Daring Creativity Podcast
Episode: Date to start again – Catharine Pitt (Form Play)
Host: Radim Malinic
Guest: Catharine Pitt
Release Date: February 23, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Radim Malinic sits down with Catharine Pitt, co-founder of Brighton-based animation studio Form Play. The conversation explores the courage to pivot careers later in life, the process of rediscovering joy in creative work, redefining the concept of change, and revolutionizing animation business models. Catharine shares her journey from burnout in a traditional design agency to embracing playful storytelling, licensing work, and continuously retraining as a creative professional. The episode offers an honest look at creative reinvention, the realities (and rewards) of incremental change, and purposeful business practices in animation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth of Big Change and the Power of Small Steps

Timestamps: 00:00, 30:05

• Catharine challenges the idea that meaningful change has to be drastic, suggesting that real transformation comes from small, consistent actions.
• She emphasizes the importance of cultivating micro-habits and joyful moments to reframe creative and personal ambitions.

Notable Quote [30:05]:
"One of the biggest myths is that change has to be this big thing, but it doesn't ... It can be little joyful moments ... and it just reframes your day, it reframes your ambition."
— Catharine Pitt

2. Rediscovering Play and Purpose after Burnout

Timestamps: 05:19, 09:22, 10:49

• Catharine and her partner Mark left their all-service design agency after burnout and lost enthusiasm for work that lacked meaning.
• Instead of an overnight exit, they took a gradual approach, retraining in frame animation, rebuilding their skills, and transitioning existing clients.
• This slow pivot allowed time for recovery, creative play, and self-discovery.

Notable Quote [10:49]:
"Breaking away from that and putting yourself in a vulnerable position is not easy ... it was a phased approach and therefore it didn't feel quite as scary. And it also gave us time to play ... finding that spark within yourself again and nurturing that."
— Catharine Pitt

3. Lifelong Learning and the Value of Retraining

Timestamps: 12:30, 14:29

• Both founders became “serial course takers,” focusing on continually mastering frame-by-frame 2D animation and evolving their artistic voice.
• They view retraining not as a one-time event, but as a perpetual cycle of play, learn, create.

Notable Quote [12:30]:
"Retraining for us is just that never ending cycle of learning really. But I also think that's what keeps the energy there, it's what keeps things fresh."
— Catharine Pitt

4. Micro Stories and Form Play’s Creative Framework

Timestamps: 15:24, 17:44, 44:47

• The pair leaned into social media (notably Instagram) as a playground to develop and share “micro stories”—short, humor-driven animations not tied to client briefs.
• This practice evolved into a formalized framework, built on visual gags, condensed storytelling, and emotional hooks.
• Their methodology centers on starting stories in the middle of action, maximizing empathy and surprise.

Notable Quote [44:47]:
"There's certainly this for us, this condensed form of storytelling ... For us, we always start our storytelling in the middle, just before that point of action or just after. And we started noticing ... this condensed form of story ... really exaggerates these emotions ... because it's humor, it has to play on empathy."
— Catharine Pitt

5. Navigating Creativity and Uncertainty in the Era of AI

Timestamps: 22:39, 25:02

• Catharine describes Form Play’s conscious choice to rely on analog techniques for creative work (drawing, frame animation) rather than AI, finding more value in the human iteration process.
• They do, however, leverage AI for business processes and research—referring to AI as their “untrusted advisor.”

Notable Quote [22:39]:
"One of the reasons we call Form Play is because it's not just about the act of playing and creating and experimenting, but it's approaching things with a playful lens ... the more you play and the more you're playful, then the more you respond playfully to those moments, you're more resilient to change."
— Catharine Pitt

Notable Quote [25:02]:
"We call it our untrusted advisors because it's a really good place to just start kind of exploring information ... you can just have it as a questioning voice rather than something that creates."
— Catharine Pitt

6. Form Play’s Manifesto and Philosophy

Timestamps: 26:27, 28:40

• Their creative manifesto centers on focus, optimism, play, and comfort with change—prioritizing sustainability, enjoyment, and depth over fleeting trends.
• They believe the future of creative distinction lies in human emotion, imperfection, and meaningful storytelling, not in polished machine-made output.

Notable Quote [26:27]:
"Our manifesto really is the first version of our purpose, of what we really stand for and what drives us as creators ... we want to have that inconsistency, that imperfection, that slight scrappiness. And we think all of these things in time ... will become more of a premium for brands."
— Catharine Pitt

7. Rethinking Business Models: Licensing over Work-for-Hire

Timestamps: 31:57, 33:48, 37:30, 39:57

• As veterans of illustration and music, Catharine and Mark introduced the concept of IP licensing into animation, diverging from industry norms.
• They separate creation fees from usage fees, offering clients flexibility and a path to “test and grow" their assets rather than requiring full IP buyouts up front.
• When client campaigns end, unused characters return to a “license library” for repurposing, promoting sustainability for both client and studio.
• Trust, communication, and clarity are crucial—decisions about reuse are always transparent and sensitive to context.

Notable Quote [31:57]:
"The clearest way ... that perhaps we differ ... is that I think we have always tried to license our work rather than be a work for hire ... in both [music and illustration] industries, royalties and copyright are very much protected to the creators ... it's always amazed us that it's not a pattern that follows in animation."
— Catharine Pitt

Notable Quote [37:30]:
"If after, say three years of usage, they no longer want or require the characters, then that goes into our license library and we own the copyright still. So it means that we can then reuse those characters for another brand, for another usage ... that creates this wonderful cycle for the creator ... it gives you the potential for recurring income."
— Catharine Pitt

8. The Risk of Not Changing

Timestamps: 49:05, 50:29

• Catharine underscores the often-overlooked danger in avoiding change—creativity stagnates, satisfaction dips, and business risks increase.
• Creativity, she contends, demands constant exploration and willingness to experiment outside established boundaries.

Notable Quote [50:29]:
"No one is really talking about the risk associated with not changing. We all see risk as the thing that is like, oh, this is a wholesale change ... whereas there is a risk of staying the same."
— Radim Malinic

9. Finding Joy, Embracing Imperfection, and Letting Go of Worry

Timestamps: 52:10, 52:25

• For Catharine, creative fulfillment emerges from curiosity, optimism, and a readiness to iterate without fear.
• She references poet Darby Hudson:
  "Worry is creativity's idiot twin. They both make shit up for nothing."

Notable Quote [52:25]:
"We can spend so long worrying about what we do that actually it stifles creativity. And I think actually just keep moving, keep making, keep that optimism. That fire in your belly is so important."
— Catharine Pitt

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “We've got to make it count, ultimately.”
  — Catharine Pitt [48:50]

• “We think it's really important to ... not be afraid of playing with style, of just experimenting. And I think as long as you've always got that thread of your DNA in the work, then it still comes from that same camp. It still is in your reflection of you.”
  — Catharine Pitt [50:29]

Segment Timestamps Guide

• 00:00 The myth of big change, value of small steps
• 03:23 Catharine’s background: burnout, creative reawakening
• 05:19 The turning point: choosing purpose over comfort
• 10:49 Gradual retraining and business transition
• 12:30 The lifelong learning ethos at Form Play
• 15:24–18:57 The birth and power of micro stories
• 22:39 Tech and AI, choosing analog play frameworks
• 26:27 The role and impact of Form Play’s creative manifesto
• 31:57–39:57 Licensing, IP, and the nuts and bolts of their business model
• 49:05–50:29 The risk of not changing
• 52:10–52:25 Embracing creative optimism and letting go of worry

Conclusion

This episode offers a masterclass in creative reinvention, candidly navigating the psychological, artistic, and commercial aspects of building a more purposeful creative career. Catharine Pitt’s journey with Form Play highlights the enduring value of playfulness, honest self-assessment, and intentional business practice in sustaining both creative satisfaction and professional longevity.

Further Resources

• Form Play
• Radim Malinic
• Reference: System 1 x Walk Report: “The Multiplier Effect”

End of Summary