Creative Principles

Creative Principles Podcast

Welcome to Creative Principles, I'm your host Brock Swinson. Here I'll be speaking with writers, directors, actors, musicians and more. We'll discuss the habits, routines, and methods of a creative life.

  1. Ep691 - Kate Hudson, Actress ‘Song Sung Blue,’ ‘Running Point’ & ‘Almost Famous’

    2 DAYS AGO

    Ep691 - Kate Hudson, Actress ‘Song Sung Blue,’ ‘Running Point’ & ‘Almost Famous’

    Kate Hudson is a Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award-nominated actress, singer/songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author. You know her from ALMOST FAMOUS, HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS, and Netflix’s new series, RUNNING POINT. Recently, she starred opposite Hugh Jackman in Craig Brewer’s critically-acclaimed musical drama, SONG SUNG BLUE, for which she has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and SAG’s Actor Award. SONG SUNG BLUE follows Lightning and Thunder, a Milwaukee husband and wife Neil Diamond tribute act, who experience soaring success and devastating heartbreak in their musical journey together. In this interview, we talk about the technical preparation for musical scenes, acting techniques for close-up shots, Kate Hudson’s personal acting philosophy, professional advice for aspiring actors, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    20 min
  2. Ep690 - Brandon Violette, Screenwriter ‘CoComelon Lane’ & ‘Robogobo’

    20 FEB

    Ep690 - Brandon Violette, Screenwriter ‘CoComelon Lane’ & ‘Robogobo’

    Brandon Violette is a Screenwriter, podcaster, and speaker. He was most recently the Head Writer for ROBOGOBO and PUPSTRUCTION at Disney Television Animation and the Co-Creator/Head Writer of COCOMELON LANE, one of Netflix's top-performing preschool series. In addition to his screenwriting work, Brandon is the host of THE STORY SERIES PODCAST, where he interviews writers, showrunners, filmmakers, authors, and creators about the rules they broke to build lasting careers. You can listen to his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-story-series-podcast-with-brandon-violette-for/id1799336043 In this interview, we talk about overcoming personal prejudices regarding preschool content, the development of COCOMELON LANE, storybook testing in local preschools, prioritizing character dynamics over world-building, networking, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    29 min
  3. Ep689 - Susanna Fogel & David Iserson, Creators ‘Ponies’

    13 FEB

    Ep689 - Susanna Fogel & David Iserson, Creators ‘Ponies’

    Susanna Fogel is a director, screenwriter, and novelist best known for her work in BOOKSMART and THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME. David Iserson is a filmmaker, writer, and producer best known for his work on MR. ROBOT, MAD MEN, and NEW GIRL. Iserson, alongside Fogel, served as co-creators, writers, and executive producers for the television series PONIES, a 70s-set spy thriller starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson. The series follows two PONIES ("persons of no interest") working anonymously as secretaries in the American Embassy until their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances in the USSR, and the pair become CIA operatives. Together, they work to uncover a vast Cold War conspiracy and solve the mystery that made them widows in the first place. In this interview, we talk about the professional marriage between Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, the development history and production origins of their series PONIES, research and working with consultants, plus much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    28 min
  4. Ep688 - Alex Russell, Writer & Director ‘Lurker’

    3 FEB

    Ep688 - Alex Russell, Writer & Director ‘Lurker’

    Alex Russell is a writer and director best known for his work on DAVE and THE BEAR. He also won an Emmy award for his work as a writer and Supervising Producer on Netflix/A24’s BEEF. His directorial debut, LURKER, is a psychological thriller that follows a retail employee who infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom. As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death. In this interview, we talk about the distinction between having a unique voice and mastering the technical craft and structure of a script, the collaborative nature of writers' rooms and the role of serving a showrunner's vision, how working on DAVE led to opportunities on other shows like BEEF and THE BEAR, the development of his film LURKERS, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    26 min
  5. Ep687 - Jamie Heinrich, AI Filmmaker

    30 JAN

    Ep687 - Jamie Heinrich, AI Filmmaker

    Jamie Heinrich is an independent filmmaker, director, and producer who gained recognition in the independent film circuit for his micro-budget feature film, I LIKE YOU. Recently, he has also become a prominent voice in the AI filmmaking space, teaching creators how to leverage AI tools for viral content and professional production. Join here: https://www.skool.com/filmmaking/about?ref=04b08a2d713a4d44b83081a3f4e6b01a In this interview, we talk about his career in independent filmmaking, the integration of filmmaking, technology, and community through AI digital education, the fear of being replaced by technology, and the future potential of producing a full-length feature film using AI tools. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    31 min
  6. Ep686 - Mike Makowsky, Creator ‘Death by Lightning’

    23 JAN

    Ep686 - Mike Makowsky, Creator ‘Death by Lightning’

    Mike Makowsky is an Emmy Award-winning American screenwriter and producer best known for writing and producing the 2019 HBO film BAD EDUCATION, starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney. In late 2025, Makowsky released the Netflix limited series DEATH BY LIGHTNING, which he created and wrote. The series chronicles the rise and assassination of U.S. President James A. Garfield, starring Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen. The project was adapted from Candice Millard’s book Destiny of the Republic. We also spoke with actor Michael Shannon, who plays Garfield, in Episode 680 of the podcast. In this interview, we talk about the inspiration for the series DEATH BY LIGHTNING, the immense difficulty of mounting and finishing a period piece in the current industry landscape, advice on pitching historical fiction, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    23 min
  7. Ep685 - Caleb Walker, 16-Year-Old Filmmaker ‘Attribute of the Strong’

    19/12/2025

    Ep685 - Caleb Walker, 16-Year-Old Filmmaker ‘Attribute of the Strong’

    Caleb Walker is a 16-year-old high school student and filmmaker. Over a year ago, he wrote, directed, and produced his first short film, ATTRIBUTE OF THE STRONG, which went on to screen at the All-American High School Film Festival. He recently finished his first feature-length script, which is a horror movie oriented around Mexican culture and urban legends. He is also currently working on and completing a script oriented around 9/11. You can view his short film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN3GQDvMy78 In this interview, we talk about his thoughts on breaking into the film industry, role models, inspiration and writing process for his first short film ATTRIBUTE OF THE STRONG, the indie production process and creative constraints, and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    28 min
  8. Ep684 - Chandler Baker, Screenwriter and Novelist ‘Oh. What. Fun.’

    12/12/2025

    Ep684 - Chandler Baker, Screenwriter and Novelist ‘Oh. What. Fun.’

    Chandler Baker is a New York Times bestselling novelist turned screenwriter, showrunner, and producer. Her first feature film, OH. WHAT. FUN. premiered on Amazon Prime Video on December 3. The film follows Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer), who is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together every holiday season. This year, her husband and grown kids get distracted and forget their mom. As her family scrambles to find her and salvage their Christmas, Claire rediscovers what the holidays mean when you’re finally free to put yourself first. The film also stars Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Jason Schwartzman, and Eva Longoria. In this interview, we talk about the origin and inspiration for the film OH. WHAT. FUN., transitioning from young adult novelist to writing for an older audience, the success of her book WHISPER NETWORK, the pros and cons of outlining vs. "pantsing", and much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

    26 min
See All (500)

Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to Creative Principles, I'm your host Brock Swinson. Here I'll be speaking with writers, directors, actors, musicians and more. We'll discuss the habits, routines, and methods of a creative life.

Information

  • Creator
    Creative Principles Podcast
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Creative Principles

You Might Also Like