Meet Heidi McGuire

Our CreativeMornings/Denver community is filled with creative and inspiring people. As part of our mission to gather and celebrate that community, we’d like to use this space on our blog as another way to tell your stories and hear your thoughts on our monthly themes. We hope to reach out to a few folks every month - please drop us a line at denver@creativemornings.com if you’re interested in sharing your story with the community!

To kick things off, we recently sat down with Heidi McGuire and learned about her and her career in creativity, on the back patio at Crema Coffee House. Heidi proudly calls herself a storyteller, and owns 321 Media Productions where she works with businesses and organizations to tell their stories through online video.

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CM/D - How would you describe the unique take on your work?

HM - I’m a one-woman-show. I produce, shoot, and edit. I turned stories for ten years daily in to TV news, as a solo-journalist. Today I use those same skills to work with my clients on telling their story online through video. I think it really makes a difference when you understand the whole picture and can execute. I also know my limitations, and have no problem calling on someone who’s a total badass in writing, editing, or shooting.

CM/D - How long have you lived in Denver?

HM - I moved here nine years ago, and spent a year and half in Mexico up until about a year ago.  After leaving the news biz I went on a little detour down to Mexico. I followed a fella down there who was chasing a job opportunity and I was up for a new adventure. About a month in, the magic of this dusty little Baja beach town started to wear off, and I’ll honestly say the next year and a half was the most challenging of my adult life. It’s amazing how loud the quiet can be. I learned that I rely a lot on my friends and community for inspiration and motivation. I learned that people make a place. And, I learned the single most important thing I can do to feel alive is to be connected with other human beings. I’m grateful for the opportunity and the experience and I recognize just how lucky I am to call Colorado home.

CM/D - What’s the most exciting adventure you’ve been on in the last 12 months, locally or globally?

HM - One year ago I was on a 48-foot catamaran for two weeks with the awesome team over at Icelantic Skis. They teamed up with The Moorings, a sailing company, and explored the Grenadine Islands. I produced the videos that were used as co-promotional marketing for both companies. It didn’t pay a dime, and I spent two months of my summer editing, but it was the trip of a lifetime.

CM/D - What is creativity to you?  

HM - In its purest form, creativity is self-expression! In the beginning of my career (I studied and worked in traditional journalism in the beginning), it was about connection for me. Journalism afforded that, and video was the mechanism and reason to put myself in places that I wanted to be.  There’s a component to creativity tied to being alive, and tied in to making something.  It’s an expression of our life and where we are in that moment.

CM/D - What are your creative passions and outlets?

HM - When it comes to good stories, I think I’m a yes person.  I enjoy variety and I love to learn. I am pretty focused on videography these days, but having your own passion projects is valuable. Creating something for myself and for me only, is important.

CM/D - What have you noticed and what do you admire about the Denver creative community?

HM - It’s so collaborative and supportive. There’s nowhere else I’d rather do what I’m doing. There is lots of sharing! Sharing ideas, projects, you name it.

CM/D - What is your draw to Creative Mornings? What do you enjoy most about it, and what do you get out of it?

HM - Connection! I mostly work alone, and it can get really lonely. Especially on days when I spend 10-12 hours on my computer editing. It’s nice to know I’m gonna see some familiar faces, and you literally never know who you’re going to meet. The second time I attended, I met Thaddeus Anderson who created the amazing Breathless video. He’s the nicest guy and has such an amazing story. I literally left that day feeling cooler having met him!

CM/D - How many CM Denvers have you attended?

HM - Two so far!  I attended the Ink Panel and the most recent talk by Take One Creative.

CM/D - What is the most inspiring thing that you’ve taken away from your Creative Mornings?  

HM - That conversation I had with Thaddeus came around to the question, “What are you passionate about?” You know, in our busy lives we just don’t talk to each other like that and his thoughtfulness and genuine interest in what gets me fired up, really left me inspired to connect with people on a deeper level.

CM/D – This month’s global Creative Mornings theme is “Revolution”! Can you share your perspective on revolution and creativity? How are you revolutionary in your creative life and career?

HM - The ability to tell our story is like never before. People and brands are be able to tell their story more uniquely, widely and affordably than one could imagine just a few years ago. That’s allowed me to look at things in a different way for myself and my clients.  As someone who thinks with a journalistic mind, content is just as critical as ever.  But now, with such a variety of platforms to help distribute ideas and story, it’s incredible to see what’s possible!

CM/D - Thanks for sharing your story Heidi!  How do people say hello to you?

HM - 321MediaProductions@gmail.com