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... more
Katie Robbins and Sarah Sutherland are the showrunners of Hulu's highly anticipated limited series, GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY, starring Ellen Pompeo... more
NYU roommates Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, established a working partnership through their love for genre films. Their filmography includes... more
Ian Seabrook is a highly acclaimed Director of Photography, celebrated for his mastery of underwater cinematography. His recent work includes... more
Andy Bobrow is a seasoned TV comedy writer with over two decades of experience on hit network shows like MALCOLM... more
David Carson is a counter-intuitive thinker and creative problem-solver with a knack for uncovering genius where others see nonsense. Known... more
Mark Dent is a senior writer and editor at The Hustle, where he writes feature stories about business and the... more
Dito Montiel went from punk rocker to briefly a boxer, then a Versace/Calvin Klein model. His band Gutterboy signed a... more
Nikki Toscano is a showrunner, executive producer, and director. She co-created and runs Peacock's LONG BRIGHT RIVER starring Amanda Seyfried,... more
J.J. Bailey is the creator, executive producer and co-showrunner on the NBC drama THE HUNTING PARTY. Since 2017, he has... more
Ike Barinholtz is an acclaimed comedic actor, writer, and producer. He's known for his work on shows like THE MINDY... more
Pietro Schito is an animation screenwriter and producer who turns ideas into animated adventures and helps development teams unravel their... more
Martin Campbell is a filmmaker known for directing two acclaimed James Bond films, GOLDENEYE and CASINO ROYALE. He gained recognition... more
Andrew Buss has carved out a niche for himself as a pop culture expert, with a heavy emphasis on comedy.... more
Lol Crawley is a cinematographer known for his work on films such as THE BRUTALIST, WHITE NOISE, and 45 YEARS;... more
Jarin Blaschke is an acclaimed cinematographer best known for his work with director Robert Eggers. His striking, atmospheric visuals define... more
Philip Gelatt is a writer, director, and producer best known for his contribution to Netflix’s animated anthology LOVE, DEATH &... more
Drew Hancock's debut feature film, COMPANION, a dark and twisted tale of romance gone awry, stars Sophie Thatcher and Jack... more
Morgan Neville is an acclaimed director and producer, known for his award-winning documentaries. His film WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?... more
Kate Gersten is best known for her work on the Golden Globe winning series MOZART IN THE JUNGLE and the... more
Michelle Nader is a veteran showrunner, writer, and executive producer known for her work in comedy. She serves as showrunner... more
Pat Casey and Josh Miller first met in junior high detention in Minnesota, forming a creative partnership that began with... more
Jordan Weiss is the writer behind Hulu’s hit series DOLLFACE, a comedy about female friendships starring Kat Dennings, Brenda Song,... more
Morgan Sackett is an accomplished television and film producer known for his work on critically acclaimed and beloved comedies such... more
Bruce Campbell is an actor and producer widely celebrated for his role as Ash Williams in the cult-classic EVIL DEAD... more
Blake is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of a dozen novels, most recently, DARK MATTER, RECURSION,... more
Halina Reijn is a writer, director, and actress known for her debut feature INSTINCT and the Gen-Z horror-comedy BODIES BODIES... more
J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay have been writing together for nearly 25 years, collaborating on over 20 screenplays, including STAR... more
James Mangold is an Oscar-nominated writer-director known for film like GIRL INTERRUPTED, WALK THE LINE, LOGAN, COP LAND, and FORD... more
Jon Spaihts is a screenwriter known for his work in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. He gained visibility with his... more
Jack Huston has established himself as a versatile talent in film, television, and theater, excelling both in front of and... more
As Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, Duncan and his team helped Imagineering, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, and Disney Parks... more
Laura Eason is a producer, screenwriter, and playwright. She most recently served as showrunner and executive producer of the new... more
Colin Jeffrey is the Chief Creative Officer of Doner and Co-Founder of Wolfgang. Under his leadership, Doner was named an... more
Michael Costigan is a film and television producer based in Los Angeles. He is a partner at Aggregate Films, a... more
Sean McBride is the Chief Creative Officer of Arnold Worldwide, a globally recognized creative agency. He is the creative guru... more
Mark Sanderson is a screenwriter, author, script consultant, and lecturer. His career spans sketch comedy, writing for MTV, and over... more
Joshua Zetumer serves as the showrunner, executive producer, and head writer of FX’s SAY NOTHING, an adaptation of the New... more
Ellie leads the creative team at GLOW, working with high-profile entertainment clients such as Warner Brothers, HBO Max, Paramount+, Showtime,... more
"We wrote spec scripts. We sat in a Borders bookstore with an out-of-date agent directory and wrote query letters," says... more
Douglas Vigliotti is the author of four books, including ARISTOTLE FOR NOVELISTS and TOM COLLINS: A ‘SLIGHTLY CROOKED’ NOVEL. In his... more
Dallas Jenkins is the creator, producer, director, and writer of the international hit series THE CHOSEN. He launched his career... more
Dean Devlin has produced and co-written some of the most successful feature films of all time: INDEPENDENCE DAY, STARGATE, and... more
“I was really into THE BATMAN,” says Zobel. “So much so that I had reached out to him after I'd... more
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo stars in the Netflix series THE LINCOLN LAWYER. He will next be seen starring as the title character... more
Ted Humphrey is an accomplished writer, producer, director, and showrunner. He’s earned acclaim for his work as a producer on... more
“We are an underdog culture. We love the underdog story. And I think with wrestling, and certainly what we tried... more
Jac Schaeffer is an accomplished screenwriter best known for her groundbreaking work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She served as... more
In 2021 Mary Neely and Kareem Rahma met at a Brooklyn comedy show. A week later they found themselves crammed... more
"The idea for CHALLENGERS came to me through this moment when I was watching the U.S. Open and it was... more
Bear McCreary is an acclaimed composer known for his work in film, television, and video games. His distinctive style blends... more
In his 35-year career, Mark Morris has written and edited around fifty novels, novellas, short story collections, and anthologies. His... more
It’s almost Halloween! To celebrate, we've curated a spine-chilling compilation of the best moments from our interviews with the masters... more
Rob Letterman is the creator, showrunner, executive producer, and director of GOOSEBUMPS for Sony/Disney+. The series is a critical and... more
Multiple Emmy and IDA award-winning filmmaker Erik Nelson has produced and directed a wide range of feature documentaries for his company... more
Daniel Church is a horror fiction writer and the author of THE HOLLOWS, which was shortlisted for the British Fantasy... more
Rebekah Powell is a Creative Director & Video Director better known as RebekahBCreative on social media. With more than 24... more
Hayley Frazier and Emalee Burditt are LGBTQ+ comedy writers based in Los Angeles. The two met as assistants on LAST... more
“As a kid, I had the Super 8, we were making backyard epics, and somebody had to write the scripts,”... more
Lauren LeFranc is the showrunner of Max’s highly-anticipated limited series THE PENGUIN. With LeFranc’s assured creative voice as its throughline,... more
Rhona Mitra first gained recognition as the live-action model for the video game character Lara Croft before breaking into acting... more
Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit trace their love for writing back to childhood. Hernandez recalls writing a Star Wars short... more
Rick Lite is the founder of Stress Free Book Marketing and a seasoned sales and marketing professional with over 20... more
At twenty-six, Gaby Laurent felt like her life was just beginning. Newly married and pregnant with her first child, she... more
Katie Robbins is the creator and showrunner of the AppleTV+ drama series SUNNY. The series stars Emmy Award nominee Rashida... more
"I think David [Fincher] at first was a little disconcerted. I didn't know any of the vocabulary," says Carrie Coon.... more
After gaining an Academy Award nomination for his 2003 film EVIL, director and screenwriter Mikael Håfström started an international career,... more
"I always looked at this as like, I'm trying to make Black Ocean's Eleven or I'm trying to make a... more
"It's like being a boxer when you get in with the actor. You have to have respect," says Lester. "Now,... more
Soo Hugh is known for The Killing, The River, Under the Dome, The Terror, and See. Most recently, however, she... more
Chris Brancato, is the co-creator of the critically acclaimed series NARCOS, which ran for three seasons on Netflix. He is... more
Mark Monroe is one of Hollywood’s leading documentary filmmakers. He’s known for films like Lucy and Desi, Icarus, The Beach... more
Melissa Ponzio is an actress best known for her iconic role as Melissa McCall, the dedicated single mother of Scott... more
Tom Hamling recently went out on his own, departing from Austin-based ad agency, GSD&M, to found Nashville-based ad agency, THE... more
Andrew Fleming is the executive producer and director of the hit Emmy-nominated series, Emily in Paris, returning to Netflix with... more
Attica Locke is an award-winning screenwriter, TV producer, and NY Times best-selling novelist. Her novels include: Heaven, My Home; Bluebird,... more
“I’ve had a single-minded focus on it,” says Alex Saks, about her love for movies. She attended Wake Forest to... more
“I didn’t see it as a business,” says creator Alma Har'el. “It was a calling that was on my mind.... more
Niclas Larsson was a child actor who got interested in directing short films around age twelve. “I watched cheap American... more
For more than a decade, Micky and a band of talented misfits and creative minds have grown the agency from... more
Jimmy Tatro is an actor, writer, director, and creator who began his career on YouTube and has since become one... more
Janine Sherman Barrois is an award-winning writer and showrunner known for her work on Claws, Criminal Minds, ER, and Self... more
“I want to pursue the industry. I don’t know what it looks like. I don’t have connections. But I knew... more
From a young age, Jack Carr had two dreams: serving his country in uniform as a Navy SEAL and becoming... more
Johnathon Schaech is an actor, writer, and producer, celebrated for his dynamic presence on both big and small screens. His... more
Award-winning Mad Men writer Victor Levin recently debuted his latest TV series 'Alice & Jack' on PBS. The unconventional six-episode... more
“The idea really came from my own life because I am a person who had a lot of very close... more
“Initially, I never thought film was an option. I grew up in Wisconsin,” says Michael Sarnoski, “and I didn’t have... more
“I wasn’t looking to be in a business,” jokes Danai Gurira. “I really felt like I wanted to tell stories... more
“I was a theater kid, so I started out writing plays,” says David Zabel. “But I started to think, what... more
You know her best as Maggie Greene (later Maggie Rhee) on The Walking Dead, but additional credits include Chuck, The... more
Rhea Seehorn studied visual arts in college, but when she was asked to take an extracurricular, she took a technique... more
“It was the magic of the environment that drew me in. The idea that you could tell a story, and... more
Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne are a dynamic couple in the entertainment industry. Tig is a renowned stand-up comedian, writer, actress,... more
“Honestly, and I know it sounds sentimental, but when I became a writer, I held Pixar out as my beacon,”... more
Geraldine DeRuiter is an acclaimed author, world-renowned public speaker, and the voice behind the award-winning Everywhereist blog. In her latest book... more
Ken Coleman is a career expert and #1 bestselling author of The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead... more
Stephen Camelio is a freelance writer and former editor at In Style magazine. His work has appeared in countless publications... more
“I always knew that I wanted to write in some way. My mother is a writer and I kind of... more
“I didn’t really know I was allowed to be a screenwriter, so I didn’t consider that as a career or... more
Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Her comedy is based on her unique point-of-view, shaped growing up... more
Adele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over... more
Zach Woods got his start at the Upright Citizens Brigade doing improv. Brandon Gardner followed a similar path, eventually shifting... more
Jeff Annison is the Co-Founder and President of 'Legion M,' the world's first fan-owned media company. With 50k investors, over $20M... more
“There was David Cronenberg (The Fly, Scanners), but not many other examples,” says Don McKellar, about his childhood as a... more
Ned Benson is a writer, director, and producer known for his profound storytelling. His debut film, 'The Disappearance of Eleanor... more
“I was hungry,” says Kurt Johnstad, who took any position he could find to get on set. “I was just... more
Stephen Moyer is a renowned actor and director best known for his role as vampire Bill Compton in HBO's 'True... more
Lee Hardcastle is a renowned claymation director celebrated for his dark humor and innovative style. Through the years he has... more
In high school, Bill Kennedy got a job making copies at a law firm. Back then, he pictured himself taking... more
Whether through art, animation, or filmmaking, Julian Curi has dedicated his life and work to telling stories and helping others... more
Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he shares his ongoing journey of... more
“I started out in the acting world,” says Rebecca Flinn-White. “Acting, directing, theater. And that’s how Zak and I met... more
‘I didn’t grow up in a place where I was hanging out with screenwriters,” says Melanie Marnich. “I grew up... more
Michael Jamin has been writing for television since 1996. His many credits include Just Shoot Me, King of the Hill,... more
“I wanted to be a filmmaker for as long as I can remember,” says Dave Boyle. “I wanted to be... more
Dori Zavala is an award-winning attorney and filmmaker with over 23 years of experience in the legal, business, and finance... more
Chad Feehan’s parents took him to the movies nearly every single weekend. “They didn’t have much of a filter,” he... more
Rising Nashville pop artist and songwriter, Kyndal Inskeep, has been writing and performing since childhood. Her career took off after releasing... more
“My family had a dude ranch in Colorado,” says Mark L. Smith, as to why he didn’t really starting writing... more
Amber Williams is a Screenwriter, Podcaster, Founder, and Creative Director of Whirleybird Productions. On her podcast 'The Film Finance and Distribution... more
Diego Vicentini is a Venezuelan writer and film director who has made several award-winning short films, including 'Simón', the predecessor... more
“The thing I always wanted to do was remember that what it means to be a writer is very big,”... more
Hardly recognizable from one character to the next, Alanna Ubach has starred in over 150 theater, film and television projects,... more
The son of Canadian TV host Elwy Host, Graham Yost grew up with a love for film, television, and books.... more
“I love storytelling and I think I’ve always been an observant person, when it comes to reveling in human dynamics,”... more
Tory Tunnell’s original dream was to the Editor for Vogue. In college, she interned at places like The New Yorker... more
“My favorite thing was going to the movies,” Emile Hirsch says about his childhood. Emile is best known for Into... more
In the film, Eileen, the story follows a woman’s friendship with a new co-worker at the prison facility where she... more
“I always wanted to write for movies but didn’t really admit it until I moved to LA and someone asked... more
“I love antiheroes,” says screenwriter Amber Noizumi. “As a woman, this idea of the goody two shoes girl next door... more
It’s been 500 episodes! Thank you all so much for listening. As a special celebration episode, I’ve included some of... more
“I’ve spent my life writing,” says Emerald Fennell. “It’s something I’ve done ever since I was a child. It’s something... more
“I was ill-equipped to do anything else,” jokes Amy Sherman-Paladino. “It was survival of the fittest maybe. My father was... more
“I thought I wanted to be a journalist,” said Linda Palmer. “But when I saw myself in front of a... more
“I just took a poll with my team and right now, we have about 20 projects in development,” says Robert... more
‘Songs for Ivy’ is a touching and enlightening perspective on topics such as childhood and terminal cancer, alcoholism, drug addiction,... more
“Movies and television is always what I wanted to do,” says Eric Martin. “I don’t remember it wasn’t a time... more
As a screenwriter, Tyler MacIntyre co-wrote ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s.’ The story follows “A troubled security guard begins working at... more
Rick Garman moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to be an actor. “I got out as soon... more
“The origin story feels pretty far away from where I am now,” says screenwriter Kelly Younger. “I started out in... more
‘Shot in the Arm’ explores the "anti-vax" movement both historically and in the angry political present, this vital account probes... more
“What led me into filmmaking was being in the world and being dyslexic,” said documentarian Thom Zimny, who got into... more
Character actor Stephen Tobolowsky has nearly 300 credits to his name, including roles in Groundhog Day, Seinfeld, Mad About You,... more
“We delivered six, critically-acclaimed, super long documentaries in the last five years with the help of 80,000 backers,” Robin Block... more
“Curation is creation,” Eric Jorgenson told me. “There’s this false god of originality that I just don’t buy. Maybe that’s... more
“I wanted to direct movies. That’s all I ever wanted to do. I never had a plan to write movies,”... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Ep473 - Ink by the Barrel (Audiobook) - Chapter 5 by Creative Principles Podcast
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
Welcome to Creative Principles! In this special episode, we’re sharing the audiobook version of Ink by the Barrel - Secrets... more
“I moved out to LA in 1999 with my best friend from high school. Every summer in college, we would... more
The son of an actor, Australian screenwriter Abe Forsythe grew up around creatives. “I spent a lot of time backstage... more
“You get to a point where it hurts more not to make than to make,” says author and writing coach... more
“I met Stuart Gordon in high school,” began Dennis Paoli. “We overlapped in several ways. We had the same sense... more
“I spent most of my career in advertising,” says George Olson. “I had always wanted to write for movies and... more
“I always had a camera growing up. I know that’s cheesy, but I didn’t know it could be a job,”... more
Scott McConnell is a story consultant and script developer who helps ambitious producers and screenwriters develop their concepts, themes and... more
The film ‘On Fire’ “follows a family who lives in a trailer home in the woods and are suddenly confronted... more
Jennifer Hamady started her career as a professional singer. “There was no Plan B,” she said. “But I never fancied... more
Bitten by the acting bug in college, while teaching, Michael Jai White began auditioning for commercials and acting gigs on... more
“Writing is always something I did for my own delight and enjoyment,” said Kate Holland. “I would have these stories... more
“I’ve always loved reading, so it started more with books than movies,” said screenwriter Ariane Hahusseau. “That’s how I developed... more
"I think it's very important that the film demonstrated that it was an effort not done by one individual who... more
Alex Mandel began his career as a composer at Pixar by providing the score for the Ratatouille DVD short "Your... more
Paul Fairweather is a Brisbane-based, speaker, author, mentor, architect, and artist who believes we are makers at heart, and... more
Jason Hellerman is an award-winning film and TV writer. His feature screenplay, Shovel Buddies, made the top ten of the... more
Sue Ellen Thompson’s poems have been read more than a dozen times on National Public Radio by Garrison Keillor, have... more
“I moved to New York fifteen years ago. Didn’t really have much interest in drawing at that time—vaguely interested, but... more
Melanie Figg has been writing poetry since college. Since then, her poems, essays, and reviews have been published in more... more
Rich Cohen is a New York Times bestseller writer best known for his books 'The Chicago Cubs: Story of a... more
Jesse V. Johnson is a British film director, screenwriter, and stunt coordinator, who is most known for 'Triple Threat', 'Avengement"... more
“One of the only real skills that I seem to have cultivated is patience,” jokes screenwriter Ed Solomon. “Once you... more
Jordan Morris is an award-winning producer and director of films like Nintendo Quest and multiple festival Best Documentary winner, Missing... more
A former runaway teen mom is accidentally resurrected in her family's funeral home, giving her a second chance to raise... more
Brooks Elms is a screenwriter and independent filmmaker who has written over 25 screenplays, including one with Brad Peyton as... more
"I grew up playing soccer, basketball; multiple layer athlete, so I knew what I was able to learn, how coachable... more
"My nursery teacher called my parents and said to them 'You know, you should really take this kid to a... more
Amy Johnston is a stuntwoman, actress, and motion capture performer, best known for her work on Deadpool, Captain America: The... more
“When you are exploring with writing, particularly in the start, you don’t really know where your voice is going to... more
Cheryl Lewis is a unique, multi-discipline performer on the stage and screen, member of SAG-AFTRA/AEA/AGVA/AGMA. She is a stunt performer,... more
Michael Tennant grew up San Diego with a “disdain” for Los Angeles. “You’re taught the Dodgers are the devil,” he... more
“I think it would have killed my career if I would have graduated from drama school and gotten all the... more
“When Everyone Leads it’s a book about how people — wherever you are in your organization, your community, your company,... more
Ali Siddiq got his start at an Open Mic in Houston, on Apollo night. In a fresh suit, like he... more
“I don’t ever set out with a theme,” says author Dana Pettrey. “I’m gonna teach these or these is the... more
“I wanted to become a stuntman since I was eight years old,” Lauro “Lash” Chartrand-Del Valle told me. In this... more
As an eight-year-old, Herbert James Winterstern would sneak downstairs to watch movies with his dad. These movies, classics like Planet... more
Award-winning filmmaker Robert Rippberger, filmmaker Devin Keaton, and business magnate Nathan Edwards have announced the groundbreaking of Ascent Studios, the... more
“I’ve always been very interested in people. Originally, I wanted to study philosophy, but by accident, I stumbled into a... more
“I’d always been a big fan of the written word, from childhood, in different mediums,” says Maurice Williams. “Whether it... more
“In the beginning, the two shows were very different, at least for me,” says Peter Gould, in regards to writing... more
“I don’t know what made me want to be a writer, but I loved doing it a very early age,”... more
Dana Stevens is a film critic for Slate and the author of Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema,... more
“I was particularly interested in writing comedy,” says Paul Lieberstein, who is best known for playing Toby on The Office,... more
Diedrich Bader grew up in Paris, watching movies from Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Fred Astaire. Through some unique circumstances,... more
Mireille Enos followed her brother’s footsteps into acting at an early age, which eventually led her to New York City... more
George Tillman Jr. recalls going to see his first movie while at church summer school. “Ever since then, I caught... more
Javicia Leslie was always a performer, whether that’s performing in front of family members or now, in front of millions... more
Before getting involved with screenwriting and producing, Jemima Khan was a journalist for publications like Vanity Fair and The New... more
“I don’t know what made me want to be a writer, but I loved doing it a very early age,” says screenwriter... more