Unlocking Creativity

On this special edition of the Unlocking Creativity podcast, listeners of the show send in their questions about how to be creative and stay creative whilst in lockdown and living in these socially distant times.

Three of the many questions we'll be answering in this episode include:

• How to find new inspiration whilst locked down and working in isolation.
• What to do with all those projects we were planning on doing before the pandemic began.
• And how creativity can make an impact in the world around us, regardless of the industry.

Thank you to special guest contributions from:

Elika Gibbs - Stylist. IG: @PracticalPrincess

Dan Shipton - Creative Director. IG: @WeAreBlackSkull

Nicola Larder - Creator, Marcella (Netflix) and Cobra (Sky)

Thank you for listener questions from:

Alexis Strum

Vicky Matthews

Alex White

Andrea Hope

Sydney Ling

Andrey Psyché

Y'all Y'all

Christoper Stanley

Ebony Arwen

Emily Gunawan

Daniel Brookes - Host of Unlocking Creativity

Derren Brown is best known for his mind-altering stage shows and Netflix TV specials. By mixing mentalism, magic, illusion, suggestion, hypnotism and suggestion, Derren's performances are always innovative, distinct and continually push boundaries. So often surrounded in secrecy, what you're about to find out is the creative process that goes into developing some of his most famous stage shows and effects. Most people ask Derren Brown how his performances are done but what you're about to discover is even better - how he creates them in the first place. This episode of Unlocking Creativity is packed full of revelation and actionable advice that could be applied to everyone's life.

Three takeaways from this episode include:

• How to find meaning at different stages of our life and why a creative endeavour is a great way to do it.

• Why becoming who you are is forgetting about who you are supposed to be.

• And why we should all be finding something of meaning that's bigger than ourselves and putting everything into it.

Derren's Recommendations:

Nettie Wakefield is one of the most exciting artists around right now. Her distinct style has led to her works being snapped up by collectors and galleries across the globe, as well as being scouted by Banksy. Nettie is the first-ever artist to ever appear on the podcast and she provides some truly unique insights into what goes into making her own pieces, along with all the highs and lows that can come with it.

Three takeaways from this episode include:

• Why it's important to develop an individual style and have consistency in your work.

• How working in solitude can impact your creativity and how to avoid going crazy in your own company!.

• And if you've ever wondered how to turn a blow-up doll into a bronze sculpture, you're about to find out...

Nettie's Recommendation:

As the first actor to make an appearance on the show, Jeremy Irvine certainly didn't disappoint. Many may know Jeremy for his past roles on the likes of the blockbuster movie War Horse, the giant musical franchise that is Mamma Mia and his latest project, Treadstone. The mammoth Amazon Prime Video series is an action-packed thriller set in the world of Jason Bourne amidst a backdrop of spies, assassins and espionage.

Jeremy's credits from film, television and stage have been widely varied and so too has his experience. In this episode, Jeremy provides a brilliantly truthful and honest insight into what it's really like to be an actor. Sharing the creative challenges that are often faced, the process of getting into a role and the inspiring story of how he got his break in the first place - a perfect case of creating his own luck and which ultimately led to him being cast for his debut role by Steven Spielberg.

THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE INCLUDE:

• The lessons and advice that Jeremy has been given by the likes of Steven Spielberg and Colin Firth.

• Why Jeremy finds the term 'method acting' ridiculous, despite in his own words "having been accused of it" in the past.

• How emotion can impact output - a transferrable skill from the world of acting that could be applied to any industry.

JEREMY'S RECOMMENDATION:

The stylish start to the season continues with British GQ's Editor-in-Chief, Dylan Jones. Not only one of the most inspiring people who I've ever had the pleasure to interview but also a man of many creative talents. When he's not running the monthly bible of all things cutting edge, Dylan is also an accomplished author, a strong advocate for Britain's creative industries and the Chair of London Fashion Week Men's. He's won countless awards for his work and in 2011 was granted an OBE for his services to publishing.

Three Takeaways From This Episode Include:

• An insight into the reinvention of British GQ that Dylan implemented - including hiring Boris Johnson as a car correspondent and the advice that Dylan gives to new interns at the magazine.

• How even though Dylan grew up not knowing what he wanted to do and going as far to describe himself as 'not particularly ambitious', still managed to go on to reach the levels of success that he has.

• The reason why your gut instinct is fundamentally the most important thing when making decisions.

Dylan's Recommendation: