Now, Then, Ten by Facebook and Founders Forum explores the lives of visionary leaders shaping the world’s most influential communities and the latest episode has Richard Curtis CBE as a guest.
The series is hosted by Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and one of the most influential people in tech, serial entrepreneur Brent Hoberman, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Founders Forum, Founders Factory and firstminute capital.
In the latest episode released today, Nicola speaks with legendary screenwriter, producer, director and co-founder of Comic Relief, Richard Curtis CBE.
Richard is behind some of the biggest films of the last decades, including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, and Yesterday.
In the other half of Richard’s life, he co-founded Comic Relief in 1985 which has raised £1.4 billion to help the world’s poorest people. Richard is also the founding member of Make Poverty History, and co-founder of Make My Money Matter, a people-powered campaign fighting for a world where we all know where our money goes and where we can demand it is invested to build a better future.
On the podcast, Richard shares the value of social responsibility in business and what motivates his campaigning work, having rallied communities to help make the world a better and fairer place: “On the whole people want to be able to do the right thing and to help. And the bizarre magic of doing something like Comic Relief is that almost nobody says no,” he says.
As a storyteller, Richard is able to simplify complex narratives so that his audiences feel engaged and moved enough to take action, which is echoed throughout his work at Make Poverty History and Make My Money Matter.
When asked about whether he has translated his skills as a filmmaker into his campaigning approach for both initiatives, Richard says: “I’m always trying to think of really simple human things that make complicated political things, make sense to people, for example we made a lovely film called ‘No point going halfway’ – And therefore, I suppose, you know, it does connect to movies.”
On using the art of storytelling to inspire and move people enough to take action, Richard says: “I’m always trying to think of really simple human things that make complicated political things, make sense to people. […] Every time we make a three-minute film, I’m trying to make a trailer for how the world could be.”
Looking to the future, Richard has high hopes for the ‘activist generation’ taking the lead with climate issues: “I think huge progress is possible. I think that we can see shifts in the climate argument – renewable energy is going to be the answer. I think we’ve got a tremendously aware generation,” he adds.
Now, Then, Ten is available on Apple, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.
