Let's Make This More Interesting

Faris Yakob believes that attention is not merely the first step to engagement with something, but a fundamental shaper of who we are: if ‘we are what we eat’, then what we pay attention to comes to define us.  The author of ‘Paid Attention’ and co-founder of Genius Steals, he and his wife Rosie have spent the last ten years as modern nomads, consulting, speaking and writing. In this episode Adam and Faris discuss:How Faris’ diverse career and nomadic life has been ‘a quest for interesting’Why attention is part of the substance of our existenceWhy it is impossible to buy attention today ……And yet everyone is still competing for our attention all the timeStrategies for earning attention in a saturated media ageWhy the ‘most interestingness’ comes in the connection of domains that are not obviously connectedFollow Faris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farisyakob/Subscribe to Faris and Rosie's substack 'Strands of Genius': https://geniussteals.substack.com/Connect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/  Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts. 

That’s enough about humour and the lighter side of interesting.  It’s time to step into the dark.    This week Adam meets researcher Mathias Clasen, co-founder of the ‘Recreational Fear Lab’ and author of Why Horror Seduces and A Very Nervous Person's Guide to Horror Movies, to talk about what he’s learned from haunted houses and horror movies, and how to find the ‘sweet spot’ of scary.  Adam and Mathias discuss:  The definition of ‘recreational fear’, and why it’s not just for horror film fans  The evidence that shows why fear is good for us. Why children need more ‘risky play’ for their development than we are giving them, and the surprising results of Mathias’ research into fear on our immune systems  The physiological and cognitive relationship between fear and enjoyment  Why we should all make friends with Mr Piggy _Read Mathias's books:Why Horror Seduces A Very Nervous Person's Guide to Horror MoviesWatch Mathias's TedX talk: Lessons from a terrified horror researcherConnect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/  Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts.   

Last week’s episode made the business case for humour - but how do we start to find our funny? This week Adam Morgan meets standup comedy writing and speaking coach Chris Head for a comedy masterclass.  Chris shares practical experience and techniques he uses when working with comedians, how he helped stand-up Stepfania Licari push her personal stories for the biggest payoff and coached Richard Lindesay to become a headliner (and TikTok star), all while punching up Adam’s jokes along the way,  They discuss: The power of comedy to help engage people with serious and challenging subjects Simple techniques to build humour and surprise into anything from a story to an internal announcement  The importance of making an immediate connection with the audience to break the tension  The craft involved to go from a joke-shaped thought into a bigger, funnier routine The power of misdirection (but not the magic kind)  _____  Contact Chris (or sign up to a course): https://www.chrishead.com/   Chris’s books: Creating Comedy Narratives for Stage and Screen  A Director's Guide to the Art of Stand-up The Complete Comedy Script Toolkit  _____  Connect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/  Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts. 

Is our business leaving money on the table by being too serious? In this episode, Adam speaks to Bridget Angear, legendary strategic planner and co-founder of Craig + Bridget, about her recent research “The Business Case for Humour in Advertising”.  Adam and Bridget explore the evidence for the business effects of humour as revealed in the IPA database, and the different values that different types of humour can have for us if we’re looking to be more engaging.  They look at why marketing and communications might be less entertaining now than it used to be, and they consider why agencies and clients seriously need to have a bit more fun.  Because, despite the business case for humour, have we all become just too scared to be funny?  -- Connect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/  Watch Bridget deliver “The Business Case for Humour in Advertising” here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=r91B08Xebtg Bridget's books -The insiders' guide to advertising: How the business of advertising really worksCreative problem solving.: A useful little strategy book by craig+bridgetRevolt: A movement owner's manual--Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts. 

This week Adam meets award-winning improviser and director of the iconic Assassin’s Creed video games Simon Peacock to explore how the element of surprise makes his work and life more interesting.  Beginning with Simon’s early success as a professional improviser in Montreal, they discuss the 10 commandments of good improvisation, why routine and repetition ruin a performance, and what happens when you apply improv principles to your own wedding.  In the second half, Simon shares what it takes to give a more interesting audition, his experience as a director in the world of video games, and why audiences crave surprise. We find out what preparation it takes to direct 2,000 lines of dialogue in one day, why it’s always a good idea to deliver a unique take in an audition (even if it doesn’t land you the job), and the terrible fate of a canvas sack called Bob.  __  Connect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/ Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth and our producers at Tiny Podcasts.

In this episode Adam talks to Heather McGill, Head of Spectator Experience at London 2012 and previously Tour Manager for the Spice Girls, about how to create more interesting shared experiences.  Heather shares lessons about how to create more engaging spectator experiences for live tours and ‘global mega events’ such as the Olympics and Paralympics, large industry expos like Dubai 2020, and her current project, the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest, which has sold over a million tickets.   In a wide-ranging conversation that spans her career Heather reveals insights on:  The real competition when you are designing experiences How to structure the development of an experience The importance of the lull, as well as the high What exponentially changing audience expectations really means for being more interesting in experience today Sir Jonny Ive’s one piece of advice on designing the London 2012 experience The three ways to tackle a problem in the experience The value of creating common ownership How constraints make the experience better How to build wonder  …Oh, and why the third spider drop makes all the difference. ___Find out more about Heather’s work: https://www.unifyexp.com/ The Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Exerience: https://hpforbiddenforestexperience.com/  Connect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/  Follow eatbigfish on Linkedin and Instagram