Inspiration Unplugged: Ben Shaw on How Comics, Comedy, and Kids Shape His Thinking

Gary Larson’s Far Side comics

Single, one panel comics that tell a whole story in an image and a line. So simple, yet so funny. Nearly every comic is a piece of word play or lateral thinking.

A source of constant inspiration for being able to reduce a thought down to its bare bones.

A must read.

Bo Burnham’s ‘Inside’

A tour de force of what a single person can achieve in a single room with a camera and a keyboard.

I go back to the album every month and it astounds me with the creativity, self-aware cynicism and production values.

He manages to blend a point of view with his own personal truth, all whilst staying outrageously funny and producing great music.

A must watch.

Children

I love spending time with my kids, my nieces, my friends' kids or any kids!

Any child under 7 years old still believes in being wildly silly, screaming and let’s pretend. Being creative and imaginative has no boundaries with children. Everything can become anything. You just need to know how to sell it.
This is a starship, this is lava, this is a dragon, this is a bear's cave.

You can keep your galleries and novels and landscapes and holidays. Give me a child’s imagination and try to explain to them the moon is on/off switch for the sky and I’ll be happy. We’re all better off after 15 minutes of what-ifs with children.

A must play.

Ben Shaw is CSO at MullenLowe