"I want to help light your creativity on fire."

THE MISSION

"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it."

                 —Kurt Vonnegut

"You wanna fly? You gotta give up the shit that weighs you down."
              —Toni Morrison

I've been fortunate to have a  creative life.  Still, I wish I'd done a few things differently. I wish I'd collaborated more, inspired more creativity in others, shared more about the business and my process and what I've learned and haven't learned. 

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Then I decided, "Hey, stop wishing."  So, I  created this website and a YouTube channel and wrote books on writing and songwriting  to share everything I've learned  with other creative folks. It doesn't matter who you are or what level you're at, beginner or pro. I don't even care what level I'm at. Creativity is a birthright built into the human species and vital to our future. Is it time to get more creative? In every way, yes. Let me know what fires up your creativity and what holds you back; it could be comparison to other artists, you need more structure, more time, more confidence. 

There are a load of creative tips and prompts and ideas below—and below that  examples of what I've done.  Whoever you are, something here will ignite your creativity and take you further. You deserve it. 

BOOKS

My Last Friends on Earth

Secrets of GLYKO

My Last Friends on Earth

Return to Trikkandor

My Last Friends on Earth

 Earth Calling

Book 1 of the YA trilogy My Last Friends on Earth is complete. I've begun book 2: two kids under the age of fourteen trying to fly a spaceship to another galaxy.  Their mission? Save their kidnapped friend. Oh yeah,  and  stop an alien force from finishing off the human species. How much fun is that? 

Understanding Ken

A  fictionalized year of my life when I was ten. The most flow I've had writing. Here's to childhood and family and friends and resilience. 

Shelby

First novel.  The first query letter was rejected. A week later, having accidentally sent the same query letter twice, the same publisher who declined said, "Sure, send us three chapters."   Done.

FILMS

Facing Ali

The GOAT for so many reasons .  The ten boxers Ali fought in Facing Ali? Legends. The film was short-listed for an Oscar. 

Uganda Rising

Uganda Rising was a privilege to make, with huge responsibility.  A note of caution, the film is heavy and there are some brutal images.  Click poster for an excerpt.

Book 2

I Am Bruce Lee

I am not Bruce Lee. He was  an original who made being a mystic and a fighter beyond cool. 

Sports On Fire - HBO Series

Spirit Unforgettable

John Mann was a pure artist. His brave journey with Alzheimer's taught me so much about dignity and love. 

See Grace Fly

The first full-length film I ever directed and only fictional feature so far.  Great experience in independent filmmaking. Grace rocked.

The concept for Sports on Fire was simple: when sports and history collide the whole world watches. The stories, interviews and  revelations from all six episodes enthralled, fascinated and educated me. What a treat. Currently streaming on CBC Gem.

I made these two short films for the wonderful Echo Storytelling Agency. Anybody you love? Tell them now—you know, that you you love them. #TellThemNow got over a million views in the first two weeks after launch and was featured in media around the world.

TOOLS to get GOING & FLOWING

Creativity Blog

Hey, Songwriters

(are you looking for inspiration?)

MUSIC

My first album. 24-Track, 2-inch tape. Fab players. Big dreams. This is not the original cover title. It was called Breathe. But that's my daughter and she has my heart. Plus she can totally shred.
 

These New Work songs are productions in process. It's one thing to write songs. It's another to record and produce a song to a standard that feels good. New work, same dreams. And occasional, precious rushes of elation.

Shine is my dream of letting go of love with style and hoping it sounds like something from Motown. 

Innocent Man was inspired from research I did for a potential series called No Justice. Special nod to the Innocent Project, who fight for the release, exoneration and dignity of wrongfully accused prisoners.

Album 2. Recorded in a studio, a living room and a shed on something called DAT.  Got a great story from Abbey Road out of it. Got to tour Canada. This is the original cover and title.

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INNER-GALACTICAL

Inner-Galactical hears the cries of an astronaut exploring the outer reaches of the solar system but still feeling ruptured by deeper inner-loneliness. He's choosing to not call Houston. Fortunately,  he has a little recording studio in his capsule.

BIO

Potentially creative boy sitting on a large, red apple

I'm not getting any younger. Let's create something.

Writer, filmmaker, musician. Recently completed my third novel, number one in a YA trilogy called Last Friends on Earth. The story takes place a century in the future. My other novels, Understanding Ken and Shelby, were written in the previous century. I've  penned several produced feature screenplays in between.

I recently wrote Hey, Writers about the the writing  life, the creative process and how to get on top of your game and stay there. I've added the same for songwriters: Hey, Songwriters, to help you write you next or first great song.

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My documentary Facing Ali was Oscar short-listed in 2009.  Spirit Unforgettable won Audience Choice awards at Toronto's Hot Docs and VIFF in 2016.

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For you sci-fi fans? I’m in conversation to direct a biopic about the creator of Star Trek, the inimitable Gene Roddenberry. How '60s cool could that be?

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I created, wrote and directed a 6-part HBO Canada documentary series called Sports on Fire.  Other award-winning films I've written and directed include Uganda Rising, I Am Bruce Lee—at the time Spike TV’s highest watched documentary ever—and a scripted feature called See Grace Fly.

I’ve done ad work for Echo Storytelling Agency that has garnered millions of views on multiple platforms. 

My music has been used in film, T.V. and Digital Media but I still dream of writing that perfect pop song. 

CONTACT

Build your life or someone else will hire you to build theirs.
                                                                        —Will Smith