Creative Control

Carrie Coon got an unconventionally late start in film and TV at 33, after having long since established herself on the stage. But she's more than made up for lost time with unconventional roles. Her performances as Nora Durst in The Leftovers, Vera Walker in The Sinner, and as Elizabeth in The Keeping Hours have solidified Coon as Hollywood's bona-fide spooky mother.In this episode of Creative Conversation, Coon explains how she's reframing the archetype of mom characters, why being a good student can be bad for creativity, and what the physical side of creativity taught her (and what it can teach you).Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Most people consider themselves lucky to be able to craft a career path within one creative industry. Mo Rocca, acclaimed humorist, journalist, and actor has successfully been able to leave his mark on a few of those paths – even though he believes that we will all be forgotten eventually. He sits down with us at the Fast Company Innovation Festival for this live episode of Creative Conversation to talk about his creative journey that touches on multiple creative outlets. Listen to him dish on why you should lean into your weird interests, why humor and sadness sometimes go hand in hand, and his favorite historical figures highlighted in his new book “Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving”. Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

It’s no surprise that improvisation is seen as a kind of holy grail for creativity. Whether it’s comedians or musicians, the act of creating something novel and interesting out of next to nothing is, indeed, quite remarkable. But what exactly is going on inside an improvising brain? And, most importantly, how can everyday people tap into that kind of creativity?Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

When you hit that afternoon slump at your desk, maybe it’s not an issue of getting another cup of coffee—maybe you need to change your environment. Some of the most frustrating roadblocks to creativity can stem from being in a static environment. Whether you’re at the office or working remotely, being in the same old space for hours at a stretch can drain you of your creative juices. On this episode, we explore why your surroundings play such a crucial role in your creative process, the folly of chasing Silicon Valley-esque playgrounds, and how to make small changes to your environment for a big boost in creativity.Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Creative geniuses make creativity look easy. But in reality, it’s uncomfortable to dive into uncharted territory to build or think of something new. Words like “innovation” and “disruption” get tossed around all the time, but uncertainty often keeps us from reaching that creative breakthrough. In this episode, creativity expert Dr. Ron Beghetto how we can navigate that uncertainty and turn it into a valuable part of the creative process.Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

We all know brainstorming is an essential part of the creative process, but what do you do when your mind is too foggy to welcome the storm? Brain fog, brain farts, mental fatigue...call it what you will, it can be a major roadblock to creativity. But is there a way to use that hazy state of mind to your creative advantage? On this episode of Creative Conversation, KC Ifeanyi unpacks exactly what brain fog is and why you shouldn't be in such a rush to clear your mind.Subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

As an editor and writer for Fast Company magazine, Kc Ifeanyi covers some of the most creative minds in film, television, business and beyond. In this podcast, he unpacks the most frustrating parts of the creative process by talking to psychologists, scholars, and experts who are on the forefront of understanding creativity. New episodes will be released this month. You can subscribe to Creative Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Radio Public, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

Any creative content from RCA's roster of artists goes through Camille Yorrick. From music videos to visuals and more, Yorrick has helped shaped the creative visions of everyone from Pink to Childish Gambino. The longtime music industry vet has been nominated for a Grammy for her work on "Beyoncé's I Am...World Tour" documentary and has cut her teeth in music videos with the legendary director Diane Martel. In our conversation, Yorrick explains how she tempers her opinions with an artists' intuition and takes us back to the golden age of music videos (and what we can learn from them today.)

Jean Elie got his big break playing Issa Rae's younger brother Ahmal on HBO's Insecure. Although landing on a hit show can lead to other more high-profile roles, Jean is wasting no time in creating lanes of his own. In addition to acting, Jean is producing and writing his own projects including several shorts and the series Send Help, which is being co-produced by Rainn Wilson's entertainment company SoulPancake. He's also been getting writing room experience on Netflix's Magic for Humans, which is paving the way for even more projects down the line. But as a young actor still trying to establish himself in that field, is he spreading himself too thin in other areas? In our conversation, Jean explains his stance on straight actors playing gay characters, the power of being the only black voice in a white room, and the rules of being a creative hustler. 

Paul Scheer's résumé is a dizzying display of creative output: when he's not acting in shows like Black Monday, Veep, or Fresh Off the Boat, he's busy hosting two wildly successful podcasts (How Did This Get Made? and Unspooled), writing comic books for Marvel, and rebooting the 1999 cult classic Galaxy Quest. But for someone who seems like a wellspring of creativity, Scheer admits his biggest hurdle is still pushing past that first draft. In our conversation, Scheer explains how to accept that you will suck at what you're working on (hopefully, temporarily), how he juggles such a random, career, and why it's ok not to finish your to-do list.