Devin Matthews rebranded his favorite sandwich shop in an effort to rediscover his love for the game. For free.

He made a documentary ab out it called @SuprOrdinary.

Then his YouTube channel exploded.

Buck's Art Director reveals why SuprOrdinary almost started as a way to sell his feces for passive income (seriously), and how his cousin's death made him ask: "If I passed away tomorrow, would I feel like I did my best work?"

We talk the stress of medical bills, creative identity crises, and why making something you'd actually enjoy might be the only strategy that works.

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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - "Make something you'd enjoy"
02:02 - Devin became my favorite creator
05:22 - The not-so-romantic origin of Super Ordinary
06:30 - Passive income research gone wrong
07:52 - From teaching courses to creative entertainment
10:12 - Being a one-man band (then accepting help)
12:32 - The brainstorm meeting problem
14:09 - How to keep creative people around
21:08 - Balancing money and creative fulfillment
22:10 - "Life is short. Am I doing what I want?"
34:28 - The anxiety of going viral
39:14 - Playing the YouTube algorithm game
40:10 - TikTok gave me permission to experiment
43:39 - The aversion to being sold to
46:16 - Do you call yourself an influencer?
50:02 - Labels: designer, art director, filmmaker?
53:48 - "I still don't feel like a filmmaker"
57:59 - Who are we even making this for?
01:06:29 - Presenting designs as storytelling
01:13:32 - AI and the human side of creativity

ABOUT TOMMY GEOCO
I spent 15+ years in tech and design. Former military. Father of five. Now building Internet Enjoyers, a weird little media + product studio rediscovering soul in creative tech. This show is how I'm rediscovering my love for the game.

ABOUT STATE OF PLAY
Host Tommy Geoco discovers what fuels the internet's most interesting designers and builders.

LINKS:
UX Tools Newsletter: https://uxtools.co
Follow Devin: https://www.instagram.com/suprordinary
SuprOrdinary: @SuprOrdinary
Buck: https://buck.co

FOLLOW ME:
X / Twitter: https://x.com/designertom
Instagram: https://instagram.com/itsdesignertom
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tommygeoco

How a Designer Became YouTube's Best New Filmmaker - Devin Matthews (SuprOrdinary)