Creative Principles

Latest Episodes:

Ep553 - Niclas Larsson, Writer-Director Ewan McGregor Film ‘Mother Couch’ Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

Niclas Larsson was a child actor who got interested in directing short films around age twelve. “I watched cheap American movies from the 90s,” says the Swedish writer-director, “And I loved them. I didn’t get into serious cinema until maybe 15-16, but I didn’t like them until I was probably 20.” Comedies like Freaky Friday and 13 Going on 30 shaped his thinking on cinema. “I deal with magical realism and surrealism and heightened reality.” In some ways, Larsson hopes to model Quentin Tarantino, who also appreciates “cheap movies” and turns them into more complex narratives. In his latest film, Mother Couch, three adult children (Ewan McGregor, Rhys Ifans, and Lara Flynn Boyle) are brought together when their mother (Ellen Burstyn) refuses to move from a couch in a nearly abandoned furniture store. “I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. They didn’t care about [R-ratings] and loved horror, so I remember watching The Shining around age 10 and realizing it was something else. I felt immersed in an experience of cinema. It wasn’t feel-good. I felt worse, but I was immersed in it.” Films like Requiem for a Dream, There Will Be Blood, The Dark Knight, and No Country for Old Men made him think, “How can I do that? How can I do what we call cinema?” “I’ve been going around with Mother Couch for about a year. I have a lot of walk-outs. It’s a provocative movie and it’s not for everybody. I didn’t intend for it to be for everybody, but with each screening, a bunch of kids stayed and it did something for them.” Mother, Couch will be available for streaming on September 13th. As a special note, this was part of our new LIVE interview series in partnership with Buzztown, a community for serious screenwriters, where students also participated in this interview. You can learn more or join the waitlist here: forms.gle/RNaoVrdU9afWpykWA 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!

Ep552 - Micky Ogando, Founder and CCO Bakery Agency Jul 31, 2024

Show notes

For more than a decade, Micky and a band of talented misfits and creative minds have grown the agency from a small, digital-first shop to a thriving, 58-person agency that’s distinctive product-led approach has attracted partnerships with iconic brands like Shiner Beer, De’Lorean, Pepsi, Diageo, Nike, Audi, NatureSweet and others. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Micky immigrated to Austin in 2005, where he embarked on his career journey at Latinworks. Soon after, he launched Bakery, which slowly and steadily has built a reputation for a unique, product-centric approach to working with clients. In this interview, we talk about his agency Bakery, the return to craft, small agencies and brands doing great work, personal branding for writers, and 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!

Ep551 - Jimmy Tatro, Actor-Filmmaker 'Home Economics' & 'The Real Bros of Simi Valley' Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

Jimmy Tatro is an actor, writer, director, and creator who began his career on YouTube and has since become one of the most sought-after young talents in comedy. Some of his credits include Sony's 22 Jump Street opposite Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, Grown Ups 2, and Modern Family. His latest project The Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie, follows his character Xander as he and his squad embark on a journey to become the dopest versions of themselves in time to flex on all of their old classmates in their 10-year high school reunion. In this interview, we talk about his early career and influences, his transition from YouTube to mainstream acting, the creation of The Real Bros of Simi Valley, plus advice for aspiring comedic creators. 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!

Ep550 - Janine Sherman Barrois, Screenwriter 'The Big Cigar,' 'ER' & 'Criminal Minds' Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Janine Sherman Barrois is an award-winning writer and showrunner known for her work on Claws, Criminal Minds, ER, and Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker starring Octavia Spencer. Her latest project, The Big Cigar, follows Huey P. Newton's life as he escapes to Cuba to avoid prosecution for murder with the help of Bert Schneider, the Hollywood producer behind Easy Rider, as well as a few other celebrity radicals. In this interview, we talk about her journey into becoming a screenwriter, how her career progressed from writing comedy to drama, the differences between writing for short-order vs long-order television shows, the importance of mentorship and networking for aspiring writers, 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!

Ep549 - Ashley Jay Sandberg, Producer ‘Twisters’ Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

“I want to pursue the industry. I don’t know what it looks like. I don’t have connections. But I knew I was interested in development,” thought Ashley Jay Sandberg while pursuing journalism. “I tell people to follow what you’re curious about because you don’t know where that’s going to lead.” Ashley’s latest film is Twisters, a re-imaginging of the original film, where a retired tornado chaser and meteorologist (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team (Glen Powell) and new technologies. Twisters was also written by Mark L. Smith who was on the show back in Episode 512. In this interview, Ashley talks about working with Frank Marshall (Gremlins, The Goonies), the difference in docs versus fiction work from a studio perspective, making a movie based on “science theory,” pitching to Steven Spielberg, and unproduced scripts she still thinks about. As a special note, this was part of our new LIVE interview series in partnership with Buzztown, a community for serious screenwriters, where students also participated in this interview. You can learn more or join the waitlist here: https://forms.gle/RNaoVrdU9afWpykWA 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!

Ep548 - Jack Carr, Navy SEAL & Author ’The Terminal List’ & ‘Red Sky Mourning' Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

From a young age, Jack Carr had two dreams: serving his country in uniform as a Navy SEAL and becoming an author. Following twenty years in the SEAL Teams, Jack shifted his sights to publishing and fulfilled his literary objective with the release of his debut novel, The Terminal List. Since then, he has captivated readers worldwide with the gripping tales of James Reece in his New York Times bestselling novels True Believer, Savage Son, The Devil’s Hand, In the Blood, and Only the Dead. The Terminal List was adapted into a thrilling #1 Amazon Prime Video series starring Chris Pratt and has been greenlit for a second season based on Jack’s second novel True Believer. The latest book in the series, Red Sky Mourning, follows Navy SEAL sniper James Reece while he's on a race to dismantle a conspiracy that has forced America to her knees. In this interview, we talk about what led him to become an author, how he uses social media to connect with readers and add value to their lives, why he sends out special edition bookcases, his experience in Hollywood, 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!

Ep547 - Johnathon Schaech, Actor 'Blue Ridge' & 'Legends of Tomorrow' Jul 10, 2024

Show notes

Johnathon Schaech is an actor, writer, and producer, celebrated for his dynamic presence on both big and small screens. His breakout role came in 1996 when he starred as Jimmy Mattingly in Tom Hanks' directorial debut, "That Thing You Do!". He has appeared in numerous TV series, some of his credits include 'Ray Donovan' and 'Legends of Tomorrow,' where he portrayed Jonah Hex, a fan-favorite character from DC Comics. In his new show, Blue Ridge: The Series, he plays the sheriff, ex-Green Beret Justin Wise who fights to protect the town of Blue Ridge from criminals. In this interview, we talk about why he pursued acting, his dyslexia, how he memorizes his lines, his new show Blue Ridge, how he got involved in Road House 2, plus some advice for young actors. 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!

Ep546 - Victor Levin, Showrunner-Creator-EP 'Alice & Jack' Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

Award-winning Mad Men writer Victor Levin recently debuted his latest TV series 'Alice & Jack' on PBS. The unconventional six-episode romantic drama stars Oscar nominee Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie, Birdman) and Domnhall Gleeson (The Revenant, Black Mirror). The series explores how love plays out between two very different people over the course of 15 years, and the story inspires questions of whether the bonds between us are stronger than the forces that would tear us apart. Levin made his name as a showrunner and writer on the iconic comedy 'Mad About You,' writing many of the series' most memorable episodes. Some of his other TV credits include 'The Larry Sanders Show' and 'Dream On.' In this interview, we talk about writing for TV and matching other writers' voices, how he prepares himself to write for a show, leaving your comfort zone, his show 'Alice & Jack' and why he chose to write every episode himself; his thoughts on pitching shows 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!

Ep545 - Nicholas Stoller & Francesca Delbanco, Creators ‘Platonic’ Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

“The idea really came from my own life because I am a person who had a lot of very close male friends in college and remained close to a lot of them,” says Francesca Delbanco, “but a moment happened when people started getting married and coupling up and having children, when I noticed I was getting becoming closer friends with my friend’s wives and Nick was becoming close to my friends and the world was calcifying into men being together and women being together.” Francesca noticed this in all of her worlds, such as the gym, the children’s school, or even dinner parties. “Men would be talking to men and women would be talking to women. I started wondering why it had to be that way. When I looked around me, it wasn’t just me. It was happening everywhere. If you did a survey in any given room, that’s how it was broken up.” This all led to the idea for the series Platonic. Rose Byrne stars as Sylvia, a stay-at-home mom of three who is married to Charlie (Luke Macfarlane), a lawyer. She reconnects with her old friend Will, played by Seth Rogen, who is recently divorced and works at a brewery that he also partially owns. They haven’t been close since college. “Why is it hard to maintain platonic friendships of the opposite gender as life goes along?” asks Francesca. “Is that inevitable or is it something in society or something each person determines for themselves and is there any fighting against it?” Nicholas adds, “And, there’s something special about a male-female platonic friendship, so what do you lose when you don’t have that?” Listen to my first interview with Nicholas Stoller for Bros back in Episode 367. We also mentioned my conversation with Dan Levy in Episode 506. 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!

Ep544 - Michael Sarnoski, Writer-Director ‘Pig’ and ‘A Quiet Place - Day One’ Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

“Initially, I never thought film was an option. I grew up in Wisconsin,” says Michael Sarnoski, “and I didn’t have a lot of artistic, creative people around me or outlets to share in. I think storytelling, doodling, writing, and drawing comics — that was my hobby, my secret. It was very gradual.” Overtime, Sarnoski met other kindred spirits who shared his same passions. “I was never like, I’m going to go write and direct feature films. That seemed very far away from a possibility. Instead, it “snowballed” over a long timeline. Rather than go to Film School, the writer-director made a series of shorts, such as Love of the Dead, Mirrors, Fight Night Legacy (later a series), and That. “A lot of it was just building confidence,” he says. His debut film, however, really put Sarnoski on the map as a creative voice. Nicolas Cage stars in Pig. The plot reads, “A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.” “I was writing a feature with the hope of directing it,” he says of Pig. “Originally, I wrote it as something that could be done with really little money. If no one would pay for it, I was going to find a way to do it run and gun.” The basic idea was “an old man in the woods with his truffle pig.” Sarnoski says, “But I was like, ‘I shouldn’t write a movie about that — that would be silly.’ But it didn’t leave my head and this happens with me. I need to write it just to get it out of my system even if it’s going to be silly or [I assume] no one is going to buy it or whatever.” The script poured out of him. “It magically happened. In writing it, I thought ‘Who would get the chance to make a movie like this?’ I think the specificity of Pig was what helped people come behind it and make it. It also allowed me to Direct it.” Producers basically told him, “You know what it’s about so maybe you should direct it.” “It’s always a messy process for your first film and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to work but it worked and just enough people got behind it that we were able to make it.” Producer Vanessa Block also helped with the script and to push it into production. 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!

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