The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-Fox

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The Busy Creator 36, Intellectual Property & Legal Issues for Creative Pros with Attorney & Educator Kelley Keller Dec 15, 2014

Show notes

Kelley Keller (@KelleyKeller) is an Intellectual Property Attorney & Education, and founder of The Keller Law Firm. She’s also the creator of Innovation to Profits, an online educational resource for anyone with creative, valuable ideas.

This legal-focused conversation discusses the types of IP, how portfolios must be handled, competition in the age of the Internet, Fair Use, and other legal matters important for creative pros in business.

Show Notes & Links

F.U.D.
Intellectual Property, a definition
IP is “controlling the movement of knowledge throughout the marketplace” ← Click to Tweet
Types of IP: Brand Names/Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, Trade Secrets
The Coca-Cola formula, the world’s most famous Trade Secret
The Portfolio, a body of work for a creative pro
Work-for-hire relationship (common for employees)
Employer owns the work, employees need permission
Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements are governed by Employment Law, at the State level
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ← Click to Tweet
Brand X
As for your original logo, you have responsibility to protect and to police
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and its Takedown Notices
The US Copyright Act of 1976 says, essentially, the moment you create something, you own the copyright (assuming it’s copyrightable (original, independent, etc.))
The difference between a “trade name” and a Trademark. The trade name is the legal name of your business at the State level; Trademarks are marketplace identities, and must be cleared on the Federal level.
1099 and W-9 forms, Tax forms for outside contractors
Nissan Motors v. Nissan Computer
Captain Fantastic Faster Than Superman Spiderman Batman Wolverine The Hulk And The Flash Combined
Apple Computer v. Apple Corps Records aka “Why aren’t the Beatles on iTunes?”
US Olympic Committee v. Olympic Gyro
Colleges Tell High Schools Logos Are Off Limits
Agents and officers seize more than $4.8 million in fake NFL merchandise and seize 307 websites during ‘Operation Fake Sweep’
Washington Redskins Mascot Controversy
Washington Redskins Change Their Name To The D.C. Redskins
Redskins defend name, ask federal court to overturn trademark decision
USPTO Design Codes
Lady Gaga stole the song “Judas”, claims singer/songwriter

Tools

USPTO.gov, the website for the US Patent & Trademark Office, where you can do a search.
Behance, which hosts portfolios
Copyright.gov

Techniques

Be proactive with new contracts and agreements; get an attorney to review
Set up Google Alerts for brands/trademarks
Hire a junior staffer to search for your brand online

Get The Episode

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 36(MP3, 58:54, 28.3 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 36(OGG, 58:54, 48.1 MB)

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes

The Busy Creator 35 w/guest Betsy Helmuth Dec 08, 2014

Show notes

Betsy Helmuth (@BetsyHelmuth) is an interior designer & decorator in New York City. Her company, Affordable Interior Design, offers exactly what is says on the tin. Over the years, she’s designed rooms in over 1,000 apartments, allowing her to create a systematic approach to working with busy clients.

Betsy’s latest book, Big Design, Small Budget, is available Dec. 11, 2014. Pre-order a copy and give it this holiday season to the interior design geek in your life.

Big Design, Small Budget by Betsy Helmuth

Our conversation centers on the eccentricities of New York City apartments — and apartment-dwellers — as well as the systems Betsy has used to build a thriving business.

Show Notes & Links

Betsy is the first Busy Creator representative for the Interior Design industry.
People who shop at Ikea and Target are Betsy’s key customers
New Yorkers feel a lot of anxiety about their space, and their storage (or lack thereof)
New York City apartments can be “insultingly small”
“Small is a relative term.” ← Click to Tweet
Betsy has worked with over 1000 apartments; each year she works with 250 clients
“It’s a cookie-cutter plan, but within that there’s a lot of individuality” ← Click to Tweet
West Elm
Betsy has developed a core 20 questions to determined how her clients live in their
“After 1000 apartments there’s no judgement. I’ve seen it all.” ← Click to Tweet
Client On-boarding/Discover Process
Best business advice Betsy every received: “If the name of your business doesn’t say exactly what you do, change it.”
The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
Clients find Betsy by Googling “Affordable Interior Design”
The Ikea Effect — If you built it yourself, you create an emotional investment
“Never ever ever, ever, build your own Ikea (unless you’re a professional)” ← Click to Tweet
80/20 rule applied to Ikea (80% crap, 20% gold)
Japanese school of thought for actors who clean their own stage, it builds awareness of the world
“Honor your space”, give it attention
“Your space is like committing to a partner”
Multi-variable Differential Equation
“not-yet-ness”
“The limitations define ‘the box’, and that’s where the magic happens.” ← Click to Tweet
Eames Chair with Ottoman
Cable Management is key; get a “raceway”
Prescott’s new desk (forthcoming blog post)
CableOrganizer.com
Our previous podcast episode about Project Management software and collaboration

Tools

StarTech 2×2 Open Slot Wiring Raceway Cable channel

Techniques

Develop a core series of questions to ask your new clients
Offer plans or packages so clients can choose based on their need
Build your room around an “inspiration item”, especially one with three or more colours
Mix woods within colour families
Get a storage unit if you need to hold on to something
Utilise open-close storage, such as a desk with cabinets and drawers
Staple cables to walls and furniture to keep them out of the way
Re-evaluate your workflows around your growing and changing business

Habits

Locate outlets when you enter a room, especially in NYC
Answer your own phone
Work late hours, after the kids to go sleep
Get to the coffee shops where you can get stuff done
Turn the TV on (in the background) for creative flow

Get The Episode

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 35(MP3, 47:31, 23 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 35(OGG, 47:31, 38.5 MB)

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes

Something to add? Leave a comment below to participate in the conversation.

The Busy Creator 34, Health & Fitness for Creative Pros w/guest Scott Colby Dec 01, 2014

Show notes

Scott Colby (@ScottColby) is fitness & nutrition expert and coach based in Colorado. In recent years he’s moved from being a traditional personal trainer to being an online entrepreneur, creating the Fit For Photos workout and nutrition course.

This conversation focuses on issues relating to health and wellness specifically aimed at creative professionals. We discuss the effects of deadlines, studio culture, and stress on creativity and energy. Scott shares some tips for dieting and how to structure a morning routine that aide productivity, energy, and ideas.

Read more about Scott on his website, ScottColby.com or his podcast, The Power to Change

Show Notes & Links

Scott created the Fit For Photos coaching program, and also runs fitness adventure holidays
His earlier niche was “abs”, where he was blogging as “The Abs Expert”
Typical ailments that affect office workers: extended sitting, stress, late eating, greasy/convenience food, lack of sunlight, obsession
“Your health has to come first before your other big dreams.” ← Click to Tweet
Debbie Millman mentioned energy management over time management on her podcast episode
“Nutrition will affect how you feel during the day” ← Click to Tweet
Try to avoid your phone and all social media first thing in the morning
Scott’s Green Smoothie ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, spinach or kale, avocado, vanilla protein powder
Protein bars are glorified candy bars (unless you make it yourself)
The “1800 Diet” — as if you lived in the year 1800; essentially seasonal, organic, local, and whole foods (eg no Twinkies)
A quick search on Amazon for “diet books” will yield a ton of results
Exercising can help with depression
Interval Training, alternate high- and low-intensity
Tabata Intervals (four-minute training)
Bear crawls
Prescott is too anxiety-ridden to take on meditation
7-Eleven Big Gulp
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
Napolean Dynamite
Scott’s page on Facebook

Tools

FocusBooster, Pomodoro Timer for your desktop
Nike Fuel and FitBit, fitness trackers
Noom Walk app for Android
Runtastic apps for iPhone and for Android
Google Sheets
My Fitness Pal app for tracking food

Techniques

Schedule times during the day to get outside, away from your desk
Use the Pomodoro Technique (50/10 as Scott prefers) to take mandatory breaks
Remove processed sugar; replace with a green smoothie
Schedule time to eat! Especially useful if you’re an obsessive person who loses track
Experiment with a “Digital Detox” during your day
Avoid deli meat which contains a lot of nitrates
Keep raw nuts or fruit in the office, especially when plans change suddenly
Change your setting to stimulate creativity; go outside, listen to a podcast, try silence

Habits

Reduce the amount of sugar you eat during the day
Confessing your struggles (eg, chocolate) is the first step to addressing them
Plan ahead to eliminate simply reacting
Opt for single-ingredient foods, where the only ingredient is the thing itself
Build a relaxation or meditation practice (even two minutes)
Practice S.A.V.E.R.S. (Scribing, Affirmation, Visualisation, Exercise, Reading, Silence) in the morning

The Busy Creator 33, Creative Career Q&A w/guest Lisa Cummings Nov 24, 2014

Show notes

Lisa Cummings (@LisaCummings) is a corporate consultant and trainer, and host of the Careers Q&A Podcast on PinchYourselfCareers.com. She offers insight and advice to job seekers and people at all stages of their careers, answering questions about office culture, hiring, money, and other career-related topics.

Today’s conversation borrows the format of her show, answering user-submitted questions specific to the create professions.

Show Notes & Links

On quantifying your work: put it in their perspective, be able to communicate your successes, make it all about the company. Also, get those figures wherever possible.
Present a business case rather than ask for stuff
On “creative” resumes: The content has to be solid, they don’t have to be infographics per se, inject your brand and personal style, show precision and attention to detail
“Your resume is the first piece in your portfolio” ← Click to Tweet
A resume is for 3–5 seconds. A hiring manager may only see your resume 30 seconds before they meet you.
On learning in preparation for quitting: present your case as a learner and leave the quitting part out, get the knowledge elsewhere by training outside the studio, take advantage of the business’s need for “utility men”
“Open the Kimono”
On declaring your [small] role on a project: be honest in describing your role and the other people involved, spin your part as a learning experience, describe the new skills learned, don’t lead with the shortcomings
Two (or Six) Degrees of Kevin Bacon
On reading books to learn business skills: learn the people skills (you’ll need them), also check out courses (online or off)
To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Influence by Robert Cialdini
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy
The Essential Principles of Graphic Design by Debbie Millman
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
The Long Tail by Chris Anderson
Onward by Howard Shultz
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
On being hired without a prestigious background: you can’t go through the front door, Lisa’s podcast episode about job descriptions, network like crazy,
Big Spaceship, AKQA, RazorFish – well-known web design agencies
On building your portfolio as a young creative: Do self-initiated work, do projects for community organizations, family or friends, take on a before-and-after, plan your time for taking on projects “for fun”
“Spray and Pray“, the wrong approach to job-hunting

Tools

Resume and Portfolio

Techniques

Chronicle everything. Get co-workers testimony, get figured & statistics
Use your promotion opportunities as a chance to update your portfolio. Keep things fresh.
Ask for feedback following an interview, don’t accept “you need more experience”

Habits

Save your praise, especially in a corporate environment
Bring two copies of your resume to any interview, on the paper that you chose. Control that experience.
Always be networking

Get The Episode

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 33(MP3, 44:16, 21.4 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 33(OGG, 44:16, 38.3 MB)

Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes

The Busy Creator 32 w/guest Vijay Mathews Nov 17, 2014

Show notes

Vijay Mathews (@vijaymathews) is a co-founder of W&Co., an interactive design & development agency based in New York. In the last few years, he’s built mobile apps and websites for a variety of clients, focusing on the education, non-profit, retail, and government sectors.

This conversation discusses running a multidisciplinary firm, the workflow and roles at W&Co., and the trouble with de facto standards in the design biz.

Show Notes & Links

W&Co. does Design AND Development, and has since the beginning
Chris Auyeung, Vijay’s co-founder at W&Co.
Josh Miles discussed the growth of his firm on a previous podcast episode
They now “do the kind of work they want to do”
They’ve stayed nimble so they can “keep the overhead low but still provide the quality of work they wanted to provide.”
“We didn’t have the mindset to say no to work; we were just getting started.”
Designers should “know and understand the capabilities and limitations” of software and devices
Zeitgeist, En Vogue … can you tell Prescott went to art school?
The Polymath aka The Renaissance Man
Vijay and his team have moved away from mobile applications toward broader digital/web projects
“Maintaining native applications across a wide variety of platforms and devices was impossible.”
80% Websites, 20% Apps
HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript
“Do you need an app?” A question for webmasters and podcasters
Candy Crush
W&Co. applications on the iTunes store
How The Sausage Gets Made
Another reference to “The Museum in Minneapolis” (throwback to Episode 30 with Michael Bierut)
Ask yourself “What could it be?”
Websites that haven’t updated since 1997
“Should you be using a photo-editing tool for web mockups?” ← Click to Tweet
Word Processor Wars of the 1980s and The Browser Wars of the 1990s
XKCD Comic on competing standards
Previous episode on Project Management Apps with Bryan Orr
Lingua Franca
The Story of QuarkXPress
Prescott New Year’s Resolution for 2008: “Never use Quark again!”
Eisenhower Methodology, again
Remember The Milk

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud
Jira for bug-tracking (and modified for project management)
Agile development

Techniques

Consider longevity in the marketplace (shorter-life projects can be more avant garde)
Don’t be too conservative during the ideation phase
Play to your strengths in your roles (designer, IA, etc.) but join forces as well to have multidisciplinary crossover
Utilise Master Pages in InDesign

Habits

Have a daily scrum meeting
Examine your calendar the night before
30-45 minute run early in the morning to clear the head
Arrive before the staff to sort email and admin

The Busy Creator 31, Project Mgmt & Collaboration Tools w/guest Bryan Orr Nov 10, 2014

Show notes

Bryan Orr (@BryanJOrr) is both a brick-and-mortal small business owner and software entrepreneur, based in Florida. In owning and operating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) installation company, he has experimented with a great variety of project management tools and collaboration software. Following this, he ventured into the software game itself, commissioning his own system to help run the business.

He also hosts the WOW Small Business Podcast and is a co-creator of MentionTribe, an online service aimed at helping local small businesses.

Show Notes & Links

Bryan owns a HVAC installation business
MentionTribe
WOW Small Business Podcast
Prescott had a past life as a Mechanical Engineering draftsman
R-12 vs R-134a refridgerants
Remember The Milk and TeuxDeux, examples of “laundry list” apps
Basecamp, classic email replacement tool
Gantt Charts
Time-tracking and Invoicing
Image previewing and collaborative reviewing
“Tasking”, Bryan’s term for assigning items to different team members
Gwenyth Paltrow uses Basecamp
Bryan favours Trello for team collaboration
Kanban board, take a task through a lifecycle
Freedcamp is a free(mium) version of Basecamp
Prescott doesn’t like “glorified checklists” because not everything in life is a checkbox item
“Email needs to be taken out back, burned, and never heard from again” ← Click to Tweet
“Advanced Chat”, Bryan’s term for specified cross-talk which replaces email
Josh Miles, previous podcast guest and design firm owner
“Pictures of Success”
Eisenhower methodology
Clients should not use text messaging, especially when the recipient may be driving
Toggl, simple time-tracking but not so much invoicing
Screenshot Monitor, keeps an eye on team members up-to-the-minute
Xero, small business online accounting software; and employer of Saul Colt, past podcast guest
Starship Design, Prescott’s design company
The Wayback Machine
Password managers like Dashlane allow you to have your password on you at all times
The trouble with reference materials, “knowledge base”
Wiki software is not very user-friendly
Dropbox beats Google Drive for roll-back of individual files
Work Smarter by Nick Loper
Entrepreneur on Fire podcast

Tools

Techniques

Create new columns (“States”) in your Kanban board
Utilise a real Project Manager to make decisions and keep the project moving
Define “Pictures of Success” to demonstrate best practices within your team
Use the Eisenhower methodology to determine what’s important vs. what’s urgent
Don’t use text messaging for business
Create a method of your own to-do list
Create a method for group communication/chat
Create a method for assigning tasks
Ensure you have mobile capabilities
Experiment with mind-mapping methodologies
Build a team knowledge base so folks don’t have to ask each other for stuff all the time

Habits

Adhere to the system you create, but also test new methods
Review your personal and team to-dos at the end of each day

The Busy Creator 30 w/guest Michael Bierut Nov 03, 2014

Show notes

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 30 with Designer, Educator & Writer Michael Bierut

Michael Bierut (@MichaelBierut) is one of today’s most renowned and respected graphic designers. Since 1990, he has been a Partner at Pentagram, where he works with clients like MIT Media Lab, The Yale School of Architecture, and the New York Jets. In addition to his work at Pentagram, he is a Senior Critic in Graphic Design at the Yale School of Art and co-founded the online publication Design Observer, where he writes about design and creative culture.

Together we discuss Michael’s feelings in becoming a business owner, how he divides work duties with his team, the clunky process of learning business skills as a young designer, and the exhaustive routines which power his morning. We also learn the 19-syllable Starbucks order he buys each working day, and how long it takes him to run 3 miles.

Read more about Michael via his lengthy biography on Pentagram’s website.

Show Notes & Links

Pentagram’s New York Office, and its library, where we recorded this episode
Michael Bierut in the Pentagram Library. Image via The Architectural League of NY
Michael [still] thinks of himself as a “working graphic designer”
Michael’s previous — and only — employers were Massimo & Lella Vignelli
As a young designer, he “never spent a minute lying in bed wondering if a client was going to pay an overdue invoice.”
Michael writes his own proposals; there is no “behemoth” behind the scenes
“I thought I was ready to be a business owner, but I really didn’t know much about it.” ← Click to tweet
Pentagram Partners “really like to do the work.”
Michael currently works with 6 designers, 2 project managers, and 2 interns.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” ← Click to tweet
Teaching business skills to designers isn’t “baked in” to Pentagram’s ethos, but it happens through close collaboration
Without cultural context, working as a designer can be a “long road to carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Knopf Doubleday, publisher
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
New York Times
“The world we live in was created by people no smarter than us.” —Prescott mis-quoting Steve Jobs ← Click to tweet
“Designers are actors playing a part. We have to learn about X and show the world X.” ← Click to tweet
Michael is a Lazy Designer
“The time I invest [in proposals] is always intense and personal.” ← Click to tweet
Michael’s famous sketchbooks notebooks. Currently working with #104.
Make It Bigger by Paula Scher

Tools

Marble composition notebooks
Venti Triple Non-Fat Cappuccino from Starbucks

Techniques

Oversee a single designer, bring on a second only if you need it
Keep your pitches/responses to briefs short but purposeful. Don’t participate in theatrics.
Ponder a problem during your morning run. Solve it during that time.

Habits

Wake up early (5:15a–5:35a)
Jog 3 miles every morning
Use vacations as a time to focus on a particular project
Build writing into your routine. Chunk it down and don’t give yourself a chance to escape.

The Busy Creator 29 w/guest Susan Gunelius Oct 27, 2014

Show notes

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 29 with Brand Strategy Consultant, Copywriter & Author Susan Gunelius

Susan Gunelius (@susangunelius) is a 20-year marketing veteran who has worked in corporate environments for some of the largest companies in the world. Today, she’s on the agency side as President & CEO of Keysplash Creative, which offers brand strategy consulting along with writing and all marketing communication services.

In addition, Susan has written 10 books not only on marketing, branding social media, and technology, but also on subjects like the marketing of Harry Potter. She now contributes her marketing expertise to sites like Forbes and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women On Business, an award-winning blog. Our conversation moves from working with clients to managing an agency of one and the habits required to author a book.

Show Notes & Links

Susan’s website describes her many offerings
Susan focuses on Marketing Strategy and Marketing Communications, was a Marketing major in college
Ad Agencies are crazy places
“There’s a gap in perception of what the designers are doing.” ← Click to tweet
“Tell me about your business” is the hardest question for clients to answer (and it’s not even a question!)
“Clients are so close their business they can’t get out of their own way” ← Click to tweet
Kick-ass Copywriting in Ten Easy Steps by Susan Gunelius
Talking animals in advertising. Why.
The Budweiser Frogs
Local business advertising. Oh boy.
“People are choosing something else if they’re not choosing your product. There is always competition.” ← Click to tweet

United We Brand by Mike Moser
Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler

Interrogation tactics such as Good Cop/Bad Cop
David Ogilvy on selling fire extinguishers — ”When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire.”
“Don’t chase Google; build a business for the long-term.” ← Click to tweet
Price, Place, Promotion, Product — The Four P’s of Marketing
Some ads create the want, not the sale
Florida has better weather than New Jersey (but headlines like this are an everyday hazard.)
b5 Media — blog network
Susan writes for Forbes and Entrepreneur
WomenOnBusiness.com
Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon by Susan Gunelius
Manager’s Schedule vs. Maker’s Schedule
Gantt Chart
Recurring Theme: Get rid of email
Freemium

Tools

Mac and a PC (sometimes a third Mac laptop)
All-in-one plus a B+W Laser Printer
Notebook
Trello
SproutSocial
HootSuite
Buffer

Techniques

To get clients to be honest about their brand/company 1.) play Devil’s Advocate; or 2.) circumvent the main question and ask unrelated questions.
Use questionnaires and forms for clients with tough communication skills
Use psychology to get at the heart of a brand
Use case studies and real world examples to hammer home your strategy
Write content to build credibility (via blogs or books)
Narrow your focus to one or two topics
“Chunking”, the process of planning your topics, especially chapters in books

Habits

Write a section a day, don’t worry about a whole book
Build uninterrupted chunks of time
Work all day on Saturday
Write stuff down to remember them

The Busy Creator 28 w/guest Adam Harrison Levy Oct 20, 2014

Show notes

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 28 with Writer, Professor, and Filmmaker Adam Harrison Levy

Adam Harrison Levy (@AdamHLevy) is a Professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City as well as Wesleyan University in Connecticut. In addition, he writes for Design Observer and works as a freelance interviewer/filmmaker for the BBC.

Our conversation meanders and gets slightly meta. We acknowledge the odd circumstances of a professional interviewer being interviewed by an amateur, and of two Americans discussing their love for the BBC.

Read some of Mr. Levy’s articles and learn more about his film work via Adam’s profile on Design Observer.

Show Notes & Links

Video Filmmaking for the iPhone
Co-teaching w/a NYT Culture Journalist on Research and Writing
The MA in Design Criticism, aka “D-Crit”, is now more focused on research and writing
South Sudan is developing a logo and flag
Prescott did a Master’s in Graphic Communication at the University for the Creative Arts (UK)
Gobsmacked, a British term meaning “struck speechless”
Mad Men
George Lois
Steve Heller
Gay Talese
Prescott is an internet nerd, watches overseas programming via grey market websites and techniques
Country House Rescue (brilliant show on Britain’s Channel4, not the BBC, but still)
Zaha Hadid, British-Iraqi Architect
Horizon and Panorama, recurring BBC series
Imagine, another great series featuring such topics as “The Book” and The Chelsea Hotel
Port-forwarding and VPNs to get access to the BBC iPlayer
Selling the Sixties: How Madison Ave. Dreamed a Decade
BBC has to be “fleet and maverick” regarding graphics; Don’t overdue it
Simple title graphics
Cleatus, the dancing robot on FOX [American] Football Coverage
Stiff Upper Lip
The Scottish Referendum on Independence (spoiler alert: they voted “No”)
Simon Schama, a History of Britain
David Attenborough
The Story of Science
Isambard Kingdom Brunnel, 19th Century British Civil Engineer
The Bombing of Hiroshima, re-enactments created with student actors
Czechoslovakia (no longer a country)
Adam is the “intellectual content research” guy, not the technical video and sound guy
Chuck Close
The Beauty of Maps, BBC Four
George Elsey, worked in the Truman White House. Was standing next to President Truman on SS Atlantic when news of Hiroshima reached the Pres.
The Map Room in the basement of the British Library
The Domesday Book, 1086
Maps as political cartoons
Great British Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo
700 Photographs of post-bomb Hiroshima found on a street corner in Mass., written about on Design Observer
Don Levy (no relation) found the photos in a suitcase
International Center for Photography
The design of castle towers learned during The Crusades
Nijū Hibakusha, (literally “double bomb-affected people”), the term for those in Japan who survived both atomic bombings
The Writers’ Room, NYC
Email is bad for your brain, e.g. Phantom Blackberry
“Getting in The Zone is a weird sort of meditation” ← Click to tweet
Funions
Mind Like Water, as mentioned in Getting Things Done
Prescott and his friends were lifeguards as teenagers. They would use the time to ponder levels of Commandos

Tools

18th Century French table, which Adam uses as a desk these 20 years
Laptop
Pens and pencils, paper (pretty old-school, actually)
Totems (monkey holding a Mont-Blanc pen)
Brass date-changer

Techniques

Be “Tight and Loose” as an interviewer (almost a Zen practice)
Always have a point-of-view, which Adam calls “The Force of Will”
Hit the books, hit the phone, and do a pre-interview before turning up with a camera crew
Create a ritual with the passing of time, such as a physical calendar
Batch your email, especially when it’s from London and there’s a time-shift

Habits

Wake up early; not quite as early as Steve Heller
Meditate for 20-25 minutes; not quite the 5-hour Zen practice
Tea, and coffee only when I need a shot
Leverage “Creative Distraction” to free your brain

The Busy Creator 27 w/guest Christopher Sharpe Oct 13, 2014

Show notes

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 27 with Online Video Producer Christopher Sharpe

Christopher Sharpe (@csharpe)is a writer, director, designer, blogger, and builder of internet things. Following an early career in traditional filmmaking, he’s currently the producer of two popular online video shows, Yoga With Adriene and Hilah Cooking.

Our conversation focuses on the nuts and bolts of producing video with a limited crew, as well as the inevitable drama that comes from working full-time in online video. Christopher’s work can be seen on his website, ChristopherSharpe.com, and you can see check out his book, YouTube Black Book.

Listen to the episode below and click through for examples of Chris’s video series.

00:00 00:00

Hilah Cooking: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe

Yoga with Adriene: 20 Minute Yoga Flow for Detox and Digestion

Show Notes & Links

Chris started with the traditional filmmaking route. Short films and commercials.
Sex Machine, Chris’s first feature, on Netflix
Shannon Morse, previous guest on The Busy Creator
Are commercials an art form?
No feedback on broadcast media, e.g. “What’s up with that Pampers commercial?”

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

Luke Sullivan, the 75-mile-per-hour billboard

Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan

Advertising is annoying, especially when you’re used to watching online (Wayfair, I’m looking at you)
Contextual advertising on YouTube
Chris and Hilah have created several Cook Books through Kindle and in print
Brand integration content
Producing content for other companies
Scripps Network launched uLive
TasteMade YouTube Channel
The phrase “recurring theme” seems to be a recurring theme
Libsyn, host for The Busy Creator
Consistency is rewarded in the YouTube algorithm
Chris & co. didn’t earn any money for the first year, but they kept going
Don’t forget to visit the website for Starship Design, Prescott’s design company
Manager’s Schedule vs. Maker’s Schedule by Paul Graham

YouTube Black Book by Christopher Sharpe

Tools

YouTube and Vimeo, video platforms
Canon C100 and Canon T5i, for main and supporting cameras
Final Cut Pro 10
Adobe Audition
iMacs
Basecamp
Google Apps

Techniques

Examine the audience and make an educated guess, then rework the content based on the platform
Record your show in real-time, and punch in “beauty” shots
Examine your workflow and look for ways to save time, such as in editing
Offer information as an effort to build traffic
Offer a free PDF (The Breakfast Taco Book) to get them on the mailing list
Seek to get the audience away from YouTube and onto a platform you control and can monitor
Release three types of videos aimed at different audiences and reactions: one search engines, another for quick sharing on social networks, and a third for the YouTube Community itself
Continue to interact on the comments for your blog posts and videos

Habits

Get into “The Zone” early in the day. Writing and creative planning.
Email and stuff before lunch, then to the office for editing/post-production
Block work responsibilities into chunks of time (whether it’s 45 minutes or 3 hours)
Be your own manager — chunk out your own time

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