Issue #5 Ben Templeton on fighting the good food-fight
Welcome to RIP: a tribute to every great idea the world never gets to see
Last month the guys at Storythings bravely let me take over Formats Unpacked. It’s a weekly newsletter where (so-called) experts explore the hidden magic in various formats that keep audiences coming back. Think Big Brother, Grand Designs or, in my case, CBeebies Bedtime Stories.
I won’t dwell on how much I apparently revealed about my current lockdown state by coining the term “CBeebies’ thirst trap agenda.” Instead I want to touch on the relationship between formats and creativity.
Hugh Garry, who runs the newsletter, believes format thinking is a powerful storytelling tool. And, as counter-intuitive as it may sound, I tend to agree. Chuck Jones famously wrote every Road Runner cartoon sticking to eleven strict narrative rules — from gravity being the Coyote’s greatest enemy to there being no dialogue besides “meep meep.” Because having to stick to a format or a set of rules encourages us to think more creatively, to venture outside the box or, if you prefer a bit of tech-bro jargon, to flip the script.
Creative magic can be born out of everyday routines. A sentiment we could probably all find a little comfort in right now, and something that inspired Ben Templeton in this month’s Rest in Progress.
So for now I’ll pass the floor to Ben — creative director, founder of Thought Den and (as I was embarrassingly excited to learn) a former magician.
What was your idea and what happened (or, better yet, didn’t happen) to it?
Food Ninja, the food-fight game with a healthy message.
Someone once asked me, what makes you bang your fist on the table? It’s a great question and I have lots of answers but crap food and bad diet is top of the list. It breaks my heart seeing young kids struggling with their weight because they don’t know any better.
The whole philosophy at Thought Den is playful learning and Food Ninja is essentially about playing with your food. How do you build awareness in young people without preaching? How can good food hygiene be made fun?
The core mechanic pretty much wrote itself — scan food, feed your ninja, see how it reacts, unlock super powers and challenge your friends. We developed some artwork but it’s been simmering at concept stage for almost a decade. We tried to get partners onboard like Sainsbury’s or Jamie Oliver but didn’t get any concrete bites.
The big challenge is making time for these side projects, putting the blood, sweat and tears in to make them more than an idea. Other, more readily fundable projects, distracted us.
What is it about this idea you can’t let go of?
Whoever we pitch this to loves the concept, without fail. It just makes sense. Feed your Ninja, see what happens. Carrots give it laser eyes! Fizzy pop provides a burst of energy but maybe some teeth fall out. There’s silliness and play but with a deeper purpose — showing kids what their food choices mean, rather than just telling them.
What do you think the future holds when it comes to gamifying educational experiences?
I struggle with the idea of gamification. There isn’t a spectrum with learning on the left and fun on the right. Learning is inherently fun if it’s done right! We all have a natural tendency to play with things to build a better understanding. The future is creating more dynamic and flexible environments for learning. Mitchel Resnick shared this video with some great examples of different approaches.
And finally, a lot of your work revolves around bringing new technology to more traditional sectors like museums. Do you find this gives you more or less room for creativity?
Technology has always featured in the evolution of museums, whether it’s pioneering in-house tech teams like in San Francisco’s Exploratorium or private companies developing innovative products for sale. There’s certainly a growing appetite for innovation given the pressure to develop sustainable income.
The great creative opportunity in arts and culture is the rich content and finding the best technology to elevate it. Tech companies move far faster, and have far bigger budgets, than cultural organisations so there is a tension in priorities. I always argue the tech should be invisible so the stories are the focus, not a shiny headset or complicated interface.
🛎️ BONUS ROUND 🛎️
If your creative process was a hot drink, what would it be and why?
Not a hot drink, but a cocktail. The thrill in my work is taking inspiration from many sources: the spice of history, the tang of science, the colour of an artwork all muddled in a fancy glass of technology. There is such satisfaction in presenting the final piece, garnish and all, then experiencing it. But technology always breaks, so that’s the hangover kicking in.
Any big failures you can look back on and laugh?
A failure I always fondly look back on was pre-career. Just two days into a round-the-world adventure I got snagged in a brilliantly crafted con trick. Over the course of a day, different actors across Bangkok fed me snippets of information and eventually — despite my suspicions — I invested the ‘fun money’ for my trip in some gemstones, which disappeared along with my money. Soon after, I met people who had invested their entire life savings and decided to count myself lucky having only lost a three figure sum.
With the beer money gone and the trip barely started, I began working tables as a street magician and this carried me from Asia, through Australia to America and back home. It became the defining thread of my trip and led to some wonderful moments. The sleight of hand and smoke-and-mirror thinking, polished in grimy backstreet bars, informs my work to this day.
Thanks so much Ben. I really love the idea of technology serving to elevate art, rather than overtake or outshine it.
And now for some things that made me grin:
This elaborate but on-point analysis of Zac Efron’s Bet On It musical number in High School Musical 2 (trust me)
David Sedaris thinks pushy people are the worst
Haley Nahman making me want to simultaneously publish and burn all of my diaries
Perfectly-timed playlists to cook pasta to
Anything starring Omar Sy, but mostly Lupin
This Gillian Anderson shoot
These tiles
This philosophy to live your life by