Can games be art? We're back from a long hiatus with our first Hack Circus podcast interview about videogames! Introducing Jonas Antonsson, founder of Sweden-based games publisher Raw Fury. Raw Fury turns out games that make you feel, and Jonas believes the quest for emotion is just as important as the quest for knowledge. Find out what makes him and his company tick in this long, wide-ranging chat. Remember Hack Circus is on Twitter @hackcircus – and check out the website for all the episodes: ...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 14 min
What does it mean for creative people to be motivated? Is there a secret to getting more motivation, or is the drive too mysterious to neatly unravel? What are the three reasons people aren't motivated, and what happens to highly driven people when they run out of motivation altogether? In this very personal episode, I talk to digital artist Seb Lee DeLisle, play impresario Emma Bearman, business director Sarah Allard and performance coach Maria Jacobsen Holmes. Empathy, creativity and motivatio...
Mar 02, 2020•24 min
What is creativity? How does it relate to things like problem-solving, risk-taking, impulsiveness and excitement? I talk to some highly creative individuals in this special episode, part of a series of three 'Mastering' documentaries. This little documentary, part of the Mastering Creativity strand of the HC Masterclass series (hcmasterclass.com), introduces three successful, creative individuals taking very different paths in life, and tackles these questions – and more.
Oct 10, 2019•24 min
Is empathy important in business? Is it possible to have too much empathy to be successful? What's the connection between empathy and power? This little documentary, part of the Mastering Empathy strand of the HC Masterclass series, introduces three successful, creative individuals taking very different paths in life, and tackles these questions – and more.
Sep 26, 2019•19 min
Alex McLean is a well-known artist, musician, researcher, and coder based in Sheffield. He is the creator of Tidal Cycles, free software for writing music, and is one of founders of live coding and the algorave phenomenon. Alex actively builds communities in the areas that interest him, and in this episode we talk about some of the events, festivals and groups he's been instrumental in developing, including Algomech and Dorkbot London . He's also an academic researcher on the Penelope Project , ...
Aug 29, 2019•53 min
The world has changed since I last talked about motivation. More than ever, we're addicted to devices, addicted to YouTube, addicted to interrupting and derailing our thoughts – addicted scuppering our plans in favour of a quick hit! For those in a motivational rut, here I lay out four simple ways to get you back on track. 1) Pretend you've got a boss 2) Childlike rewards, tiny changes 3) Set the scene for the activity 4) Focus on the now, not the future...
Aug 26, 2019•15 min
I used to think that branding was about coming up with the story we'd like to tell, but now I think it's more about uncovering the story that's already there. In this special extra-long Creativity Clinic, I talk about a practical technique that has helped me to work on the Hack Circus podcast brand in the run-up to the next series of this show, and give some hints of what's in store.
Aug 22, 2019•17 min
Nathan Geering is a dancer, teacher and innovator known for his work with visually impaired people. He has created dance that's accessible for visually impaired people to both watch and participate in, and has begun to develop a beatbox shorthand system as an alternative form of audio description for movement. Nathan was the Artistic Director for the Special Olympics in 2017, and has a great TEDx talk online which I recommend watching as a follow-up to this podcast. In this chat, we discuss how ...
Aug 15, 2019•44 min
The world is a rough place at the moment. One easy way we can improve it for ourselves and those around us is by upping the quality of our interactions with people. If we really listen, if we really read emails, if we really look for the meaning in the messages we receive from the people who communicate with us, we will set ourselves apart from most others. The trend is towards not reading long messages, not clicking links, missing details, not bothering to reply, and imagining we'll just fill i...
Aug 08, 2019•10 min
It's the summer... no one's replying to email, everyone's busier – or more on-holiday – than I am. In this episode, I talk about my current situation, which right now is all about waiting. If you've had some success in the past, it's not because you kept gambling on high stakes gigs, it's because you kept producing quality stuff. If you find yourself waiting back on a load of promises, I recommend putting the things you can't work on yet out of your mind, and using the time to develop yourself p...
Aug 04, 2019•11 min
Maggie Nolan is a consultant and trainer, bringing techniques from improvisation practice into businesses. She launched her agency Start With A Yes over a year ago, combining years of experience of teaching and performing and applying them in a fresh context – to business. In this chat we discuss the improv scene in the UK, how long-form improv works, and the range of reactions to 'applied improv' – particularly when it turns up unexpectedly in your office. We also chat about the differences bet...
Aug 01, 2019•46 min
This week I take on a listener's question about prioritising ideas: how do we decide what's most important? Is it better to do dig into one big thing or skim lots of little ones? In this short episode, I suggest it might be all about values, explain why I'm not really an artist, and consider how long-term working can be complimented by 'slight' ephemeral work. I also draw on the wisdom of previous HC podcast guest, Nadia Kamil. Get in touch if you have any questions around creativity, process, i...
Jul 29, 2019•12 min
Sara Green is a dancer, choreographer, movement director and film-maker. She's collaborated with artists and other performers across theatre, film, fashion and dance. Her recent work includes Richard Ayoade’s vignette for Radiohead, short film The Entertainer starring Toby Jones, and Anita & Me, a world premiere for the Birmingham Rep. In this chat, Sara talks about the differences between working with dancers and non-dancers, and explains how she communicates movement to actors who don't ha...
Jul 25, 2019•41 min
This week's question was about how artists deal with time: do we let the available time decide how 'big' a project is; is that a valid constraint? How do we understand the value we place on time, outside of the monetary value our society attaches to it? And what about our lifespan, health-span and energy-span? How do these incredibly persuasive influences affect things? I have a go at tackling some of these issues in this short episode. Look out for the interview episode as usual on Thursday, an...
Jul 21, 2019•11 min
Ben Moor is a seasoned and innovative storyteller with multiple Edinburgh shows under his belt – mostly one-man shows. Ben's work is sensitive and often surreal, as he challenges the audience to follow him on journeys through worlds peppered with delightful ideas. We chat about Ben's shows, the benefits of doing Edinburgh runs, how the Fringe has changed between generations, where ideas really come from, how to learn lines, and more. We also leaf through his enormous file of ideas. Ben's website...
Jul 18, 2019•44 min
Making and wellbeing are linked. While it's known that making things improves your mood, I argue here (entirely unscientifically) that you can't make yourself make stuff until you feel like you have some energy to spend. So: getting creative can improve an already OK mood, but it's hard to get off that first block, especially if you've been battling mental or emotional problems that drain all your energy and make any kind of extra activity seem absolutely out of the question. The good news is th...
Jul 15, 2019•12 min
Sophie Rochester is a creative entrepreneur of significant standing, appearing on numerous lists of top business people in her industry. She is known for always being one step ahead of industry trends, and taking her ideas in bold and ambitious directions. Sophie has a background in publishing, and founded The Literary Platform: a consultancy and online magazine that bridged digital and storytelling, and investigated the lessons of this union. An advocate of both making and learning, Sophie's la...
Jul 11, 2019•39 min
Katie Day is the Director of Birmingham-based theatre company, The Other Way Works . She creates exciting and innovative experiences for small, highly-engaged audiences, and often deploys technology in interesting ways. Her work often uses the real world as the set, with productions set in hotel rooms, car parks and even the audience member's home. Katie's latest production, A Moment of Madness , will be showing at Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) from the 2-4 August. Amongst oth...
Jul 03, 2019•44 min
What kinds of books give us ideas? Do we even get much emotional inspiration from books at all? This first Creativity Clinic of the new series is a personal reflection on some of the things I've read that I've have influenced my work, and which, sometimes many years after reading, I still draw strength and inspiration from today. Please send in your questions or ideas for Creativity Clinics to @hackcircus on social media or editor@hackcircus.com – remember they don't need to be direct questions ...
Jul 01, 2019•11 min
Adam Tandy is a TV producer, director, writer and much more, working on some of the best shows and with some of the top stars of our era. We discuss some of the joys and challenges of making the hugely successful Reece Sheersmith/Steve Pemberton series Inside Number 9 , as well as The Detectorists and the League of Gentlemen anniversary episodes. We also ponder what the tone of comedy is, in the late 2000s, and the impact of social media on storytelling. Libsyn feed (browser) iTunes link PlayerF...
Jun 27, 2019•37 min
Luke Jennings is the creator of the hit TV series Killing Eve, about the mutual obsession between an MI6 agent and a female assassin. He was also, until recently, the dance critic for The Observer newspaper, and worked as a professional dancer in his youth. We discuss the process of writing Killing Eve, sexism and bias in the dance world, and how seeing women empowered through dance has inspired his writing. Luke on Twitter Luke's Wikipedia page Watch Killing Eve on iPlayer Libsyn feed (browser)...
Jun 20, 2019•51 min
Hazel Findlay is a top professional climber, constantly touring the world in search of new adventures and breaking records. In recent years she has been working as a coach, helping climbers of all abilities to overcome their fears and progress to the next level. Some of the subjects covered in this chat include idea of mastery (as opposed to competitiveness), the mental health benefits of climbing, coaching as a kind of giving back, how climbing is similar to public speaking, and how training an...
Jun 13, 2019•55 min
The Hack Circus podcast is back with a bang after an enormous break of two years! The star guest this episode is Tom Tobia – a creative entrepreneur based in Sheffield. We cover the origins of an organisation he helped to found, Makerversity , his principled drive, and the way he approaches consulting with the range of businesses he works with. We also exchange some thoughts about creativity – how it arises from constraints, its relationship to failure, and why people should embrace a more open-...
Jun 08, 2019•58 min
If you want to get stuff made regularly, get your duty on and work out who you're doing it for. In this episode, Leila addresses the common misconception that creative work always has to follow on from an urge, or desire. She explains why you can never put your hopes in motivation – it won't stick around. Get a routine, and do it for someone else, and you'll stand a chance of getting to done. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! And ...
Jan 30, 2017•8 min
How do you get inspired in the least inspiring circumstances? I answer a listener's question about staying creative even when exhausted and miles from home, this week – bringing in a mixture of my own experience and reading, as ever. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded every Thursday) you can glimpse behind the curtain by following us on Facebook (hackcircus), Instagram (hackcircus), Twitter (hackcircus...
Jan 23, 2017•11 min
Emma Bearman founded Playful Leeds – now Playful Anywhere, and is the proud proprietor of the Playbox, a shipping container full of surprises, entertainment and imaginative potential that turns up in public spaces all over Yorkshire. Emma also founded The Culture Vulture, the very successful magazine site rounding up the best of the Leeds arts scene. In this chat, we find out about the challenges of facilitating a vision of this scale on your own, how play relates to disobedience, and where the ...
Jan 19, 2017•46 min
A short but packed episode where I explain why you should create, rather than simply drink up experiences; why you may not be using your community to the full (but feel like you are) and why our constraints really do set us free. To discuss any of these ideas and more, get in touch via editor@hackcircus.com, or on social media (@hackcircus and hackcircuspodcast on Facebook). You should also check out the weekly Creativity Clinic newsletter: leilajohnston.com/newsletter which delivers tips like t...
Jan 16, 2017•11 min
This week I meet showmen and fairground archivists at the National Fairground & Circus Archive in Sheffield, and learn about the fascinating and community-minded history of travelling show people of the UK. https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/nfca Lionel Bathe's photos of fairgrounds https://patcollinsfunfairs.co.uk/ Anthony Harris (Youngest wall of death rider in the world, in the 1940s)...
Jan 11, 2017•48 min
We need to look closely at what we're trying to protect, about ourselves, whenever we feel fearful of making big steps in our creative lives. When we really examine the anxiety, it often turns out to be a case of building a wall around a part of us that is in fact, totally dispensable. There's plenty more of us where that came from! We can take a few hits! Find out what we should really be protecting instead, in this short Creativity Clinic episode. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate...
Jan 09, 2017•7 min
Neil Mullarkey is known as one of the Comedy Store Players – the famous long-running improv troupe with their own theatre in central London. He also works with brands and businesses, helping the corporate environment to benefit from the agility of improvisational thought. In this fun chat we discuss (among other things) Neil's creative background, a comedy career that started as President of the Cambridge Footlights, his old double act with Mike Myers, the benefits of improv, and the careful sys...
Jan 04, 2017•41 min
