1 FEB 2021 · Can games be art? We're back from a long hiatus with our first Hack Circus podcast interview about videogames! Introducing Jonas Antonsson, founder of Sweden-based games publisher Raw Fury. Raw Fury turns out games that make you feel, and Jonas believes the quest for emotion is just as important as the quest for knowledge. Find out what makes him and his company tick in this long, wide-ranging chat. 

2 MAR 2020 · What does it mean for creative people to be motivated? Is there a secret to getting more motivation, or is the drive too mysterious to neatly unravel? What are the three reasons people aren't motivated, and what happens to highly driven people when they run out of motivation altogether? Empathy, creativity and motivation come together in this, the last in the trio of special documentary-style episodes investigating the forces that power the creative mind. 

10 OCT 2019 · What is creativity? How does it relate to things like problem-solving, risk-taking, impulsiveness and excitement? I talk to some highly creative individuals in this special episode, part of a series of three 'Mastering' documentaries. This little documentary, part of the Mastering Creativity strand of the HC Masterclass series (hcmasterclass.com), introduces three successful, creative individuals taking very different paths in life, and tackles these questions – and more.

26 SEP 2019 · Is empathy important in business? Can you have too much empathy to be successful? What's the connection between empathy and power?  This little documentary introduces three successful, creative individuals taking very different paths in life, and tackles these questions – and more.

29 AUG 2019 · Alex McLean is a well-known artist, musician, researcher, and coder based in Sheffield. He is the creator of Tidal Cycles, free software for writing music, and is one of founders of live coding and the algorave phenomenon. Alex actively builds communities in the areas that interest him, and in this episode we talk about some of the events, festivals and groups he's been instrumental in developing, including Algomech and Dorkbot London. Also: weaving and tech, interference patterns and more.

26 AUG 2019 · The world has changed since I last talked about motivation. More than ever, we're addicted to devices, addicted to YouTube, addicted to interrupting and derailing our thoughts – addicted scuppering our plans in favour of a quick hit! For those in a motivational rut, here I lay out four simple ways to get you back on track. 1) Pretend you've got a boss 2) Childlike rewards 3) Tiny changes 4) Focus on the now, not the future

22 AUG 2019 · I used to think that branding was about coming up with the story we'd like to tell, but now I think it's more about uncovering the story that's already there. In this special extra-long Creativity Clinic, I talk about a practical technique that has helped me to work on the Hack Circus podcast brand in the run-up to the next series of this show, and give some hints of what's in store. 

4 AUG 2019 · If you've had some success in the past, it's not because you kept gambling on high stakes gigs, it's because you kept producing quality stuff. If you find yourself waiting back on a load of promises, I recommend putting the things you can't work on yet out of your mind, and using the time to develop yourself positively. It's the tiny changes you make to yourself and your life that will have huge effects down the line.

1 AUG 2019 · Maggie Nolan is a consultant and trainer, bringing techniques from improvisation practice into businesses. She launched her agency Start With A Yes over a year ago, combining years of experience of teaching and performing and applying them in a fresh context – to business. In this chat we discuss the improv scene in the UK, how long-form improv works, and the range of reactions to 'applied improv' – particularly when it turns up unexpectedly in your office. We also chat about the differences between teaching children and adults to "yes, and", some of the many problems improv can solve in corporate workspaces, the triumphs and struggles of women in the comedy world, and more.  Start With A Yes (Facebook) Start With A Yes (Instagram) Applied Improvisation (Wikipedia) iTunes link HC on Spotify HC on PlayerFM

29 JUL 2019 · This week I take on a listener's question about prioritising ideas: how do we decide what's most important? Is it better to do dig into one big thing or skim lots of little ones? In this short episode, I suggest it might be all about values, explain why I'm not really an artist, and consider how long-term working can be off-set by complimentary 'slight' ephemeral work. I also draw on the wisdom of previous HC podcast guest, Nadia Kamil. Get in touc with your questions! hackcircuspodcast.com