To help you throw your own creative retreat right at home, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite shows that you can watch anytime you need a little jump start in your creativity. It doesn’t matter whether you work specifically in these industries, sometimes it’s the inspiration of looking through someone else’s lens that helps you think in a new way.
Abstract: The Art of Design.
“Step inside the minds of the most innovative designers in a variety of disciplines and learn how design impacts every aspect of life.”
From architects to a Nike shoe designer to a concert stage designer, this show is full of creative people at the top of their game. The series takes you inside their lives and how they came into their careers, their struggles, and triumphs. One of my favorite episodes is about illustrator Christoph Neimann who spends part of every day creating something just for himself from whatever is around him. He has taken these creations online to his Instagram and I always think of this series when one pops in my feed. This is really such a great series, I hope you love it too!
Watch Abstract: The Art of Design on Netflix
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Art & Copy
“ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time — people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising’s “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation”
Did you live for Mad Men, do you work in an agency? Art and Copy is the documentary for you! The creative minds behind the famous campaigns “Just Do It,” “Got Milk?”, “Where’s the beef?” and more discuss what advertising is really about and how when they get it right, it’s SO right, and of course the downfalls of NOT getting it.
Watch Art & Copy on Amazon Prime
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Tales by Light
“Follow renowned photographers as they explore far-flung locales, capturing extraordinary images that present nature and culture in a new light.”
Tales By Light encompasses all my favorite things… creative people doing their thing AND travel. From Tonga, and Vanuhutu, to the Masai Mara in Kenya follow professional photographers as they travel around the world to capture their stories. And along the way they share what makes a photographer great, how photography can shine a light on a subject not yet discovered by humanity and it’ll make you wanna hit the road ASAP.
Watch Tales by Light on Netflix
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The Defiant Ones
“A four-part documentary series that tells the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre — one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton — their improbable partnership and surprising leading roles in a series of transformative events in contemporary culture.”
I’ve written about The Defiant Ones before but it deserves a spot on this list for not only being about a creative life but about the business of being creative. So many times people think the creativity or the ‘art’ itself is the beginning and the end and it’s really not. It’s the business part that takes creativity to another level, into the realm of making a living out of your passion. Seeing Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre up close and personal in The Defiant Ones is a masterclass in just that.
Watch The Defiant Ones on HBO
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Five Foot Two
“Follow pop provocateur Lady Gaga as she releases a new album, preps for her Super Bowl halftime show, and confronts physical and emotional struggles.”
Five Foot Two is a super raw look at Lady Gaga behind the scenes as she prepares a new album, deals with chronic fibromialgia, death, family, heartbreak, and being creative during all of that. This docu series is a really fantastic look at life on top and the highs and pitfalls of that kind of popularity. And damn, this trailer. I mean what she says about how much she’s touched and talked to while “working” yet how quiet and alone she is at home is heart wrenching. Stars, they’re just like us.
Watch Five Foot Two on Netflix
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Jiro Dreams of Sushi
“This documentary profiles sushi chef Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old master whose 10-seat, $300-a-plate restaurant is legendary among Tokyo foodies.”
Watching any mature/senior adult reach the prime of their creativity and work life is always satisfying and inspirational. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is nothing less. Jiro is an 85 year old sushi chef with three Michelin stars who has arguably reached the top but still internally is on the hunt for the next level. This doc asks what that means at this age and what there is still to learn. Watch this!
Watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Netflix
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Top Chef
“The Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series will follow 15 diverse chefs from across the country as they battle it out for the coveted title.”
Yes, I’m including a reality cooking competition show in this list because it is THE BEST REALITY COOKING COMPETITION SHOW ever and it is more than a reality cooking competition show. It’s about perfecting a craft, pushing the limits, and the life that happens in between these moments. There have been 15 seasons of this show, and I have watched everyone of them for a reason.
Watch Top Chef on Bravo!
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Chef’s Table
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“In this Emmy-nominated series, meet culinary stars around the world who are redefining gourmet food with innovative dishes and tantalizing desserts.”
I’m actually watching this show as I type this post because it’s such an escape of a show. It’s much like the other shows I’ve listed but it’s about the lives of chefs, their food, the places they live, and how they reached this moment. WATCH THIS!! Really, it’s so good.
Watch Chef’s Table on Netflix
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Ok, now go forth: take a rest, watch one of these series, and feel refreshed. Be creative!
Share your favorite “creative” shows in the comments! I need a boost too!
