We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chris Martin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chris below.
Hi Chris, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Podcasting has been a natural extension of my filmmaking work. It built upon my interviewing and editing skills, though it took some time to learn new software, listen in new ways, and find confidence in my voice.
With software, I chose to learn Adobe Audition because it was part of the Creative Cloud. In order to learn, I spent some time on Google and YouTube to figure out different plugins and the differences between destructive and non-destructive editing. But most of my learning opportunities were discovered week after week as I produced my weekly episode.
I have naturally been an attentive listener. With a background in documentary filmmaking, I love to listen with my ears and eyes, but with podcasting, it’s all ears. Yes, I could turn the camera on and see, but from the start, I wanted to listen to what wasn’t being said. For the spaces. For the energy and excitement.
I started the show doing monologues only. I purposely choice ten minutes or less as my limit because that seemed doable. As I started gaining confidence in the sound of my own voice, I then added interviews into the weekly mix.
The biggest obstacle that has taken me several years to overcome has been perfectionism. My earlier episodes were very robotic and scripted. I read my scripts. I removed all personality, words like ummmm, and spaces. If I would have embraced imperfections from the beginning, I might have taken more risks, but it’s hard to say.
Chris, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a jack of all trades when it comes to creativity. I’m curious about pretty much everything and my career has spanned from producing music, web design and development, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, podcasting, coaching, and even computer support. My early career started with managing servers and developing e-commerce websites, designing CD artwork, and producing live video. In 2006, I started Chris Martin Studios helping my clients tell their unique stories in print, online, through video, and most recently, with podcasts. It’s been an odd journey with some unbelievable moments and some crushing failures.
While there are so many projects I’ve done over the years, there have been a few standout moments. In the early 2010s, I wanted to practice my documentary filmmaking skills, so I created a documentary series called Innovators of Vancouver. I got to create short videos about some amazing people in my hometown and I was even nominated for a public leadership award.
Another standout moment has been the Getting Work To Work podcast that I started in 2016. With over 600 episodes, I’ve been able to process my creative journey, share the ups and downs with my audience, and interview some extremely interesting people. It’s definitely going to be my longest running project as I don’t see it ending any time soon.
Finally, I’m proud of the support I can offer my clients as well as my audience. I am able to share what has worked, what hasn’t, and give them the tools they need to be able to experiment with their own creativity.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I’m honestly in the middle of a pivot right now as I embrace a new value that revealed itself in the past two years: working with my hands. I’m a very cerebral person. I love to read and think. I love to talk. I’m also emotional and comfortable connecting with myself and others on that level. But lately, I’ve been learning that working with my hands is also important. I’m not sure entirely what that will look like in the future, but I’m opening myself up to the integration of those three areas.
Last month, I recognized that I had been burnt out for some time, so I chose to get a job working at a retail hardware store as a sales associate. I’m working with my hands, talking with customers, and allowing myself to heal. It’s one decision that I don’t regret and I enjoy being able to shut off my creative brain so it can rest and replenish itself.
: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
If there is a goal or mission that drives what I do, it’s that every single person has a unique story to tell. When I can help others discover what that story is, help them to find the confidence in telling it, and seeing it change their lives, I feel like my work has meaning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chrismartinstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildcuriosity/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmstudios/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/buildcuriosity
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chrismartinstudios
- Other: https://gettingworktowork.com – Podcast https://www.chrismartin.com – Blog https://vimeo.com/chrismartinstudios
Image Credits
Poster Illustrations for Getting Work To Work and Beyond Your Imagination with Chris Martin by Freshwater Bay Creative.