"Passion is energy. You’ll know it when you have it. Passion is inseparable from pain. If you want and believe in something deeply, you won’t let go, even when the road gets bumpy."

What happens when you treat passion not just as a feeling, but as a strategy?

This week, we sat down with Sandra Reichl and Karin Novozamsky, the Vienna-based co-founders of A Passion Thing — a biannual magazine celebrating creative trailblazers who have turned what they love, into their business.

Launched in 2019, A Passion Thing is more than a magazine — it’s a manifesto for redefining success on your own terms. Sandra and Karin are part of a new creative vanguard championing purpose-driven careers, radical imagination, and the power of leaning into what truly moves you. Consider this episode your blueprint!

TOGETHER WE'RE COVERING

• Definitions of success and passion
• Where drive and motivation come from
• A team vs a one-man/woman show
• The F word (failure) and how to deal with it
• Lessons fear and doubt can teach us
• Family business and generational change
• Why being flexible is the new power move
• Value systems
• Outside the box thinking
• The importance of keeping your cool

Follow @apassionthing_magazine

A few references that came up in conversation:

• The Feldenkrais Method
• Ottilengi’s spiced pea stew recipe
• Fear, Pain and Other Friendsby Avi Grinberg

Thoughts on the episode? We’d love to hear them — DM us @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios
Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

“I’ve always been authentic and that’s always served me well. I remember Eddie Murphy being very amused by my banter.”

When Oprah says, “People get to where they want to go because they know where they want to go,” how do you even begin to answer that? Especially when you’re a Mancunian-born actor who’s spent over two decades living and working in Hollywood. That’s exactly what we asked Marsha Thomason in this candid, access-all-areas conversation—recorded from a slightly seismic LA (seriously, listen out for the tremor in the second half!).

With infectious enthusiasm, ambition and off-the-charts charisma, Marsha has built an extraordinary career on screen, holding her own alongside legends like Helen Mirren, Richard Griffiths, Terence Stamp, and Eddie Murphy. From Better Things and Las Vegas to Lost, The Haunted Mansion, and ITV’s The Bay, she’s done it all, on both sides of the pond—winning lead roles in major TV shows and Hollywood hits while navigating the industry’s twists and turns.

In this episode, Marsha gives us the raw, inside track on how she made it to Hollywood: from cutting her teeth on a Saturday morning kids’ show to how she landed her first US role, to bouncing back from a box office flop (released in the wake of 9/11). You’ll hear all about the chutzpah, resilience, and sheer delusion needed to get ahead and stay the course.

Follow Marsha @iammarshathomason

WHAT TO EXPECT

• The joy of working with an auteur (Pamela Adlon)
• Unforgettable career pinch-me moments
• The importance of representation in front of and behind the lens
• The power of collaboration between cast and crew
• How timing can make or break a show’s success

Thoughts on the episode? We’d love to hear them—DM us @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway

Produced by Scenery Studios

Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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 & @photobookcafe

EPISODE INSIGHTS

• Why following your curiosity can lead to everything falling into place
• Why analogue photography is more relevant than ever
• How personal projects feed passion and help build community

Thoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway

Produced by Scenery Studios

Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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 @caspersejersenstudio
And a big thank you to Julia at MAP for bringing us all together!

EPISODE INSIGHTS

• How a well-prepared, safe space leads to beautiful ‘mistakes’
• Why having plans A, B, and C is key when working with clients
• The reward of pitching bold ideas to the right people
• How commercial, editorial, and personal work all feed into each other

Thoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios
Episode music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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 Westenberg

Follow Emma @emma.westenberg

EPISODE INSIGHTS

• How perseverance and rising to the challenge can reap huge rewards
• The water-off-a-duck’s-back mindset needed to stay focused and resilient
• Why tapping back into the joy of art-making is essential
• How projects that feel chaotic in the making can turn out to be the best in the edit

Thoughts on the episode? Drop us a DM @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Episode hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios
Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown
Video by Nicola Collins

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 INSIGHTS

• What you don’t get told about the artists who’ve “made it” (and the hustling involved)
• Why you need to trust in your own vision
• The value of peer support, mentorship, patronage and anyone fighting your corner
• Why art can exist everywhere, beyond the museum walls and traditional spaces
  
  

Thoughts on the episode? DM us @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios
Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

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 @emersonmiller

EPISODE INSIGHTS

• A window into life working on a smash-hit show
• Learning on the job (fast) and on-set etiquette
• How to identify and capture ‘the moment’
• The value of a mentor
• How personal reinvention can take you where you want to be
• Why a photographer’s job is to remain open to the creative process

Thoughts on the episode? Drop us a DM @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios
Show music by Ben Tarrant-Brown

Creatively Down and Dirty is our new podcast series where we deep-dive with one creator into one project. Prepare to hear it all, from what sparked the initial idea from the high-highs to the low-lows during the making of it and ultimately, how it got released out into the wide world.

For anyone considering making a brave and bold leap into new territory, welcome to the perfect case study! In this episode, we delve into the story behind Proshine—a portable, natural, high-shine body oil that Ciara, and, as it turned out, the industry, was missing.

“I needed a solid body oil. I needed it to be portable, I needed it to be natural, I needed it to be high-shine under direct light. No shimmer, no glitter, no colour…I had such a clear idea”

From fear of failure to huge personal financial risks, to the passion, persistence and tenacity needed to reap the rewards, Ciara describes with fierce candour the organic journey she went on to get her product made and onto the shelves. She talks us through how she landed on the idea, perfected the formula, navigated branding and marketing, right through to getting stocked — and all while juggling a demanding career.

Originally from Tipperary, Ireland, Ciara has worked with Madonna, Liv Tyler, Millie Bobby Brown, and Alexa Chung, to name a few! Plus brands from J.W. Anderson and Ralph Lauren to Miu Miu and Agent Provocateur, with her work featured on covers for Perfect, Dazed & Confused, Vogue, POP and LOVE magazines.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the graft behind the glamour, and a rare insight into bringing a product to life!

Follow @ciaradoesmakeup / @proshine_by_cdm for stockists

EPISODE INSIGHTS

• Balancing an established career with a new, all-consuming enterprise
• The importance of of activating your own network
• Navigating the dos and don’ts of social media for business
• How a practical need inspired a practical solution
• Why nothing happens unless you accept the challenge and go on the journey

Thoughts on the episode? Drop us a DM @creativebloodworld

EPISODE CREDITS

Hosted by Laura Conway
Produced by Scenery Studios