Creative Principles

Creative Principles Podcast
  • 5.0 (54)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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

    5D AGO

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

    DEC 12

    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
  3. Ep683 - Jason Fuchs Returns, Co-creator, EP & Co-Showrunner ‘IT: Welcome To Derry’

    DEC 5

    Ep683 - Jason Fuchs Returns, Co-creator, EP & Co-Showrunner ‘IT: Welcome To Derry’

    Jason Fuchs is the writer, co-creator, executive producer, and co-showrunner of HBO Max's IT: WELCOME TO DERRY. The series serves as a prequel to the successful IT films and explores the origins of the infamous killer clown Pennywise. Set in 1962, it follows a family that arrives in Derry, Maine, just as children begin to disappear. Jason made his feature writing debut with the box office hit ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, which at the time of its release was the highest-grossing animated film internationally and made Jason the youngest screenwriter to have a film gross over $250M. He then went on to co-write Warner Brothers’ acclaimed 2017 film WONDER WOMAN starring Gal Gadot. He also wrote New Line’s IT: CHAPTER 2. In this interview, we talk about his adaptation work and how he approaches each project, his involvement with the IT universe, collaborating with Stephen King, long-form storytelling in TV, balancing fan expectation and originality, 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
  4. Ep682 - Becca Topol, Co-Producer & Story Editor ‘Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends’

    NOV 28

    Ep682 - Becca Topol, Co-Producer & Story Editor ‘Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends’

    Becca Topol is co-producer and story editor of MARVEL’S SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, which follows the adventures of Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Miles Morales as they team up with Super Heroes to defeat foes. A writer of both film and television series, Topol's writing credits include Disney Jr.'s Emmy and Imagen Award-winning ELENA OF AVALOR, and the live-action feature film THE RAMEN GIRL. In this interview, we talk about her transition to entertainment and shift to writing, moving through Disney, writing for SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, how being an "outsider" can be an advantage in the industry, writing for TV vs. 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!

    27 min
  5. Ep681 - Zach Baylin and Kate Susman, Creators ‘Black Rabbit’

    NOV 25

    Ep681 - Zach Baylin and Kate Susman, Creators ‘Black Rabbit’

    Zach Baylin and Kate Susman are a successful husband-and-wife creative duo and the co-founders of the production company Youngblood Pictures. Baylin is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter who achieved prominence for his debut feature, KING RICHARD - where Will Smith won the Oscar, and has since co-written major films including CREED III, THE ORDER, GRAN TURISMO. Susman, a producer and screenwriter, is his primary creative partner, and together they co-created, co-wrote, and served as executive producers and showrunners for the upcoming Netflix crime thriller limited series, BLACK RABBIT. The series follows the owner of a New York City hotspot (Jude Law) who allows his turbulent brother (Jason Bateman) back into his life and opens the door to escalating dangers that threaten to bring down everything he's built. In this interview, we talk about how their writing collaboration started, the elements of a good partnership, their work process and writing philosophy, their show BLACK RABBIT, and the challenges of writing for TV/limited series. 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!

    27 min
  6. Ep680 - Michael Shannon, Actor ‘Death by Lightning’ & ‘The Shape of Water’

    NOV 21

    Ep680 - Michael Shannon, Actor ‘Death by Lightning’ & ‘The Shape of Water’

    Michael Shannon is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony Award-nominated actor with a distinguished career in film, television, and theater. This fall, he stars opposite Russell Crowe and Rami Malek in the historical drama NUREMBERG and plays President James Garfield in the Netflix series DEATH BY LIGHTNING. DEATH BY LIGHTNING dramatizes the stranger-than-fiction true story of 20th U.S. President James Garfield and his admirer, Charles Guiteau, who assassinated him. In this interview, we talk about his career, his latest project DEATH BY LIGHTNING, inspirations and acting philosophy, the type of roles that intrigue him, 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!

    16 min
  7. Ep679 - Nora Garrett, Writer ‘After the Hunt’

    NOV 14

    Ep679 - Nora Garrett, Writer ‘After the Hunt’

    Nora Garrett is a writer and actress. She is a 2024 honoree of Variety’s annual “10 Screenwriters to Watch” issue and was recently staffed on Ed Solomon’s new series THE SPOT for A24 and Hulu. Nora wrote the new film AFTER THE HUNT, directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film follows a college professor who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil levels an accusation against one of her colleagues and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light. In this interview, we talk about her transition from acting to writing, her frustration with how female characters are described in scripts, the importance of empathetic connection by reading stories in voices different from one's own, the creation of AFTER THE HUNT, 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!

    22 min
  8. Ep678 - Derek Kolstad, Creator ‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch’ and the John Wick Franchise

    NOV 7

    Ep678 - Derek Kolstad, Creator ‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch’ and the John Wick Franchise

    Derek Kolstad is a screenwriter and producer best known as the creator of the global blockbuster JOHN WICK franchise and the writer of its first three films. He is also the creator, writer, and director of Netflix’s upcoming animated series SPLINTER CELL: DEATHWATCH, based on Tom Clancy and Ubisoft’s acclaimed video game franchise. In addition to his film work, he was the writer and co-executive producer of Marvel’s Emmy-nominated series THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER. In this interview, we talk about the original concept for JOHN WICK, the role and increasing recognition of stuntmen/stuntwomen, writing action sequences, collaborating with Jet Li, the creative approach for SPLINTER CELL, 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
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5
out of 5
54 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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Creative Principles

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