Keep Creative

#023 - Ever wondered how Sruthi Dhulipala juggles doing Hollywood PR full-time and forging her own identity as an indie singer/songwriter on the side? Join Connor as dives into a deep and meaningful conversation with Sruthi about all things creative! Here's what we touch on:imitation is the greatest form of flatterychoosing mastery or being a Jack or Jill of all tradesmusic as a relationshipwrestling social media comparisons and unnecessarily harsh self-criticismhow creating something everyday is a useful metricbeing a type-A creative personalitywriting songs to your future self / future childrenhow an engineering graduate from India became a publicist in Hollywoodmusicians are a bandfear of bombing or making something to no applause prevents creatives from attempting ideas with full abandonhow a branding matrix can be the most important thing you do after this podcastwriter's block and what to do thencalming the mind for creativityimitating leads to originalitythe power of showersletting others judge you (because they will anyways), but not judging yourselflimiting your attempts to prevent unproductive perfectionismcreating with purpose vs nottask switching when the going gets toughthoughts on harbouring a healthier mental relationship with the technology and platforms we use to make and share our artwhat you can do to be more creativeYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/sruthidhulipala

#022 - Ever wondered how a live drummer & musician turns YouTube content creation into a full-time job? Join Connor Schumer as he interviews Ed Thorne about his journey and creativity.Here's what we cover:The state of saturation in today's modern online media platforms (Spotify, YouTube, etc.)How self-belief triumphs over saturationHow COVID devastated live gigging musicians and led Ed to start his YouTube careerHow losing all live gigs impact's a musician's mental healthStanding out onlineEd's experiences as a professional drummerCreating an album and documenting the processHow Instagram ruined photographyThe disconnect between creating and consuming contentHow live skills can translate to YouTubeIdentifying with your artOpportunities to earn money through YouTubeHow success is often slow, but exponential (case in point: Sanjay C)The most important thing and why: consistencyManaging expectations when becoming a "YouTuber"How hard it is to replicate YouTube success or videos that do get picked up by the algorithmSuperseding your own expectationsExperiences with burnoutExperimenting with your contentDealing with online criticismBuilding momentum onlineExperiences in marketing music onlinePerspectives on confidence issues and whether performing helps or hinders themWorking hard vs focusing that workThe importance of passion in beating burnoutAccepting others will never see the work you put inThe dulled senses of consumersNavigating mental blocksValuing variety in your routineHow Peter McKinnon raised the bar on YouTube and what that means for other creatorsLearning the fundamentalsYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/edthorne

#021 - Curious about how the challenges that a video game sound designer and musician faces are not too different from your own? Join Connor as he interviews Cajsa Larsson about her journey and insights in creativity.Here's what we cover:How to cope with not having the equipment you (think) you need to be creativeHow having too many tools or options can actually be cumbersome and counter-productiveFinding time for creativity amidst a busy schedule by analysing where your time is spent each dayDealing with feeling drained at the end of a work or school day and wanting to do something creativeSwitching your mindset from that of seeking external gratification to seeking joy in your creative processThe stigma against quitting and why it's unneededChasing opportunitiesUsing app blockers and dodging social media for greater productivityUsing inspiration on command to control your motivationUsing distraction to spiral back into controlDealing with being distracted and procrastinating when you are supposed to be doing something elseFinding authenticity and your voice in your limitationsLeaning into what side tracks youCreative productivityYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/cajsalarsson

#020 - Ever wondered how a creative entrepreneur turns their side-hustle of using play and game concepts to improve education into a full-time vocation? Join Connor Schumer as he interviews Kim Chouard about his journey and creative ideas.Here's what we cover:how being in the present, meeting new people and going places helps you stay creativeavoiding burnout by knowing when you need to rechargesparking new creativity in education systems as an entrepreneurbaby steps to a full-time job based on your creative passionsan early love for coding and learning, but not school itselfthe creative culture of Franceusing a game approach to learningthe difference between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurshow choosing and cultivating a sense of ownership is key to learningbeing stubborn and facing the rejectionusing rejection to evolve your ideanurturing luck to help your hustlecreating the game Age of Makersgetting an idea picked up by a companywhat it's like to try running a non-profitthe value of mistakesusing creativity as a means for expression and social changehow music in particular changes your perspective of life and othershow a growth mindset is not enoughthe different ways passion can manifesthow everyone has something to teachbeing trapped in your comfort zonethe (few) perks of being forced to stay at home amidst COVIDthe importance of gratitude for everyday goods and services (like the internet, cafes, parks, etc.)how routine, sport, mental care and other activities are super valuable in maintaining your creativity and keeping you centred or energisedhow often times when we struggle learning, what's missing is the reason whyhow to grow through adviceusing tech as a toolrepurposing game addictionbreaking down the comfort zoneYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/kimchouard

#019 - Ever wondered how an aspiring animation student goes on to create a yoga for beginners business reaching 1,000,000 people online? Join Connor as he interviews Victor Foote about his journey and insights in creativity.Here's what we cover:Victor's journey from aspirational animator to reaching 1,000,000 people online through his yoga business, Yoga RoveThe importance of communication skills and tools like headspace for navigating the busy modern worldA bunch of books and resources that could help you be more successful with your creativityHow a path of questions can unfold into a journey like hisImportance of surrounding yourself with constantly improving mentors and peers and how that's possible with online coursesSeveral discoveries through pursuing a career in the police force also which opened his eyes to the limitations we often place upon ourselvesTrying and pursuing whatever interests you in the moment in order to gain different perspectivesHow having those perspectives to draw from, as well as a practise of reflection can help you find the things that really strike a chord in yourself and others like youFear can be a sign of a good pathBeing your own boss has its challengesHow niching down to the ONE THING (it's a book reference) in many aspects of life is key in whatever you pursueDelaying gratification with dopamine detoxes and other practises is the superpower we're all depraved of in today's western culture steeped in tech and on-demand everythingSocial anxiety and shifting perspectives to develop the skills you lackMeditation seems to be the one thing many people attribute a large amount of their success and gratification towardsDelegating can be hard for creative typesEven the biggest creators have imposter syndrome just like you and ISelf-sabotage and how scaling up your thinking is a viable path around itValuing yourself is the key to others valuing you and your work alsoReverse engineering what makes you uncomfortableEverything is figure-out-ableBeing an idea machineHow momentum builds momentumYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/victorfoote

#018 - Have you ever wondered what it's like to make stylized art for video games like Fortnite? Join Connor as he interviews Tangi Bodio about all things creativity!We cover quite a few topics:how Tangi stepped into the world of video games the value of drawing as a skillart school in Francehow exploring many different aspects of art including its history is really helpful to your skillsetexperiences working with peculiar mediums like making art for 3D glasses (remember that?)Tangi's love of being involved in all aspects of a pipeline,drawing inspiration from everything you experience in life, even cooking!pros, cons and best practise when managing your social media presence the undeniable influence of online validation on your art practisehow to avoid stagnation when repeating the same old thing again and again (like in a job or practise regime)understanding why and how the tools, concepts and techniques you use to make your art work to create cohesion in your workhow developing your technique enables creativity, and how Tangi himself isn't a fan of practising and developing technical proficiency, but believes it's ultimately better than trying to work with no or poor techniqueexperiences working in games and on IP's like Fortnitepursuing a variety of jobs, from more stylized ones to hyper-real ones also in an effort to keep growingswitching it up when you feel you're settlingthe awful frustration and embarrassment we all face when going back to basics, but why it's ultimately one of the most worthwhile things you can dothe current culture of free online education and its perks and pitfallsan incredible analogy relating the pursuit of creativity to button mashing in a fighting gamethe inner battle we face between catching trends and creating the work that's meaningful to us (but often times less popular to audiences)how it's still ideal to pursue mastery of the fundamentals simultaneously or before attempting to stylize your creationscreative constraints and difficulties in dealing with managing your own personal expectationsthe sage advice Tangi would give himself were he to start all over again!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/tangibodio

#017 - Are you wondering what it's like to study video game art at university? Join Connor as he interviews Sophie Stübinger about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:Sophie's story to game artInspirations that pioneered an interest in a painterly 3D styleTips for self-learnersThe value of building personal portfolios for your career and developmentBeing purposeful with each creation Ensuring you continue learning whenever you sit down at your workstationManaging expectations Where a university course hits and misses the markHow to subvert expectations in visual artBuilding pieces inspired by or based upon other artist's work as a learning hackTransitioning from 2D to 3D art and what that's likeWhy Blender is Sophie's favourite software, and how awesome it is that it's a completely free program anyone could download and learn to create amazing worksPushing through procrastination Combating our tendencies to overthink everythingOvercoming art blockIncorporating social media into your creative life Dealing with its psychological side effects Keeping internally motivated and using feedback to find your blind spots.How discord and twitter are fostering incredibly close-knit communities for artists and game developers and how to leverage them for your development.Remembering that you're part of an artists cycle, where you're not as great as your idols, but are probably inspiring people yourself without realising itFinding good criticsManaging mental healthTaking breaks when you need them Pontificating on the current culture that doesn't yet talk about the links between mental health and creativity enough for the amount we all succumb to itYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/sophiestubinger

#016 - Are you curious what it's like to build a growing YouTube channel about music production on the side of a 9-5 day job and all those life responsibilities? Join Connor as he interviews Sanjay C about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:We talk Sanjay's journey from Travel vlogs to gear reviews and content for bedroom music producersHow a 10 year break from music forced him to see everything through brand new eyes and create content by documenting his re-learning journeyGetting the ball rolling with his YouTube channel from first video that succeededSanjay's rigorous creative routine in order to create multiple videos a week How content creation opens new avenues but also rabbit holes that can steer you from your original goalsAccepting a squiggly (not straight) life pathGeeking out about my favourite video of hisBalancing your time between creating what you feel like, and doing what meets demands of othersMisconceptions about content creatorsHow to find your voiceDifferentiating between what you want and what has been put in your head by social media and other influencesHow hard it is NOT to be driven by external forces (audience expectations, social media algorithms, trends, etc.)Fighting the algorithm with meaningful (albeit less popular) contentCreating your own pocket of the world where you belong and find other great people through establishing yourself in a nicheMotivation and techniques to keep creativeHow verbalizing your commitments keeps you accountableWhy the most special and unique-to-you endeavours take so much more work than you ever expectHow perfectionist behaviours can be a barrier to successThe best parts of being a succeeding YouTuberBattling burnout when you're on the brinkThe evergreen advice Sanjay would give himself if he started all over againYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/sanjayc

#015 - Ever dreamed of studying 3D game art at university? Join Connor as he interviews Nina Klos all things creativity.We cover quite a few topics:what it's like studying 3D art for games at universityhow self-teaching via the internet (like the rest of us) is a significant part of educationtips on persevering what leads creatives-in-the-making to burnoutmaking time for breaks when there is none nurturing a playful mindset to fight the frustration of learning new things sourcing feedback and why it's crucial to your growthNina's experience with anxiety how anxiety sabotages (and in at least one way assists) creativityimposter syndrome why we tend to hate our own work and how to deal with thatthe 3D modelling processinjecting personality into your portfolios in a "Where's Waldo/Wally" kind of waycreative continuityNina's views on style: its importance and how to get your owncopying from reference as a learning hackthe value of surrounding yourself within communities (in person and online with apps like Discord)reaching out of your comfort zone when you're shy or afraidfighting the creative stubbornness we all share which makes us think we need to do everything ourselvesthe advantage of failing publicly (be it online or in front of classmates) to your learningthe superweapon for Nina's creativity that is Gantt charts, a powerful productivity tool for setting mini deadlines or 'sprints'the value of detaching your identity from your work in order to make it better Nina's evergreen advice that she would give herself were she to start all over again You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/ninaklos

#014 - Are you curious what life is like for a self-made entrepreneur and self-development / book summary YouTube creator? Join Connor as he interviews Brandon Nankivell of One Percent Better about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:Lucid-dreaming and other eye-opening experiencesBook learning from a young ageJourney from IT student to entrepreneur and content creatorImportance of observing your favourite kinds of content and then making content to scratch the same itchCombining what you love, what you're good at and what's in demandEstablishing an effective online nicheFinding mentorshipTraditional education at university or college vs the rising availability of online alternativesThe value of developing your character and attitudeBrandon's journey through other industries such as ebook authoringWhy you should avoid being an ask-holeExperiences with burnoutLily-padding from YouTube creating to coaching othersObtaining financial freedom through your creationsImportant differences between employee and employer mindsetsHow you're missing out by not collaborating with life-mindsHow you're missing out by not outsourcing parts of your workflowOne Percent Better's creative process (from book, to script, to video)Mixing creative and analytical / engineer-like thinkingBreaking others' and your own creations apart to reconstruct something newThe winner's effect and how you can leverage it to stay persistentOvercoming creative fatigue and burnout when it happensChanging up your work or style to refresh your enthusiasmRetaining focusThe danger of deviating from what is already working for youBrandon's evergreen advice for creators and artists-in-the-makingYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/brandonnankivell

#013 - Ever wondered what life is like as a self-motivated independent game developer and YouTube creator? Join Connor as he interviews Reece Geofroy about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:Reece's journey from lost youth to self-taught game devTips for self-learningDocumenting a game's development on YouTubeWhy traditional education isn't a must-have in the indie communityThe helpfulness of qualificationsHow copying your favourite creations is the best learning curriculumImplementing structure in your learningReaching out and networkingKeeping connections intimate and personal, yet still respectableAppealing to people's humanityThe creative processCommitting to game development full-timeWhy you should think of your life in stagesBalancing time between creating and marketingDealing with burnout and depressionWhy we shouldn't idolize people (it's an excuse)Using college routines as a template for productivityThe advantage of externalizing our ambitionsNurturing a personal support networkCreating motivationThe difference between motivation and determinationWhy determination is betterTonnes of productivity talkTaking mini-vacations and why it's productiveMaintaining your sanity as an ambitious personPersonal organizationWhy you should dialogue with your future selfHow we over-estimate short-term goals and under-estimate long-term onesHow being your own boss is like being a kid with no parentsWhy being firm with yourself is essentialThe importance of style and why you don't want to settle on onePrioritizing your ideasKeeping consistentThe evergreen advice Reece would give himself if he were to start all over againYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/reecegeofroy

#012 - Ever wondered what life is like as a fresh out of college, professional animator for shows and cartoons? Join Connor as he interviews Ken Ackerman about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:The life of an early career animatorLanding a job straight out of college in the creative fieldsUnderstanding the performance triad of skill, speed and attitudeWhat 2 attributes you need to excel in a teamOpen your mind Checking your ego Thriving within a studio environmentArt blockThe difference between what your brain expects, and what you can actually doAccepting where you're at with your skillsetGetting and digesting feedback from other artistsCollaboration (and why us more introverted creatives can find it scary)Talent vs hard workHow to persistAvoiding the hole of self-pity we can often find ourselves in from time to timeSeparating yourself from your workWhy you should be sharing your workArtist atrophyTrusting others to be involved with your projectHow being uncomfortable can indicate that you're growingThe best part of being in a duo, group or teamTaking pride in your strengths Life-drawing as a learning toolThe best ways to explore new stylesThe advice Ken would give themselves, were they to start all over again!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/kenackerman

#011 - Ever wondered what life is like as an Ableton certified trainer, plug-in maker, producer and educator online and on YouTube? Join Connor as he interviews Tom Glendinning (ELPHNT) about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:Ableton certificationEducating music in the YouTube spaceOrigins of ELPHNTHow ELPHNT addresses the pain points of self-teaching musiciansWhy a laptop is more reliable than bandmatesHow old dreams make way for new onesWhy visuals are important in auditory art formsMaking a lasting initial impressionBringing attention to your creationsPlug-insHow visuals come first!What it's like for YouTube to reach out to you to make music for their libraryTeaching concepts through videoHabitsWhy flow is kind of a mythThe incredible power of short deadlinesCrafting a gripping story within a videoThe DAW-less movementWhy focussing on daily input-based goals (like making music for just 10 minutes a day) is the key to long-term creative victoryProductivity tips and techniquesThe excellence of collaborationHow collaborating makes you more accountable than if you were to work aloneBurnout and depressionLearning frustrations and how to deal with themThe negative effects of taking yourself too seriouslyDealing with external pressures to finish, upload and have your work liked and well-receivedCrazy method for beating burnoutDeleting your workWhy short, punchy tips & tricks video culture is ruining your ability to learn effectivelyHow it took Tom 10 years to get to a point of consistently appreciating his own musicMapping out the perfect self-learning planDifferent levels of self-education and their effectiveness vs costWhy style is not something you develop, but rather seek to discoverWhat advice he would give himself were he to start over againYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/elphnt

#010 - Ever wondered what life is like as a popular YouTuber and music producer? Join Connor as he interviews Jeremy Blake, sole creator of Red Means Recording about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:The value of infotainmentHow to inject education with novelty to find and keep an audienceInfotainmentThe 363,000 subscriber YouTube channel Red Means RecordingIts originsKey elementsTrajectoryIns and outs of YouTube as a broadcasting platform, and its lesser known quirksHow you can only ever expect approximately a third or less of your audience to see your latest uploadWhat it's like to have a video be picked up by the YouTube algorithm (almost a full year after its initial upload)His iconic and viral OP-1 synthesizer jamming videosHow Jeremy fell into what has grown to become his profession Toying around Forcing creative restrictions How the most painful creation to date of his (due to burnout ) became his most popular oneBeing honest with your short-comingsSelf-promotion Productivity tipsBreaking smart The crucial nature of physically distancing yourself from your work Why understanding musical genre is perhaps the most important element in your growth as an artistThe evergreen piece of advice he would give himself were he to start all over again! You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions or read our newsletter for creatives here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/jeremyblake

#009 - Ever wondered what it's like to collaborate with 3 mates on a comedy YouTube channel? Join Connor as he interviews Zack Stroud & Josh Quinn from BLANKS No One Asked For, about all things creative!PS: Please forgive the brand new budgie in the background trying to join in the podcast! He won't be so noisy next week.We cover quite a few topics:Importance of persistence Making a collaboration happenHow to go about involving friends or other creatives in a dream project of yours (like a YouTube channel)Collecting ideasOvercoming performance anxietyLetting go of what others think in order to make compelling contentDealing with embarrassmentHow to prioritize creativity amidst your and your team's everyday responsibilitiesHow creative outlets, whatever they may be for you, actually make life better and are necessary in 2020Community-first philosophyThe usefulness of batching your content to maintain a consistent output (or the illusion of it)The advice Zach and Josh would give themselves were they to start their creative venture all over again!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/blanksnooneaskedfor

#008 - Ever wondered what life is like as a multi-instrumentalist? Join Connor as he interviews Isaac Bruggemann, about all things creative.We cover quite a few topics:Understanding the changing habits of our audienceSwitching out of our own perspectivesPractice (what counts, how to optimize it, prioritising it, etc)What it's like to play alongside jazz legend James MorrisonHow to maximize your results by focusingFocus tipsHow hard it is today to stick to things long enough to become greatChallenges of communicating ideasLetting your work speak for itselfPicking up lesser-known or appreciated skills that make you more well-roundedKnowing the tools at your disposalJuggling learning and pursuing multiple instruments at onceHow to deal with the stresses of being an artistTips for procrastination, feeling like you're falling behind, overwhelm, self-criticism, failing to meet expectations, etc.Externalizing your fearsKeeping our larger-than-life goals achievable and ego in checkBeing aware of where you're at in your journey (and appreciating it)Saying yes to things which take you away from achieving your goalsHow to roadmap your own self-learningWhy the order of what you learn is importantThe importance of technique, universal skills and mental models in acquiring lots of skillsCultivating patienceHow artists can become serious and lose their sparkThe important of play and child-like wonderTaking failure personallySeparating our art from our identityBeating burnout when it happensWhat piece of advice Isaac would give himself if he were to start his creative journey all over againYou can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/isaacbruggemann

#007 - What do you get when three on the rise musicians with different educational backgrounds walk into a podcast? Today James hosts our second roundtable podcast with CWUP community members Caleb and Lucas about all things creative. So kick-back and enjoy the creative company.From education's impact on your creativity to the liberating revelation that nothing is original. This conversation is one you wont want to miss, no matter where you're at in your creative journey.You can learn more about our community for creatives at:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/roundtable2

#006 - Ever wished you could have thousands of followers on SoundCloud? Join Connor as he interviews Kevin Flores (AKA'd as Amacchi on Soundcloud), about all things creative.You'll learn Kevin's path to thousands of followers on Soundcloud and how long it took. We discuss what success means to him, making money with music, and getting your tracks on playlists. He also shares how much time is actually spent creating new music, and how inspiration can come from the games and media you consume. We ponder why the field of video game music might be so saturated and why it's okay to take your time to find the right pathway in education, and to be unafraid to drop-out. Kevin shares how he sometimes falls out of love with music due to a competitive mindset and how not worrying about the numbers can help. We come to a mutual agreement about the silliness of trying to please the people around us who don't get or care about our creativity, and whether having a style matter. We also talk about the endless cycle of inspiration, motivation, and action, as well as tips for beating creative block, the downside of cramming your art, why finishing new pieces, is so difficult, and the importance of honest feedback and critique to your success. Be sure to stick around to the end, because we'll close by asking Kevin what one piece of advice he would ask himself if he were to start all over again. This will be a creative break like no other!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/amacchi

#005 - Ever considered the life of an Instagram artist? Join Connor as he interviews Anna "LuxuryChoccie" Williams Harrison (pet portrait artist), about all things creative.You'll learn about what it's like being known for wonky pet portraits, as well as how Anna juggles a much larger side project on the side (an art book centered upon Japanese street fashion). We talk about beating burnout, keeping practice fresh, bouncing between projects, and finding entertainment in your art. Anna tells of her brief time in Switzerland, how online challenges like Mermay and Inktober have helped shape her, and how she found her audience in the first place. She shares her thoughts about capturing people's attention with eye-catching shots, and we discuss the careful line of pandering to your audience's expectations or trends. You'll learn how to find a niche and ideas which resonate and build the right audience for your long-term goals and how to maintain momentum with batching and navigate a self-imposed posting schedule as crazy as hers (1-2 times a day!). Be sure to stick around, because we'll close by asking Anna what one piece of advice she would ask herself if she were to start all over again. This will be a creative break like no other!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/annawilliamsharrison

#004 - Ever wondered what it's like to write music for your favorite animations? Join Connor as he interviews Yuang "Seycara" Chen (Spongebob the Anime on YouTube), about all things creative.You'll learn about the fall and rise of the incredibly popular SpongeBob anime, his involvement with its development, and how its success has affected him since. We'll talk about the cons of having your work reposted or used without your permission, and the pros of finding relevance in the less interesting aspects of creativity, such as theory. Yuang shares his stories of competition at a young age, finding his first gig in an online forum and working on a narrative game. We talk about gamer addiction and how to overcome it to stop procrastinating and how being paid to make music isn't quite what you'd expect. Yuang shares how he mixes what he wants to create with what YouTube audiences want in order to get results and we learn about his upcoming new album and an accompanying music video. You'll understand what it's like working with animation and dealing with the tropes and cliches that come with it, what the most critical part of the music-making process is to Yuang, and why worrying isn't productive in the early stages of your art career. Be sure to stick around, because we'll close by asking Yuang what one piece of advice he would ask himself if he were to start all over again. This will be a creative break like no other!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/yuangchen

#002 - Ever considered what it's like to be a sound designer on your favorite video games? Join Connor as he interviews Martin Kvale (Owlboy, Bad North, Among the Sleep & Manifold Garden), about all-things creative.You'll learn how Martin got started with sound design, and its link to music production. He shares some of his critical thoughts on sound design and teaches you about non-linearity (a concept which separates games from movies). You'll learn a bit about his experience working on titles such as Among the Sleep, Bad North & more, as well as how good work will get you noticed in the industry. Martin shares his love for game jams as a tool for personal development and bares all on the table about his experience with burnout, sharing honest advice about what to do to avoid it or overcome it (should you feel it too!). You'll gain insight to the advantage small teams and individuals can have over big ones and tips for overcoming distraction by dill-dallying. Martin shares his method for creating a world of sound for a game and writing a contract (which is something he's come to appreciate over the years. You'll hear about the unfortunate downside of working your dream job and we have an enthusiastic chat about the wonderful and perplexing portable synthesizer and tape machine we both own called the OP-1. We'll also touch on the reasons why communication can be a crucial, yet overlooked skill in the game industry. Be sure to stick around to the end, because we'll close by asking Martin what one piece of advice he would ask himself if he were to start all over again. This will be a creative break like no other!You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/martinkvale

#003 - What do you get when an animator, visual artist, music producer, and content creator walk into a podcast? Today James hosts our first roundtable podcast with CWUP community members Connor Schumer (Create With Connor), Ken Ackerman (Grypharia on Instagram), and Josh (Dizzy Linez on Instagram) about all things creative. So kick-back and enjoy the creative company.From origins stories to our favorite upcoming tech, the discussion is loose, fun and fulfilling.You can learn more about our community for creatives at:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!You can find this episode's show notes at:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/keepcreative/roundtable1

#001 - Ever wondered what it's like to make music for indie games? Join Connor as he interviews up-and-comer in the industry Adam Bow about all-things creative. You'll learn tips for making meaningful connections with game developers, overcoming creative block, as well as how to create a cohesive game score (that doesn't sound repetitive). Adam shares why you don't need to worry so much about being unique, what it's like to live at Spelkollektivet (a co-living space for game devs), and why starting out composers have an... Unfortunate reputation in the indie community (and how to combat that!). You'll feel relieved to hear stories of how Adam deals with feelings of inferiority and guilt when not being creative, and we'll close by learning what one piece of advice Adam would tell himself if he were to start all over again. This will be a creative break like no other! You can learn more about the community behind Create With Us Productions here:https://www.cwupcommunity.comJoin the community, hit subscribe, and keep creative!If you'd like the links & show notes mentioned in this episode, head to:https://www.cwupcommunity.com/adambow