to keep learning. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter was Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

It's another grad edition of the podcast! This time, we catch up with Jyni Ong, an in-house writer for arts and design publication It’s Nice That. Listen in as she tells us all about the journey that took her from the Glasgow School of Art ​​​to reporting on creative work as a full-time writer.​ ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter was Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Following the first half of our interview with Paul Smith on the Creative Lives podcast, this week we return to our chat with the British fashion icon to pick up where we left off. After hearing about Paul’s alternative route into the industry, we spoke to him about longevity in business, design innovation and his advice for budding designers. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter was Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On this week’s podcast, we welcome a very special guest – icon of British fashion design, Paul Smith. We visited Paul at his company’s UK headquarters in central London last month to record an extended interview that we’ll be sharing across two episodes. In the first half, Paul discusses his alternative route into the fashion world, going from a love of cycling to running his first store, and the most important lessons he’s learnt so far. Watch out for the second episode in next week’s edition! ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The presenter was Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Working across everything from homeware and ceramics to paper products and wall art, Jo Ham is the mastermind behind minimal homeware brand, HAM. On the podcast this week, she joins us to reflect on her own career-related confusion after graduating from the Ruskin School of Fine Art. We hear the journey that took her from advertising to setting out on her own path and how she built a successful business after her perspective was altered by a particularly challenging period. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The guest was Laurie Avon, interviewed by Indi Davies and presented by Marianne Hanoun. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

With graduate season on the horizon, we’ll be hosting a series of podcasts with a selection of grads at different points in their careers. To kick things off, we’re speaking to Laurie Avon, a Brighton-based illustrator specialising in Linocut techniques, who graduated from Kingston University almost a year ago. He talks to us about the first steps he took towards gaining commissions, as well as his involvement in self-started initiatives like Crit Club, a supportive collective for sharing work, getting feedback and bolstering portfolios. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. The guest was Laurie Avon, interviewed by Indi Davies and presented by Marianne Hanoun. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest this week is Sarah Williams, founder and director at arts consultancy Soho Curious & Co. Sarah's career path is a great example of how you can make a creative career work for you, without a formal education. Having dropped out of a degree soon after starting, she decided to make her own way early on – moving to London with few connections, little in the way of a plan and zero knowledge of the industry. Since then, she’s been on a journey of discovery that’s seen her go from restaurant manager to art buyer, and even move to Australia for a while to work as a photographic producer. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest this week is Sereena Abbassi, an activist, writer, public speaker who has worked as the head of culture and inclusion at M&C Saatchi since 2018. Sereena’s work is entirely focused on combatting the lack of diversity in the industry, promoting inclusivity and representation, along with education around unconscious bias and the value of different viewpoints. We hear about her day-to-day, and how her upbringing and experience of living all over the world feeds into her work. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we’re joined by Liam Walsh, creative technology director at east London-based animation studio Nexus. He fills us in on working on an exciting array of projects – from stellar interactive work with Google to bringing Childish Gambino to life in AR. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

As the creative lead at Spotify UK, Emma's work currently focusses on the interplay between audio and visual elements. Looking back on her previous roles, she describes her CV as particularly “millennial” – referring to her job at Twitter, where she worked as “emoji specialist” – creating custom emojis for trending hashtags. Emma fills us in on the work culture at Spotify, and some of the creative challenges she's faced in her career so far. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the guest was Emma Hopkins, interviewed by Indi Davies. The editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include G . F Smith, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Hoefler and Co., Colophon Foundry and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest this week is Maksimilian Kallhed, co-founder of The Pop Up Agency, who is currently based between London and Paris. Maksimilian was still studying at Hyper Island Stockholm when he co-founded the agency with five fellow students. In their first year as fledgeling creative consultants – armed with the business model of solving briefs within a 48-hours – The Pop Up Agency launched with a global tour, setting out to provide creative direction and strategy to fifteen different clients, in fifteen different countries, within fifteen weeks. We hear how Max and the team made their concept work as students, and how the company has grown since then. ... This episode of Creative Lives was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Having previously worked as an assistant editor at publishing company Scholastic, in 2017 Aimée joined forces with co-worker David Stevens to launch their own inclusive, independent children’s publisher, Knights Of. With a focus on publishing books that reflect a more diverse spectrum of stories and characters, Aimée joins us on the podcast this week to talk about the journey they’ve taken so far, the realties and challenges of setting up shop, and share her advice on working as a creative partnership. ... This episode of Creative Lives was recorded at The Story, a one-day conference organised by content studio, Storythings. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest this week is magazine-enthusiast and expert Jeremy Leslie, the founder of editorial-design resource MagCulture​. He talks us through the journey that led him to turning his passion project into a full-time pursuit, gives us his thoughts on the industry’s current landscape, and what makes for exemplary editorial design.​

Originally from Ontario, Canada, Katee is a strategy director at creative agency, Kindred in London. But when she’s not doing that, you’ll often find her on a football pitch. Katee founded community football club, Hackney Laces in 2011. Starting with a small team, the community has since grown. Hackney Laces now supports over 200 girls in East London with developing skills both on and off the pitch – offering help with things like job applications and securing work experience. Katee fills us in on some of the challenges she faced after graduation, balancing her time, and how her love of football helped her create not only professional connections, but real communities. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On this week’s podcast, we get to know rising director of photography, Joel Honeywell, whose work includes projects with Vogue, Dazed, i-D and Vice, as well as production companies like Partizan and Somesuch. After years of climbing through the ranks of the camera department, he recently made a bold career leap into cinematography, resulting in award-winning content and a job he truly loves. We talk about how he got his start, his favourite projects and finding satisfaction in your role. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we're joined by Ruby Wight, senior integrated designer at fashion powerhouse, Burberry. Ruby currently heads up a team of four designers to realise some of the brand’s most engaging and ambitious campaigns, both physically and digitally. She joins us on the podcast to discuss her role, and reflect on a career journey that took her from Glasgow School of Art to the art departments of magazines, then branding agencies in LA and London, before finding her place in the fashion world. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

For our latest podcast, we chat to Nafisa Bakkar, the CEO and co-founder behind Amaliah.com, a media platform amplifying the voices of muslim women. She talks to us about unexpectedly finding her way to a creative role after studying natural sciences, how she tackles imposter syndrome and her inspiring advice for anyone who hasn’t yet nailed exactly what they want to do. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we meet strategic account director and comedian, Adam Larter. After studying politics and creative writing at Kingston University, Adam tells us how he found himself in the world of advertising after landing a spot on a graduate scheme at Ogilvy, and how he eventually came to work in strategy. Alongside his full-time role at London-based agency, Studio Black Tomato, Adam is also the founder of comedy collective the Weirdos Comedy Club. Listen in as he talks about balancing work in both advertising and comedy, and the benefits of having outside interests. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we hear from New York-based data journalist and illustrator, Mona Chalabi. With an inimitable visual style that strays far from cold and clinical graphs and charts, Mona has, in her own words, set out to “take the numb out of numbers.” We talked to her about how she found her way to journalism, what she prefers about working in the States and how she came to drawing through a particularly unhappy period at work. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, Colophon Foundry, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we meet Wieden+Kennedy planner and strategist, Ayo Fagbemi. Graduating with a BA in politics and international relations, Ayo found his way to advertising after being handpicked to join W+K’s creative incubator program, The Kennedy’s last year. Spending four months learning the ropes, he was later offered an internship and hired as a full-time creative strategist earlier this year. He talks about pushing brands to create positive change, how his interest in politics influences his approach to work; and why it can be beneficial to replenish commercial work with passion projects. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week we get a thorough insight into the world of brand strategy, with our guest James Groves. Originally trained in graphic design, James has now earned over 15 years experience in the industry. In that time he’s worked both in-house and independently, in roles that have ranged from creative and art director to marketing manager and strategy consultant. He now runs his own brand strategy company, Alt, which works with clients like Paypal, font specialists Monotype and co-working space Uncommon. We hear the journey that took James from studying graphic design at the University of Lincoln, to identifying an interest in strategy. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest this week is Dan Sandison, editor-in-chief of Mundial magazine. Launched in 2014 as an alternative to the laddy football publications of the time, Mundial is a quarterly magazine championing the uplifting side of football culture. It attracts around 120,000 readers annually and is now stocked in both WH Smith and Barnes & Noble, as well as independent stores across the world. Dan tells us all about how he went from writing for free between factory work, to running a fully fledged creative studio and magazine with a team of eight people. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress in conjunction with ModMag London. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week’s guest is New York-based writer and editor Deidre Dyer, whose inspiring journey has seen her go from retail work, to serving as style editor at The Fader magazine, to overseeing marketing for a cannabis start-up. But more recently, Deidre was made executive editor of ‘No Man’s Land’, which is a biannual print magazine founded by American company The Wing. We hear how Deidre earned a degree in Media Studies, but it was only at the age of 25 that she embarked on a related. She describes the highs lows and lessons learned through her path so far. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress in conjunction with ModMag London. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we chat to Stefanie Sword-Williams, an account director at media company and agency TCO London. Alongside her day job, Stefanie also runs the unapologetically titled F*ck Being Humble, an events series and self-promotion platform, founded earlier this year. Since graduating with a degree in fashion communication, she has worked her way around various roles in advertising between Nottingham, Manchester and now London. She tells us about her route into agency work, what prompted her to start her own initiative, and how the role of an account manager varies across different companies. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

In this week’s podcast we get to know Rod Stanley – the former editor of Dazed & Confused, now working from New York as a writer, director and editor of Good Trouble, a publication combining creativity and protest. This is the first in our series of conversations recorded at the recent ModMag London, a one-day editorial conference created by magazine store and editorial-design resource MagCulture. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing these conversations with speakers from the day, as they discuss their start in the world of editorial, thoughts on what makes for a great magazine, and advice for others wanting to get into the same area of work. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress in conjunction with ModMag London. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest on the podcast this week is Blue State Digital's executive creative director, Matt Ipcar. Sharing pivotal moments and highlights from his career so far, he tells us about studying architecture and his first jobs – designing automotive print ads, to working as a design lead on both Obama campaigns. Originally from New York, we met with Matt after he took to the stage at Design Manchester to find out more about his role, creating work that positively impacts the world – and the email he once sent to Steve Jobs. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, Sky Creative Agency, G.F Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we meet Charlie Drinkwater, art director at Island Records’ London office. While having an in-house design team isn’t necessarily the norm for music labels, this is something that Charlie feels is changing, with full-time design roles on the up. As more and more musical artists choose to go independent, Charlie says that many labels are feeling the pressure to offer more. He looks back at his route into industry – talking us through the scope of his work before sharing his advice on making yourself known to commissioners as a freelance creative. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Since year eight at secondary school, Leyya Sattar knew she wanted to work in the creative industry. Her role model? American TV show Ugly Betty’s Wilhelmina Slater; “Seeing a woman of colour in such a position of power made me feel like [...] I wanted to be a creative director.” But after completing her graphic design BA and working her way into a great job, Leyya became frustrated with a distinct lack of real-life role models, and felt that discussions around diversity didn’t always account for the breadth of underrepresented voices. In this week’s podcast, we find out how Leyya went about promoting the change she wanted to see, how her career has taken shape and the learnings she’s gathered along the way. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

You might not know it, but you’ve probably already seen some of Samir Hussein’s work. Having photographed everyone from A-list celebrities to the Royal family, Samir’s pictures have been used on front pages of national newspapers, inside the pages of magazines, TV stills and even an Australian postage stamp. On the podcast this week, we find out how he came to specialise in this area of photography, the reality of attending high-profile events and some of his stand-out experiences. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week on the podcast, we meet Emma Gannon, whose varied work has seen her become a bestselling author and reach millions of people with her blockbuster podcast CTRL ALT DELETE. Having grown a reputation and following as a blogger – in what might be referred to as the ‘blogging heyday’ of 2009 – Emma has been able to establish a career on her own terms, and is an impassioned advocate for flexible, varied and self-sufficient working. This approach is something she’s come to refer to as the multi-hyphenate method – the title of her second book, which was released earlier this year. Emma tells us how she manages her productivity and shares tips for anyone wanting to adopt a multifaceted approach to their work. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we sat down with the V&A’s curator of digital design, Natalie Kane. Working in the V&A’s Design, Architecture and Digital department, as a curator, it’s Natalie’s job to think about how the museum collects, cares for and displays digital objects. Originally an English Literature graduate from Portsmouth University, Natalie recounts her ‘very wonky’ career trajectory – from landing various volunteering roles and learning to code, to taking up her position at the V&A last year. Explaining what it means to collect ‘boundless’ digital objects, Natalie talks about what it means to have ‘curator hands’; telling alternative stories with objects; and how working on co-founded curatorial project, Haunted Machines, ties into her curatorial practice. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week we meet Jules Young, who works at the intersection of the food and creative industries. As an agent and office manager for agency HERS, she has become specialised in a particularly niche field: food styling. We hear about the evolution of the craft, along with her own, non-traditional route to this line of work, and the wide-ranging projects she matches the right talent with. With the rise of food start-ups, the continual cycle of new restaurants, pop-ups, dining trends and ongoing product marketing, food photography is booming, with food photographers and stylists finding their work more in demand than ever before. One company feeling this spike in activity is HERS, the agency where Jules has worked for the past 4.5 years, which represents prop and food stylists. Before overseeing the day to day running of the HERS office and representing stylists, Jules had an unlikely route into the industry. As a young mum, she tells us how her working journey began in non-creative admin positions, and slowly progressed to something that really captured her imagination. She shares her favourite part of the job, her thoughts on getting into a similar role and her tips to anyone considering going into food styling. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, Google, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

This week, we sat down with American photographer Cait Oppermann to talk about sports, self-promotion and why she is ‘obsessed’ with her own productivity. A graduate of Pratt Institute’s photography course in Brooklyn, New York, Cait’s work has taken her all over the world. Working across editorial and commercial work, these days she counts the likes of Nike, Wired and TIME magazine as clients. Cait’s photographs, rich with colour and intrigue, showcase a range of subjects, including sports stars, athletes and strange subcultures. And in the past, Cait has photographed everything from the world’s most expensive cars and the Westminster Dog Show to Nike’s attempt to break the two-hour marathon record in Kenya and later, Milan. On top of this, Cait also avidly pursues a healthy roster of personal work. In fact, it was a personal project documenting the US Women’s National football team in 2015 that helped land her more sports-related commercial projects. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Marianne Hanoun and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand partners – they include ustwo, G . F Smith, The Paul Smith Foundation and Google.

In this week’s podcast we go behind the camera and into the world of broadcasting, to find out what it’s like to work in big TV studios. Throughout his time as a freelancer, multi-camera director Jan Genesis has worked with companies including Channel 4, Sky, BBC and ITV. His work can range from directing studio-based programmes such as news, chat or games shows, to on-location shoots for sports coverage and reality TV – recently completing the latest season of Love Island. Jan reflects on the ways that industry has changed in the years since he was just starting out, both in terms of access into entry-level work and emerging roles. Plus, he considers the ways new talent can contact and stand out to employers, and shares why building resilience in the face of rejection will be your most powerful asset for a career in TV and broadcasting: “In my experience you have to be thick-skinned. You’ve got to ask yourself: What’s the worst that can happen? [...] If you’re always worried about annoying someone, your probably not going to get too far.” ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand patrons – they include ustwo, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

On the podcast this week, we meet Joana Filipe, an exhibition and interior designer, who also works as a creative producer for ELCAF, London’s biggest annual festival for comics and illustration. Not simply a designer for traditional art spaces, Joana’s clients have included Thames and Hudson, Greenpeace and Converse – as well as the London-based Now Gallery, Fashion Space Gallery and selected universities. We hear how she went from studying sculpture in her hometown to moving to London and assisting at the V&A, before establishing her own practice. Joana begins by describing the role and responsibilities of an exhibition designer, before telling us what her work looks like day to day, running her own business from a shared studio in east London. She also describes her work with ELCAF – a three-day annual event to celebrate with comic artists and illustrators, which she has helped organise, produce and develop since 2013. Originally founded by independent publisher Nobrow in 2012, it now hosts over 170 participating artists each year. With exhibitor stands, talks, screenings and workshops to consider, Joana will manage overall spatial design to optimise visitor experience. Having grown up in Lisbon and studied sculpture there, Joana describes her route into exhibition design – from a hands-on education in physical materials, to co-founding a company specialised in art fabrication. After three years of running the business with her brother, she decided to make a change, moving to London to study at Central Saint Martins, and then taking up work at the V&A. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand patrons – they include ustwo, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Oscar Hudson is a London-based director whose work spans music videos, documentaries, short films and commercials. In the last year alone he’s received over 15 notable awards – earning the title of UKVMAS’s Best Director, Creative Circle’s Silver award and Rotterdam International Film Festival’s audience award, to name a few. With a distinct style and approach that often champions unusual and trippy techniques, he fills us in on his process and an unlikely route into filmmaking. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand patrons – they include ustwo, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.

Our guest this week is Phoenix Perry, an independent game designer, lecturer, and activist, and was recorded on July 27th in London. Born and raised in the states, Phoenix moved to London in 2015, joining Goldsmiths as a lecturer, where she established her own MA programme. With a love of making things, building communities and exploring topics close to her heart, Phoenix has already lived a few different lives both creatively and professionally – from attending art school, to becoming a touring artist, band member and gallerist, then finding success in the world of advertising, before giving that up to pursue a more fulfilling and independent path. She fills us in on the current landscape in game design, why she decided to co-found an organisation to teach women and non-gender conforming individuals to code, and her advice on starting out. ... This episode of Creative Lives was brought to you by Lecture in Progress. It was presented by Indi Davies and the editor was Ivor Manly. Lecture in Progress is made possible with the support of a number of brand patrons – they include ustwo, GF Smith and The Paul Smith Foundation.