Transforming Lives: Insights from Award-Winning Producer Craig Colby on Creativity and Resilience
Transforming Lives Panel Podcast
| Sharmin Prince & Mitzy Dadoun | Rating 0 (0) (0) |
| Launched: Feb 12, 2025 | |
| info@tlpod.com | Season: 3 Episode: 6 |
Episode Title: Reinventing Creativity: A Conversation with Craig Colby
Episode Summary: In this episode of the Transforming Lives panel podcast, hosts Sharmin and Mitzy welcome award-winning executive producer, showrunner, director, and writer Craig Colby. Craig shares his journey in the film industry, the creative process behind his award-winning book "All Caps: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Collection," and insights into the evolving landscape of television production. Join us for an inspiring discussion on creativity, resilience, and the importance of storytelling.
Key Highlights:
- Grounding Exercise: Sharmin leads a brief grounding exercise to help listeners be present for the conversation.
- Craig's Background: Craig shares his journey into the film industry and how he adapted during the pandemic when his television work came to a halt.
- The Hat Project: Discover how Craig used a creative hat-wearing project to connect with others during lockdown and the inspiration behind his book.
- Production Insights: Craig discusses the intricate process of television production, including idea generation, research, access, pitching, and the importance of feedback.
- Creativity and Curiosity: Craig emphasizes that curiosity drives his creativity and the joy of achieving small victories throughout the creative process.
- Misconceptions in Production: Craig addresses common misconceptions about reality shows and the constructed nature of entertainment.
- The Future of Television: A discussion on how the television landscape has changed and the impact of new technologies and platforms.
- Advice for Aspiring Creatives: Craig shares valuable tips for those looking to enter the creative field or write a book, encouraging them to embrace the process and not fear failure.
Resources Mentioned:
- Craig Colby's book: "All Caps: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Collection" available on Amazon and Indigo.
- Craig's website: colbyvision.net for more information on his work, blog, and contact details.
Connect with Us:
- Follow us on social media for updates and more inspiring content.
- Subscribe to the Transforming Lives panel podcast for future episodes.
Thank You for Listening! We appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you found value in our conversation, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with others who might benefit from it.
Sharmin Prince Host
Coach, Author, Consultant, Trainer, SoulHealer.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharminVanPrince
https://www.facebook.com/eaglessoarN413805Y
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088212
X: https://twitter.com/SharminPrince
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharminprince/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/eagles-empowered-to-soar-inc-eets
Website: https://www.sharminprince.utobo.com
https://www.sharminprince.com
https:www.eaglessoar.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eagles_soar_inc/
https://www.instagram.com/sharmin_vp/
Host: Mitzy Dadoun
Travel, Insurance, Seniors, Teens, Spirituality, Manifestation, Gratitude, Business, Real Estate, author of 6 books
http://www.wealthcreationconcepts.com/
http://www.smartseniorsrealty.com/
https://mdsocialsavvy.com/home
https://mitzydadoun.wearelegalshield.ca/
https://www.loveitreviews.com/
Guest: Craig Colby
Email: craig@colbyvision.net
Connect with Us:**
- Follow the Transforming Lives panel podcast for more episodes featuring inspiring guests and transformative stories.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHpiH1ROjGb8qP9MqAAFVQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578282042447
**Disclaimer:**
- The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast.
SUBSCRIBE
Episode Chapters
Episode Title: Reinventing Creativity: A Conversation with Craig Colby
Episode Summary: In this episode of the Transforming Lives panel podcast, hosts Sharmin and Mitzy welcome award-winning executive producer, showrunner, director, and writer Craig Colby. Craig shares his journey in the film industry, the creative process behind his award-winning book "All Caps: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Collection," and insights into the evolving landscape of television production. Join us for an inspiring discussion on creativity, resilience, and the importance of storytelling.
Key Highlights:
- Grounding Exercise: Sharmin leads a brief grounding exercise to help listeners be present for the conversation.
- Craig's Background: Craig shares his journey into the film industry and how he adapted during the pandemic when his television work came to a halt.
- The Hat Project: Discover how Craig used a creative hat-wearing project to connect with others during lockdown and the inspiration behind his book.
- Production Insights: Craig discusses the intricate process of television production, including idea generation, research, access, pitching, and the importance of feedback.
- Creativity and Curiosity: Craig emphasizes that curiosity drives his creativity and the joy of achieving small victories throughout the creative process.
- Misconceptions in Production: Craig addresses common misconceptions about reality shows and the constructed nature of entertainment.
- The Future of Television: A discussion on how the television landscape has changed and the impact of new technologies and platforms.
- Advice for Aspiring Creatives: Craig shares valuable tips for those looking to enter the creative field or write a book, encouraging them to embrace the process and not fear failure.
Resources Mentioned:
- Craig Colby's book: "All Caps: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Collection" available on Amazon and Indigo.
- Craig's website: colbyvision.net for more information on his work, blog, and contact details.
Connect with Us:
- Follow us on social media for updates and more inspiring content.
- Subscribe to the Transforming Lives panel podcast for future episodes.
Thank You for Listening! We appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you found value in our conversation, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with others who might benefit from it.
Sharmin Prince Host
Coach, Author, Consultant, Trainer, SoulHealer.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharminVanPrince
https://www.facebook.com/eaglessoarN413805Y
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088212
X: https://twitter.com/SharminPrince
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharminprince/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/eagles-empowered-to-soar-inc-eets
Website: https://www.sharminprince.utobo.com
https://www.sharminprince.com
https:www.eaglessoar.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eagles_soar_inc/
https://www.instagram.com/sharmin_vp/
Host: Mitzy Dadoun
Travel, Insurance, Seniors, Teens, Spirituality, Manifestation, Gratitude, Business, Real Estate, author of 6 books
http://www.wealthcreationconcepts.com/
http://www.smartseniorsrealty.com/
https://mdsocialsavvy.com/home
https://mitzydadoun.wearelegalshield.ca/
https://www.loveitreviews.com/
Guest: Craig Colby
Email: craig@colbyvision.net
Connect with Us:**
- Follow the Transforming Lives panel podcast for more episodes featuring inspiring guests and transformative stories.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHpiH1ROjGb8qP9MqAAFVQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578282042447
**Disclaimer:**
- The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast.
Welcome to the Transforming Lives panel podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Craig Colby, an award-winning executive producer, showrunner, director, and writer known for his captivating television programs seen worldwide on networks like Discovery Channel and BBC Earth. Craig shares his unique journey into the film industry, including the inspiration behind his award-winning book, "All Caps: Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hat Collection," which he wrote during the pandemic as a way to connect with loved ones. Join us as we explore Craig's creative process, the evolution of the television industry, and the impact of artificial intelligence on production. Whether you're an aspiring creator or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes of television, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration. So take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the conversation!
Speaker 1
00:02 - 01:08
Welcome to the Transforming Lives panel podcast. I'm 1 of your hosts, Sharmin and we would like to welcome you to join us in a brief grounding exercise so that we can be unified for the next 30 to 45 minutes. If you would join me in taking a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. And as you take that breath in, just hold it at the top. And exhale and let go of the tension, the stress, anything that did not serve you today. Take another deep breath in and let go of the things that you have to do, the things that need to be done, the things that are scheduled, and just be present with us.
Speaker 1
01:10 - 02:35
Take another deep breath in and pay attention to that breath. And we are so privileged that we can do this. And on your exhale, just relax and join us as we spend the next 30 to 45 minutes with Craig Colby, who is an award-winning executive producer, showrunner, director, and writer who makes highly related television programs seen around the world. His work has been seen on Discovery Channel, BBC Earth, Smithsonian Channel, CTV, and DSN, to name a few. Currently, Craig owns Colby Vision, a video production and consulting company, and is the author of the multiple award-winning book, All Caps, Stories That Justify an Outrageous Hap collection.
Speaker 1
02:37 - 02:41
Welcome Craig to the Transformed Lives panel podcast.
Speaker 2
02:42 - 02:44
Thank you, Sharmin. Thank you, Misty.
Speaker 3
02:45 - 03:08
Awesome. It is great to have you here, Craig. I've known Craig since we met at a networking group during COVID. So we became COVID buddies and he has a really interesting story and he is just a great person so I thought it would be wonderful to have him on our podcast and share some of his very interesting and exciting work.
Speaker 2
03:10 - 03:12
Well, thank you for having me on your show.
Speaker 3
03:13 - 03:28
Thanks so much. So, Craig, Why don't you tell us a little bit, give us a little bit of your background and sort of how you got into the film industry and any other things that you think might, you know, sort of, tell us your journey, your story.
Speaker 2
03:29 - 04:07
Well, I would say my television journey, my production journey, started really in high school when my best friend Dave and I started doing the school announcements. And rather than take little scraps of paper and read things, I would carry home this 20-pound reel-to-reel, I'd carry it a mile home, set it up behind the couch next to the stereo, and we would write little plays and scripts and we would drop the needle on record, you know, start and stop the tape until we had a little production. It's the first thing that I produce with my friend and they turned out to be very popular with our classmates.
Speaker 2
04:08 - 04:52
So I didn't really know that I was laying the groundwork for my career then, but I loved it. So I got into university in communications studies and English literature. I got a combined honors in that and then a business degree. And then I started stumping for work. Sent letters and audition tapes to every television station and radio station in Canada. Got on with the radio station and well and that didn't go so well, but I'd been interviewing with TSN sports network for about a year before I retired in January 89 there for 5 years and then I went to the Discovery Channel and they launched in 1995 I was with them for 10 years really learned how to produce documentary work there.
Speaker 2
04:53 - 05:31
By the time I left, I had the highest rated television series in the history of the channel at that point. It's the highest rated program of any type, highest rated Canadian program. And I went independent for a year until my favorite bosses from Discovery and TSN launched the first 4 high-definition channels in Canada and they brought me on to be their director of production. And I was with them for 6 years until they sold the company for an outrageous jobs of money. And I am so happy they did. They were my favorite bosses. They mortgaged their houses to get it.
Speaker 2
05:31 - 05:52
The company that bought us, I stayed with them for another 5 years, Blue Ant Media, and I was the director, I was the executive producer for Love Nature programming, Nature programming. And then I have been independent with my company Colby Vision for the last 7 years. Lots of Coles notes.
Speaker 3
05:54 - 05:57
So how did the book All Cats come about?
Speaker 2
05:58 - 06:39
The book was a book. If anyone's watching the video here, The book came out about during the pandemic. And during the pandemic, all of my television work went away. And not only did my television work go away, but the places I worked at, the places I had connections to went away. Either they ceased to exist or everybody who worked there was gone. And I knew as that was happening that I was gonna have to reinvent myself. So I sat right here at this desk every morning trying to make people aware of me. And right over here, I have some rows of hats, hanging rows of hats.
Speaker 2
06:40 - 07:09
And so at 1 point I just said to myself, you know all these hats, I'm just sitting here, I'm gonna wear a different hat every day until we get to be together again." I'm a locked out person. So I took the first hat and posted it on Facebook and said, here's what I'm doing. Show me your hat. And people started sharing their hats. So every day I would pick a new hat and I would wear it for that day. I'd pick a new hat, put it on Facebook, and people would share their hats. And it was a way for us to be connected when we were apart.
Speaker 2
07:09 - 07:44
Then I started writing little stories about the hats, who I was with when I got them, what they remind me of, all of those sorts of things. And I realized that having these hats actually connected me to people that were still here that I love that were gone to some of the happiest parts of my life, some of the most tragic parts of my life. And I was connected in my own history. Now, I've been doing a lot to promote myself so that people would know who I was. But the pandemic, the lockdown went on embarrassingly longer than I thought it would.
Speaker 2
07:45 - 08:17
And I ran out of hats 125 days after I started. So I was now afraid that instead of enhancing my reputation, I was the crazy hat guy. So I was a little sheepish when I finished that, but I was committed. So in the end, a funny thing happened. People started telling me that they were sad that it was over and that they missed it. They look forward to it every day. And not just the people who are contributing, people who were working. And then people started telling me to write a book about it. First was my cousin Julie, who lives in Texas and writes mysteries.
Speaker 2
08:17 - 09:07
And then my younger brother who has a national bestseller with P.K. Subban's dad, an autobiography that Scott wrote for. He said he thought there was a niche market for it. And then my mom asked me to write. My mom wrote a column for the paper in Thunder Bay. She self-published a book of her column. She started a writer's festival in Thunder Bay. I have a writer's award they gave her right next to me here. And when your mom asks you to do something, like what are you going to do, right? So I said if I can get the permission to For the people who own the half don't the logos if I get their permission I'd write the book So I got permission from Major League Baseball the NFL the NHL the NBA Everybody but 2 people so then I I wrote the book and I knew it couldn't just be the Facebook post.
Speaker 2
09:07 - 09:15
I knew I had to write a deeper story so that it would connect with people. So that's the story of the book.
Speaker 3
09:17 - 09:22
That's fabulous. So how many hats are in the book?
Speaker 2
09:24 - 09:30
I don't know. I didn't put all the hats in the book. I
Speaker 3
09:30 - 09:32
bet the 2 people who said no
Speaker 2
09:32 - 09:48
are right. I think I have 100 hats in the book. 100 plus hats. And the other ones were available. I don't know if the link still works because it's been a couple of years since the book came out. I do have the other link so you can read the other stories if you want.
Speaker 1
09:54 - 10:16
I would like to thank you for that hot story. I find it fascinating and very creative that you will use the hat as a connection during the pandemic. I've heard a lot of stories, but this is unique. And I want to commend you on that.
Speaker 2
10:17 - 10:47
Well, I wish I could say I was that clever. It just kind of happened. A lot of these things just kind of happen. And you know the book is a memoir told through hats and really I mean it looks like it's a book about collectibles or sports. 1 of the It's won 4 awards. 1 of them was in a sports category. But really, you know, it's not about the hat. It's about the stories. And the stories are about connection to people. And if you read the book front to back like this book do, I know people bounce around.
Speaker 2
10:47 - 11:14
They're what they can do what they want. But really it's a journey of finding connection and finding out what's most important in your life. And it's a Trojan horse. I've hidden that deliberately because I think there are a lot of guys in my age group who may not have done the introspection that would benefit them. So I was I was hiding the broccoli.
Speaker 1
11:16 - 11:23
Wow. Oh I love it. I really do. Is it available in Audible?
Speaker 2
11:25 - 11:26
Not yet.
Speaker 3
11:26 - 11:28
No. Okay. Okay.
Speaker 2
11:28 - 11:42
People have asked me about that. I'm busy writing my second book. Once that's out, you know, I would really, because I've worked in television, I Know how to do that stuff, but it's gonna take me a week to do it, right and I just haven't had the week
Speaker 1
11:44 - 11:52
Okay On that note after mention in television. I just want to go back to your genesis of production.
Speaker 2
11:53 - 11:53
Sure.
Speaker 1
11:55 - 12:14
When you entered the production space, Was that your target? Was that your focus? Was that the part of television that you choose at that time? Or did it choose you?
Speaker 2
12:15 - 12:46
Oh, I chose it. I definitely chose it. The job event, the jobs that I performed in the media eventually chose me. I went in to be an on-air announcer. My job in radio was reading the news and reporting. When I got to TSN, I learned about all the other jobs and I really liked producing I really like to have my hands on the reins I like I loved producing sports desk where I got in the back row where I would put the lineup together and You know pull all the elements together to make a show.
Speaker 2
12:46 - 13:26
I have a Discovery Channel. I like pitching a story, having it accepted. I like finding the guests. I like going out on the shoots and interviewing people. I love interviewing people. I like all of the elements. I liked being the conductor much more than I liked being the solo vocalist. Right? And that's nothing, I'm not asking any aspersions on announcers. They're very important. I have very good friends who are announcers. They represent the network and your show. They're a face and a voice. They're relatable. I just didn't think I was going to get the most satisfaction out of that particular job.
Speaker 1
13:28 - 13:33
What about production fascinated you?
Speaker 2
13:35 - 14:20
Making something. It was at the end, you know, when you're finished, you'd have this thing you made, and then you would share it with everybody. I've also found out that I have ADHD. I didn't know that until recently. But what that means is, like I'm dopamine depressed. I always need a little hit. And so the pressure that comes with getting things done in a deadline environment and everyone seeing your work, that's a motivator for me. I'm easily bored. So I love the fast pace. I loved the urgency and the immediacy and the need to produce on top of your game all the time.
Speaker 2
14:20 - 14:46
I love that stuff. And I love working with teams. I love leading teams. That's my favorite thing, but I also like being part of other people's teams where you can contribute to the success and you have your part to do and you're working with other people and I love the craftsmanship of writing and directing and all of those things. I love pretty much every single bit about production. What?
Speaker 3
14:48 - 14:52
Right, when you're passionate about what you do, you never have a day of work.
Speaker 2
14:53 - 15:13
Yeah, I mean that's mostly true. If it was all just production, that'd be great. It was all just doing the work, but you know it never is. There's a whole bunch of other things that go with it. I'm now self-employed, so there's a grind that goes with that. And that's much different than actually making the stuff.
Speaker 3
15:16 - 15:31
Some of the sort of Interesting or unique things that have happened during your career in this industry. Because I would imagine you, you know, there must be some really cool, funny story or interesting people, you know, share some of that.
Speaker 2
15:31 - 15:31
Share some of
Speaker 3
15:31 - 15:33
that with us.
Speaker 2
15:33 - 16:12
Oh yeah, I mean there's a ton of it. A ton of it. And the stories are not all that short, so I'm not sure where to start with. 1 of the stories that's in the book was when I was at Discovery Channel, we were working very closely with the Canadian Space Agency and they were sending an astronaut, Bjarne Tryggvason, into space. It was going to be his first mission. So they wanted to publicize that. So they were inviting media to go to Cleveland and do a flight on Parabolic flights on an airplane that is like the vomit comet.
Speaker 2
16:12 - 16:45
Have you heard of the vomit comet? The vomit comet flies out of Houston. That's what they shot Apollo 13 on. So that's the actual bomb. This was like another bomb. So you had to get an airplane and it goes up like this. It's like a roller coaster. You're up on the roller coaster and you're pulling 2 G's. And then you go over the top and the whole plane falls and everything inside it falls. Because you're falling in a contained space, it doesn't feel like you're falling. It feels like you're weightless. And you do that for 20 seconds.
Speaker 2
16:46 - 17:39
So we were invited to go on that. I went with Jill Deacon, who was our host of the show. She had just started. She's a CCC radio host for years on the radio. So we were on that. And of course, it's Called the bomb a comet for a reason right they say 2 out of 3 people throw up And 1 is usually very sick and 1 is a little sick and close up and 1 it doesn't affect anybody If you look through a camera That's even more disorient So our cameraman Was really sick and I was working a camera, but I mean nothing Jill I floated over to her once to try to set up something and she looked up at me and said and then she took out her baggie and barfed in it and folded it up and put it in the sealed plastic bag, just like you're supposed to do, just like our training, Sola.
Speaker 2
17:40 - 18:09
And then she asked me a question no host has ever asked me before, she said, Did I barf all my lipstick off? She hadn't, but I was not sick at all. I loved it. You know, and I started to do all the things you're not supposed to do, be upside down, look out the window. It was just the greatest thing. And when we finished our last 1, I remember on the cape, we finished our last parabolic flight, I think we did 21 of them. Oh wow. Yeah, so it's up and down and weightless and weightless and weightless.
Speaker 2
18:10 - 18:45
And Jill said, and we're done. Craigie makes no barf. And then she said, I can't believe we're never going to get to do this again. And that's the truth. I still it was the greatest experience and I still can't believe I'm never gonna get a chance to be weightless yet. So that's 1 of the really great ones. I also got to meet my boyhood baseball idol when I worked at TSN. I arranged an interview with him and stood behind the batting cage. I called him up in the morning. Once the story was approved, he was at the Skydome Hotel.
Speaker 2
18:46 - 19:14
You know, I called the front of the Skydome Hotel and asked for Al Kalin, Detroit Tiger Hall of Famer. I didn't say Detroit Tiger Hall of Famer, I just said Al. And they put me through to his room. It was that easy. And he picked up the phone and he's talking to me. And I asked him for an interview and he said, sure, well meet me behind the batting cage at 06:00. So it was like 11 o'clock in the morning and I had actually called the Skydo Hotel just hoping I was ready to go. I had taped my bat.
Speaker 2
19:14 - 20:03
I was dressed in a shirt and tie And I called the office and said, get my press pass right away. And they said, okay. They got my press pass. I went and got it right away. And I stood down on the field at Bent Sky Dome. Now the media does not arrive at, you know, 1230 for a 07:00 game. So it's just me standing there as the grounds crews building the mound and Jack Morris, the Tigers came out and he's looking at me like, what the hell are you doing here? And I just stood there the whole time and waited for our camera and waited for our kid and 1 of my colleagues came up and asked what I was doing and I told he was excited for me because they knew what it meant and I just waited I Stood it behind the batter's cage and I watched the Tigers dugout.
Speaker 2
20:03 - 20:40
06:00 comes, no Al Kaling. 6 or 5 comes, no Al Kaling. 06:10 comes, no Al Kaling. My friend came up and said to me, you should go check. I said, nope. Al Kaling told me he'd be here. He's going to be here. The media has to be upfield at 635. I think we had 730. So at 615 up out of the dugout come out can they take a step forward I see him looking around when I stop and I think right now Al Kaelin is wondering where's Craig Cole Al Kaelin is looking for me So I walked up and I stuck out my hand and said, Mr.
Speaker 2
20:40 - 21:14
Kalyan, I'm Craig Colby. And he said, oh, I was just looking for you, Which is about as good as it gets. And we went and we did the interview. We chit-chatted, he'd come from Baltimore, I knew his family was from there. We did the interview, he's significantly taller than me. So when it came time to talk to me, he looked at me when I asked the question, And then he gave me an eyeline just off camera like a total pro answer the question. We had a great interview, shook hand and thanked him. So I had carried his baseball card in my wallet for years, just hoping I could meet him at some point.
Speaker 2
21:16 - 21:33
But I didn't want to ruin a perfect professional interaction with him. So I just had that moment where Al Kalin was looking for me. We were professional colleagues in a way, shook my hand and thanked him. That was a pretty good day.
Speaker 3
21:34 - 22:12
You know, that is such a fabulous story, but it's fabulous for a lot of reasons because it really talks to the you know just take a risk pick up the phone and call you never know what's going to happen like what do you have to lose right you call and you get through to him most people wouldn't have the guts or courage to make that being prepared and ready you had everything in your car ready so that if you manage to get it through you could take action right away and make it happen. They say you know luck is when opportunity meets preparation.
Speaker 2
22:16 - 22:50
Yeah I mean making that call is my job right And I made that call a lot for different people. The only thing that made it different this time is he was Mr. Tiger, right? That was his nickname. His nickname was the franchise, Mr. Tiger. And I am a huge, our tiger fan. That was the only different variable. And you know, most people call the SkyDome Hotel and ask for somebody if you don't have any reason to call them. So, you know, that part was just doing my job. But it was doing my job in a way that satisfied, you know, the young sports fan.
Speaker 1
22:53 - 23:25
Thank you so much for sharing that. But I want to take you to your creative process because this year I wrote a script and we had a table read. So when I read your bio, I am so fascinated to ask questions about your creative process. Can you just walk us through briefly the process when you're developing a new show?
Speaker 2
23:26 - 23:58
Yeah, actually, this is something that I've taught people in the past. The first process is to come up with the idea. There are a million ideas, right? There's no shortage of ideas. At the same time in television, there's a saying, there are only 12 ideas, right? There really aren't that many different formats and ways of doing things, But you can mix them around. So you come up with your idea. That's number 1. Then you have to do a little research on the idea to make sure it's a show. And then you have to get access.
Speaker 2
23:59 - 24:36
So Once you have those 3 things put together, access to where you need it. And sometimes people skip the access. Sometimes people will come back that way. Then you go and you pitch it to somebody who will pay for it, right? You go to a broadcaster or a distributor. And for people like me who are really small independent you may go to a production company and they will take your projects. But then you basically go look for money. Once people say yeah I want to buy this Then you do the research for the show. And depending on the type of show, there's 2 ways you can do this.
Speaker 2
24:37 - 25:10
You either write a script and then you go shoot it. That's drama. And that's some of the types of shows I've done in the past. Or then you go and you shoot it and then you write the script. It really depends on how that works. The times you would shoot it is if you're doing interviews. So that you can work the interviews in. There are shows that have reenactments where you write the script for the reenactment, you go to the interviews, you put that together. But that's the process. You know, you research it, then you make it.
Speaker 2
25:11 - 25:47
But for the purpose of what I'm doing, for the most part, what I've done is you shoot it and then you write it. You can do an outline, a shooting script. Once you have the materials, you have the pictures and the scripts, the interviews, then you put those together. After you've written it, you take it to an editor. The editor will cut the show together. And once you've filled with it a little bit, to get it to time and brushed it up a little bit, you show it to somebody who is either buying the show or somebody who is a supervisor at work.
Speaker 2
25:47 - 26:24
When I was an executive producer and director of production I would go in and give people notes on shows rather than do the other part. Once you get the notes on the show you go back and here's the important things with the notes in the show. That is somebody ideally who has an expertise in this area, who is coming at it with fresh eyes to let you know if it's working. Because once you're that far in the weeds, you've lost sensitivity. You don't know what's working or not. This is why comedians test out their material on audiences that they'll just walk into a club and test material.
Speaker 2
26:24 - 27:06
This is why movie studios do test screening. And what I'm doing works, right? For my book, I had 7 test readers. And they told me things. All of them helped. So once you get that feedback, you go and you make it, you implement the changes. You send out what's then called a fine cut. The fine cut gets, hopefully, fewer notes. And there can be a number of fine cuts. For the purpose of this discussion, we'll say there's 1 rough cut, 1 fine cut. And then you take your fine cut notes and you send it out 1 more time and people say okay, then you have picture lock.
Speaker 2
27:06 - 27:41
That's when you don't change the pictures because what you've been cutting with at this point with your pictures is low resolution pictures. If you're shooting in 4k which is you know 4 times the number of lines on your TV than you have in HD, or even in HD, you don't wanna use up all the hard drive space and running memory space to edit it. You just wanna get the things together. Once you've got picture locked, then you do the online edit. Where you put all the pictures in, you make sure that they're colored, you remove any errors.
Speaker 2
27:42 - 28:16
You record your final narration, you do an audio mix, you do all the things that make it pretty. Because the funny part about a TV show, it is ugly until the very end. It really is. I've had a lot of shows that I've worked on that all I remember was how bad it was for a long time. And some of them have won awards. And it's been surprised me. Usually it's been things that I've worked on as an executive because people got it. They don't know all the stuff that they do. They just know what came out the other day.
Speaker 2
28:16 - 28:29
So once you've done the audio mix and the you know the online edit and made it all pretty, then it goes out and hopefully people watch it. That's the production process.
Speaker 1
28:31 - 28:32
Does that
Speaker 2
28:32 - 28:33
answer your question Sharlyn?
Speaker 1
28:33 - 28:38
Yes it did And I have a follow-up. What drives your creativity?
Speaker 2
28:42 - 29:28
Curiosity. I'm interested in a lot of things. It feels good when things come together. There's little victories every step of the way. When you get a little victory it feels so good. For someone who's low dopamine, these dopamine hits are awesome. You know when you get the first script and you feel like yeah that scripts working that feels good. When you get an edit that feels good. When you've done an interview and you know the interview really hit and got gold from you. You connected with that person. I teach interviewing as well. When you when you know, when you really get that rhythm and they're listening to you and they're feeding into you, all of those things feel good.
Speaker 2
29:28 - 29:44
So, you know, that's what what drives it. And, you know, there are things like writing a book or something like that? You know there are things that I want to put into the world That's what drives all of that I think you're very creative person you want to create
Speaker 1
29:47 - 29:50
Thank you, thank you, where does your ideas come from?
Speaker 2
29:54 - 30:30
Nobody knows where ideas come from. You know, I heard Bruce Springsteen talking about that today. I'm, Ritzy may already know that I'm a huge fan. You know, they they just kind of flow in and out. You learn to look for them, right? Like the hat book, I didn't think, I should write a book about hats. That's what it should be. That just kind of happened. You know, you build off your experience. The next book is a series of short stories based on experiences I had. And when you have these experiences, once you learn how to tell a story, you go, I need to write that down.
Speaker 2
30:30 - 30:58
I want to preserve that experience while it's fresh in my mind. So that's just a matter of these things happening to you, thinking about them, reflecting about them. For me, those stories have to have another level to them. They have to be some humanistic takeaway. So, You know, those are the things that roll around in your head. You go, yeah, I'm going to put this down. And then you put it out there, you show it to people and they respond to it or they don't. When they respond to it, you know, you got something. As far as where ideas come from.
Speaker 2
31:00 - 31:03
Nobody knows. Nobody knows where an idea comes from.
Speaker 3
31:04 - 31:28
When you're making a, let's say for example, an hour TV show, like, from the sort of the start of the idea to going through that whole process that you just described to come out with that final production. How long a process is that typically? Or does it vary a lot by the type of show?
Speaker 2
31:32 - 32:00
It can take years for an idea to turn into a television show. Or it can happen in a meeting. You're riffing with an executive and you go, we should do that. So that part is undetermined. It takes years, it can take minutes. From yeah, let's do that to please advise us, Please advise us. Please advise us. The actual making of the show, usually like 9 months to a year. Somewhere in there.
Speaker 3
32:02 - 32:20
So when people are seeing these TV shows that are, you know, an hour long TV show, you know, people see it, it's like, they think it's so quick, right? But each episode, like you said, it's a very long process of all of the other people having to do their pieces to get to that end-hour piece.
Speaker 2
32:20 - 33:05
Yeah, and by like 9 months to a year I mean a season of something, not just what I... Although I know people who makes nature documentaries and a nature documentary can take 2 years. Right? So yeah, what you see on TV is the result of many, many hours of thoughtful breath. A lot of people, a lot of time, a lot of hours and jobs you wouldn't even think of. So yeah, there's a whole team of people making sure that thing that comes out of your television Is as good as it can be So and you know whether things are good or not even the things that don't work I'm not even gonna call them not good even things that talented people work on that don't work are a lot of work.
Speaker 2
33:06 - 33:27
I did not like the second Game of Thrones the Dragons series. I just didn't like it. But I know that they had talented people working on it. It's a beautiful looking show. So, even though that wasn't for me, I respect the craftsmanship of my agency.
Speaker 3
33:27 - 33:34
What would you, oh, what other question I was thinking, what is a showrunner? I think that's from a couple of times. What is
Speaker 1
33:34 - 33:34
a showrunner?
Speaker 2
33:34 - 34:11
Oh yeah, a showrunner. They used to call it a series producer. Some of these shows are very fluid. Showrunner is just somebody who makes sure the show happens. It used to be just a producer. Now everybody, all the sub-jobs are producers. It's the person who makes the show happen. It's usually the person who is guiding the creative vision of the show, but also has the technical expertise to make sure it happens. In Hollywood, it's often an excellent writer who knows how all of the other elements work and can speak the same language as the other departments, even if they can't do their job.
Speaker 2
34:11 - 34:19
So that's a showrunner. They run the show. It's actually a better title than series. Thank you. Titles and series. Thank you.
Speaker 1
34:20 - 34:29
Craig, what are some of the common misconceptions about the production process?
Speaker 2
34:33 - 35:16
What are the common misconceptions about production? I'm not sure what conceptions people have in the first place. I'll tell you 1 of my common misconceptions that I have a lot of trouble with in the industry right now is you know and shows like storage when they open up the storage unit like things have been placed there right There's a lot that goes on to make sure this is entertaining for you to watch. It isn't strictly the way it actually happened. That troubles me. I've been a bit of an evangelist in this area. I think it's probably caused me to work.
Speaker 2
35:17 - 35:53
So you know there's a lot of things that are constructed. I actually think there should be warnings before the shows. Say you know lines of dialogue have been provided, scenes have been constructed and honestly I don't think the audience would care. They want to be entertained. No 1 cared when they found out but when it was confirmed the wrestling was safe people just stopped watching wrestling. So I think the level of construction on some of these reality shows factual shows would be surprising to people. But I don't know what other conceptions people have that could be missed.
Speaker 1
35:55 - 36:01
Okay thank you for that. I missed saying in your opinion so but you shared.
Speaker 2
36:01 - 36:20
Sure yeah but I have to you know there's isn't anyone people come up to me and say to me that, I think they get wrong, but most of my friends are in the industry. So, If there's a specific thing you want to ask about, I can certainly tell you whether it's true or not.
Speaker 1
36:20 - 36:39
I think you answered it. I didn't ask because oftentimes the public is under the, have the perception that reality TV is reality TV and it's not scripted and you just answer that.
Speaker 2
36:39 - 37:12
Oh yeah I've been to sessions at international markets where they have sessions where people talk with This exact thing has been debated many, many times over the year. And there's a lot of people who think, oh the audience knows now. And there's a lot of people who think this is just disgraceful. So there's a variety of opinions on that. I can tell you the first time I ran into something like that was when I started at sports desk And you look at these studio show these news shows or sports news shows look also shiny and bright, right?
Speaker 2
37:13 - 37:52
The minute you are off camera. It looks like a warehouse and The announcers in the summer they sit behind the desk You've got their shirt and jacket and tie on and they're wearing like shorts and flip-flops. So really, I said, I told my parents, He's a big lie. And it's not entirely true. But, you know, what matters most is, and where all the effort goes into is what you see in front of you. Yeah, I mean, I'll give you the small scale example of that. I was working on a show, a history in the making, where people made historical objects using historic material.
Speaker 2
37:53 - 38:30
And there was 1 person who was making Figaro type pictures, Like the old pictures where you'd have to, they would be exposed on tin. There's a long chemical process you have to go through to pull out the image. And the gentleman who did it used like a little plastic bowl, like a Tupperware thing to pour the stuff out. And I did not want to change that because that's how he does it. I'm way more interested in what he does. Somebody else who worked on the production said, do you have a prettier bowl? Because it was going to be on TV.
Speaker 2
38:31 - 38:45
So they got the prettier bowl that looked prettier on TV. And I understood where she was coming from. And she's not wrong. But it was way more interesting to me to see how they actually do. So that's a bit of a different.
Speaker 3
38:48 - 39:59
Yeah, I think you brought up such a good point, which is, and it's true too with social media, you know, people look at reality TV and see these lives and everything, and it unfortunately so many people think that that's reality and it's not. It's all staged and scripted and made to unfold that way. And just like Facebook, everybody posts all of their wonderful things, but there's all kinds of crap that's going on in everybody's lives because nobody's life is perfect, but you don't see that. So everybody is exposed, especially now to this. Everybody else's life looks so amazing And so it creates for a lot of people, a lot of frustration and feeling like they're not measuring up and like they're not having the life they're supposed to because it, The vision that's sort of put out there on social media and on so many of these reality shows is that you know everything's awesome and you know it's and you must really feel that with working in the industry.
Speaker 3
40:00 - 40:15
I mean look the way I have described it to people in the past that I've worked with subjects to show is we can't tell all of your life. We are going to tell the most interesting parts of your life that are the most
Speaker 2
40:15 - 40:57
related. Right? We can't show everything. We're telling 1 story. We're not telling everything you know. And because of time it gets you know distilled, distilled, and boiled down, and boiled down. And that's what happened. I think that's okay. That's okay. Honestly with I'm seeing a lot more on Facebook that people are letting it hang out, right? They are coming with their troubles and things that concern them. I personally don't want to go on social media and complain, but I do want to talk about the things that matter and you know losses, things that are wrong in the world.
Speaker 2
40:57 - 41:15
I've seen a lot more of that. I think it depends on who's using it. I think Instagram's probably more guilty of that because it's all images right there are no stories no written stories versus all the story in the picture but it's far more image-based it's easier to get sucked into the image.
Speaker 1
41:19 - 41:24
Craig I have been burning this question that is burning.
Speaker 2
41:24 - 41:27
Let her rip that out. Let that out.
Speaker 1
41:30 - 41:47
How has the television landscape changed during your career? And where do you see it heading now that we have all these platforms and technologies?
Speaker 2
41:49 - 42:34
Oh, I wish there was a really short answer to that, Charm, and I really do. When I started in television, there were broadcasters, CBC, CTV, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, PBO. It was kind of it, right? Global. Global down here. You had those. So there, for my career, that meant there were only so many places to get jobs. Radio stations, TV stations. They get their production. And then they introduced the specialty channels. In Canada, it was TSN and much more, right? So I came into my career at the birth of the specialty channel. You know, I was a TSN by then.
Speaker 2
42:34 - 43:11
And then they expanded the specialty channels, take them to mortgage. So when that expanded, that's when I went to Discovery Channel, got a better job from there. And that was the expansion. These were really golden days of TV. There were more jobs. They were making a variety of content, right? You had these niche channels, really were niche. They did have their specialty. As Those channels got swallowed up by bigger people, bigger companies. They wanted bigger return on their net. So it was like grab more eyeballs, whatever it takes. That's when they lost a lot of the niche.
Speaker 2
43:11 - 43:54
So they lost a lot of the specialty in them and it became a lot more generalness and sameness. You look at Discovery Channel now, I'm not criticizing Discovery Channel, but it's a lot of people in remote places doing tough jobs. That's kind of where they land. I'm sure there's other stuff, I don't watch as much, but we lost the special ones, especially. And then we got into the real digital channels when we brought in high-definition. I was on the forefront of high-definition Launched the first set HD channels in Canada with all of my bosses. We did 3D.
Speaker 2
43:55 - 45:01
Did some of the first 3D productions. So we got that space, right? And then we started getting into 4k which was you know more digital I was with when I was with company we went we tried to launch a streaming service Didn't work so well in that case, but as the streaming services came in they started to carve into the funding that went to the broadcasters. In Canada, TV was always an idea, as much as an industry, more of an idea. The idea was the government created rules that allowed our country to punch above its weight internationally, but also a lot of us to make programs that reflected not just Canadian culture per se, it didn't have to be, you know, monkeys and dogs and hockey and all of those things but check them, you know projected our sensibilities and Our values, you know SC TV the very Canadian show and you'll famously Invented the McKenzie Brothers to have more Canadian content.
Speaker 2
45:02 - 45:49
I'd say it was already Canadian just from sensibility of the show. So these streamers came in and they did not contribute to this system. I won't go into the details. So the money went out of the TV system and into Netflix and Amazon and Disney Plus and advertisers were spending on the broadcasters went to YouTube and TikTok. So the money went out of the system and so did the jobs. So the jobs in our country started disappearing and the federal regulations didn't keep up with it. So my industry right now is hemorrhaging jobs, particularly in Canada, but absolutely worldwide.
Speaker 2
45:49 - 46:31
I read an article from the Guardian about award-winning British producers, you know, the heart of factual production, driving FedEx. So with that disappeared, I started working with different customers. I worked with Doan Production for 2 seasons with the National Lacrosse League to help that unit up and running, where they did all of their, All of the broadcasts I worked on were streaming. They were strictly streaming sports broadcasts. So now, you know, I'm working in streaming. I work for the Aga Khan Museum as their executive producer. I'm on a contract for that. All of the stuff we do is streaming.
Speaker 2
46:32 - 47:14
The first thing they hired me for during the pandemic was to do their fall fundraising launch. And we stream that on YouTube. A lot of the work I do now is not strictly broadcasting, it's streaming. I did a broadcast show last year and another 1 the year before. Some partners of mine and I are self-producing the show for broadcasters and self-streaming. So that's how it's really changed. The technology first expanded the industry, but you need help to keep the industry viable. We just don't have that help now. A lot of people haven't figured out how it's going to work.
Speaker 2
47:14 - 47:31
It's not just TV. I know the movie system is going through the same problem too. So we're in a bit of a crisis point for a television. That's where we are. Where is it going to go? I don't know. I don't
Speaker 3
47:31 - 47:59
know. You brought up an interesting point, which is that, you know, how the funding has shifted and where the advertisers are going and all of this stuff. And, you know, within all industry, right, things kind of morph. And you mentioned that it sort of, the technology initially really expanded everything, and then the technology really contracted everything and shifted it.
Speaker 2
48:00 - 48:03
Yeah, things are gonna change, Mitzi. Things are gonna change, right?
Speaker 3
48:04 - 48:09
And how is artificial intelligence affecting your industry?
Speaker 2
48:10 - 49:06
Well, we don't know yet. We don't know yet. We know that everybody's using it, trying to use it. I know that artificial intelligence can't write a good script yet. I know that it may create some images. Is that going to replace directing? I don't know. I don't think anybody has a full answer to that yet. Are we going to have digital access? We kind of already do. So, I know that it is going to affect it. I don't know exactly how. I suspect if I'm waving my WADGECK wand for AI, it would eliminate some of the inglorious grunt tasks like sorting through all the footage that an assistant editor has to do.
Speaker 2
49:06 - 49:52
Good take, bad take, good take. I would say this shot is 1.5 seconds. There's no way it's good. It can do some of those glorious things and maybe save us some time there. You know, for me, it gives me an extra person to talk to when I'm trying to develop an idea, someone who can have information. I don't like the writing I've seen from AI. I think it lacks a spark of humanity and humor and cheekiness or whatever you want. But it's, you know, apparently it improves by a factor of 10 every year. So the answer is it's going to be, it's going to have an incredible effect.
Speaker 2
49:52 - 50:21
Hopefully it means we can make those less expensively and faster and respond to consumer tastes with less money and more immediacy, it'll for sure cost some jobs. But I've taken a three-part course in AI and I plan to do more work with it. Anyway, I guess I don't have an answer. A lot? We'll see.
Speaker 3
50:23 - 50:42
It's all good. It was just sort of some input. You know? Yeah. What things would you like to leave our listeners with? Are there any sort of tips or ideas that somebody is sort of wrestling with, maybe getting into the field or thinking about writing a book? Any ideas, tips that you want to share?
Speaker 2
50:44 - 51:22
Listen, if you want to be creative, be creative. The best way to be creative is to create. And don't worry if it's going to suck. My biggest worry about my book was that it's going to suck. But there are Processes by which you can keep it from sucking you know this Clinton Tarantino Didn't release his first He made it a Lot of people told him was terrible. He got a bunch of notes from it, and then he buried it But then he went on and made you know Reservoir Dog. So if you want to make stuff just make it.
Speaker 2
51:22 - 51:59
Show it to people. If it doesn't work throw it away. Go do the next thing or take all the notes and make it as good as you can. But if you want to be creative, create. Learn as much as you can about how to do it so you're not... You can avoid mistakes a bunch of people already made. Get some training, get some feedback, But just keep doing it. If it sucks, that's OK. It's OK if it's not great. It probably isn't going to be right away. It will never be good unless you start doing it.
Speaker 2
51:59 - 52:44
So if you want to be creative, be creative. Enjoy the process. Learn from it. Make a painting. Create a little movie with your kids, with your phone, with your friends, whatever it is, you want to be creative, do it. It's never ever ever been easier to do than it is right now. So make your movie, write your play, write a book, do a painting, be creative, do it for yourself first. Most people who've made something good do it to express something they want to put into the world. So do that and then get feedback. It hurts, you know, everybody, Oscar Wilde said I can take any feedback as long as it's unqualified praise.
Speaker 2
52:45 - 52:51
But he was joking, right? Like You need feedback. So make it, get feedback, make more.
Speaker 3
52:54 - 53:04
That's awesome. Thank you so much for taking time spending with us. How can people get your book? Where can people get in touch with you if they want to find out about the industry?
Speaker 2
53:05 - 53:42
Well, you can get my book through Indigo and Amazon. I know it's at the Eaton Center in Yonge and Eglinton. On my website colbyvision.net you'll find links to the book. You'll find ways to contact me. You'll see samples of my work. So colbyvision.net is the way to find me. I also have a blog in there that you can read different things. I can decide whether you like the way I write and you like my book. And if you want someone to create high quality production for you or even tell you how to tell your own story, you can find ways to reach me through colbyvision.net.
Speaker 3
53:45 - 53:46
Wonderful. Thank you.
Speaker 2
53:47 - 53:49
Thank you for your time.
Speaker 1
53:50 - 53:54
Thank you so much. This is good.
Speaker 3
54:00 - 54:03
Awesome. Thank you, Greg.
