Creativity Squared: Kali Heitholt on Having a Punk Rock Mindset

Call it destiny or fate, but my path has always seemed laid out for me to live the life of a creative. I’ve always felt like a bit of an outsider and on the fringes of society. A give and take of constantly searching and exploring for belonging. Using art, music, and craft as an outlet to process emotions and deal with good ole childhood trauma.

Along that path I’ve always aligned with alternative subcultures, with individuals that don’t abide by the societal rules and do whatever the hell they want to do in their search for happiness. 

I’m a Scorpio, so I have a bit of an obsessive personality (a bit might be an understatement). When I was 16, I was desperate to get out of my hometown and start my life. So, I tested out of high school early, packed everything up and moved to Sweden. I was deeply enthralled with Swedish hardcore music and needed to be there to live and breathe it.

I’m always following in the footsteps of artists to try to find solace in passion for creating a better world, and true to my punk rock background, determined not to sell out, I’ve become your typical portrayal of a creative woman – loud, colourful, tattooed, but I’ll take it.

I’m sure if my younger self could see me, they would be equal parts proud and disgusted, and I kind of like that.

 

Creativity is often put into high art or low art, outsider vs elite, but I find true creativity needs to be accessible for people to feel like a participant in some way or form. That’s what intrigues me and keeps me in the world of experiential.

 

Having worked in film and television for many years, I now enjoy creating work where people can be a part of the story versus a passive participant that is watching someone else’s adventures. 

In experiential, you (the attendee) become a part of the journey and create lasting memories along the way. Some call it story living, building a world that others can join in for the ride. Anything with power to create that kind of lasting impact; that’s how I categorise successful creative work.

That’s one of the reasons I am so proud of the Metacore Games 'Unlocking Merge Mansion' campaign we executed last year.

We partnered with Reaktor Creative out of Finland to craft the most immersive, active story possible that let fans and celebrity sleuths break out their magnifying glasses and become detectives to solve a mystery. Instead of just an escape room or immersive theatre show, it became a transmedia campaign that hooked an audience and put them in the driver’s seat.

I may have developed a little bit of a reputation as a brief breaker.

That’s not to say the briefs are bad, but as creatives, we’re being called upon to bring our expertise and point of view to breakthrough the noise, drive engagement, and create the best work to achieve our client’s goals. Maybe that is where my punk rock mindset still comes busting through.

I ask a lot of questions and do loads of research for supporting evidence to allow us permission to push the creative. It comes out in a variety of ways – manifesto writing, mood boarding, endless Pinterest-ing, TikTok doom scrolling, or popular music.

This summer I became enthralled with the viral banger ‘The Spark’ by Irish kids group Kabin Crew. So much so that it became the unofficial anthem to an RFP our team was working on, finding its way into our winning submission. That’s what is so fun about our work, the constant discovery to do something cool and new. Getting inspired by each other and doing the thing.

Lately, I’ve been co-opting the non-negotiable from the Bear Season three of ‘vibrant collaboration’.

Growing up in Louisiana I was always intrigued and influenced by folklore and history of bygone eras. I always thought if I didn’t go into a creative field, I would be a historian. I’m deeply fascinated by how the world got to where we are, and the creators that inspired others along the way. Culture of today and the past has a huge influence on how we connect with each other.

As an artsy, alternative kid, I didn’t realise until I was much older that my parents’ work is what led me to find the intersection of art, storytelling, and the human experience. My dad was a sportswriter, and he was known for going beyond the score to highlight the individuals and athletes in his work. My mom was a social worker, dedicated to helping people have better lives.

I used creativity as a therapeutic outlet and the more I create, the more I attempt to craft meaningful connections with other people to feel and evoke emotions. It’s a cup that constantly needs filling to share with others. It’s an endless quest to constantly fill it up, which is probably why so many creatives are known for their revolving hobbies, desire to travel, and exploring the world with a constant state of wonder and curiosity. I wouldn’t have it any other way.