To Create is Human - Storytelling for Creatives

Jacob Christensen
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Visual Arts

This is To Create Is Human, a show for creatives and storytellers who want to get better at the one skill that actually connects: how to tell a story well. Each episode, host Jacob Christensen explores the craft behind the work; sometimes through conversations with filmmakers, designers, and creators, sometimes solo; digging into the ideas, constraints, and lessons behind good storytelling. If you make videos, brands, podcasts, or anything meant to connect with people, this is your home for the process behind the work.

  1. Jul 8

    How a Graphic Designer Tells Stories Without Words

    Bryson King is the graphic designer behind To Create Is Human's entire visual identity, from the original Success Is a Myth cover to the full rebrand. In this episode: ➤ How Bryson finds "the one detail" that represents someone's whole story ➤ Behind the scenes of designing To Create Is Human's rebrand ➤ Why we landed on the colors we did for the rebrand ➤ How constraints (client-imposed or self-imposed) push better creative work ➤ Why unpaid work still opens doors Quote:"Everyone has unique lived experiences. That's all you have when it comes to being different than those around you." Follow Bryson: ➤ brysonking.com ➤ https://www.instagram.com/bryzzking Follow Jacob: ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-christensen-b0701027b/ ➤ https://www.instagram.com/filmdudejacob/?igsh=MW15NHFhMTJudmZzdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr# Follow the podcast for more conversations like this: ➤ https://www.instagram.com/tocreateishumanpod?utm_source=qr Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:55 If everyone's super, nobody is 3:41 Rebranding wasn't a quick fix 13:12 Story bite 14:28 Balancing existing and future audiences 21:41 Digital vs tangible creation 24:20 Artist or problem solver? 26:49 Restraint pushes creativity 30:45 Passion projects 34:02 How story affects technical decisions 36:28 What makes a story stick? 38:43 Where to find Bryson

  2. Jun 24

    How to tell the same story in different ways

    In this episode, I sit down with filmmaker and storyteller Mark Stebnicki to talk about what makes stories resonate, and how to get authentic moments on camera. A section of our convo dives into music and how to use that POWERFUL tool to enhance the story. If you enjoy conversations about filmmaking, documentaries, and meaningful storytelling, this episode is for you. Follow Mark's work: ➤ https://www.youtube.com/@ncfarmbureau/videos Follow the podcast for more conversations like this: ➤ https://www.instagram.com/successisamythpod/?igsh=MThhNXJmcWVvazB0aQ%3D%3D# Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:19 What does the word story mean to you 6:00 Getting folks to open up on camera 9:48 New ways to tell the same story 17:07 Music is POWERFUL 24:12 Getting more out of a music track 26:12 More than just a video guy 28:29 Show your audience REAL struggles 32:59 Different story than what we were expecting 36:16 What makes a story stick with you after it’s over 38:29 Get back to basics 44:19 GEAR TALK 49:10 What’s a story you want to tell?

  3. Apr 10

    The Hidden Cost of Not Telling Stories

    Stories make others feel seen. My favorite moments from the conversation with Talmage: ➤ Stories are simple ➤ The "One Way" framework (you're one way, then you change, now you're different) ➤ Take the INTERESTING stuff out of a story if it's a red herring ➤ Vulnerability is terrifying ➤ Love the daily practice of writing down one story worthy moment in your day ➤ Audiences have an incredible BS reader Follow Talmage:  ➤ https://www.instagram.com/talmagethayne?igsh=N3VyY2Z6bWFqamQ0 ➤ https://www.instagram.com/filmlaab.podcasts?igsh=M3gzaGVpNXFkODVh Follow Jacob: ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-christensen-b0701027b/ ➤ https://www.instagram.com/filmdudejacob/?igsh=MW15NHFhMTJudmZzdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr# Follow the podcast for more conversations like this: ➤ https://www.instagram.com/successisamythpod/?igsh=MThhNXJmcWVvazB0aQ%3D%3D# Timestamps: 0:00 Intro + Story Bite 2:08 Helping others tell their story 9:22 Why people struggle to tell their story 13:34 The cost of not telling stories 18:33 Don't break your characters' spine 21:48 What is removed from the story 26:48 Make me CARE 32:10 What makes a story stick long after it's over? 35:37 What to do when the project goes sideways 37:43 Address the elephant in the room 40:58 Favorite stories

  4. Apr 3

    The Hardest Part of Storytelling

    Storytelling is about saying what people feel but can’t say themselves. My favorite moments from the conversation with Adam: ➤ Story is IMPACT ➤ Cut the GOOD stuff to have a GREAT story ➤ LISTEN to your interviewee instead of just waiting to ask the next question ➤ Creating because YOU want to is a better metric than likes, comments, vanity metrics ➤ A great story makes me QUESTION further ➤ Great interview moments come from conversation, not rigid scriptingFollow Adam:  ➤ https://www.instagram.com/adamwest_cc?igsh=bGV4cGZmMGdrcGg= ➤ https://www.instagram.com/adamwest_media?igsh=ZWJ3dDFsOXljajdsFollow Jacob: ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-christensen-b0701027b/ ➤ https://www.instagram.com/filmdudejacob/?igsh=MW15NHFhMTJudmZzdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#Follow the podcast for more conversations like this: ➤ https://www.instagram.com/successisamythpod/?igsh=MThhNXJmcWVvazB0aQ%3D%3D# Timestamps: 0:00 Intro + Story Bite 1:51 Story is IMPACT 4:36 How to pull the story out of people 10:29 If it doesn't add to the story, CUT it 14:39 Get EMOTION out of people 17:00 Are we attention seekers? 20:41 Imperfect content 24:34 Creating out of DESIRE 26:17 Cracker Barrel / Jaguar rebrand 32:25 Honoring new and old audiences 33:32 Actually benefiting my brand 37:58 What makes a story stick with you long after it's over? 40:45 Books vs movies story 43:02 Make me question further 46:01 The HARDEST stuff to cut 50:54 Why we STRUGGLE to tell our story 55:01 How story impacts TECHNICAL decisions 59:51 HUMANIZE your subjects

  5. Mar 13

    Why STORY is the difference (in a world of AI)

    Solo episode today, I spill some thoughts on wanting to create just because. Also thoughts on learning a craft vs technology, and breaking down some industry buzzwords like "authenticity" "consistent" "transparency" etcHope you enjoy! My socials:➤ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-christensen-b0701027b/➤ https://www.instagram.com/filmdudejacob/?igsh=MW15NHFhMTJudmZzdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#Follow the podcast for more conversations like this:➤ https://www.instagram.com/successisamythpod/?igsh=MThhNXJmcWVvazB0aQ%3D%3D#

    Why STORY is the difference (in a world of AI)

  6. Feb 20

    The 12 Story Archetypes That Secretly Control Your Life

    What story archetype are you living? In this episode, I sit down with marketer Ben Anderson to explore the 12 foundational character archetypes developed by Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, and how they shape not just movies, but our lives. Most people know the Hero’s Journey. Very few understand the archetypes behind it. We talk about: ➤ The 12 core archetypes that show up in every timeless story ➤ The difference between your resting story and your aspirational story ➤ Why brands fail when they tell the wrong story ➤ How culture swings like a pendulum between archetypes ➤ Why I stopped telling a “success” story and leaned into the Creator Ben shares how he went from being publicly called the worst marketer in his class… to managing marketing for two of the fastest-growing companies in Utah, all because he learned how to see story correctly. But this episode isn’t about marketing. It’s about understanding. Story is the lens through which you see the world. And when you learn someone’s story you connect with them in a way that isn’t transactional. Follow Ben:  ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--anderson/ Follow Jacob: ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-christensen-b0701027b/ ➤ https://www.instagram.com/filmdudejacob/?igsh=MW15NHFhMTJudmZzdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr# Follow the podcast for more conversations like this: ➤ https://www.instagram.com/successisamythpod/?igsh=MThhNXJmcWVvazB0aQ%3D%3D#

    The 12 Story Archetypes That Secretly Control Your Life

  7. Jan 29

    Why This Season Is About Story-Driven Creating

    WELCOME TO SEASON 2In this episode I'll go over why the rebrand is happening, and what's to come in this next season of To Create Is Human.

    Why This Season Is About Story-Driven Creating

  8. Jan 29

    Welcome to the "To Create Is Human" Podcast // Season Two Starts Here

    Welcome to the newly revamped To Create is Human podcast!! (Previously Success is a Myth podcast).

    Welcome to the "To Create Is Human" Podcast // Season Two Starts Here
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5
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About

This is To Create Is Human, a show for creatives and storytellers who want to get better at the one skill that actually connects: how to tell a story well. Each episode, host Jacob Christensen explores the craft behind the work; sometimes through conversations with filmmakers, designers, and creators, sometimes solo; digging into the ideas, constraints, and lessons behind good storytelling. If you make videos, brands, podcasts, or anything meant to connect with people, this is your home for the process behind the work.

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