Cameron Schiller: On Creativity
Marianna
What creative accomplishments are you most proud of?
Cameron
I like to build sh*t. I never take a job that isn’t a puzzle. I won 2 Webby Awards. I made a music video with 36 people for $300…
Marianna
Do you have a routine for entering into a creative headspace?
Cameron
I try to find music that suits my creative mood, then I clear speak on my wall specifically dedicated to brainstorming ideas in writing.
Marianna
Do you have any habits you've built for yourself to foster creativity and/or inventiveness?
Cameron
I am big on post-it notes. I have a very specific method and hierarchy for getting my thoughts down, and the post-it notes allow me to move my thoughts around easily.
Marianna
Where do you think ideas come from?
Cameron
I think our experiences inspire our ideas.
Marianna
What does creativity mean to you?
Cameron
The opportunity to impact the way people look at the world.
Marianna
When do your best ideas hit you?
Cameron
At night or when no one else is awake.
Marianna
Do you use a process to come up with ideas?
Cameron
Not at first. I don’t try to overthink ideas in the beginning, it stifles creatives. I just try to get it all out, then I break it all down. It’s easy to strip something down, it’s harder to make it bigger.
Marianna
What are the unexpected turns your life took to lead you to become who you are today?
Cameron
Homelessness, being fired, being promoted, being hired, throwing away money, making money…
Marianna
What sources of inspiration do you use to foster creativity in your work?
Cameron
I listen to film scores, something that gives me a heightened sense of reality.
Marianna
Do you experiment in your work?
Cameron
I don’t experiment, rather I iterate.
Marianna
How would you describe your creative process?
Cameron
Confusing to everyone but me.
Marianna
What do you think is something that the most creative people in the world have in common?
Cameron
We see the world for what it can be, not for what it is.
Marianna
How do you make sense of chaos in your life?
Cameron
It’s what propels me to think differently about the world, to learn about myself, and to find ways to connect and bond with others.
Marianna
Why do you think people get stuck on problems?
Cameron
They keep using the same methods and tools to try and solve them, rather than taking a step back and approach from a different direction. You can do the same thing over and over, and expect a different result.
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About Cameron Schiller:
Cameron Schiller is Co-Founder of Bond Art which leases art from one of the largest street art collections in the world. (His Co-Founder and sibling Sara Schiller co-launched the website Wooster Collective. Since the birth of Wooster Collective, the Schillers have curated exhibitions of work by street artists, hosted a TED Talk to dispel misconceptions of the form as simply vandalism, and published Trespass - a compendium on street art in recent decades.)
Cameron Schiller is also an award-winning marketing executive, having designed campaigns for world-class brands like New Era, Smirnoff, The Economist, American Express OPEN, New Balance and GE, and has worked for agencies like 72andSunny and RSA.
Cameron has extensive experience building talent led programs, serving recently as the VP of Talent for SoulCycle and the head of Talent & Influencer Marketing for Fiverr.
In addition to working on the marketing of Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop, Cameron currently sits on the Young Leadership Council of the Brooklyn Museum.
He is also a world-traveling skydiver and wingsuit pilot.