Ditching the Playbook and Building a Sustainable Creative Career
No Set Path: Creative Entrepreneurship Growth Stories
Intro
Hosts introduce Drew English, his background, and the episode format as a re-airing of a Cinema Kingston interview.
Drew sits down with Blake Pfeil & Jeremiah Wenutu on Cinema Kingston! to explore his winding path from music production to becoming a sought-after director of photography, podcast studio owner, and host of No Set Path. They unpack the reality of being a multidisciplinary creative, building community in the Hudson Valley, and why storytelling matters more than the tech behind it.
Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 – Drew's introduction and impressive client roster (Adobe, Netflix, HBO, Disney+)
02:00 – How Upstate Podcast Studio evolved from a basement setup to a professional Kingston space
06:00 – The challenge of being spread thin across multiple creative ventures
09:00 – Feeling like an outsider in the film industry while pursuing diverse interests
14:00 – The frustration with editing other people's work vs. creating your own passion projects
16:00 – The Hudson Valley creative community: talent is everywhere, but connection is key
19:00 – Two years of HBO production boom post-COVID, then the 2024-2025 slowdown
22:00 – Plans for No Set Path: building in-person community events and brand expansion
24:00 – From UMass Lowell recording school to New York City music production
27:00 – The pivot moment: buying a Canon 7D at B&H and teaching himself cinematography
30:00 – Starting No Set Path during COVID as a vehicle for meaningful conversations
33:00 – The unexpected impact: random emails from people inspired by the show
37:00 – Why Drew asks "how did you get here?" instead of "what camera did you use?"
40:00 – The realization: storytelling is the thread connecting everything
44:00 – Storytelling as a buzzword in tech startups and why humans gravitate to narrative
45:00 – The Goonies, Spielberg, Lucas, and movies that shaped a generation
50:00 – Easter eggs, film scores, and the magic of eighties adventure films
Takeaway
Being multidisciplinary isn't a weakness. It's your unique advantage in a changing creative economy.
Community over hustle: the Hudson Valley has incredible talent, but genuine connection matters more than networking.
Storytelling transcends medium. Whether it's cinematography, podcasting, or coaching, story is what connects with people.
Most successful people don't actually know what they're doing. They're "failing upwards" and figuring it out as they go.
Name things well: Upstate Podcast Studio succeeds organically because of smart, searchable naming.
Your creative path will look like a lot of different things. Let it evolve naturally instead of forcing a single direction.
The tech doesn't matter. People care about the emotion and story, not your gear list.
Resources & Links
Cinema Kingston!: https://radiokingston.org/en/broadcast/cinema-kingston
Drew's Website: www.drewenglish.com
Lights and Years Media: www.lightsandyears.com
Upstate Podcast Studio: www.upstatepodcaststudio.com
No Set Path Podcast: Search "No Set Path: Creative Entrepreneurship Stories" on your podcast app
No Set Path Newsletter: https://thedrewenglish.substack.com/
Drew's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewenglishh/
Drew's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewenglish/
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