In this episode, I chat with Amy Chapman, a producer working in the film industry. Amy has spent a long time abroad, travelling and living in Germany before settling in Brighton with her partner, Luke, who’s a filmmaker. This is a particularly special conversation, as Amy is now seven months pregnant. We talk about how she and Luke navigated the decision to have children, and how supportive the industry has been since she announced her pregnancy. We also get into the practical side of things, discussing money, maternity allowance, and what it’s really like to plan for parenthood as a freelancer in the UK.

Amy Chapman is a freelance producer working across branded content, documentaries, animation and short films. She also works with her partner Luke, who has a small production company in Brighton Nougie Film.

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In this episode I chat with Justyna, a 36-year-old illustrator and animator who lives in Dorset with her husband, their dog and their cat.

She started out working in communications for the design sector, and then decided to do a master’s in illustration and has been freelancing ever since.

More recently she’s been getting into animation too, and she’s already released her first short film, Make a Wish, which explores her indecision about having kids.

It was really great to hear her story and how she used animation to talk about something so personal. We also get into her creative process, her journey with endometriosis, and the way society and the media put so much pressure on women to fit into a certain role which makes the whole question of kids feel like this huge, life-defining decision.

Justyna Green is a British-Polish illustrator, animator, and animation director, specializing in content that addresses women’s health and wellbeing. Her work explores complex topics through a combination of humor and sensitivity, offering accessible narratives on difficult subjects.

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In this episode, I sit down with Jade Liessa Wheldon, a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey has taken her from designing props for films to producing documentaries and directing animations. Now based in North London and in her mid-thirties, Jade brings a wealth of experience and insight to our conversation.

We talk about her time in Africa filming a documentary and working with an NGO called Maison de la gare, an experience that left a lasting mark on her. Jade also shares her personal journey with Long Covid, opening up about how it has shaped both her perspective on life and the direction of her creative work.

At this link you can find more information about Maison de la gare and their work in Senegal.

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In this episode I chat with Amy, a Creative Director at Scriberia.

Amy is 36 and she recently moved from London to Wales with her partner and their 3 year old son.

We talked about how she tries to split things equally at home and with the baby and how even with the best intentions, it’s easy to feel torn between wanting to keep your career going and not wanting to miss out on those early years with your kid.

Amy also shared the pros and cons of living in a big city like London as a new parent and how that led to their decision of moving.

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In this episode I talk to Anna, a graphic designer living in Brighton. Anna is 32 and lives with her partner and their cat Luna.

In our chat, we talked about how the children’s conversation came up for her, and what she's most nervous about. We also got into the ups and downs of the creative process, and how building that resilience to try, fail, and keep creating might actually be a strength when it comes to parenting.

Anna Barton is a Senior Designer specialised in branding, campaigns, print and web.

She's all about coming up with good creative ideas that do something good in the world.

She's currently working at Studio Texture part time, and spend the rest of my time working freelance.

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In this episode I chat with Margaux, creative director and co-founder of Moth, an amazing animation studio based in London. Margaux is 39 and she lives with her partner, their baby Oran and their cat Pantera.

As we talked, I could really relate to her story: She opened up about the mixed feelings around having kids, especially when life is already full between close friendships, travel, hobbies, and a deep passion for her work. Like many of us, she was focused on building something meaningful, and having kids wasn’t really on the radar.

After our conversation, Margaux got in touch to share a few extra thoughts, which I’ve included in the final edit.

Marie-Margaux is a Greek/Italian creative director and co-founder of Moth Studio, an animation studio based in London known for its perceptive and emotive storytelling with a strong emphasis on character and design as communication.

Born and raised in Athens, she developed her love for Animation at age 3 through her dad and came to England to study Animation at Kingston and the RCA, where Moth was formed. 

She lives in Forest Hill, South London with her family and cat and when not in the studio she enjoys teaching and doing talks in universities and festivals worldwide. She is currently working on her first Illustrated Children’s book.

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In this episode, I speak with Matt, a 41-year-old filmmaker based in Brighton.

He shares how the idea of having children never really crossed his mind until he turned 40. Now, in a new relationship, the topic has started to surface more frequently.

We talk about the uncertainty that can come with such a life-changing decision, and explore how parenthood might reshape his world — both professionally and personally.

Our conversation also touches on the rise of AI: its impact on creative industries, and how thinking about the future of technology intertwines with the question of raising children in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Matt Harmer is an award-winning Director and D.P. specialising in documentary and branded content. He has worked with clients such as National Geographic, WaterBear Network, CNN, and the BBC.

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Nell’episodio di oggi parlo con Silvia Clo, regista e autrice freelance di 30 anni che abita a Milano con il suo compagno Sam e il loro gatto Gagarin.

Silvia ha una passione e un’energia travolgenti quando parla del suo lavoro, che per lei è anche uno strumento per amplificare temi politici e sociali.

Attraverso il cinema, la fotografia e la scrittura ha esplorato le rappresentazioni della comunità queer, le dinamiche di discriminazione e il tema della maternita’.

Silvia Clo crede nel potere dell'immaginazione. Regista, autrice e artista, i suoi lavori decostruiscono stereotipi e indagano le rappresentazioni della comunità queer, con uno sguardo intimo e politico. Attraverso cinema, scrittura e arte visiva, crea narrazioni che sfidano i confini e aprono nuovi spazi di possibilità.

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In questo episodio ho avuto il piacere di chiacchierare con Ilenia, creative director di Illo e co-fondatrice, insieme a suo marito Luca, di Illo e Algo. Ilenia e Luca vivono a Torino con i loro due bambini, Milo di 5 anni e Lena di 2.

Abbiamo parlato di esperienze personali, come il percorso di fecondazione assistita e l'adozione internazionale, ma anche di come riescano a conciliare la gestione di due bambini piccoli con la creazione e la direzione di due studi, uno di design e l’altro di data visualization.

Ilenia Notarangelo e' creative director e fondatrice di Illo, uno studio di design con un focus su motion design, illustrazione e art direction.

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In this episode, I sit down with Phoebe, an amazing illustrator, animation director, and co-founder of Arc Studio. At 34, she lives in Southeast London with her partner and their baby. Phoebe’s journey is particularly fascinating, as she navigated years of uncertainty before ultimately deciding to become a parent. She opens up about the factors that influenced her decision and how, during her struggle with postnatal depression, she turned to creativity and drawing as a way to cope and regain her sense of self.

Phoebe Halstead is a freelance animation director, animator, and illustrator specializing in concept-driven 2D animation. She graduated in Illustration and Animation from Kingston University in 2012. Phoebe is the co-director of ARC Studio, alongside her collaborator Angie Phillips, and is a founding member of the First Hand reportage illustration collective.

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In questo episodio parlo con Cristina Portolano, una fumettista freelance che lavora a Bologna. Cristina ha 38 anni e vive insieme al compagno e alla loro bambina di due anni.

L’anno scorso, Cristina ha deciso di raccogliere le esperienze genitoriali di alcuni artisti in un'autoproduzione dal titolo Genitore, Artista, altro.

Durante la chiacchierata, affrontiamo temi importanti come la scelta di diventare madre come esperienza di vita, il lavoro su progetti personali e il superamento dei pregiudizi che ancora esistono riguardo al fatto di essere sia madre che artista.

Cristina Portolano, originaria di Napoli, si trasferisce a Bologna nel 2005 per studiare all'Accademia di Belle Arti, con una parentesi Erasmus a Parigi. Fumettista e docente, dal 2016 ha pubblicato il suo primo libro e collabora con Internazionale Kids, mentre insegna illustrazione e anatomia artistica allo IAAD di Bologna.

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This time, I chat with Davide Colla, founder and Creative Director of 150up, a Milan-based creative agency specializing in strategy, design, and content.

At 38, Davide lives in Milan with his wife, Silvia, their dog, and their two young kids, aged 5 and 2.

Davide and Silvia met at university and now work together as a creative team at 150up.

In addition to his role at 150up, Davide is a lecturer at the European Institute of Design and, in recent years, has started traveling the world to speak about AI and design.

I really enjoyed our conversation, covering a wide range of topics: Davide shared what he loves and finds challenging about raising young kids, his strategy for carving out time for himself amidst his busy life, and his thoughts on how AI is transforming the creative industry.

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In this episode, I chat with Carmen, co-founder of the Barcelona-based animation and illustration studio Nice Shit. At 37, she’s single, thriving as a creative director, and enjoying the freedom to travel and create. But when it comes to having kids, she’s unsure—something many can relate to..

We explore the dilemma of freezing eggs, the importance of building a strong support system beyond family, and what it means to shape life on your own terms. Carmen also shares her experience of running a creative business as a woman, the challenges she’s faced, and the independence that comes with it.

Carmen Angelillo is the co-founder and creative director of Niceshit Studio. Originally from Italy, she lived and worked in London and Buenos Aires, before creating Niceshit with Guido Lambertini and Rodier Kidmann.

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EPISODIO IN ITALIANO - In questo episodio parlo con Alice un’illustratrice freelance di 37 anni che vive e lavora a Novara con il suo compagno e i loro due gatti. Alice mi racconta della sua vita childfree tra disegni, volontariato e momenti da sola. Parliamo della difficota’ di comunicare questa decisione al proprio partner e più in generale il renderla pubblica per via del costante giudizio e pressione esterna.

Alice e' un illustratrice e graphic designer freelance. Collabora con editori, brand e studi di design su libri, riviste, packaging e identità visive. Il suo stile unisce disegno a mano, digitale e collage, con un focus su ritratti e illustrazioni a inchiostro.

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In this episode, I chat with Hayley - a creative copywriter and author who lives just outside of London with her husband and their two kids aged 8 and 6.

She shares her experience of switching careers from corporate communications to creative copywriting after the birth of her first child, how she and her partner managed life in lockdown with two young children, and the challenges they faced in balancing the diverse needs of their family.

Hayley Dunlop is a creative copywriter and author, her debut novel, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, publishes later this year and can be pre-ordered here.

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EPISODIO IN ITALIANO - In questo episodio, ho avuto il piacere di parlare con Margherita Premuroso - artista, creative director e animatrice freelance.

Margherita ha 41 anni e vive a Milano con i suoi due figli di 9 e 11 anni, un cane e un gatto.

Mi ha raccontato di come la creatività sia sempre stata una parte essenziale della sua vita. Anche nei primi mesi di maternità, tra notti insonni e nuove routine, non ha mai smesso di disegnare e portare avanti i suoi progetti. Con una determinazione instancabile, riesce a trovare spazio per tutto: il lavoro, la famiglia e le sue passioni, senza mai mettere da parte ciò che la fa stare bene.

Margherita Premuroso è una character designer, animatrice, illustratrice freelance e creative director a elastic.tv. Negli ultimi anni, si è specializzata nella creazione di titoli di apertura per film e serie TV, lavorando principalmente nella pubblicità. Nel 2017 è stata nominata agli Emmy Awards per le sequenze animate dei titoli di coda della serie Feud: Bette and Joan (Ryan Murphy)

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In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Russ - a freelance animator and director based in Brighton. At 40, he’s a dad to two young kids (3 & 5) and still manages to stay deeply involved in the creative scene.

This episode explores the challenges and realities of juggling a creative career with family responsibilities. From making time for passion projects to navigating the demands of parenting, it’s all about finding balance and support along the way.

Russ is an award winning Animator, Director and Designer with a passion for 3D characters.

After working as a full time Senior Creative at Animade in London, he started freelancing for a range of UK and international clients.

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In questa puntata parlo con Cecilia, una graphic designer di 34 anni che vive a Udine.

La decisione di avere figli porta con sé molte domande e riflessioni. Cecilia condivide il suo punto di vista su sostenibilità, scelte personali e l’influenza delle dinamiche sociali e politiche in questo percorso. È davvero inevitabile dover scegliere tra realizzazione professionale e vita familiare?

Cecilia è una graphic designer, di base in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Lavora come progettista grafica freelance dal 2017, sia nel campo commerciale che in quello culturale. È co-fondatrice e designer del magazine indipendente Frute che si occupa di femminismo e tematiche di genere.

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This time, I chat with Jade, a 29-year-old senior artist at a video game company in London. We talk about her uncertainty around having kids, and the challenges of balancing a career with the idea of motherhood.

Living in London adds its own layer of complexity—between the high cost of renting, the unpredictability of dating, and the daily grind of commuting. How do you plan for the future when just keeping up with the present feels like a challenge?

Jade Evans is an artist, illustrator and animator based in London. She currently works full-time at Chucklefish as Senior Artist on the game Witchbrook.

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