The Creative Blood Podcast

• Creator of Rapid Eye and Photobook Café Lee Williams on Creating a Photographic Universe

  Welcome inside the world of Lee Williams, the creator behind two of London’s photographic institutions- Rapid Eye Darkrooms & the Photobook Cafe - both of which we are proud to say are our neighbours, right here in the heart of Shoreditch. Typically, you’d find our guest for this episode, Lee Williams, behind the scenes, coming up with ideas that foster community and natural habitats for creative humans working in fashion, advertising and film- alongside (unknowingly) being recognised as a mentor to them. In this episode, we’re taking you even deeper into Lee’s personal story and how he’s turned his passion into not one, but two thriving businesses. From leaving his native Wales and working weekends in an East London darkroom,  to receiving a £250 grant from the Princes Trust that led to him setting up his very own, Lee exposes his ambition behind a beloved community institution. And then right back to the present day - on why he encourages photographers to talk about their work during the printing process at Rapid Eye, and how his interest in the concept of  “third spaces”  led to the creation of the Photobook Cafe…It’s also important to mention the two powerhouse women at the helm of both Rapid Eye and Photobook Cafe, making it all actually happen - Lee’s wife Sebi & London nightlife legend Farika Holden. A massive shout-out to you both!Consider this episode your warm and cosy entrance into Lee’s roots, mindset and above all, passion for photography. It’s a truly rare insight into his photographic universe. Follow @rapideye.darkroom & @photobookcafeEPISODE INSIGHTSWhy following your curiosity can lead to everything falling into placeWhy analogue photography is more relevant than everHow personal projects feed passion and help build communityThoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworldEPISODE CREDITSHosted by Laura ConwayProduced by Scenery StudiosShow music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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• Photographer & Filmmaker Casper Sejersen on Fetishes & Creative Freedom

  From his ‘Orgasm Portraits’ for Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac to shooting the likes of Harry Styles, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe and Kirsten Dunst (to name a few), Danish-born Casper Sejersen is known for creating iconic visuals for brands including Alexander McQueen, Gucci and Burberry, and editorial platforms such as Dazed, and Beauty Papers… as well as publishing zines, directing a TV series, and that’s just for starters!In this episode, we journey into his psycho-visceral world, as he shares how he found his photographic feet in commercial photography before transitioning into fashion editorial, cinema and fine art, where he found creative freedom. You’ll also hear about the poetry and pianist that inspires him, the deeply personal reason why he began taking more risks, and how – with meticulous preparation and by allowing them to share in his artistic vision – he gets the best out of his creative collaborators – both behind and in front of his lens.“When I shoot Cate Blanchett with, you know, a banana, she's still wearing Gucci. And for me, that kind of cultural icon with the reference to Andy Warhol’s Velvet Underground cover — that’s fashion to me”Until next time, Farvel!Follow @caspersejersenstudioAnd a big thank you to Julia at MAP for bringing us all together!EPISODE INSIGHTSHow a well-prepared, safe space leads to beautiful ‘mistakes’Why having plans A, B, and C is key when working with clientsThe reward of pitching bold ideas to the right peopleHow commercial, editorial, and personal work all feed into each otherThoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworldEPISODE CREDITSHosted by Laura ConwayProduced by Scenery StudiosEpisode music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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• Emma Westenberg, Grammy-nominated filmmaker, storyteller and artist, On creating viral videos, vulva trousers and Super Bowl ads

  When Emma Westenberg landed the job directing the music video for Janelle Monae’s track, PYNK, it opened a Narnia-like door to a whole new world of creative possibility. The video – which featured Monae wearing those iconic vulva trousers – went viral, clocking up more than 16M views to date, earning Emma both a Grammy and MTV Music Video Award-nomination, and perhaps best of all, being described as “a Queen” by Janelle herself.Since then, her career has accelerated in all directions—from a Super Bowl ad spot featuring Zoe Kravitz, to music videos for Troye Sivan, Princess Nokia and Rico Nasty, to commercial work for clients from ASOS to Vogue, to directing a feature starring celebrated Scottish actor, Ewan McGregor (OBE!) and his real-life daughter Clara in Bleeding Love—and it doesn’t stop there!No matter what the scale and nature, Emma brings her distinctly witty and whimsical aesthetic to every project, and, in this beautifully candid episode, she talks us through some of the challenges, lessons and moments of magic along the way—from working with tricky collaborators under pressure, to the simple joy of making art for art’s sake.“I think only the crazy ideas are the brilliant ones. I like things that are unexpected, or offbeat, or that rattle you in some way. You want art to do that, to show you something new or exciting” — Emma WestenbergFollow Emma @emma.westenbergEPISODE INSIGHTSHow perseverance and rising to the challenge can reap huge rewardsThe water-off-a-duck’s-back mindset needed to stay focused and resilientWhy tapping back into the joy of art-making is essentialHow projects that feel chaotic in the making can turn out to be the best in the editThoughts on the episode? Drop us a DM @creativebloodworldEPISODE CREDITSEpisode hosted by Laura ConwayProduced by Scenery StudiosShow music by Ben Tarrant-BrownVideo by Nicola Collins

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• Shantell Martin, Multifaceted artist, On why “a little bit constantly” adds up

  Welcome to the Creative Blood Experience. One culture-defining creative guest… One passionate host… And a deck of fifty question cards designed to yield incredible creative tips, real life experiences and untold stories from the artists working across the creative industries today!Shantell Martin is not your average artist. She’s also a public speaker, cultural facilitator, curator, choreographer, songwriter, performer and mentor. And it’s this all-embracing, boundary-blurring approach to creativity and artmaking that forms the basis of this episode.“For those of us who didn’t grow up going to museums and galleries, the art around us is what people are wearing. For us, the museum is the postcard on your fridge, it’s the t-shirt you’re wearing, it’s the sneakers you’re wearing”.Originally from Thamesmead in South East London – the iconic brutalist housing estate where A Clockwork Orange was famously filmed – and now based in LA, Shantell is known for her signature, stream-of-consciousness line drawings, murals and ‘who are you?’ slogan. Her kaleidoscopic CV has seen her collaborate with brands including Max Mara, The North Face, Tiffany and Co., as well as institutions MIT, The Whitney and Boston Ballet (where she also choreographed) and establish her own podcast series What’s the Point? She even has her own open source font ‘Shantell Sans’! And that, if you can believe it, that’s just for starters!Having navigated her way through the murky waters of the ‘art’ world and got to a place where she now has the creative freedom to explore, in this episode she generously and candidly shares her experiences, learnings and insights picked up along the way. From why every artist needs a cocktail of skills, to what feedback to ignore, Shantell shines a light on the practical, proactive mindset needed to thrive within an opaque system.Follow Shantell @shantell_martin EPISODE INSIGHTSWhat you don’t get told about the artists who’ve “made it” (and the hustling involved)Why you need to trust in your own visionThe value of peer support, mentorship, patronage and anyone fighting your cornerWhy art can exist everywhere, beyond the museum walls and traditional spacesThoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworldEPISODE CREDITSHosted by Laura ConwayProduced by Scenery StudiosShow music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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• Emerson Miller, On-set photographer for TV drama series 'Yellowstone', on how a chance encounter led to working with Hollywood royalty

  Welcome to the Creative Blood Experience. One culture-defining creative guest… One passionate host… And a deck of fifty question cards designed to yield incredible creative tips, real life experiences and untold stories from the artists working across the creative industries today!Originally from the gritty favelas of São Paulo, Brazil, Emerson Miller moved to Los Angeles to chase his dream of becoming a photographer. While working at a car wash on Hollywood Blvd, he had a chance encounter with Nicole Muirbrook – the wife of Taylor Sheridan, creator of smash-hit TV show Yellowstone – which landed him the gig as the show’s on-set photographer, rapidly transforming dream into reality.Since then, he’s shot everyone from Angelina Jolie to Kevin Costner to Dame Helen Mirren and Sam Elliott, with his work appearing in Vogue, GQ and Elle and on billboards all over the world.The job of an on-set photographer is a little-known, but integral role for any TV show and film, with their photographs used across everything promotional – including billboards, social media, magazines, you name it! Here, Emerson shares his personal experience of how he works on set (spoiler: it may involve interrupting Kevin Costner’s reverie!), how he picks his moments between takes, plus, the charisma, talent and nerve needed to get that shot.“Angelina Jolie said to me “buddy your job here is literally 99% of the marketing and if you want me to climb a tree, I probably will, because we are helping each other””Follow Emerson @emersonmillerEPISODE INSIGHTSA window into life working on a smash-hit showLearning on the job (fast) and on-set etiquetteHow to identify and capture ‘the moment’The value of a mentorHow personal reinvention can take you where you want to beWhy a photographer’s job is to remain open to the creative processThoughts on the episode? Drop us a DM @creativebloodworldEPISODE CREDITSHosted by Laura ConwayProduced by Scenery StudiosShow music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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