🎨 I am a multi-disciplinary storyteller who has spent two decades crafting narratives across film, podcasting, music and digital media.
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Breaking The Silence (Again)
Published 6 months ago • 3 min read
Breaking The Silence...Again!
Hey Everyone,
Welcome! Though I’m tossing around a few name ideas for this but, for now, we can just call this Issue #1 of the “new” Drew English newsletter. My goal is for this to be more than just a vehicle for professional updates, but to go a little deeper. To start peeling back the layers on life as a creative entrepreneur and, hopefully, share some tools and inspiration to help you in your own journey. That’s the new direction, so I hope you’ll come along.
QUICK HOUSEKEEPING!!! ​I recently migrated this list from Mailchimp to Kit and it brought EVERYONE over...including those of you who may have unsubscribed in the past. If you are receiving this email and don't want to receive them in the future, please feel free to unsubscribe again. No hard feelings whatsoever!
OK...moving on....
Where have I been?
I had to go back and look at the last email I sent out - March, 7 2023. That’s just over a year and a half of radio silence! For anyone out there with children, you will relate: my daughter has been in the throes of toddler-hood and a lot of our time and energy is devoted to her. The gaps in between have been filled with life, work and new ventures that have resulted in little bandwidth for much else.
“Proper Understanding, Unselfish Action, Truthful Speech” - Marcus Aurelius
The above quote by Stoic Philosopher and Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius speaks to what we should all strive for in life. I’ve found that as I have gained a better understanding of myself and my own journey, the drive to share more of my perspective and expertise has only grown.
I started drafting this email before the US election and (clearly) this is going out after. I don’t (and won’t) talk politics but what I will say is that now, more than ever, I think giving more weight to authenticity and looking beyond one’s self is paramount. So, I’ve now reached a tipping point where I want to start sharing those things publicly, plain and simple.
Hopefully what I have to resonates and you stick around for the ride!
Quick Updates
To set a quick baseline, I’m going to be launching an updated portfolio site and sharing more cinematography work soon. That said, in 2024 I’ve had a chance to get some fun projects under my belt for clients like Olympics Hospitality and Native Instruments and work with inspired talent such as Alicia Keys, Michael Phelps and Orlando Bloom.
Being behind the camera truly is a wild ride….
On Set with Orlando Bloom
My podcast, No Set Path, has released 32 episodes to date with more in the pipeline. I’ve SO enjoyed speaking with a diverse set of creatives and entrepreneurs about their own professional journey and, while I’ve been less consistent than I would like in the release schedule, we are still getting episodes done and out there, so be sure to check it out and give a review or a follow. Links below for you.
I founded Upstate Podcast Studio here in Kingston, NY as a one-stop-shop for both in-person and remote podcasting serving the greater Hudson Valley. So far it seems to filling a gap for those who need a media outlet in the area, but don’t want to commute down to NYC for a session. We’ve been trusted by the BBC, The New Yorker, REI and Wondery and are still going strong.
Finally, off the momentum of the podcast and the studio, I’ve started working as a Media Consultant through my company, Lights & Years. This was fully unexpected and, oddly enough, the area with the most growth potential as a business. I’m currently working on a studio buildout for a client in San Francisco and am spinning up a podcast series for a production company who is a close and trusted collaborator, with a few other things in the works as well.
Re-reading all that just now, it seems like a lot. And it is. Full disclosure: I’m very much in the midst of figuring out what the future looks like and what the next business evolution will be. However, the older I get, the more I realize that there is no destination, just a journey. So I’ll take that as it comes and I suggest you do the same.
đź’¨ Quick Hits From The Week
Here's a quick smattering of what I'm taking in this week.
Podcast: The Rewatchables - Witty entertainment for folks who love movies
Book: A Man and His Kitchen - I've really enjoyed other books by author Matt Hranek and this is a good excuse to keep experimenting in the kitchen.
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