James Hackett : Creative direction, Masterly Versus Balance, Mentoring and Creative Writing

After working in London for five years James established Studio Hackett (formerly Hackett Films) in the early 2000s, and has gone on to build an incredibly diverse portfolio of work. The studio’s work has won multiple awards – there’s even a couple of Arias sitting in the office. James and Studio Hackett have carved themselves a unique place in the Australian production industry. James’ skills and experience have enabled Studio Hackett to work in sectors that range from broadcast TV to educational games. His expertise is the lynchpin between story and design. James loves getting to the heart of a character and is happy directing live-action talent or animated characters. He has recently written a young adult science-fiction novel, Ectogen, to be published soon.  www.studiohackett.com Topics Discussed - Working in the industry and getting a job in a studio - Essential must haves for freelancers - Mastery of skills versus balance - Tips for creative directors around creating ideas  - Managing your studio in times of heavy workloads - Being a good manager / creative director - The benefits of mentoring and how to make mentoring work for you - Creative writing has a passion project - Benefits of writing to a creative professional or studio .