Creatives Offscript

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We're pulling back the curtain on the industry's leading creatives - from film directors to creative directors to CMOs and more - to learn how they did it. No bull interviews and inspiration on how to grow your career, pull off the shot, or come up with the next big thing.

Nate Watkin


    • May 23, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 45m AVG DURATION
    • 32 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Creatives Offscript podcast is a refreshing and inspiring show that delves into the mechanics and creative processes involved in filmmaking, advertising, and various creative careers. Hosted by Nate, the podcast features interviews with guests from diverse roles within the industry, shining a spotlight on individuals who often don't receive much recognition or airtime. This unique approach allows for conversations that cover new ground and provide practical insight and inspirational content.

    One of the best aspects of The Creatives Offscript podcast is the honesty with which the guests share their journeys to success. It's truly inspiring to hear about their struggles, failures, and triumphs, as well as the arduous efforts they put in to become successful. This authenticity serves as a valuable reminder for aspiring creatives that while pursuing a creative career can be challenging, it is also immensely rewarding. The show provides motivation and business insights while also showcasing the difficulties inherent in these industries.

    Another highlight of this podcast is its diversity. The guests come from different backgrounds and represent various disciplines within the creative industry. This diversity not only provides a range of perspectives but also emphasizes that success in these fields is attainable for anyone who is tenacious and confident in their abilities. It's empowering to listen to freelancers trying to break into the film industry being introduced to seasoned creatives at top agencies and production companies and hearing their stories of rise to success.

    In terms of drawbacks, there are none that stand out significantly. However, some listeners might find that certain episodes focus more on specific disciplines or industries within creativity than others. While this may limit the relevance for some listeners depending on their interests, overall, The Creatives Offscript podcast offers a great mix of topics and subjects.

    In conclusion, The Creatives Offscript podcast is an exceptional source of inspiration and education for anyone interested in creative careers or those already working in these industries. With its honest conversations, diverse range of guests, actionable advice, and motivating stories of success and failure, this podcast is a must-listen for independent contractors, studio owners, agency executives, directors, marketers, and anyone looking to gain insights into the creative industry.



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    Latest episodes from Creatives Offscript

    Creating a Client Focused Design Process with Mitch Monson, Sibling Rivalry

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2024 45:25


    00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:14 Mitch's Unique Journey into the Creative Industry00:42 From ROTC to Creative Space: A Personal Story03:54 The Big Break: Meeting Prince and Changing Trajectories05:37 Working with Prince: Insights and Experiences09:53 The Entrepreneurial Leap: Starting a Production Company14:55 The Evolution of a Creative Career: From Entrepreneur to Intrapreneur18:45 Inside Sibling's Creative Process: Collaboration and Innovation21:57 The Power of In-Person Workshops and Client Engagement35:46 Adapting Processes and Tooling for Client Success38:52 Career Reflections and Advice

    Building a Production Company in 2024 with Dustin Devlin, Vagrants

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2024 50:48


    00:00 Intro00:38 Diving into Dustin's Filmmaking Journey03:17 The Birth of Vagrants: From Concept to Reality10:33 Navigating the World of Original Content and Brand Collaborations17:04 Inside the Creative Process: Balancing Directing and Entrepreneurship19:39 A Deep Dive into Producing Content: The Rhode Island Tourism Board Project26:01 Exploring Production Company Partnerships26:42 The Organic Growth and Vision of Pennant and Vagrants27:35 Specializing in Different Parts of the Funnel: A Strategic Move31:36 The Power of Saying No and Choosing Projects Wisely34:43 The Evolution of Production Companies and Niche Specialization37:12 Embracing Generative AI in the Content Industry45:10 Behind the Scenes: Producing a One-Take Robot Dog Commercial50:27 Reflections and Future Collaborations

    Original Content Production Pipelines with David Weinstein, Complex

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2023 46:27


    David Weinstein is the former VP of Production at Complex and Buzzfeed, where he oversaw production for a multitude of original content properties, and helped shepherd the media company giant through COVID and the transition to cloud based workflows. David is now taking on his next challenge at Pro League Network, where he'll be spearheading content strategy for untapped and emerging sports verticals. In this episode David tells us his career path into production leadership roles, and gives us an in-depth breakdown of his workflow and tools for managing a large content pipeline.

    Scaling In-House Creative Operations with Dmitry Shamis, Hubspot

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2023 50:00


    Dmitry Shamis is the Global Head of Creative for Hubspot. Dmitry started his career working in the mail room at Paradigm, and ended up as the creative leader for Hubspot, where he transformed a small service based group into an in-house agency with over 140 employees. In this episode, Dmitry walks us through his framework for scaling creative operations at an in-house agency.

    Inside Saturday Night Live's Production Process with Hannah Levy, Director

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2023 46:38


    Hannah Levy has directed Saturday Night Live sketches for the likes of Billie Eilish, John Mulaney and Kim Kardashian. She is now repped by Tool of North America and has her first film in development with Paramount. In this episode Hannah tells us the story of getting signed to direct at SNL, and takes us through their warp speed creative development and production processes that happens like clockwork every single week. She also tells us the tools and techniques she personally uses to visualize and direct her material.

    Building a World Class Production Company with Rajan Patel, President at Framework

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 71:59


    Rajan Patel is the President and Executive Producer at Framework, one of Hollywood's top entertainment marketing companies with a client list that reads like a who's who at the Oscars - names like Disney, HBO, Marvel, Netflix and many more. In this episode we talk about Rajan's humble beginnings working in his parents motels, how he moved to Los Angeles and found his way into entertainment, and tactical advice on running a production company, building a culture, and developing yourself as a leader.

    Fusing Brand & Product with Cedric Devitt, CCO of Big Spaceship

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2023 42:27


    Cedric Devitt is the Chief Creative Officer at Big Spaceship, a New York based independent agency with a client list that includes JetBlue, Starbucks and Google. Cedric is an industry veteran whose accolades include helming MRY as social media agency of the year, and also founding the US Air Guitar Championships. In this episode, we talk about the importance of resiliency as a creative thinker, finding the magic in the room through reduction and the necessity of fusing brand and product.

    Being Forward Obsessed with Pete Sena, Founder of Digital Surgeons

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2022 47:01


    Pete Sena is a serial entrepreneur, futurist, investor and CEO coach. Amongst his many initiatives, he is the founder of Digital Surgeons, a brand experience design consultancy, and also runs the co-working space District, a founder community, podcast and much more. Pete is a firm believer in being forward obsessed, and constantly learning new technologies to position yourself for success. In this episode we talk about opportunities to start businesses in AI, the importance of community in the next ten years, and some one-on-one consulting for yours truly.

    Finding Your Creative Inspiration with Tristan Irving, Street Artist

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2022 45:09


    Tristan Irving is a Portland based street artist made famous by his striking paintings of historical figures such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Frida Kahlo and George Floyd. The latter was featured prominently during the protests and led to him being honored by the Portland Mayor's Office. In this interview we talk about his struggle with alcoholism, the impact Dan Wieden had on his life, and how one of his mentors inspired him to believe in himself as an artist.

    AI as a Co-Creator with Iain S. Thomas, Bestselling Author & VICE / VIRTUE

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2022 50:03


    Iain S. Thomas is a #1 bestselling author, poet and AI evangelist. His latest book "What Makes Us Human" uses GPT-3 artificial intelligence to answer some of humanity's greatest questions. He also works as Group Creative Director at VICE's in-house agency VIRTUE, where he helped launch the Cannes Grand Prix winning campaign "Backup Ukraine". In this interview, we talk about the tragic inspiration behind Iain's latest book, the philosophical questions surrounding AI, and a glimpse into what the future of co-creation with artificial intelligence will look like.

    Operational Secrets of Top Creative Studios with Joel Pilger, Consultant at REVthink

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2022 56:26


    Joel Pilger is a former studio owner and now global consultant for REVthink, where he helps top creative companies unlock their potential through strategic positioning, pricing and operations. In this episode, we talk about his experiences running and selling a creative studio, how to deliver a memorable client experience, and why he believes in getting rid of the line item bid forever.

    The Future of Creative Work with Patrick Holly, Executive Creative Director at Upwork

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2022 50:48


    Patrick Holly is the Executive Creative Director at Upwork, where he leads a global team comprised of 80% freelancers to deliver Upwork's vision for the future of work. In this interview we discuss his experiences launching a content platform with Steph Curry, understanding a brand's storytelling potential and, of course, what the future of work looks like for the creative industry.

    Anomaly: Azsa West

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2022 35:46


    Azsa West is the Executive Creative Director at Anomaly, where she brings her multi-disciplined background of design, art, filmmaking and photography to lead their creative team. In this episode, we talk about her alternative education as part of the W+K 12; a "cult disguised as an experimental school" within Wieden+Kennedy's walls, as well as the inspiration behind her creative direction, art exhibits, screenwriting projects and filmmaking pursuits.

    Stept Studios: Davey Spens

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 47:43


    Davey Spens is the Creative Director of Entertainment at Stept Studios, where he leads a team to create category defining branded entertainment for their clients. In this interview, we discuss his background as a magazine entrepreneur, art director for Glass Animals, producer on Vice and much more, along with his vision for the future of branded entertainment.

    Revery: Davis Priestley

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2022 50:25


    Davis Priestly is the owner of Revery and producer extraordinaire, having touched almost every type of content and storytelling. Davis has produced everything from TV shows such as Project Runway, to feature films like Clementine, to branded and non-profit work for the likes of Nike, Pharrell Williams and more. In this episode, Davis takes us through his journey of breaking into the film industry at age 13 and making a name for himself ever since.

    Swift: Marni Beardsley

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2022 47:58


    Marni Beardsley is an advertising veteran, with 25 years of experience at Wieden+Kennedy leading and transforming their integrated art production team into a modern content powerhouse. She is now the Chief Production Officer at Swift and oversees their content team along with a 30,000 foot in-house production studio. In this episode she talks about life and lessons learned along the way in her exciting career.

    MUH-TAY-ZIK: Joel Kaplan

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2022 43:55


    Joel Kaplan is the Executive Creative Director and Partner at MUH-TAY-ZIK/HOF-FER, and has been behind award-winning campaigns for Netflix, Nike and Burger King, helped launch the iconic franchise Halo, and even directed films for Hulu. In this episode we follow Joel's career path as he tells us about going from temp receptionist at an ad agency to partner at one of the most well known firms in the industry.

    Jam3: Dirk Van Ginkel

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 32:50


    Dirk Van Ginkel is the Executive Creative Director at Jam3 and has been responsible for launching the Jam3 Amsterdam office. With a belief that the future is coming at us faster every day, Dirk and his team help brands create experiences on the bleeding edge of innovation. Listen as we discuss merging with MediaMonks, the future of AI, NFTs, community building and more.

    GSD&M: Jay Russell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2022 34:36


    Jay Russell is the Chief Creative Officer for GSD&M, the powerhouse Austin-based agency behind campaigns such as Popeye's Chicken Sandwich wars. Join us on this special episode live from the Cannes Lions as Jay teaches us about finding the tension in a campaign, learning to stand by your opinion, and running around the world (twice).

    Portal A: Lex Halaby

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 40:36


    Lex Halaby is the Creative Director at Portal A, where he leads a team of writers, directors and designers to create content on the bleeding edge of innovation. With a passion for XR, he pushes the boundaries of VR, AR and MR to re-imagine what's possible. Learn about about his family's journey immigrating from Palestine, to becoming a professional film director, to leading creative for Portal A in this interview.

    Mother LA: Erin Goodsell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2022 25:43


    Erin Goodsell is the Head of Production for Mother, AdAge's winner of International Agency of the Year. With experience as a producer for Wieden+Kennedy, 72andSunny and Deutsch, Erin tells us her story of paving a career path in the production industry.

    Tool of North America: Brig

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2022 47:20


    Brig is a commercial director and photographer for Tool of North America, a TEDx speaker, and winner of 11 Cannes Lions including the Top Young Director in 2015. In this interview, hear about how he risked his life savings to break into the world of directing and how he crafted his unique style from his background in art and design.

    SpecialGuest: Aaron Duffy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 47:40


    Aaron Duffy was named the #1 Most Creative Person by Business Insider and has landed on similar lists for AdWeek and CreativityOnline. As a creative director, director and co-founder of New York based creative agency SpecialGuest, he's stacked up multiple Cannes Lions and even a spot in MoMa with groundbreaking work for Google, Facebook, Spotify and more. In this episode, learn about how he used his influences in sculpting and the natural world to define his signature creative style.

    Director: Ian Pons Jewell

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 40:57


    Ian Pons Jewell is a luminary in the commercial directing world, being voted the #1 commercial director globally by industry producers for the second year in a row. He has directed spots for Apple, Oculus, XBOX, Jack Daniels and many more. In this episode, learn about his rapid ascent to the top of the commercial directing industry, and he he developed his unique surrealistic style.

    Film Riot: Ryan Connolly

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2021 61:56


    Ryan Connolly is a film director and owner of Film Riot, a YouTube channel about filmmaking with over 1.8 million subscribers. Ryan paved his way into a Hollywood directing career by launching this weekly filmmaking show taking viewers behind the scenes as he learned the ropes of film directing. In this episode, Ryan talks about his journey, self-producing and directing 18 short films, and how he signed with a manager that opened doors into Hollywood. Sign up for a free trial of Assemble at www.assemble.tv and receive 20% off using the discount code: offscript

    Director: Matt Alonzo

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2021 42:25


    Matt Alonzo is one of hip hop's most renowned music video directors, having directed work for the likes of Lil Wayne, The Game, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and many more. In this interview we talk about how he cracked into the music video industry in Los Angeles, his search for a mentor in the early days, and how he's translated his success into artist development, music management and more.

    LEGO: James Gregson

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2020 36:14


    James Gregson is the Head of Social Studio at LEGO's internal creative agency. In this episode, James talks about how he first started in advertising and details his experience transitioning from starting his own branding agency to working at LEGO. He also dives into the ins-and-outs of his current role at LEGO, shares insight into how he balances family and work, and provides valuable advice for those looking to break into the industry.

    Musicbed: Daniel McCarthy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2020 60:14


    Daniel McCarthy is the CEO & Founder of Musicbed and Filmsupply, the premier music and stock footage licensing platforms for the creative industry. In this episode, Daniel tells us about how he risked it all to go from agency owner to tech entrepreneur, and changed an entire industry along the way.

    Prettybird: Ali Brown

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2020 53:33


    Ali Brown is the President of Prettybird, an award winning production company with trophies from the Cannes Lions, One Show, Clio Awards and more. Ali has also produced the award winning Sundance film Possibilia, served as the AICP/West President and presided over the Young Director's Award Jury in Cannes 2018. But her journey to the top didn't come without it's fair share of struggles. In this episode, Ali tells us about her humble beginnings in the industry, the life changing accident that turned her world upside down, and how she outworked everyone on her path to success.

    MediaMonks: Olivier Koelemij

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2020 30:08


    Olivier Koelemij is the Founder and Managing Director of MediaMonks Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the Los Angeles team has grown to over 125 “Monks” in less than 5 years, acquired multiple companies, and built out a beautiful studio space on Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach. An entrepreneur from the start, Olivier transitioned both his career and his hometown when he moved to the US from his native Netherlands eight years ago. Since then, he’s contributed greatly to MediaMonks’ global presence as one of the largest production companies in the world with over 2,500 employees across 40 locations and 29 countries. On this episode we talk about life changes, leadership and the MediaMonks philosophy for producing content.

    Peloton: Carolyn Tisch Blodgett

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2020 47:27


    Carolyn Tisch Blodgett is the former Global Head of Marketing for Peloton, the cycling company that has revolutionized at-home fitness. In this episode, Carolyn gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like scaling Peloton from their humble beginnings in a WeWork office to a global, publicly traded company. She also dishes on creating the aspirational brand identity for Peloton, and gives us an honest account on the difficulties behind balancing motherhood and running a rapidly growing company.

    Goodby Silverstein & Partners: Margaret Johnson

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2020 32:48


    Margaret Johnson is the Chief Creative Officer at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, one of the foremost advertising agencies in the US, and also serves on the board of the One Show and Facebook’s Creative Council. But it didn't come easy. As an aspiring creative straight out of school, Margaret did everything but go through the motions. She knew that in order to find success, she had to be willing to put in the work - even if that meant cold calling fifty different advertising agencies. Margaret walks us through her journey to success, and also dives into other topics including Goodby cultural rituals and the future of remote work.

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