Marko Roth: A Few Of My Favourite Things

As far back as I can remember I’ve never been contented to stay in one place. From my childhood, through my teen years and now into my twenties I’ve always been on the move. 

In fact, I’m grateful to say that I’ve spent the last 10 years of my life travelling the world making films and, as a result, I sort of have to love working from… well... everywhere. 

Like so many people, I haven’t quite figured out the secret of how to be creative at the drop of a hat. That’s why my only real option is to be ready, wherever I find myself, when that creativity comes. This might be in the last moments before sleep, hiking in the middle of nowhere, or halfway through a conversation with a friend. 

As such, my work desk is in a near-constant state of flux, and a singular, solitary writing station doesn’t exist. So, instead of showing you what myriad items might clutter my workspace, I will show you, instead, a few of the things which make writing on the road more manageable and tolerable; helping me hold on to my creative thoughts and make it possible for me to work on the go.

The Notebook And Pencil 

This might sound obvious but it is perhaps the most important item on the list; I take these everywhere I go. 

They lie next to my bed whilst I sleep waiting for that lightning strike at 4am. 

They are with me in my hand luggage on a plane, in my backpack when I trek, and in my back pocket when I wander through the city… 

Sometimes I like to just write down random words, sketch out ideas or just put down a single sentence, which helps me pick up the thought later again.

The Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Putting on a song and observing my surroundings is up there with my favourite things to do. 

Suddenly everything feels like a movie… by changing the song the whole story switches. 

I love playing with that change in perspective when people watching. 

I do it when I walk through airports or train stations. 

It’s been a great inspiration for some of my story ideas.

The Emotional-Support-Dog

I love having dogs on my sets. 

In my experience, they create a much more caring atmosphere among the crew.

The View

I find it so much easier to get into a creative flow when I’m moving; when I’m outside, fully immersed in nature. 

That’s why I try to do most of my preparation for a film from the wilderness. 

I know how important walking is for cognition and so this makes up a large part of my prep.

I even take many of my prep calls whilst hiking.