About the author
Roy Sharples is the Founder, President and Chief Creative Officer of Unknown Origins on a mission to unlock everyones creative potential.
Manifesto
Manifesto
Cultural Storytelling for a Braver Future
Stories that scar, heal, and build futures — fearless conversations with artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, and entrepreneurs shaping culture through creative bravery.
“It's all about storytelling. You have to know what makes the beats of a story arc work”
Jon S. Baird
Filmmaking Brilliance from TV to Hollywood
From BBC sets to Hollywood spotlights, Golden Globe nominee and BAFTA winner Jon S. Baird has carved a bold path in film. Collaborating with legends like Scorsese, Boyle, and Jagger, Baird brings a rhythm to storytelling that pulses through every frame.
“Mediocrity hides behind choice. Because if you have too much choice, everything can be mediocre”
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Steve Lillywhite
Architecting Iconic Soundscapes
For over 40 years, Steve Lillywhite CBE has shaped the sound of modern music, producing over 500 albums—from Siouxsie and the Banshees' The Scream to U2’s iconic The Joshua Tree. A visionary producer and industry leader, his influence is the pulse behind generations of music.
“The better you do your job, the more invisible you as a designer become”
Malcolm Garrett
Design Innovation
Professor Malcolm Garrett MBE RDI is a graphic design pioneer whose four-decade career has shaped modern visual culture. From iconic work with the Buzzcocks and Duran Duran to global collaborations with Apple and Virgin, his design legacy is a bold, evolving conversation of creativity and influence.
“It’s never good to try to mimic or manufacture a style, because it needs to be authentic and develop naturally”
Anita Kunz
Illustrative Storytelling
For over forty years, Anita Kunz’s evocative illustrations have graced the covers of The New Yorker, Time, and Rolling Stone. Her work goes beyond visuals—it provokes, inspires, and resonates, earning a place in galleries worldwide and hearts across generations.
“The purpose of the creative arts is to provide the necessary service to humanity to be entertained”
Alana Clapp
Orchestrating Spectacle
From Carnegie Mellon to Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère, Alana Clapp has mastered the art of live performance. As General Stage Manager, she fuses precision with wonder—ensuring every cue sparks imagination and every moment leaves a lasting impression.
“The harder you work the luckier you get”
Dave Cronen
Shaping Musical Legacies
From Virgin Records to Trust Management, Dave Cronen has shaped music’s cultural pulse—guiding The Beastie Boys, Johnny Marr, and Ash with a steady hand and a sharp instinct for moments that move the industry.
“Commit and keep going because everyone is going to tell you why you can't do it”
Alan McGee
The Outsider's Edge
Alan McGee, the maverick founder of Creation Records, tore up the rulebook in 1983—launching genre-defining acts like Oasis, Primal Scream, and My Bloody Valentine, and giving a generation its anthems.
“It's the power of being the outsider; looking left when others are looking right”
Clive Grinyer
Redefining Design
Clive Grinyer, a pioneer in service design, helped shape the future at IDEO and co-founded Tangerine with Sir Jony Ive. Now at the Royal College of Art, he continues to fuse technology with empathy to drive human-centered innovation.
“Having a moral grounding as an entrepreneur provides you with an unlimited source for motivation”
Jonathan Burns
Sustainable Innovation
Jonathan Burns launched his entrepreneurial journey at the Academy of Contemporary Music, channeling his vision into a fashion venture grounded in ethics, innovation, and sustainability—challenging the industry's norms from the inside out.
“Be open, determined, and willing to really push yourself and explore who you are as a person”
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Cherry Valentine
Performance Art
Cherry Valentine, raised in Northern England’s Roma Gypsy community, transformed self-expression into performance art—fusing satire, comedy, and personal storytelling to both captivate and challenge the status quo.
“Bring to the table a sensibility of co-design and co-creativity, which understands all the relational issues which climate throws up”
Jeremy Till
Architecting Change
Architect and writer Jeremy Till redefines design through a lens of sustainability and social impact. From Flexible Housing to curating the UK Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, his work champions thoughtful, transformative practice.
“Know your craft, always come prepared, and bring your own unique perspective to the character”
Cathy Murphy
Crafting Character with Depth
From the Sylvia Young Theatre School to standout roles in Doctor Who and EastEnders, Cathy Murphy’s career is marked by depth, versatility, and a fierce commitment to authentic storytelling.
“Resilience, grit, and stubbornness are the secret sauce to keep going”
David Hieatt
Grit and Renewal
David Hieatt’s journey is stitched with grit and purpose. Co-founder of Howies and The Do Lectures, he launched The Hiut Denim Co to bring jobs—and pride—back to Cardigan, Wales, weaving sustainability with community spirit.
“Communication is the most critical skill for a product designer - listening to what people say and what they dont”
Ghulam Rasool
Designing for the Future
At Ford, Ghulam Rasool leads the charge in designing electric and autonomous vehicles—fusing innovation with empathy to shape a more connected, sustainable future where technology meets real human needs.
“Fight for the art against the tensions that counter it”
Mat Bancroft
The Art of Provocation
As Johnny Marr’s Art Director and curator of the acclaimed True Faith exhibition, Mat Bancroft treats art as a cultural conversation. From Factory Records to Derek Jarman, his archival work boldly preserves and propels the fearless spirit of British pop.
“A positive mind makes better decisions”
Doviak
Musical Alchemy
Doviak, producer and longtime collaborator with Johnny Marr, crafts evocative soundscapes that fuse intuition with innovation. Whether mixing for emerging artists or composing his own work, he channels a progressive spirit into every sonic detail.
“The purpose of a photography assignment is to capture the essence of the subject and make it memorable”
Brian Smale
The Eye of Truth
Brian Smale’s photography captures more than portraits—it captures presence. Featured in Fortune, GQ, and Rolling Stone, his lens reveals the character and story behind every subject, making each frame a window into the soul.
“Reboot your mind to being in an uninterrupted starting place with a fresh perspective”
Leticia Pettená
Transformative Brand Architecture
Leticia Pettená is a trailblazer in brand transformation, seamlessly blending creativity with strategy. Working across Brazil and the U.S., she’s partnered with global giants like IBM and Nestlé to spark innovation and redefine brand impact through insight-driven, tech-powered storytelling.
“Everything begins with real research to frame the problem and understand the context”
Thais Fonseca
Strategic Design
Thais Fonseca leads brand strategy at Brazil’s renowned agency Marcus com SAL, turning deep insights into compelling narratives. Her work has shaped standout identities for major clients like Grupo Boticário, Beleaf, Beautybox, and Itaú—proving strategy and storytelling are a powerful creative duo.
“You have to keep your ego in check because you've got to be able to throw things away that you may think are great”
Simon Leake
Mastering the Written Word
Simon Leake’s journey from Shakespeare studies in Stratford-upon-Avon to shaping voices for Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom, and the World Bank reflects a career built on versatility, craft, and a constant drive to refine the written word.
“Make the emotional and human connection first and foremost”
Gary Burt
Championing Human-Centric Innovation
Gary Burt is a seasoned product innovator whose strategic vision has driven success at Microsoft, O2, Siemens, Atos, and Blue Prism. Known for crafting human-centered solutions, his work bridges technology and empathy to create products that truly resonate.
“The key is to find the creative trigger and just start!”
Iwan Gronow
The Musicians Muse
Iwan Gronow, bassist for Johnny Marr, brings magnetic presence to global stages—from Glastonbury to Coachella. Featured on shows like Later with Jools Holland and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he channels the spark that gives his music its pulse.
“You learn more from your mistakes than successes”
Ben Thornley
Global Storytelling
Ben Thornley’s creative journey began with a chance encounter in America and led to Hollywood success. From Madagascar’s rainforests to Mumbai’s streets, his storytelling has reached over a billion viewers—rooted in a belief that resilience fuels growth.
“Inspiration is very personal and there's really no cookie-cutter process that can be replicated or applied to other people”
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Clara Blume
Bridging Art, Culture, and Technology
Clara Blume, Ph.D., is a boundary-blurring artist, cultural diplomat, and curator of the Open Austria Art + Tech Lab. Merging creativity with AI, she crafts groundbreaking projects while captivating audiences as a musician across Europe and the U.S. Named one of Apollo’s 40 UNDER 40, she proves that inspiration is personal—and the path to it, never linear.
“Storytelling has been integral to survival. To know where you've come from, help you see where you're going, and understand the world you live in”
Tanya Denning-Orman
Championing Indigenous Storytelling
Tanya Denning-Orman, a pioneer in media broadcasting, leads NITV with a mission to amplify Indigenous voices through powerful storytelling. As part of SBS, she champions cultural narratives across platforms and serves on key boards, driving equity and representation in media worldwide.
“Don’t take yourself too seriously and surround yourself with people way smarter than you”
Chris Kay
Creative Leadership
Chris Kay, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, brings bold creative leadership to the global stage. From growing Manchester City’s global brand to leading Adidas and shaping iconic campaigns for Cadbury and the LA 2028 Olympics, his career champions the power of collaborative creativity to drive impact.
“You've got to have the determination that what you're doing is the best thing in the world and simultaneously know that there are competitors out there who want to kill you”
Ian Ritchie
Serial Technology Entrepreneurship
Ian Ritchie, CBE, is a trailblazing tech entrepreneur who helped shape the digital age. As founder of OWL and mentor to over 50 startups, he’s fueled innovation across Scotland and beyond. With leadership roles on key advisory boards, he continues to champion ingenuity, growth, and the entrepreneurial spirit.
“Always be distinctive and well crafted”
Paul Buckley
Redefining Book Design
Paul Buckley, Senior VP and Executive Creative Director at Penguin Random House, has shaped the visual soul of modern literature. Leading The Penguin Art Group, he’s crafted thousands of iconic book covers, blending design and storytelling to elevate both reader experience and author identity across the globe.
“Finding my own voice made me strong enough to push myself into places that I ordinarily wouldn't have felt comfortable being in or doing”
Tolu Stedford
Voice of Representation
Tolu Stedford is a writer, producer, and actor whose two-decade career spans award-winning films, stage plays, and music videos. A powerful storyteller and advocate, she champions authenticity and amplifies the voices of women and marginalized communities through every creative endeavor.
“If people believe in you, the creative environment is far more fertile”
Paul Mellor
Creative Bravery
Paul Mellor, founder of Mellor&Smith, made his mark during the 2009 banking crisis with bold, risk-taking campaigns that cut through the noise. Known as the “Master of Decibels,” he champions fearless creativity—co-founding London’s #takefuckingrisks series and co-authoring The Bland Book. His work includes four BAFTA-nominated credits on Boiling Point, proving that taking risks pays off.
“Excel at key points that differentiate you from others and augment your skill sets”
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Hossein Rahnama Academic Pioneering
Dr. Hossein Rahnama is a visionary in AI and data intelligence, bridging academia and industry. As a visiting professor at MIT Media Lab and founder of Flybits Inc., he’s reshaping how we interact with data. He also co-founded DMZ, the world’s top university-based tech incubator, driving innovation through research, patents, and purpose-driven design.
“Being on the bleeding edge is very scary in many ways, because almost by definition, the world is not yet bought into that”
Vicki Dobbs Beck
Immersive Storytelling
Vicki Dobbs Beck, Executive in Charge at Lucasfilm’s ILMxLAB, pioneers immersive storytelling where audiences can step inside the narrative. Recognized by Variety and the Advanced Imaging Society, she blends virtual and augmented reality to redefine how stories are told—bridging cinematic tradition with genre-defining innovation.
