Creative Principles Creative Principles Podcast

Jeff Annison is the Co-Founder and President of 'Legion M,' the world's first fan-owned media company.

With 50k investors, over $20M raised, and over 150k members overall in the community, 'Legion M' is paving the way to democratize the business, challenge the traditional studio system, and open the doors for fans to become genuine stakeholders in the creative process.

This year the company has premiered the SXSW Audience Award Winner 'My Dead Friend Zoe,' self-distributed the documentary 'William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill' theatrically, released another doc on FUSETV in 'This is Not Financial Advice' and will see another feature released in theaters this fall.

In this interview, we talked about entrepreneurship and creativity, the entertainment industry, his company 'Legion M,' how does a 'hit movie' looks like, and investing in indie films.

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!

“There was David Cronenberg (The Fly, Scanners), but not many other examples,” says Don McKellar, about his childhood as a Canadian where he felt there were few role models in the business. “But I did love theater. I created shows with my friends and all the disciplines — writing, directing, acting — blended together for me.”

Those live performances helped to shape his work. “I co-wrote a musical called The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway. In that kind of show, if you do a show and it doesn’t work, it’s obvious. What I think helps as a writer is having that actor’s eye ingrained in my bones. You can sort of feel what works, what can play, what’s enjoyable to deliver. That instinct really informs my writing.”

“Knowing what actors will enjoy is consequently knowing what viewers will enjoy. I think that helped me work with Robert,” he jokes, in regards to the new series The Sympathizer, which stars Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Oh, and Hoa Xuande.

The plot reads, “Near the end of the Vietnam War, a plant who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community where he continues to secretly spy and report back to the Viet Cong.”

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 hundreds of interviews here at Creative Principles.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Ned Benson is a writer, director, and producer known for his profound storytelling. His debut film, 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,' premiered at Cannes in 2014, showcasing his unique narrative approach by exploring dual perspectives on love and loss.

His recent film 'The Greatest Hits' follows a love story centering on the connection between music and memory and how they transport us, sometimes literally.

In this interview, we talked about 'Eleanor Rigby', networking, how he got into 'Black Widow,' his latest film 'The Greatest Hits,' the process of moving from shorts to full features, 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!

“I was hungry,” says Kurt Johnstad, who took any position he could find to get on set. “I was just looking for an avenue to tell stories. I looked at all the jobs and the flow and rhythm of being on set. I realized a director or cinematographer needs all these people, but you could be self-reliant and self-generate — it’s the writer.”

“The writer can just sort of be in their little shack and type away. I gave myself ten years to have a career, from my 20s to my 30s. Just try to do this. I don’t come from an entertainment business family, so it was hard. By 30 though, I felt like I had a career and was going in the right direction.”

Johnstad recalls that he wrote about three full films before he got his first credit, which was a straight-to-video kickboxer / bloodsport movie called True Vengeance. “That’s what it ended up being anyway. I’ve never seen it,” he jokes. But, it got him his first credit and fueled his career.

He also credits this early relationships with other martial artists for career longevity. Friendships with people like Chad Stahelski (Dir. John Wick), Sam Hargrave (Dir. Extraction), and Dave Leitch (Bullet Train) have led to multiple collaborations. 

Now, Johnstad is best known for writing scripts like 300, Act of Valor, 300: Rise of an Empire, Atomic Blonde, and most recently, Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire and Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver.

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 hundreds of interviews here at Creative Principles.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Stephen Moyer is a renowned actor and director best known for his role as vampire Bill Compton in HBO's 'True Blood.' Starting his career on the London stage, Moyer transitioned to television and film, starring in productions like 'Quills' and '88 Minutes.'

He has showcased his versatility by directing several episodes for different television projects, including 'True Blood', and more recently the film 'A Bit of Light.'

In this interview, we talked about his trajectory as an actor, working with Michael Caine, acting, his time in 'True Blood', directing, and his film 'A Bit of Light,' a story about a forty-year-old woman named Ella who is forced to move back in with her father Alan, and is trying to stay sober having temporarily given up custody of her young daughters to her ex-husband Joseph and his new partner Bethan.

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!

Lee Hardcastle is a renowned claymation director celebrated for his dark humor and innovative style. Through the years he has honed his skills to create captivating short films blending horror, comedy, and absurdity, and his unique storytelling and attention to detail have earned him a global following.

Hardcastle's work ranges from grotesque parodies of popular franchises to original tales of macabre madness, pushing the boundaries of clay animation.

In this interview, we talked about what led him to claymation, how he approaches his stories, going viral on social media and how comments and feedback have affected his work, getting comfortable in his creative process, 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!