The Creative Studio Insider

Tune in with Lawrence Akers and Christopher Phillips as they discuss the creative industry and mental health. 

In this episode our Senior Consultant Lawrence Akers discusses inspiration, direction and creative processes with Mils Achi from Mable. This episode has great insights and will fuel new creative ideas and ways of working. 

In this episode, our host Ethan unpacks the world on in-house consultancy and the varied projects that Next works on.  She explains the differences between in-house and external. Having a finance and commercial background adds an extra element to design and strategy work. They discuss managing innovation and change for growth and how to overcome the fear of change.  The emerging trends in UX design and where it's headed.Listen in for an excellent, up to date discussion about current design strategy and UX. 

In this episode which Ethan hosts he discusses career paths, design and the studio with Jim Yencken from Liquorice Studios. In this informative podcast there is lots of advice for up-and-coming designers, don't miss this episode. 

In this insightful episode we speak with Dan Crozier from Leo Burnett.Vicki-Anne discusses the history of the agency, where it has come and what makes it so special as one of the world's oldest design studios. 

Don't miss this episode with the Head of Design at Canva.In this podcast Andrew tells us about the bigger vision for the company, how designers can look forward to more precision and technical tools. Andrew shares with us his creative journey and has some great advice for up and coming designers. 

Mitchell Jones explains in this podcast the changing characteristics he has experienced with workplaces and attitudes towards office space. He tells us about his internal creative process and what he has learnt along the way in terms of creativity and collaboration. Don't miss this episode, it unpacks new attitudes towards design, creativity and the workplace. 

CONTENT WARNING: This podcast discusses stillbirth and initiatives around prevention. Please use your discretion if this topic is difficult for you. We chat with Justin Mansfield Creative Manager at the not for profit organisation that many of us know and love - Red Nose Organisation.  In this podcast, we cover some very serious issues that face parents in Australia and building awareness around these difficult topics. Justin shares with us his creative journey and how he came to work with Red Nose Organisation. Don't miss our last podcast for 2021. 

Episode 17 - Stew Miles - Suburban Rail Loop AuthorityStew Miles tells us all about his creative career, how he came to be studio manager at the newly formed Suburban Rail Authority and working remotely:Setting up a new studioDefining creativity Working remotely and still being creative

Vicki-Anne chats with Christie who is based near Wellington in New Zealand. They discuss the differences between Australia & New Zealand as well as:Managing a remote team using technologyDefining 'greatness'Managing internal and external stakeholders and their expectationsWorking for a financial services company experiencing huge growth

Andrew and Vicki-Anne cover the ways in which Tourism Australia has had to shift focus from outbound and attracting international visitors to Australia to internal and promoting areas of Australia to Australians. We learn all about how the studio operates and how they archive significant footage and where to for the future. 

Vicki-Anne speaks with Hanna about what Bluestone does and what makes up the creative services team. From a background in writing, we learn how Hanna has adapted those skills to become a manager of a creative team. This podcast is full of insights and covers team building, leadership, a good brief and working in 'fin tech'. ​

Robin Sinclair from Save The Children speaks to Vicki-Anne about some of the most important issues facing children around the world today.  He also shares with us how the studio manages a varied workload and working during COVID-19.Some of the ongoing initiatives for the organisation and the breath of talent in his team. Don't miss this entertaining and informative podcast episode. 

Holly tells us that Brandworks specialising in hospitality and interiors in a multidisciplinary approach. Vicki-Anne and Holly discuss what makes up the team and what core staff and freelancers make up the team in Australian and Internationally. They walk us through projects and the secrets to keeping the wheels turning to make sure the team works well together.  Including the tech stack that helps pull everything together. 

Karen Simpson from WooliesX speaks with Vicki-Anne and we learn all about agile transformation, what the role of a scrum master really is and how 'sprint's are the new way or working. This enlightening interview is a must if you are looking for new ways of working and being collaborative with your team.

Jason Freestone takes us through his exciting career from client-side to in-house. Enlighting us on the similarities and differences between corporations and how to use technology in the studio and getting stakeholder 'buy-in'. Another great podcast. 

Episode 7 Chris RiordanCreative Services ManagerDepartment of Education & Training

Vicki-Anne speaks to Georgia Carrington Creative & Advertising Services Manager about her role at the Department of Jobs, Precincts & Regions. Georgia takes us through the function of the Studio inside the department and the main responsibilities:Creating great communicationSolving problemsSupporting other departments and agencies such as Agriculture Victoria, Creative Victoria Staying on brand and connecting with the Victorian communityFrom a background in retail, Georgia explains how the scale and diversity of Government is what attracted her to the role.  The incredible scale of programs and deliverables is what makes the work worthwhile.  The conversation covers managing a studio during COVID-19 to advice for those considering Government as an employer, including managing a remote team and the technology that assists. 

In the latest episode of the Creative Studio Insider Podcast, we had Tara Hooper CSM at the Treasury Wine Estate join. Starting her career in the US and traveling across the world, she now is a proud Aussie. She shared a few top tips with us:The value of having an internal design studio Tech Stacks for internal studiosThe biggest challenges faced by her teamHow problem-solving is one of the top skills needed in her team Coping as a creative in a Corporate 

Iain Anderson talks us through his 30 years of experience in the advertising industry. How technology has changed the industry from the first introduction of Apple Macbooks.Iain is part of Rail Project Victoria a Government operation that delivers multiple campaigns throughout the year.  He takes us inside his Studio and how things  are run.He tells us about:Dealing with strict regulations and taking your team remote Working on Government projects The decline in Print media vs Digital media production

Bud Peart is the Creative Services Manager at Wellcom. Wellcom is working with some big names in the Australian retail space and make use of some interesting technology to run their studios across Melbourne and Sydney. We discussed a few interesting topics from the life of a Creative Service Manager: The journey from being a hardworking all-rounder, in a small business, to the life of a freelancer and then eventually managing his own delivery team at Wellcom. What happens when you are part of a multinational acquisition and how to plan for a global delivery footprint. How Customer Service Managers can play a role in your business development process as well as managing the delivery of sold services. 

In this episode we spoke with Andrew Ashton, Creative Director and Founder of The Power House Program.He told us about:Empowering in-house design studios to do more than just cool presentations. How In-house studios can influence how ideas are generated.His Powerhouse platform is launching to help In-house studios find meaning in what they do.

Are you running an international in-house creative studio?Then you'll be able to relate to the latest episode of our new podcast, the Creative Studio Insider.In Ep#2, Emily Ralfs tells us what it's like to manage a top studio across multiple locations, and the biggest challenges she's faced this year.They include:- Streamlining creative output by bringing things in-house- The challenges of running an international campaign during apandemic- The importance of human connection for overseas teams

In this episode, we talk to Frankie Fung the Design and Content Manager at Hanes Brands. We discuss the key elements he thinks make up an effective team and look into taking care of the mental health of your design team.The Creative Studio Insider Podcast is a platform for experienced, talented, innovative in-house studio managers to share their tips and tricks on running internal creative studios. Whether it's about growing productivity and maintaining service standards in a remote world, retaining top performers, or keeping teams motivated and safeguarding their mental health, VA and her guests will be discussing it  here. Think of the Creative Studio Insider podcast as your chance to hear answers to the questions you were too afraid to ask (or never even thought of asking)!