Managing Creative Studios

Managing Creative Studios is your go-to podcast for the people behind the pixels, pens, and production schedules. Whether you're leading a creative team or just getting started, we explore what really goes into running a creative studio—from workflows and leadership to tools, tech, and studio culture. Featuring conversations with industry pros across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific, this podcast is here to inform, support, and inspire anyone working in the creative sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Managing Creative Studios is a arts podcast hosted by Susan Mann, with 15 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Susan Mann hosts Managing Creative Studios, a arts show with 15 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #15

  Making Magic Frame by Frame: Adam Rowland on a Building a Stop-Motion Studio from Scratch

  Jan 19, 20261h 19mS1

  <p>In this episode of Managing Creative Studios, Susan Mann sits down with award-winning stop-motion animator Adam Rowland, founder of Awkward Animations, to unpack what it really takes to leave a stable corporate career and build a creative practice from the ground up.</p><br><p>Adam shares how a childhood fascination with film, combined with years spent in corporate retail and strategy, eventually led him to the painstaking, magical world of stop-motion animation. Working largely solo from a garage studio in New Zealand, Adam talks candidly about the financial uncertainty of freelance creative life, the reality of working without...

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  Episode #14

  Meaningful Design That Actually Works: Islay Wharton on Brand, Business & Impact

  Jan 5, 20261h 25mS1

  <p>In this episode of Managing Creative Studios, Susan Mann is joined by Islay Wharton, founder of Christchurch-based design studio Forme, for a deeply practical and honest conversation about what meaningful design actually looks like in business.</p><br><p>Islay shares her journey from studying design in Wellington to building a values-led studio in Christchurch, explaining why she never saw herself as a “freelancer” — even in the early days — and how treating her work like a business from day one shaped everything that followed. She unpacks the realities of starting before you feel ready, letting go of perfectionism, and learning...

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  Episode #13

  The Realities of Producing: TV, Comedy, and Screen Work in Aotearoa

  Dec 22, 20251h 20mS1

  <p>In this episode of Managing Creative Studios, we chat with Nigel McCulloch, producer, writer, and co-founder of The Downlow Concept. Nigel shares how a love of comedy and a chance introduction to communication studies led him into film and television, eventually forming the creative team behind Off The Wire and the long-running comedy institution 7 Days. He talks about the realities of pitching, rejection, financing, and why understanding the business side of screen production is essential for creatives.</p><br><p>Nigel also delves into his documentary and music-driven projects such as Scribe: Return of the Crusader and Hip Hop...

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  Episode #12

  The Hidden Art of Audio: Music, Mixing, and Making Stories Come Alive with Andrew McDowall

  Dec 8, 20251h 51mS1

  <p>In this episode of Managing Creative Studios, Susan Mann talks with Andrew McDowall, musician, composer, and audio engineer, and the founder of Digicake, a boutique sound studio based in Auckland, New Zealand.</p><br><p>Andrew shares his journey through the world of sound, from composing music for children’s television and short films to mixing podcasts like the award-winning The Commune. He talks about how Digicake began, what it’s like running a small creative studio, and the balance between client work and personal creative projects.</p><br><p>The conversation also explores the changing landscape of audio prod...

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  Episode #11

  From Stress to Sawdust: How Toy Making Changed Bryan’s Life

  Nov 24, 20251h 21mS1

  <p>In this episode of Managing Creative Studios, I talk with Bryan Millar, toymaker, cancer survivor and owner of Pioneer Wooden Toys, a beloved New Zealand brand known for its handcrafted wooden toys that have been delighting children for more than four decades.</p><br><p>Bryan shares his career move from a corporate background into the world of traditional toy making, a leap that reconnected him with creativity, craftsmanship, and purpose. He talks about the responsibility of carrying on a legacy brand, his approach to sustainable materials, and the importance of keeping creativity alive in a world increasingly dominated...

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