Episode Details

David Sheldon-Hicks, founder of Territory Studio, closes out Season 2 of Awaiting Approval with a conversation about awareness… and what it really takes to build something that lasts.

We start in the garden with a hot drink. After long stretches in dark studios and edit suites, David will take any excuse to get outside. From there we move into the organised chaos of creative life: shelves of unread books, piles of film scripts waiting to be finished, and the strange comfort of a workspace that is never quite as tidy as the designer in you wants it to be.

David reflects on the early influences that shaped him. Growing up inspired by animation, behind-the-scenes filmmaking documentaries, and the feeling that creativity was something you could build with your hands. That curiosity eventually led him from Portsmouth to Berlin, through AKQA, motion design studios, and onto film sets like Casino Royale and The Dark Knight, before founding Territory Studio in a small attic space in Hatton Garden.

Prometheus became the studio’s breakthrough moment. From there came the work that Territory is now known for: designing the future on screen. But David is quick to point out that the work alone doesn’t build a studio.

People do.

The conversation moves into the real mechanics of creative leadership. The bottlenecks founders create without realising it. The painful lessons that come from trying to do everything yourself. And the moment David realised Territory could only grow if he stepped away from being the creative director on every project.

There’s also a powerful thread about listening. Listening to directors, production designers, teams, and collaborators. The difference between trying to prove your creativity and understanding the intent of the project. David argues that the best creative directors aren’t the loudest voices in the room… they’re the ones paying the most attention.

Along the way we talk about therapy, imposter syndrome, the discipline of learning from mistakes, and why curiosity across industries keeps creative work alive. Film, automotive design, games, architecture… for David, creativity isn’t about staying in your lane. It’s about understanding the wider system you’re designing within.

And by the end of the conversation, David shares a perspective that feels both simple and profound.

Don’t spend too much time chasing hope in the future.

Be present in the moment you’re already living.

In this episode, we cover:

• David’s early fascination with animation and making images move

• Studying communication design and discovering the intersection of art and technology

• Learning the craft through studios like AKQA and Peacock

• Designing on-set graphics for Casino Royale and The Dark Knight

• Founding Territory Studio in a small attic space in Hatton Garden

• How Prometheus launched the studio into the world of film design

• The hidden complexity of running a creative business

• Why founders must eventually get out of their own way

• The painful lesson of stepping back from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

• How hiring the right creative leaders unlocked the studio’s growth

• Why listening is the most underrated creative leadership skill

• Learning from production designers, directors, and collaborators

• Therapy, self-awareness, and leadership growth

• The importance of curiosity across industries and disciplines

• Living in the present rather than chasing the future

• David’s answer to the final question

Season 2, Episode 16, our season finale, is a conversation about awareness… of your work, your team, and yourself.

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This is Awaiting Approval. The globally charting design podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and project