Creativity, Accessibility and AI: Ross Exton on Storytelling in the Digital Age
Season 4 • Episode 2
30 min
Published July 2026
Creativity • Accessibility • AI
Episode summary
Rebecca Franks and Beverly Clarke MBE are joined by Ross Exton, Founder and Director of Watch & Learn Productions, to discuss his journey from redundancy to entrepreneurship. Ross shares how losing his job gave him the opportunity to build a business centred around video production, science communication and education, and explains why becoming his own boss has been both empowering and rewarding.
The conversation explores perfectionism, creativity and the importance of simply getting started. Ross explains why creative people need to give themselves permission to be “rubbish” before they become great, arguing that progress comes through continuous practice, experimentation and iteration rather than waiting for perfection. Rebecca and Beverly reflect on the early days of the Tech Journey Insights podcast and why every successful project begins with a first step.
Later in the episode, the discussion turns to artificial intelligence, accessibility and authentic storytelling. Ross shares his perspective on generative AI within the creative industries, discusses the importance of lived experience in creative work and explains why accessibility should be built into content from the outset. Together they explore captions, deepfakes, hearing loss, copyright and why technology should always enhance rather than replace genuine human creativity.
Journey insights
- Progress is more valuable than perfection when developing creative skills.
- The best creative work comes from authentic human experiences.
- Accessibility should be designed into content from the very beginning.
- Building genuine relationships is one of the most effective ways to grow a business.
- Curiosity, creativity and continuous learning help us adapt in a changing world.
Is this episode for you?
This episode is for you if you are:
- Creative professionals interested in storytelling and content creation.
- Entrepreneurs building creative or education businesses.
- Teachers exploring creativity and digital media.
- Anyone interested in AI, accessibility and the future of creative industries.
- People looking for inspiration after redundancy or career change.
About this episode
Rebecca Franks and Beverly Clarke MBE are joined by Ross Exton, Founder of Watch & Learn Productions, to discuss creativity, entrepreneurship and accessibility in the age of artificial intelligence. Together they explore storytelling, perfectionism, generative AI, hearing loss, accessible design and why authentic human experiences remain at the heart of meaningful creative work.
About the speakers
Ross Exton
Ross Exton is the Founder and Director of Watch & Learn Productions, a creative production company specialising in educational content, science communication and accessible storytelling. Combining his professional expertise with his lived experience of hearing loss, Ross is passionate about creating engaging media that puts people first.
Rebecca Franks
Rebecca Franks is an award-winning technology educator, entrepreneur and Co-founder of Flip Computing. With more than 20 years of experience in education, she has authored national computing curricula, developed AI education programmes and speaks internationally about technology, inclusion and innovation. Rebecca is passionate about helping people build confidence, develop digital skills and discover rewarding careers in technology.
Beverly Clarke MBE
Beverly Clarke MBE is a technology leader, educator, coach and author with over 20 years of experience in education and digital skills. She is the author of the Ava and Chip children’s book series and is passionate about digital inclusion, artificial intelligence, coaching and empowering people to achieve their potential. Beverly was awarded an MBE for services to computing and digital education.
Together, Rebecca and Beverly share honest conversations about technology, careers, entrepreneurship and the lessons they are learning along the way.
Resources mentioned
- Watch & Learn Productions
- Generative AI
- Deepfakes
- Accessibility
- Closed captions
- Science communication
- Video production
- Storytelling
