March 17, 2021
At the Crossroads of Creativity and Sport
He’s made music videos for U2, produced commercials for Guinness, and directed The Siege of Jadotville – Netflix’s first feature film. Richie Smyth, one of Ireland’s most revered and imaginative creators known for his edgy style, is also an avid adventurer with a pension to go all-in at everything he does.
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In this episode of the XTERRA Podcast powered by Braveheart Coaching the “Scottish Rocket” Lesley Paterson and her husband, sports psychologist Dr. Simon Marshall, talk to Richie about the intersection of creativity and sport, the similarities of the two and how one can help the other.
“Richie has that classic Irish, pull-no-punches mentality,” explained Marshall. “His dedication to every single thing he does from filmmaking to his free time is really quite inspiring and we can learn a lot from his life experiences.”
Smyth, a one-time street fighter who earned a black belt in Kempo, spent five days in an edit bay without sleep until he realized being only in that “zone” wasn’t sustainable. So, he went full-on into snowboarding and found the fear of big jumps was just the kind of re-charge and freedom he needed to unlock a whole new level of creativity.
Aside from a fascinating look into his upbringing and his rise as a producer/director, Smyth shares stories of determination and the power of the growth mindset that will have listeners re-examining how they approach their own work-play balance.
WARNING: Explicit Language
ABOUT THE GUEST
Richie Smyth
Richie Smyth is one of Ireland’s most successful and respected Photographer, TV Commercials and Music Video directors. His work is recognized for its edgy photographic style, it’s beauty and humanity. He has made music videos for U2, The Verve, Bon Jovi and Melisa Etheridge amongst many others. His commercials include spots for Guinness, PETA, Nike and Pepsi.
Richie recently turned his hand to feature films, directing the critically acclaimed and received, The Siege of Jadotville – a geo political war thriller staring Jamie Dornan, Guillaume Canet, Mikael Persbrandt, Mark Strong, Emmanuelle Siegner and Jason O’Mara.
Jadotville was Netflix’s first foray into the world of feature film production.
Richie is not only a prolific director, but is one of Ireland’s most internationally awarded too, keeping in his awards cabinet his most recent metal, a Cannes Lion / Clio / D+AD / Gold – GBA / London International Awards / Kinsale Shark and IFTA – Best Director 2017 The Siege of Jadotville. He also has an obsession with all things dark…. but don’t let that stop you from calling him.
ABOUT THE PODCAST
Hosted by five-time off-road triathlon world champion Lesley Paterson and her husband Dr. Simon Marshall, the new XTERRA Podcast explores the stories and science behind the quest to Live More. The XTERRA Podcast will feature guests who live, work, and play off the beaten path, share first-person accounts of epic outdoor adventures, and provide valuable tips from industry leaders in the physical and mental health industries.
Find The XTERRA Podcast on major platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio. You can always look here as well to use our embedded player to listen to every episode.
Learn more about the podcast here: xterraplanet.com/podcast
YOUR HOSTS
Lesley Paterson & Simon Marshall
Lesley Paterson is a five-time world champion triathlete, professional mountain biker, coach, motivational speaker, reluctant fitness model, and foul-mouthed Scotts lassie. Growing up in Scotland, Lesley was the only girl who played rugby on an all-boys team. When boobs appeared she was banned from playing with the boys so she started competing in running and triathlon. Lesley went on to become a national champion in cross country and an international triathlete.
Dr. Simon Marshall grew up in Africa and the UK. He spent his childhood playing rugby, soccer and tennis before finding competitive cycling. He started training and racing at age 12 and hasn't stopped. Simon has a bachelor’s degree in Sports Science, a master’s degree in Kinesiology, and a PhD in Sport and Exercise psychology. He is a former Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology at San Diego State University and Professor of Behavioral Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.
Simon and Lesley own Braveheart Coaching – a San Diego based company that trains endurance athletes to be faster and happier. Together they wrote the best-selling book, The Brave Athlete - Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion (VeloPress, 2017).
