Victoria Taylor: Creating "The Only"

Victoria Taylor is Experience Partner to hospitality, tourism, cultural destination, and luxury experience brands. She works with her clients to create unique experiences that impact people, profit and planet whilst proofing for the future. 

Fascinated with traditional craftsmanship and "maker" based hospitality experiences that delve into the origins of people and place, she has an insatiable curiosity for the exceptional and the unusual. Her unique work has taken her all over the world and as a seasoned keynote speaker, Victoria enjoys events that spark ideas to change things and challenge what always "has been."

In this episode of Masters of Storytelling, Maya talks to Victoria about the art of designing experiences, how destinations can transform communities, and the courage that’s required to create something truly singular.

For more information about Victoria, visit:  www.victoriatayl.uk

For more information about BRC Imagination Arts, visit: www.brcweb.com

In the final bonus episode of season one, Maya sits down with Dylan Agajanian, composer, editor, mix-er, master-er, audio engineer, and the person entirely responsible for this podcast sounding 'real'. 

Since starting work on this podcast at the end of 2021, Maya and Dylan have become good friends, a friendship born from a uniquely joyous creative collaboration.

To wrap up season one, the two met up to discuss everything they did, everything they loved, and the many things they learned making season one of, 'Masters of Storytelling.' 

To learn more about Dylan Agajanian visit: https://www.dacomposer.com/ 

For more information about BRC: https://bit.ly/3B4RDKB 

Follow BRC on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3a9OJsu 

To follow up on her interview with Joe Rohde, former Disney Imagineer and experience architect of Virgin Galactic, Maya talks to Bob Rogers, the man who puts the ‘B' 'R’ in ‘BRC’. Founder and chairman of BRC Imagination Arts, Bob is our Master of Storytelling. 

Over the course of his 50+ year career, Bob has developed two patents, has won over 500 international awards for creative excellence with BRC, including two Academy Award nominations. In 2006, Bob was honored with this industry's highest honor, the Themed Entertainment Association's Award for Lifetime Achievement. He's been inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame and has served on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences. Bob was also invited by NASA to help develop its master plan for the exploration of Mars and later awarded him the NASA Public Service Medal. 

Writer, innovator, teacher, scholar…Bob has many things, but we tend to think of Bob as a magician. He's made a career making people smile, suspending our disbelief long enough to help us forget ourselves or maybe to find ourselves. 

To learn more about Bob Rogers: www.bobrogers.com
 
To learn more about BRC: www.brcweb.com

Joe Rohde is an artist, explorer, and creative executive. Over the course of his 40 year career with the Walt Disney Company, Joe worked at Imagineering, the creative arm that designs and builds everything from cruise ships, theme parks, rides and attractions, hotels, and infrastructure systems for the company's theme parks and resorts. During his tenure, he oversaw several projects, including Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Expedition Everest, and Pandora, the world of Avatar. 

Joe is now retired, but still takes on projects like his work a strategic adviser with Virgin Galactic, one of a handful of companies aiming to commercialize space travel. He joined the company in early 2021 as the first experience architect.

The astronaut Buzz Aldrin once said, “If we can see the horizon, we want to know what's beyond.” As you’ll hear, Joe is someone for whom travel has been transformational, driving his curiosity and desire to see, hear, smell, feel and taste the thing he wants to know. In this episode of Masters of Storytelling, Maya talks to Joe about narrative placemaking, deep research, and the public responsibility of the storyteller. 
 
In an effort to keep each episode a reasonable length, we’ve split this interview into two parts. This is part two.

To follow Joe on Instagram, visit: bit.ly/3BVpZl3  

For more infomation about BRC Imagination Arts, visit: www.brcweb.com

Joe Rohde is an artist, explorer, and creative executive. Over the course of his 40 year career with the Walt Disney Company, Joe worked at Imagineering, the creative arm that designs and builds everything from cruise ships, theme parks, rides and attractions, hotels, and infrastructure systems for the company's theme parks and resorts. During his tenure, he oversaw several projects, including Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Expedition Everest, and Pandora, the world of Avatar. 

Joe is now retired, but still takes on projects like his work a strategic adviser with Virgin Galactic, one of a handful of companies aiming to commercialize space travel. He joined the company in early 2021 as the first experience architect.

The astronaut Buzz Aldrin once said, “If we can see the horizon, we want to know what's beyond.” As you’ll hear, Joe is someone for whom travel has been transformational, driving his curiosity and desire to see, hear, smell, feel and taste the thing he wants to know. In this episode of Masters of Storytelling, Maya talks to Joe about narrative placemaking, deep research, and the public responsibility of the storyteller. 
 
In an effort to keep each episode a reasonable length, we’ve split this interview into two parts. This is part one.

To follow Joe on Instagram, visit: bit.ly/3BVpZl3  

For more infomation about BRC Imagination Arts, visit: www.brcweb.com

In this bonus episode, Maya talks to Bernard Semerdjian, an incredible graphic designer, art director, experience designer, and mensch. The two sat down a couple of weeks ago to talk about Maya's interview with concept artist and art director Philip Boutté Jr., world building, and what it means to create the thing that you would like to see in the world.

• For more information about Bernard: https://bit.ly/3RjkAcs 
• For more information about 11 Ravens: www.11ravens.com 
• For more information about BRC: https://bit.ly/3B4RDKB 
• Follow BRC on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3a9OJsu 

Phillip Boutté Jr. is a concept artist within the costume designers guild. He's worked on a multitude of different blockbuster projects—films like Black Panther, Inception, Once Upon a time in Hollywood, Bohemian Rhapsody, Captain America, Hunger Games, The Greatest Showman—and as a production designer on musical tours and music videos for artists likeMadonna, Ariana Grande, The Black Keys, and Panic at the Disco.

Phil is also co-founder and CEO of 9B Collective, which he started with two friends, Michael Uwandi and Aldis Hodge. Their goal is to provide a shift in the entertainment landscape by working towards true inclusivity both in front of,and behind the camera. The collective includes artists working across multiple disciplines, from Feature Films, Animation, Television, Video Games, XR, Graphic Design, and more.

In this episode of Masters of Storytelling, Maya talks to Phil about costume and character design, the permanence of practice, and how his experience as a child actor influenced his purpose today. As you’ll hear, Phil’s someone who experienced a problem, saw the possibility, and rather than sit comfortably as pawn, he’s a become player, unafraid to effect change when everyone else said they didn’t know how to.

For more information about Phillip Boutté Jr., visit: www.artstation.com/phillipbouttejr 

For more information about 9B Collective, visit: www.9bcollective.com 

For more infomation about BRC Imagination Arts, visit: www.brcweb.com

In episode in five Maya interview Abigail Rosen Holmes, a lighting and production designer for concerts, special events, and installations. She’s worked artists like Phish, The Cure, Janet Jackson, The Cure, CHER; for companies like Disney, Nordstrom; and on projects the span from the High Roller Observation Wheel at Caesar’s in Vegas to Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall,’ which was performed live at the site of the Berlin Wall shortly after it had been torn down.

To follow up on this conversation, Maya speaks with Brad Shelton, Vice President and Creative Director at BRC and the man behind many of BRC's music focused projects. A fellow ex-theater kid turned theater-adult, he’s a storyteller, writer, and director who’s overseen the development of entire entertainment resorts and guest experiences around the world that span music, sports, entertainment, space, and everything in between.

• For more information about Brad: https://bit.ly/3zwESIi 
• For more information about BRC: https://bit.ly/3B4RDKB 
• Follow BRC on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3a9OJsu 

Abigail Rosen Holmes is a lighting, video and production designer who's worked on live concerts, special events, and installations for artists like Phish, The Cure, Janet Jackson, The Cure, Cher; for companies like Disney and Nordtrom; and on projects the span from the High Roller Observation Wheel at Caesar’s in Vegas to Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall,’ which was performed live at the site of the Berlin Wall only eight months after it had been torn down.

A D.C. native and graduate of Brown University, Abigail spent years touring the US and Europe with some of the world's biggest music acts before spending six years as a Disney Imagineer. Her unique and varied background lend to her habit of leaning into otherwise unfamiliar mediums, platforms, and tools. This has contributed to a depth of experience that is fundamental to who she is today.

In this episode of Masters of Storytelling, Maya talks to Abigail about her experience as a roadie, the power of abstraction in lighting and media design, and the magnificent things that happen when you just say 'yes.'

For more information about Abigail and NYXdesign, visit: www.nyxdesign.com

For more infomation about BRC Imagination Arts, visit: www.brcweb.com