From New Zealand to London, Theo Shakes is exploring storytelling through content, characters, and filmmaking. Beyond the videos is a bigger ambition: to create work that stays with people.
There is a difference between creating content and telling a story. One captures attention; the other gives people a reason to stay.
For Theo Shakes, content creation was the doorway into discovering that difference.
Originally from New Zealand and now based in London, Theo has always wanted to make movies and step into different characters. He is fascinated by observing people: how they move, how they behave, and the small details that often reveal more than words.
That curiosity led him to one of the most accessible creative tools available: his phone.
Content creation gave him room to experiment with ideas, explore his craft, and develop an authentic voice without waiting for perfect conditions. It became a starting point for something bigger.
While the internet offers endless opportunities to entertain and experiment, Theo recognises that short-form content cannot accommodate every story he wants to tell.
That is why he is developing a television series.
The project has been in development for some time, and he feels its themes are becoming increasingly relevant. He wants to create something with greater depth: a story with substance, characters audiences can form relationships with, and a world they will want to return to.
His ambition is to make a show that catches people off guard, gives them something to discuss, and takes his work into a new direction.
Looking towards the next three to five years, Theo’s vision extends beyond individual projects. He wants to find his tribe.
He imagines being part of something consistent and collaborative. It could be improv comedy, a live show, or another creative space where people come together regularly to experiment and perform.
There is a playful urgency in how he describes this ambition. Joking that they are like The Beatles right now, he suggests they have about five years before the younger generation takes the baton.
Beneath the humour is a genuine desire to build something with the right people.
He also wants to understand more clearly what he has to say as an artist, recognising that his creative expression will always be connected to the life he lives.
This connects to another idea he is learning to embrace: harmony over balance. Rather than constantly separating his ambitions from his personal life, he wants both to work together without creating unnecessary pressure.
One of Theo’s biggest challenges is his relationship with time.
He reflects on how something humans invented to organise life can sometimes feel like it has taken control of it. Deadlines, expectations, and the pressure to keep moving can make everything feel like a race against an invisible clock.
He is learning when to move quickly, when to slow down, and when to be present. That also means knowing when to say no, making room for new opportunities, and being more intentional about where his energy goes.
His thinking extends to how he gives time to others. Sometimes, people need extra help or encouragement — what he humorously describes as receiving more magical time points.
For Theo, managing time is becoming less about fitting everything into a schedule and more about deciding what deserves his attention.
When asked what he wants the world to remember him for, Theo admits he doesn’t know. He also recognises that he may not be around when people eventually decide.
Rather than trying to define his legacy now, his attention remains on the work ahead: developing his television series, finding collaborators, and discovering the stories he wants to tell.
From experimenting with characters on his phone to building a television project, Theo Shakes is moving beyond the limits of short-form content.
He doesn’t have every answer yet, but he knows what he wants to keep doing: staying curious, finding his people, making time for what matters, and creating.
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