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TOM
KELLY
Firstly, please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
My name is Tom Kelly, I’m a creative director and writer. I’m the founding editor of an independent publication called Casual Magazine.
How would you describe Casual Magazine and its aims as a publication?
Casual Magazine is a print publication focused on creatives and ideas, showcasing them both. Casual documents culture and identity through written and visual features. Mainly interviews.
The creative aim of the publication is to continue to interview as many people as I can. People whose work, or personalities, I find to be cool and want to share with others. I’d always rather showcase a friend, or work, that I respect and aligns with the magazine, than to interview someone who’s already in the spotlight. My personal aim for Casual, however, is to reach the point where it becomes self-sufficient. The moment that Casual pays for Casual will be a big one for me.
How would you describe your journey as a creative in London so far?
I feel as though I’ve barely scratched the surface of London, which is very exciting. It can be very tough here, it’s very expensive, and very competitive. But the opportunities and, more importantly, the people, make it like nowhere else. I’ve met a lot of brilliant, and like-minded, people that I’ve become friends with, worked with, or both. Meeting people is nearly as important as the work itself, for some people it’s more important. Though being in London gives you access to a lot, it just depends on how driven you are to be part of it.
What advice would you give to creatives wanting to produce their own publication?
For me, I’ve learned a lot through trial and error, making mistakes is essential to learning. Whether that’s reaching out to brands, interviewing people, whatever you’re interested in doing. It’s rare that you’ll nail something first time, but the chances are your next project will be better than the one before. Producing a magazine can also be expensive, which I think a lot of people don’t realise. It doesn’t have to be though, and finding the right people to work with helps a lot. Working with friends who specialise in different aspects is a great way to elevate projects, as well as showcasing everyone involved. You need a bit of a DIY mentality, or at least it helps before you start to secure budgets.
My advice would really be to not be afraid to try things out, see what fits. and ultimately the publication should be for you. It’s impossible to try and draw everyone in, but if you figure your own direction out people will be more drawn to that. It’ll be a smaller audience than if you try to get in on whatever’s in at the moment, but it’ll be more loyal. Direction and tone is hard to completely figure out, and usually it’s something that comes with time and experimentation. Try a bunch of shit out, and don’t be deterred if it doesn’t work, just keep at it and it’ll set you apart.
What’s next for Casual Magazine or yourself as a creative?
For myself, it’s to continue growing my portfolio through directing more projects, working with more brands, and to keep building Casual!
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