Creativity is the ability to create, produce, or develop original work theories, techniques, thoughts and ways of seeing. You are creative, whether you tap into it or not, and you take your creativity wherever you go, and I think it's often overlooked how valuable creativity is as a transferable skill: the abilities you take from job to job.

Here to discuss is BAFTA-nominated television director, Ed Bazalgette, who exemplifies creativity as a transferable skill, having first found success as a musician, then editor, and now director and producer. I first met Ed when he was the lead guitarist for The Vapors, supporting their global hit, Turning Japanese, and I've been a super fan ever since. Please do yourself a favor and check out the power-pop majesty of their full albums, New Clear Days and Magnets.

Ed's directing credits include Dr. Who, Poldark, The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, and The Witcher.

Ed opened my eyes in so many ways:

• stay humble
• there's room for more than one person's creativity on a project
• creating an environment that fosters sharing creative ideas serves the project
• leadership, communications and soft skills are essential
• never stop learning and questioning what's in service of the story
• combine a let's try it! mentality with discipline
• the ripple effect of creativity as a transferable skill because the more you put out there, the more everybody working with you takes with them to the next thing they do

Ed's currently in post-production on Marie Antoinette for PBS.

For more on creativity, listen to Maria Brito discuss how Creativity Rules the World.

For more on breaking into directing, listen to Mike Simon discuss Directing Talent.

If you want to know how to build a sustainable and successful career, then look no further because this episode of Camera Ready & Abel delivers a masterclass from 2 titans of the unscripted television world, Roni Selig and Marcie Mulé.

Roni is a multi-Emmy-winning producer whose credits span from GMA to CNN most recently launched a new digital platform for The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and executive produced The Call to Unite, a 24-hour global livestream event, hosted by Tim Shriver in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Marcie is a two-time Emmy-winning producer for the Bravo series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List and the former co-founder of Picture This Television, a full -service production company that created programming for Bravo, Lifetime, TLC, Food Network, MTV and PBS.

Now Roni and Marcie have joined forces to create RonMar Studios Inc, producing innovative unscripted content from long form documentaries and reality programs to digital fundraisers, live streams including and musical performances. These legends dive into the role their rugged, resourceful, and resilient work ethic played in growing and sustaining a successful career.

Learn more about RonMar Studios Inc. by visiting their website at www.ronmarstudios.com and check out their impressive body of work.

This is one of my favorite evergreen episodes.

Chris Witherspoon is an entertainment journalist, producer, entrepreneur and CEO of PopViewers who taught me how his career soared to the next level when he unlearned the importance of seeking approval. Instead of looking outward he focused inward on his approval matrix: Feeling happy, great in his own skin, confident and loving his work.

As a recovering people pleaser I know firsthand how much time and energy is wasted seeking approval.

Chris has overcome enormous challenges to create his life and career. Therapy, digging dip and doing the hard work helped Chris learn to let go of needing approval. So did listening to the sage advice of two very wise women:

Sister Harden (14:17) - one of the church muthas at his congregation growing up in Ohio - told Chris before he left for college, “If you don’t see the example, be the example."

Oprah has a soft spot for Chris as an interviewer and shared with him how, when the chips are down and you feel you're at rock bottom, go sit under a tree, get settled and at peace with the moment so you can receive the answers you seek (21:13) and how early in her career she sacrificed her authenticity and integrity in exchange for approval and never made that mistake again (25:54).

Bonus tip: Oprah always repeats your name when you interview her. So does Barack Obama.

More key takeaways:

Ask what makes you happy?

Ask what makes you feel alive?

Ask what makes you jump out of bed in the morning?

Ask for help - it's an act of bravery.

Chris is the founder and CEO of PopViewers, the platform that helps you find what to watch next, invites you to react to the TV and movies you’ve watched, and encourages you to share the experience with fellow content-lovers.

Follow Chris on instagram @witherspoonc and connect on LinkedIn.