Creative Principles
560 episodes - English - Latest episode: 30 days ago - ★★★★★ - 51 ratingsWelcome to Creative Principles, I'm your host Brock Swinson. Here I'll be speaking with writers, directors, actors, musicians and more. We'll discuss the habits, routines, and methods of a creative life.
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Episodes
Ep536 - Geraldine DeRuiter, Author, 'If You Can't Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury'
June 05, 2024 12:00 - 29 minutes - 40.3 MBGeraldine DeRuiter is an acclaimed author, world-renowned public speaker, and the voice behind the award-winning Everywhereist blog. In her latest book 'If You Can’t Take the Heat,' Geraldine shares stories about her shockingly true, painfully funny (and sometimes just painful) adventures in gastronomy. In this interview, we talk about her blog, finding your voice as a writer, what makes a good idea, the stories behind her two books, and the origin of the incredibly clever tagline, an award...
Ep535 - Ken Coleman, Author, 'Find the Work You’re Wired to Do'
May 27, 2024 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.3 MBKen Coleman is a career expert and #1 bestselling author of The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to the Career You Love. At Ramsey Solutions, he hosts The Ken Coleman Show, a nationally syndicated radio show—part of the Ramsey Network—that airs in more than 35 cities across the U.S. every weekday. Ken is America’s Career Coach and has appeared on shows like Fox & Friends, Yahoo! Finance, and the Rachael Ray Show. In this interview, we talked about his first book, w...
Ep534 - Stephen Camelio, Screenwriter, 'Mending the Line'
May 22, 2024 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBStephen Camelio is a freelance writer and former editor at In Style magazine. His work has appeared in countless publications including ESPN The Magazine, Field & Stream, Entertainment Weekly, and Men's Journal. His latest film 'Mending the Line,' follows a Marine wounded in Afghanistan who is sent to a V.A. facility in Montana where he meets a Vietnam Vet who teaches him how to fly fish as a way of dealing with his emotional and physical trauma. In this interview, we talk about how he foun...
Ep533 - Lulu Wang, Writer-Director ‘The Farewell’ & ‘Expats’
May 21, 2024 19:26 - 23 minutes - 39.5 MB“I always knew that I wanted to write in some way. My mother is a writer and I kind of just grew up around writing and literature,” says Lulu Wang. “But, it felt like such a lonely art form, so when I got to college, that was the first time I thought about filmmaking as a career.” Like many viewers, she hadn’t thought much about the writer behind her favorite shows and movies. “I took a 101 class and that’s when I started to really understand how films and TV are made. We got to make a coupl...
Ep532 - Drew Pearce, Screenwriter ‘The Fall Guy’ & ‘Iron Man 3’
May 20, 2024 17:32 - 29 minutes - 50.9 MB“I didn’t really know I was allowed to be a screenwriter, so I didn’t consider that as a career or life option growing up Southeast of England,” says Drew Pearce. “People I knew didn’t go to University and they definitely didn’t work in movies.” “Throughout my life, I have shown a staggering lack of imagination in thinking I can do these jobs. But when I meet a person who does the job, I do think, ‘Well, if they can do it, I can do it,’” he jokes. After exploring paths as a musician, a magaz...
Ep531 - Zainab Johnson, Comedian 'Hijabs Off'
May 20, 2024 11:00 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MBZainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Her comedy is based on her unique point-of-view, shaped growing up in Harlem as one of thirteen siblings in a black Muslim family. Zainab debuted her very first one-hour comedy special 'Hijabs Off' on Amazon Prime Video, and is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled 'Upload' from Greg Daniels. She is also one of the hosts for Netflix's show '100 Humans.' In this interview, we talk about the importance...
Ep530 - Adele Parks, Author, 'The Image of You'
May 15, 2024 11:00 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBAdele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 5 million plus copies and has been translated into over 30 different languages. She has published 21 novels, all of which have been London Times bestsellers. The film adaptation of her book 'The Image of You,' starring Sasha Pieterse, follows the story of two identical twins, Anna and Zoe. When Anna meets a stock trader, she thinks he's perfect, but Zoe doesn't trust him, so sh...
Ep529 - Zach Woods & Brandon Gardner, Co-Creators Mike Judge’s ‘In The Know’
May 13, 2024 19:17 - 34 minutes - 56.1 MBZach Woods got his start at the Upright Citizens Brigade doing improv. Brandon Gardner followed a similar path, eventually shifting to playwriting and sketch. The two continued to share work and support one another as they moved from New York to Los Angeles. For their latest collaboration, In the Know, where they’re listed as co-creators with Mike Judge (Office Space, Silicon Valley), the story follows Lauren Caspian, the third most popular host of an NPR-like interview series, who happens ...
Ep528 - Jeff Annison, Co-founder & President of 'Legion M'
May 08, 2024 11:00 - 29 minutes - 40.5 MBJeff Annison is the Co-Founder and President of 'Legion M,' the world's first fan-owned media company. With 50k investors, over $20M raised, and over 150k members overall in the community, 'Legion M' is paving the way to democratize the business, challenge the traditional studio system, and open the doors for fans to become genuine stakeholders in the creative process. This year the company has premiered the SXSW Audience Award Winner 'My Dead Friend Zoe,' self-distributed the documentary '...
Ep527 - Don McKellar, Actor-Director-Writer, 'The Sympathizer'
April 30, 2024 19:06 - 30 minutes - 53.5 MB“There was David Cronenberg (The Fly, Scanners), but not many other examples,” says Don McKellar, about his childhood as a Canadian where he felt there were few role models in the business. “But I did love theater. I created shows with my friends and all the disciplines — writing, directing, acting — blended together for me.” Those live performances helped to shape his work. “I co-wrote a musical called The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway. In that kind of show, if you do a show and it doesn’t w...
Ep526 - Ned Benson, Writer & Director, 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby' & 'The Greatest Hits'
April 29, 2024 19:14 - 24 minutes - 33.9 MBNed Benson is a writer, director, and producer known for his profound storytelling. His debut film, 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,' premiered at Cannes in 2014, showcasing his unique narrative approach by exploring dual perspectives on love and loss. His recent film 'The Greatest Hits' follows a love story centering on the connection between music and memory and how they transport us, sometimes literally. In this interview, we talked about 'Eleanor Rigby', networking, how he got into...
Ep525 - Kurt Johnstad, Screenwriter ‘300,’ ‘Atomic Blonde,’ and ‘Rebel Moon - Part 1 & 2'
April 26, 2024 16:21 - 38 minutes - 61.2 MB“I was hungry,” says Kurt Johnstad, who took any position he could find to get on set. “I was just looking for an avenue to tell stories. I looked at all the jobs and the flow and rhythm of being on set. I realized a director or cinematographer needs all these people, but you could be self-reliant and self-generate — it’s the writer.” “The writer can just sort of be in their little shack and type away. I gave myself ten years to have a career, from my 20s to my 30s. Just try to do this. I do...
Ep524 - Stephen Moyer, Actor 'True Blood', Director 'A Bit of Light'
April 22, 2024 18:03 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBStephen Moyer is a renowned actor and director best known for his role as vampire Bill Compton in HBO's 'True Blood.' Starting his career on the London stage, Moyer transitioned to television and film, starring in productions like 'Quills' and '88 Minutes.' He has showcased his versatility by directing several episodes for different television projects, including 'True Blood', and more recently the film 'A Bit of Light.' In this interview, we talked about his trajectory as an actor, working...
Ep523 - Lee Hardcastle, Director & Animator, 'Hamster Hell' & 'T is For Toilet'
April 19, 2024 11:00 - 25 minutes - 35.1 MBLee Hardcastle is a renowned claymation director celebrated for his dark humor and innovative style. Through the years he has honed his skills to create captivating short films blending horror, comedy, and absurdity, and his unique storytelling and attention to detail have earned him a global following. Hardcastle's work ranges from grotesque parodies of popular franchises to original tales of macabre madness, pushing the boundaries of clay animation. In this interview, we talked about wha...
Ep522 - Bill Kennedy, Screenwriter ‘House of Cards’ & ‘The Morning Show’
April 12, 2024 20:10 - 31 minutes - 51.8 MBIn high school, Bill Kennedy got a job making copies at a law firm. Back then, he pictured himself taking the bar, buying a collection of three-piece suits, and making a career as a lawyer. But, when he met someone a decade older also making copies, who was producing records at the time, asked, “Dude, why would you want to do this? Why be a lawyer?” The beneficial challenger concluded, “[Do] you think the people here are happy?” The realization sunk in. “In college, I started to explore a ...
Ep521 - Julian Curi, Filmmaker & Animator, 'GRUFF'
April 11, 2024 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.4 MBWhether through art, animation, or filmmaking, Julian Curi has dedicated his life and work to telling stories and helping others tell theirs. These days he is best known for his work in paper puppetry and animation. His latest work, GRUFF, a paper-made short film about his relationship with his late dad is out now: https://youtu.be/5p4s4k3eB_I?si=GHg0_z09Yx-xTqXF In this interview, we talked about what led him to animation, the origin of GRUFF, crowdfunding and how to start a campaign, dea...
Ep520 - Jeff Goins, Author 'Real Artists Don't Starve' & 'The Art of Work'
April 03, 2024 11:00 - 1 hour - 84.8 MBJeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he shares his ongoing journey of transformation, inspiring creators like you to discover your voice and share it with the world. He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps thought leaders turn good ideas into big ideas. Jeff and his team do this through the powerful medium of books: from proposals to editing to full-on ghostwriting, Fresh Complaint ca...
Ep519 - Rebecca Flinn-White & Zak White, Screenwriters ‘The Prank’
April 01, 2024 15:22 - 38 minutes - 65.9 MB“I started out in the acting world,” says Rebecca Flinn-White. “Acting, directing, theater. And that’s how Zak and I met actually. We were friends in college, didn’t date back then, but we’re married now,” she adds, about her writing partner, Zak White. Zak adds, “This is the only thing I ever wanted to do. I grew up in a small midwest town. I was a movie fanatic but I didn’t know people actually got paid to do it. I thought you had to be born in a magical world that doesn’t exist.” The du...
Ep 519 - Rebecca Flinn-White & Zak White, Screenwriters ‘The Prank’
April 01, 2024 15:22 - 38 minutes - 65.9 MB“I started out in the acting world,” says Rebecca Flinn-White. “Acting, directing, theater. And that’s how Zak and I met actually. We were friends in college, didn’t date back then, but we’re married now,” she adds, about her writing partner, Zak White. Zak adds, “This is the only thing I ever wanted to do. I grew up in a small midwest town. I was a movie fanatic but I didn’t know people actually got paid to do it. I thought you had to be born in a magical world that doesn’t exist.” The du...
Ep518 - Melanie Marnich, Screenwriter ‘Apples Never Fall,’ ’The Big C,’ ‘Big Love,' & 'The Affair'’
March 23, 2024 10:38 - 31 minutes - 55.2 MB‘I didn’t grow up in a place where I was hanging out with screenwriters,” says Melanie Marnich. “I grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. I was a voracious reader and I think that sparked something in me, but I didn’t know that that would be a career.” In college, Marnich was a journalism major with an emphasis in advertising. “I would up doing and loving TV and radio commercials.” She loved the job, but felt limited writing in spurts of 30- or 60-seconds. “Then I got the theater bug.” Feeling that...
Ep517 - Michael Jamin, Screenwriter 'Rules of Engagement' & Author 'A Paper Orchestra'
March 13, 2024 12:00 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBMichael Jamin has been writing for television since 1996. His many credits include Just Shoot Me, King of the Hill, Beavis & Butthead, Wilfred, Out of Practice, Rules of Engagement, Lopez and Tacoma FD. He’s also served as Executive Producer/Showrunner on Glenn Martin DDS, Maron, and Rhett & Link’s Buddy System. In his debut collection of personal essays A Paper Orchestra, Michael recounts the true stories of a sensitive, anxious man searching for the things that are most important: ident...
Ep516 - Dave Boyle, Showrunner Netflix’s ‘House of Ninjas’
March 08, 2024 18:37 - 30 minutes - 49.5 MB“I wanted to be a filmmaker for as long as I can remember,” says Dave Boyle. “I wanted to be a writer-director but after I made my first couple of independent films, I was making more of my living as an editor. I didn’t really start pursuing screenwriting as a professional until I had done a couple of micro-budget films.” This would include films like Big Dreams Little Tokyo, White on Rice, Surrogate Valentine, Daylight Savings, and Man From Reno. “That’s when I became passionate about writi...
Ep515 - Dori Zavala, Entertainment Attorney & Filmmaker
March 01, 2024 11:00 - 30 minutes - 42.3 MBDori Zavala is an award-winning attorney and filmmaker with over 23 years of experience in the legal, business, and finance fields. She's the founder and CEO of Open For Show Business, a revolutionary consulting practice that provides high-level strategic consulting to filmmakers to guide them in the business, legal, and financing aspects of funding and distributing their films. In this interview, we talked about her work as an entertainment lawyer, how being a producer has helped her writi...
Ep514 - Chad Feehan, Creator ‘Lawmen - Bass Reeves’
February 29, 2024 11:47 - 25 minutes - 41.5 MBChad Feehan’s parents took him to the movies nearly every single weekend. “They didn’t have much of a filter,” he joked about seeing heavy movies at a young age. “In my early teens, Tarantino exploded with Reservoir Dogs and Robert Rodriguez exploded with El Mariachi. I saw that not only did people get paid to make movies, but they could come from Texas.” As a screenwriter, he’s known for Paranormal Activity 4, Southland, Rectify, Banshee Origins, Banshee, Ray Donovan and Lawmen: Bass Reeves...
Ep513 - Kyndal Inskeep, Singer-Songwriter 'Honest' & 'Parachute'
February 23, 2024 12:00 - 24 minutes - 33.2 MBRising Nashville pop artist and songwriter, Kyndal Inskeep, has been writing and performing since childhood. Her career took off after releasing her debut viral single “Honest” with Song House. It quickly accumulated millions of streams and inspired masses. Her second single, “Parachute” initiated the same response. Currently, Kyndal remains an independent artist with the desire to make music that inspires others to feel something again. Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - ...
Ep512 - Mark L. Smith, Screenwriter ‘The Revenant’ & ‘The Boys in the Boat’
February 21, 2024 12:57 - 33 minutes - 54.2 MB“My family had a dude ranch in Colorado,” says Mark L. Smith, as to why he didn’t really starting writing scripts until his 30s. “It was 2,000 acres surrounded by a quarter million acres of natural forest. We were literally in the middle of nowhere.” “Our driveway was a 2.5 mile road that was an old stagecoach trail, through a canyon. It was a resort and we were open in the summers, but we would shut down early fall. I found I had nothing to do during those five months in the snow, so I woul...
Ep511 - Amber Williams, Host of 'The Film Finance and Distribution Podcast'
February 15, 2024 11:00 - 17 minutes - 23.6 MBAmber Williams is a Screenwriter, Podcaster, Founder, and Creative Director of Whirleybird Productions. On her podcast 'The Film Finance and Distribution Podcast,' she deep dives into the business backbone of the cinematic world; engaging in insightful conversations with accomplished filmmakers, seasoned entertainment lawyers, and pivotal industry insiders. Her goal is to demystify the complex realms of film finance and distribution, equipping the next generation of filmmakers, producers, a...
Ep510 - Diego Vicentini, Writer & Director 'Simón'
February 07, 2024 12:00 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBDiego Vicentini is a Venezuelan writer and film director who has made several award-winning short films, including 'Simón', the predecessor to the feature, which had an independent world tour, selling out screenings in eight countries in eleven different cities. His first feature film also titled 'Simón', follows a Venezuelan freedom fighter exiled in Miami, who copes not only with trauma, but also deep guilt over a choice he must make: stay in Miami and start a new life, or return home to t...
Ep509 - Cord Jefferson, Writer-Director Oscar-Nominee ‘American Fiction’
February 01, 2024 12:49 - 20 minutes - 36.4 MB“The thing I always wanted to do was remember that what it means to be a writer is very big,” says Cord Jefferson, who lists writers like Joan Didion and James Baldwin as influences. “A lot of writers limit themselves. I’m a sports journalist or a novelist. I want to look at writing like a toolbox. You can use a toolbox to build a coffee table or a rocking chair or a house. These skills are applicable to different things.” For many years, Cord Jefferson was a journalist before he got into fi...
Ep508 - Alanna Ubach, Actress ’Ted,’ ‘Bombshell,’ ‘Euphoria,’ & ‘Waiting’
January 23, 2024 18:34 - 19 minutes - 33.7 MBHardly recognizable from one character to the next, Alanna Ubach has starred in over 150 theater, film and television projects, including the Peabody Award-winning "Men of a Certain Age", the Oscar-winning "Coco" as Mama Imelda, the family's matriarch, and critically acclaimed "Euphoria" as "Suze." She was nominated for a SAG award for her performance as Jeanine Pirro in "Bombshell" and noted by the New York Times as "a seriously talented actress" to "keep your eye on." Her most recent role...
Ep507 - Graham Yost, Screenwriter ‘Speed,’ ‘Band of Brothers,’ ‘Justified,’ + ‘Silo’
January 18, 2024 14:20 - 34 minutes - 55.8 MBThe son of Canadian TV host Elwy Host, Graham Yost grew up with a love for film, television, and books. “If I told my parents I wanted to be a doctor or lawyer, they would have said, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to be a writer?’” Graham’s impressive career began with Nickelodeon’s ‘Hey Dude’ but the movie ‘Speed’ changed his life. His credits include Broken Arrow, Hard Rain, Band of Brothers, The Last Castle, Boomtown, The Pacific, Justified, Sneaky Pete, and most recently, Silo. The Apple...
Ep506 - Dan Levy, Writer-Director-Star ‘Schitt’s Creek’ & ‘Good Grief’
January 11, 2024 12:46 - 34 minutes - 60 MB“I love storytelling and I think I’ve always been an observant person, when it comes to reveling in human dynamics,” says Dan Levy. “As an observer of people, writing felt like an easy outlet to express my curiosity about who people are, how they work, and the flaws and joys of who we are as people.” In addition to growing up in the business thanks to his father Eugene Levy, Dan Levy had a teacher pull him aside and encourage him in his writing. “I really attribute so much of my feeling capa...
Ep505 - Tory Tunnell, Producer Godzilla Series ‘Monarch - Legacy of Monsters’
January 01, 2024 18:40 - 34 minutes - 61.6 MBTory Tunnell’s original dream was to the Editor for Vogue. In college, she interned at places like The New Yorker and Harper’s Bazaar, but she minored in Film, which started a trek to working as a Producer. These days, Tunnell is known for Holy Rollers, My Blind Brother, King Arthur - Legend of the Sword, Underground, Robin Hood, Spinning Out, and now Monarch - Legacy of Monsters. The latest series stars Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Anders Holm, Kiersey Clemons, and Ren Watabe...
Ep504 - Emile Hirsch, Actor ‘Into the Wild,’ ‘Lone Survivor,’ & ‘Walden’
December 21, 2023 17:36 - 20 minutes - 34.4 MB“My favorite thing was going to the movies,” Emile Hirsch says about his childhood. Emile is best known for Into the Wild, but with over 70 credits to his name, you’ve seen him in The Girl Next Door, Lords of Dogtown, Alpha Dog, Speed Racer, Milk, Killer Joe, Savages, Lone Survivor, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His latest film, Walden, Emile plays an unassuming court stenographer in a small southern town. When he discovers he is dying, he decides to exact revenge on criminals who esca...
Ep503 - Anne Hathaway & Thomasin McKenzie, Stars ‘Eileen’
December 16, 2023 11:00 - 14 minutes - 23.9 MBIn the film, Eileen, the story follows a woman’s friendship with a new co-worker at the prison facility where she works, but the friendship takes a sinister turn. In the previous interview, screenwriters Ottessa Moshfegh & Luke Goebel discussed how they created this adaptation, based on Ottessa’s novel. In this interview, stars Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie discuss their interpretation of the work. We also discuss the problem in Hollywood that still exists in terms of great roles for ...
Ep502 - Ottessa Moshfegh & Luke Goebel, Screenwriters ‘Eileen’ & ‘Causeway’
December 15, 2023 19:29 - 28 minutes - 47 MB“I always wanted to write for movies but didn’t really admit it until I moved to LA and someone asked me if I wanted to write a movie,” says Ottessa Moshfegh, the novelist turned screenwriter behind Eileen. “I studied other movies and loved learning the new form.” Ottessa’s screenplay credits include Causeway and Eileen, and some of her novels are Eileen, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Death in Her Hands, Lapvona, and McGlue. “It felt totally unnatural in the beginning,” she says of screenw...
Ep501 - Michael Green & Amber Noizumi on Netflix’s ‘Blue Eye Samurai’
December 14, 2023 13:42 - 26 minutes - 43.9 MB“I love antiheroes,” says screenwriter Amber Noizumi. “As a woman, this idea of the goody two shoes girl next door has always annoyed me. The girl who looks and acts perfect. I don’t relate or find it interesting unless I’m rooting for her and against her at the same time.” “I’m more selfish about it,” added Michael Green. “Any character that has a degree of specificity that’s so unique to them that you can put them in situations and know how they’ll behave. It creates story.” In their curr...
Ep500 - Best of...Aaron Sorkin, Taylor Sheridan, William Monahan, Veena Sud, Judd Apatow & more!
December 13, 2023 17:02 - 39 minutes - 61.6 MBIt’s been 500 episodes! Thank you all so much for listening. As a special celebration episode, I’ve included some of the best clips from the past 500 episodes and I’m also releasing a never-before-heard episode with William Monahan, the Oscar winning screenwriter of The Departed, Body of Lies, London Boulevard, Kingdom of Heaven, The Gambler, and Mojave. But, to get us started, here’s Aaron Sorkin on the difference in character and real people, followed by Taylor Sheridan on his writing pro...
Ep499 - Emerald Fennell, Writer-Director ‘Saltburn’ & ‘Promising Young Woman’
December 11, 2023 16:47 - 20 minutes - 36.9 MB“I’ve spent my life writing,” says Emerald Fennell. “It’s something I’ve done ever since I was a child. It’s something I would be doing whether I could make films or write books or not.” After University, Emerald wrote a pile of spec scripts to “find her voice.” During hiatus of BBC’s Call the Midwife, where Emerald played Nurse Patsy Mount for 27 episodes, she wrote three books. “My last book, Monsters, which was an adult novel, Showrunner Jessica Knappett read it and asked me to write on t...
Ep498 - Amy Sherman-Paladino & Daniel Paladino on ‘Gilmore Girls’ & ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
December 10, 2023 11:47 - 34 minutes - 57.9 MB“I was ill-equipped to do anything else,” jokes Amy Sherman-Paladino. “It was survival of the fittest maybe. My father was a comic. My mother was a dancer. It was basically, pick something in show business because that’s all you got.” “We both infuriate inspiring screenwriters because we’re not the people who wrote a ton of spec. We sort of fell into,” says Daniel Paladino. “Amy was a dancer. I was a musician. I got a job as a writer’s assistant because typing in the 80s was a rare commodity...
Ep497 - Linda Palmer, Film Producer & Author ’Shooting for the Stars - A Producer’s Journey’
December 08, 2023 17:09 - 28 minutes - 48.7 MB“I thought I wanted to be a journalist,” said Linda Palmer. “But when I saw myself in front of a camera, I realized it wasn’t for me. I wanted to be behind the camera. I gradually went that way instead of working in news.” In this interview, we talk about Linda’s love of Halloween, telling personal stories, her company Runaway Productions, good and bad pitch videos, how to network globally online, pitching to professionals on LinkedIn, her decision to move to North Carolina, and how to get t...
Ep495 - Robert Rippberger Returns, Producer ‘The Inventor’ & Author ’The Power of Storytelling'
December 05, 2023 17:35 - 22 minutes - 38.7 MB“I just took a poll with my team and right now, we have about 20 projects in development,” says Robert Rippberger. “I’m trying to tell stories that are speaking to something larger, less of a weekly news cycle, the role of storytelling and social impact entertainment.” In The Power of Storytelling: Social Impact Entertainment, the book follows the way we transform ourselves through storytelling, how to look at entertainment and media in positive and negative terms, and how a simple narrative...
Ep494 - Carlos Baker, Musician & Author ‘Songs for Ivy’
December 05, 2023 17:00 - 30 minutes - 50.3 MB‘Songs for Ivy’ is a touching and enlightening perspective on topics such as childhood and terminal cancer, alcoholism, drug addiction, work addiction, morbid obesity, family dysfunction, end-of-life issues, love and complex family relations all rolled together to reveal the complexity of the human soul. In this interview, Carlos talks about creative acts that bring joy, his radical life transformation, rediscovering his love for music and the written word, how creativity leads to healing, w...
Ep493 - Eric Martin, Screenwriter Marvel’s ‘Loki’ Season 2
December 01, 2023 12:22 - 31 minutes - 50.9 MB“Movies and television is always what I wanted to do,” says Eric Martin. “I don’t remember it wasn’t a time it wasn’t the main interest in my life, but screenwriting is something I was a little bit late too. I was a latchkey key and I viewed writing as work, something to get done to go watch movies.” “But there were a series of teachers who kept pulling me aside and said, ‘You’re a writer, do you enjoy this?’ It kept happening so the message finally got through to take it seriously and put i...
Ep492 - Tyler MacIntyre, Screenwriter ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ & Director ‘It’s a Wonderful Knife’
November 30, 2023 17:00 - 21 minutes - 35.9 MBAs a screenwriter, Tyler MacIntyre co-wrote ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s.’ The story follows “A troubled security guard begins working at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. During his first night on the job, he realizes that the night shift won't be so easy to get through. Pretty soon he will unveil what actually happened at Freddy’s.” As a Director, MacIntyre directed Justin Long and Joel McHale in ‘Its a Wonderful Knife.’ “After saving her town from a psychotic killer, Winnie Carruthers' life is less tha...
Ep491 - Rick Garman, Screenwriter Hallmark Christmas Movie ‘Christmas on Cherry Lane’
November 30, 2023 12:04 - 29 minutes - 46.6 MBRick Garman moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to be an actor. “I got out as soon as I was sure my parents couldn’t send a sheriff to bring me back,” he jokes. “I went to acting school, worked a bunch of jobs, and landed at a theater company called The Colony Theater.” “One of our cast members had just passed away from aids. They wanted to do a play about [the subject], but our audience was very conservative and there was nothing else out there. I sat down and said, I’ve been in plays, I’...
Ep490 - Kelly Younger, Screenwriter Eddie Murphy Comedy ‘Candy Cane Lane’
November 29, 2023 11:20 - 31 minutes - 53.9 MB“The origin story feels pretty far away from where I am now,” says screenwriter Kelly Younger. “I started out in archeology. Truth be told, I wanted to be a Goonie,” he jokes. “I’m from a working class Irish family. My family went through a hard financial time. We actually lost our house when I was a kid.” “In The Goonies, the kids are about to lose their homes, but then they find this treasure map, fight criminals, there’s pirate ships, but ultimately they find the treasure that is going to...
Ep489 - Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson & Scott Hamilton Kennedy on ‘Shot in the Arm’
November 28, 2023 16:00 - 21 minutes - 34.6 MB‘Shot in the Arm’ explores the "anti-vax" movement both historically and in the angry political present, this vital account probes the divides and disinformation that threaten our future. This includes subjects like Oprah Winfrey, Del Bigtree, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Neil deGrasse Tyson. In this interview, I sat down with famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy. We talk about curiosities and responsibilities as storytellers, how to approach talent for doc...
Ep488 - Thom Zimny, Director Netflix's Sylvester Stallone Documentary ‘Sly’
November 28, 2023 10:49 - 33 minutes - 55.1 MB“What led me into filmmaking was being in the world and being dyslexic,” said documentarian Thom Zimny, who got into music and then editing before becoming a filmmaker. Zimny is known for his work as a music video director with Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. He’s the Director of Elvis Presley: The Searcher, The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson & Family, and now Sly. Sly follows “the nearly fifty year prolific career of Sylvester Stallone, who has entertained millions, is ...
Ep487 - Stephen Tobolowsky, Actor ‘Groundhog Day,’ ‘Silicon Valley,’ & ‘Love Virtually’
November 22, 2023 19:07 - 34 minutes - 63.1 MBCharacter actor Stephen Tobolowsky has nearly 300 credits to his name, including roles in Groundhog Day, Seinfeld, Mad About You, The Practice, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, Californication, Glee, Silicon Valley, and The Goldbergs. Most recently, he stars in Love Virtually as Dr. Divine. The film follows four couples as they attempt to find true love in a virtual world by going to absurd extremes in a world where the meta verse is commonly used. The movie also stars SNL alum Cheri Oteri. ...