252: Creative Meets Technical with James Rowan
- Diana Varma
- May 12
- 2 min read
Could you collaborate to make an award-winning professional short film with a team from start to finish in just 48 hours? Our guest today has done just that!
I have with me today James Rowan, a technologist, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of film, television, and emerging technology—with a particular focus on virtual production. With roots in hands-on film production and experience across almost every department, James now leads complex technical portfolios while empowering others to thrive in high-tech creative environments. His creative streak runs deep: from gigging across Toronto playing bass in his 20s, to community musical theatre, and a decent run in live action stunts and martial arts choreography, but at heart, he’s a lifelong learner passionate about the ways creativity and technology inform and elevate each other.
In this conversation, you’ll hear James talk about working on the cutting edge of technology, specifically flexing his creative muscles in the award-winning 48 hour film that he and his team created; a 7-minute short called The Key to Paradise that won Best VFX and Best Choreography from 130 teams.
You’ll hear James talk about the ways in which both creativity drives technology and technology drives creativity. He provides advice about how to develop both creative thinking skills, paired with the technical skills necessary to make a vision come to life, and what’s needed to bridge the gap between these two states of being.
We chat about the inventible failures that will occur in figuring things out as you go, and that failure is simply data. We talk about collaboration and the power of the hive mind; diverse individuals with different areas of expertise coming together to push innovation through experimentation.
Magic ensues. Unicorns appear!
One final note before we start: In this conversation I mention a website that invites anyone and everyone to solve real-world problems, but I couldn’t remember the name. The organization is called ‘Wazoku’ (formerly Innocentive) and they describe themselves as the ‘World’s leading Science, Technology and Innovation Crowd’.
Let’s listen in…
Link to James’ incredible 48-hour film project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPRe2bVe27o
About Our Guest:
James Rowan is a technologist, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of film, television, and emerging technology—with a particular focus on virtual production. With roots in hands-on film production and experience across almost every department, James now leads complex technical portfolios while empowering others to thrive in high-tech creative environments. His creative streak runs deep: from gigging across Toronto playing bass in his 20s, to community musical theatre, and a decent run in live action stunts and martial arts choreography, but at heart, he’s a lifelong learner passionate about the ways creativity and technology inform and elevate each other.
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Music:
A Kwela Fella - John Bartmann licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License
Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle
