Awards & Selections
1) The theatrical debut of ‘Creativity’ took place on Oct. 8th, 2022 in the Classical Arts Film Festival in Napa, CA, and it was awarded Best Documentary . 2) ‘Creativity’ was awarded Best Documentary Film by the Critics’ Choice International Film Festival . 3) ‘Creativity’ was awarded Best Documentary Feature in the 8 & HalFilm Awards . 4&5) ‘Creativity’ won two awards in the 8 & HalFilm Awards’ Special Event in Dubai (Feb 2023): Best Producer & Best American Documentary Feature . 6) ‘Creativity’ won a Silver Award in the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards . 7) ‘Creativity’ was awarded Honorable Mention in the London Movie Awards . 8) ‘Creativity’ was awarded Honorable Mention in the Florence Film Awards . 9) ‘Creativity’ was a Finalist in the Mindfield Film Festival - Albuquerque (where it was the winner in the July-Aug 2022 bi-monthly competition as well as given a Platinum Award) . 10) ‘Creativity’ was a Finalist in the Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival (which screened Oct 24-31, 2022) . 11) ‘Creativity’ was a Finalist in the Indiefare International Film Festival (which screened Nov 16-19, 2022) . 12) ‘Creativity’ was a Nominee in the Movie Play International Film Festival (which screened Oct. 16-22, 2022) . 13) Officially selected by the Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions @ PinewoodStudios . 14) Officially selected by the Black Cat Award International Film Festival . 15) Officially selected by the New York Movie Awards . Websites: Critics’ Choice Int’l Film Festival, Classical Arts Film Festival, 8 & HalFilm Awards, Movie Play Int’l Film Festival, Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival, Indiefare International Film Festival, the Mindfield Film Festival, Albuquerque Film Festival, more
Synopsis:
“Creativity” explores creativity from two lenses: What do psychologists say about creativity? And what do creatives themselves say about it? It also explores what creativity is, the dark side of it, how to foster it, and how creativity can help humanity in the future. To explore creativity, I interviewed many different creatives (from artists, musicians, photographers, and filmmakers, to chefs, comedians, and entrepreneurs) and researchers who study creativity, as well as psychologists, astrophysicists, and even a neurologist. (See all of the interviewees below.) With this film, I hope to inspire people from all walks of life to get creative, especially with the challenges that we face in the future; from the climate crisis to overpopulation and becoming an interstellar species, as Carl Sagan envisioned.
Interviewees:
Teresa M. Amabile, PhD – Baker Foundation Professor, Harvard Business School / Author, “The Progress Principle” and “Creativity in Context”
Kayleen Asbo, PhD – Artistic Director at Mythica Foundation / Osher Lifelong Learning Lecturer at Dominican University / Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, UC Berkeley / kayleenasbo.com
Lucia Avalos-Gonzalez – Educator
John Bucher, PhD – Creative Director, Joseph Campbell Foundation / Co-host for Skeleton Keys Podcast, @SkeletonKeysPod
Matt Caplan, PhD – Astrophysicist, Assistant Professor at Illinois State University
Matt Cardin, PhD – Author (A Course in Demonic Creativity), VPAA at North Arkansas College, musician. mattcardin.com
Shelley Carson, PhD – Psychologist, Harvard University. Author: Your Creative Brain, shelleycarson.com
Jesse Carsten – Musician, Half Shadow, halfshadow.world
Jamaal Durr (@jakehue_) – Artist, jqvisuals.net
Alice W. Flaherty, MD, PhD – Neurologist, Massachusetts General Hospital
Sandra Fremgen – Illustrator / Graphic Designer, sandrafremgen.com
Gabe Garcia – Executive Chef, Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars
Vlad Glăveanu, PhD – Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology and Counseling at Webster University Geneva
Lou Graziani – Comic Artist, Cy-Boar, Duel of the Fates: TOYBOX EDITION
Tracy Graziani – CEO Graziani Multimedia, grazianimultimedia.com
John Harrison – Filmmaker, Composer, Director: Frank Herbert’s DUNE (TV miniseries), johnharrisonwriterdirector.com
Michael Jacobs – Entrepreneur / Team Kitchens, teamkitchens.com
Kirsten Johnsen, PhD – Ecological Mythologist, website, Community Facilitator, Archivist: MGZ Goddess Collection, Writer: Chaos Caterpillar
Hansika Kapoor, PhD – Clinical Psychologist, Monk Prayogshala, Mumbai, India. hansikakapoor.in
James C. Kaufman, PhD – President of the American Creativity Association, Psychologist, University of Connecticut, violet-scarlet-dasj.squarespace.com
Thane Knutson – Winemaker: Raymond Vineyards
Carmen Lynch – Comedian, Co-creator of Apt C3, carmenlynch.com
Glen McIntosh – Animation Supervisor, animator, previz artist on such films as the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Jurassic World & Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Tom McIntyre – Science Educator
Dan Millman – Author of 18 books (including Way of the Peaceful Warrior), teacher, public figure/speaker. peacefulwarrior.com
Alex Mott – Composer - short film: What Should I Tell You?, thealexmott.wixsite.com
Antonio Paris, PhD – Astrophysicist, Professor: St. Petersburg College, Author: Mars: Your Personal 3D Journey to the Red Planet
Guy Patton – Filmmaker, “Pearl: The Assassin”, Profile
James & Tony Pinto – Filmmakers, “Why Dinosaurs?”
SeyedAhmad Rahimi, PhD – Assistant Professor of Ed. Tech., University of Florida, creativity researcher
Judith Schlesinger, PhD – Psychologist, Artist, Author: The Insanity Hoax, drjudithschlesinger.com
Liam Sharp – Comic Artist (DC Comics, Marvel, Image), liam-sharp.com
Shay the Surrealist (@surrealistshay) – Artist, smwvisuals.com
Dean K. Simonton, PhD – Author, “Origins of Genius” / Professor Emeritus, UC Davis
Glen Slater, PhD – Clinical Psychologist, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Editor of the following books
Dennis Patrick Slattery, PhD – Professor Emeritus, Pacifica Graduate Institute / Co-author, “Deep Creativity” / Literature & Phenomenology, University of Dallas, dennispatrickslattery.com
Evans Lansing Smith, PhD – Pacifica Graduate Institute / Comparative Literature, Claremont Graduate School, coniunctioblog.com
Jackson Smith – Filmmaker, “The Chocolate Soldier”, “Elevate” / Nightfall Entertainment / Screen Fever Podcast
Jeff Smith – Self-Published Comic Artist: BONE, RASL, TUKI; boneville.com
Wendy Sparks & Jeff Torquemada – Wildlife Photographers, jeffandwendyphotography.com, educators
Peter Stuart, LMFT – Therapist - psmft.com, singer/songwriter of Dog’s Eye View
Phil Tippett – Filmmaker, Animator, tippett.com, Star Wars trilogy, Jurassic Park/World franchise, Mad God (madgodmovie.com), Dinosaur!
Colin Trevorrow – Filmmaker, Jurassic World film series
Jason Trinidad – Artist, The Vogu, thevogu.io, @the_vogu
Betsy Whitt – Science Educator
Mike Willmarth – Math Educator
Emily Willoughby, PhD – Artist & Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Minnesota, emilywilloughby.com / Author: God’s Word or Human Reason? and Drawing and Painting Dinosaurs
Christie Wolf – Science Educator
Reviews:
Images above by Jason Trinidad @Jaiv1, Used with permission