Sophie De Plecker - Creative Director, Leo Burnett
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
My grandfather. He had a printing company in Brussels with at least 300 employees. As a young girl, to see him walking around the office to check the freshly printed books and posters made a big impression on me. For him, God was in the details. I would love to be stuck in an elevator with him to have a real adult conversation, because he passed away when I was very young.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
I stop what I’m doing and just do something completely else, like for example taking a bath, yoga, Netflixing, etc.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
I don’t want any answers regarding my future. Because, if the answer would be positive I would be too relaxed and just wouldn’t do anything anymore and if it would be negative I would get terrified and freeze. So, just leave the timeline alone!
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
To make Leo Burnett the number 1 creative agency in Belgium.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
Abstract, a Netflix series that shows the inner workings of the minds of designers and people behind known brands or objects. An interesting take on their creative journey and also creative blocks. And how they deal with those.
Toon Jansegers - Audio Music Producer, Raygun
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
Either David Lynch or MacGyver. Not for the same reasons.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Go to the movies. Or listen to a podcast.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
Will I never ever ever grow sideburns?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Growing Sideburns.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley.
Anne-Cécile Collignon - PR Manager, mortierbrigade
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with ?
Spike Jonze. I’m obsessed with this guy since his first clip for Daft Punk.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Open a bottle of wine, call my friends and realize that this is all just a big joke.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be ?
Will I be happy?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
I’m used to imagine crazy stories about everything. So, I would say write them down.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
Do The Fat Jewish posts count?
Manuel Ostyn - Creative Director, Wunderman
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
A technician.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Build something with it.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
What do I think of my past?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Finishing ‘De Toren van Balen’
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
The Making of The Terminator – A Retrospective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBF4Rxm_dlc
Terminator 2 – Making of (1991):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri9gxYFTVgE
Lobke Rondelez - Illustrator & Graphic Designer Red Lobster
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
I would love to be stuck in an elevator with Matisse, if he were still alive. Not that my French is that good, but maybe he would make a drawing on the mirror by the time we got out or design a stained-glass window :)
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
I go for a run in nature, find a rhythm and let my thoughts run free. Most of the time something crosses my path – sometimes a lost rabbit – but sometimes it’s a good idea.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
Will my illustrative work ever take me as far as I imagine?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Build my own (mini) exposition in a popular space in a museum or someplace else.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
Recently I visited Porto and its beautiful gallery ‘Ó! Galeria’, an extraordinary place with walls filled with illustrative work. You walk out of there with tons of inspiration!
Kwint De Meyer - Creative Director, Publicis
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with ?
An elevator technician, I’m claustrophobic.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Get stressed, get frustrated, doubt my creative competences, become grumpy, lose precious time on the world wide web, sleep bad and once I’ve given it up, the inspiration comes. Or I go for a run. It’s a win-win for my mind and body.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
No question. I prefer the surprise every day brings.
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Guess the winning Euromillions numbers. Wait… “What are the winning Euromillions numbers of Friday?” should have been my answer on the previous question.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
Every day starts with browsing the newspapers. One of the most satisfying things I saw lately was a live video of a new car prototype 1:1 sculptured out of clay. One of the most terrifying, the Pano documentary about “Schild & vrienden”. Oh, and to cheer up a meeting, you have to try http://wompwompwomp.com
Thomas Houthave - Composer/Sound designer, Klankwerk
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
It’s probably a bit of a cliché for anyone involved in music production, but after reading his book this summer I’d definitely have to go with David Byrne. His ideas and concepts on sound & creativity really speak to me. So yeah: David Byrne
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
There are many cures to this illness. Very unrock n’ roll: cleaning up the studio seems to work in the short term. In the long term I think it’s important to maintain some kind of openness in your head to get the creative juices flowing. I often go kitesurfing, and because surfing and being on the water is pretty intense, there’s not much room to think about anything else. So while driving back from the coast to Ghent ( where I work), that’s when the ideas start coming. Always works!
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
Your future is what you make of it, asking that question would be kind of silly.
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
I think the main challenge for anyone working in the creative business is to keep your creative output on point and relevant. I want to keep pushing boundaries on a creative and technical level.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
So many things to choose from. I’m a vimeo addict, there’s loads of inspiring audiovisual content on there. For me that’s the place where all interesting filmmakers/DOP’s/sounddesigners and other artists showcase their work. I like to check out what new and inspiring content is being made at least every other day!
Miriam Ypma - Graphic Designer, freelance
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
Most definitely Lin Manuel Miranda. Would love to meet this inspiring, creative, energetic person. We would have a nice talk, drop some Hamilton lines, spit some tunes and I would accidentally squeeze in a little audition for ‘Viana the musical’ while I’m at it.
And if Lin’s not available I would go for Robbie Williams, for the more obvious reasons.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Draw lines. Sometimes even with an actual pen instead of the Wacom one. I just find that when I do something mindless like that, it allows the creative juices to flow more easily.
Or listen to music VERY LOUD, ‘old’ tunes from the nineties or eighties. I think I have to do something totally unrelated I guess. And in the worst case just walk away. Creativity has its own schedule.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
Tricky. I’m not really sure if I want to know anything significant regarding my future. Whatever the question may be, if the answer is positive and great and something to look forward to, then it’s all fine. But if that’s not the case, then I would try to change it, even when it’s impossible. And you can’t change fate, right? And I would worry the rest of my miserable life…
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Have TIME.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
Finding out sleep paralysis is a real thing? Watching ‘Wild Wild Country’ on Netflix? Love reading the stories on Maison Slash? Truthfully I’m not that much of a blog reading girl. There are so many online stories I come across on a daily basis and find inspiring, but honestly, they don’t stick with me that long. The offline experiences of using your senses and emotions are the most inspiring ones. Sharing those with your loved ones are the best.
Patrick Vermeylen - Art Director, Wunderman
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
An elevator technician.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Go for a walk, drink coffee, chat with someone, ...
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
I'd rather not know the answer.
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Woodturn one of these vessels.
https://www.artsy.net/artwork/pascal-oudet-vessel-grouping
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
https://youtu.be/vSK3maq8Cyk
Lennert Vedts - Creative Director, Leo Burnett
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
An elevator repair man.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Continue or start on something else. It gives a different perspective on a problem and that may help to tackle the one you were stuck on in the first place. Also: facebook.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
What will be my greatest success? And if I already had that; what are the winning lottery numbers next month?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Make one of my side-projects fly and take off to a rather soaring height. Everybody would be like "Why d'you do that? That's crazy, even for this future we're living in!"
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
A book I found, given to me by Jeremie Goldwasser: Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan. A fun take on how you can overcome those creative blocks, or look at problems from different sides. It was also given away by Young Dogs a few months ago. Really smart gift. It may not be a digital medium, but it has a good insight and reads like a novel.
Tom Thijs - Account Director, Wunderman
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
I don’t wish it upon anybody, but for musical and possibly problem-solving reasons the family Von Trapp doesn’t seem like a bad choice.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
Play ‘Candyman’ by Da Boy Tommy or brief the real creatives.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
Could I pull off long hair ?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Not that crazy, but a farm with a couple of animals and a vegetable garden sounds appealing.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
https://www.livefromiceland.is/webcams/jokulsarlon/
Non-stop live images of the most beautiful lake on earth.
Jef Boes - Photographer, freelance at Initials LA/Caviar Collective
1. Who would be the best person to be stuck in an elevator with?
Macgyver. He’ll get us right back out. Preferably with some thrilling music in the background.
2. What do you do when you are experiencing a creative block?
I drop off the kids at grandma and take my wife to the Ardennes, to make long walks and sleep…because mostly this happens when I’m tired. There’s always fresh air and it’s peaceful and quiet.
3. If you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would the question be?
Will I ever live in that little house in Canada alongside a lake, with a small boat and a fireplace ?
4. What is the craziest thing you would like to achieve in the future?
Turning a book into a movie.
5. What was the last inspiring content (video/article/podcast/...) you came across?
Sourcecreative — https://sourcecreative.extremereach.com/
A colleague at Caviar (Lore Laporte) pointed this out to me to make storyboards and intentions. It’s a collection of basically all commercials, films, minifocus, made over the entire world. And yes, it’s addictive but it keeps your mind fresh because once again it proves that everything actually has been made before.
