From What If? to Why Not? Finding Creative Freedom Through Action with Bill Ward
A 1980s bleach advert led to an unexpected career start for Bill Ward, but what he learnt in the advertising office has shaped and influenced his journey as a multi-award-winning actor and photographer.
In this episode, Bill describes what his background in advertising and acting bring to his photography, the importance of safe spaces for ideas, how he deals with rejection and why staying open is the best way to receive fresh insights.
‘It’s not about the final outcome; it’s about the doing, the exploring, the making, the process. That’s what excites me.’– Bill Ward
For Episode 15 of We Need to Make Things, I chat with Bill Ward @billwardphotography about safe spaces for ideas, how he deals with rejection and why staying open is the best way to receive fresh insights.
Bill is an award-winning actor and photographer, born and raised in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Over the last 25 years, he’s performed in more than 30 TV shows and films and starred in more than 50 plays. Alongside his acting, for the last five years Bill has been working on a photography project exploring water, energy and movement. His image-making is, in many ways, an antidote to the time he spends as an actor in the public eye.
A beautiful book of Bill’s photographs, Immersive, published by @kozubooks, is out now. Bill can also be seen playing Warden Stammas in The Shawshank Redemption at theatres across the UK until June.
This episode is full of Bill’s wonderful wisdom including:
👉 Advice on dealing with rejection and staying motivated
👉 The importance of staying open and receptive to ideas
👉 What advertising and acting have brought to his photography
👉 The need to ringfence quality time for creativity
Enjoy!
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