Media Carnivores
89 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 6 years ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsMedia news and opinion, fresh off the bone
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Episodes
How Did Brent Sell His Latest Book to a Publisher? – Episode 039
June 10, 2015 05:39 - 25 minutes - 29.9 MBMedia Carnivores co-host Brent Hartinger recently sold his book Three Truths and a Lie to a traditional publisher, Simon Pulse. As a writer traditional and self-published books, Brent makes an interesting case study for this new...
Should You Feel Guilty About Guilty Pleasures? – Episode 038
May 28, 2015 03:27 - 21 minutes - 25.7 MBWhat are your “guilty” pleasures? And who says you should you feel guilty about them? Brent and Erik look into shows and books commonly called guilty pleasures, as well as discuss their own. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger...
Have Popcorn Movies Gone Stale? – Episode 037
May 20, 2015 18:46 - 24 minutes - 29.6 MBThis year is the year of blockbuster (and sequels, reboots, and remakes). But don’t we say that every year? How have popcorn movies changed? And have market pressures made popcorn movies go stale? Your Hosts Brent...
Does Harry Potter Hold Up? – Episode 036
April 30, 2015 03:50 - 25 minutes - 30.3 MBBetween 1997 (when the first Harry Potter book came out) and 2011 (when the last movie was released) Potter-mania swept the globe. How have the books and movies held up when they are no longer in...
Is the Gold Rush Over for Self-Publishing? – Episode 035
April 22, 2015 22:21 - 23 minutes - 28 MBCan an indie writer make it anymore? Is there gold in the hills? What caused the surge in self-publishing and how has it changed? Brent and Erik look at trends in publishing as well as...
What Makes a Good Comedy? – Episode 034
April 15, 2015 03:50 - 22 minutes - 26.3 MBWhat makes a comedy funny? Is there any joke or situation that is timeless? Has irony killed classic comedy? Brent and Erik look TV and film for answers (and laughs). Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg Links...
Can Women Save Hollywood? – Episode 033
April 03, 2015 02:12 - 21 minutes - 26.2 MBThe 2014 Hollywood box office was down over 2013 and as low as its been in three years. And so far this year, movies targeting women have outperformed movies targeting men. Can women revive a slumping box office?...
Is Game of Thrones the Future of TV? – Episode 032
March 24, 2015 20:08 - 20 minutes - 24.2 MBNever has a television show pushed the envelope of both content and production as Game of Thrones. Are shows with the epic scope of Game of Thrones the future? Or is this a high-water mark for TV?...
Has CGI ruined movies? – Episode 031
March 12, 2015 04:22 - 28 minutes - 33.9 MBComputer generated images are in almost every major studio movie, especially the upcoming summer blockbuster season. Has it gone too far and stifled creativity? Or has CGI actually unleashed it? Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg Links...
Why Do We Like Anti-Heroes? – Episode 030
March 05, 2015 18:44 - 23 minutes - 27.6 MBEspecially after Tony Soprano, TV feels like it is full of stories about anti-heroes. How has their portrayal changed? And why are we so drawn to them? Brent and Erik explore. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg Links...
How Do Writers Pick Their Next Project? – Episode 029
February 26, 2015 22:37 - 23 minutes - 27.8 MBWriters often have more ideas for books and screenplays than they have time to write. So how does a writer choose one project over another? Brent and Erik delve into their own careers to share...
How Is Technology Changing Storytelling? – Episode 028
February 19, 2015 03:49 - 22 minutes - 26.8 MBTechnology has changed both the kinds of stories we tell and how we tell them. Brent and Erik talk about how technology has reshaped the media landscape. This episode also includes our official launch of...
Is Fan Fiction a Good Thing? – Episode 027
February 12, 2015 06:40 - 21 minutes - 25.7 MBFan fiction is prevalent on the Internet, and some pieces—like Fifty Shades of Grey, Death Comes to Pemberley, and Amazon’s Kindle World program—have shown that there might be commercial success for certain projects. So is...
How Do Writers Deal With Failure? – Episode 026
January 29, 2015 18:27 - 28 minutes - 34 MBWriters don’t often talk about failure. But, almost by definition, writers will fail either artistically or commercially at some point. As Brent says, how we deal with failure determines whether we will be a successful artist. Your...
Are the Oscars Just a Bunch of Nonsense? – Episode 025
January 21, 2015 21:00 - 29 minutes - 35 MBAcademy Awards nominations just came out and the Oscar season has launched in full force. Is this award season meaningful, or just a bunch of nonsense? Brent and Erik look at the annual awards. Your Hosts...
Is Amazon Evil? (Revisited) – Episode 024
January 13, 2015 21:20 - 27 minutes - 32.7 MBIs Amazon evil? We tackled this question during the early days of the Hachette-Amazon dispute and enough has changed over recent months that we thought this question was worth revisiting again. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger...
What Was The Best Media Of 2014? – Episode 023
December 18, 2014 06:43 - 28 minutes - 34.1 MBBrent and Erik wrap year with a look at the TV, movies, books, and more that stood out in 2014. They discuss the best (and some of the worst) in media this year. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger...
What Is Brent’s New Book? – Episode 022
December 11, 2014 18:37 - 22 minutes - 26.5 MBWhat is “The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know?” It’s Brent’s new book, the continuation of the story about Russell Middlebrook (from Geography Club) in his early twenties. Brent talks about how the book came to...
Is It Ever Right To Boycott Artists? – Episode 021
December 05, 2014 19:45 - 23 minutes - 27.5 MBHow should an artist’s personal life, personal opinions—and possible crimes—affect our view of the artist’s work? Is it ethical to watch the work of an artist who has been alleged to have done terrible things? Your Hosts Brent...
What Makes a Good Christmas Special? – Episode 020
November 25, 2014 18:27 - 26 minutes - 30.2 MBIt’s the time of year where we gather around the TV and watch our favorite Christmas specials. But why do we do this? And what makes these specials stick with us for decades? Your Hosts Brent...
Why Do So Many Movies Fall Apart at the End? – Episode 19
November 20, 2014 23:43 - 36 minutes - 42 MBIt seems like a lot of movies and books with great potential fall apart in the final act or descend into cliche. Why is that so common? Brent and Erik look into this—unfortunately—all-too-common phenomenon. Your Hosts...
Are Artists Doomed to Die Alone? – Episode 018
November 07, 2014 00:16 - 33 minutes - 39.1 MBDo we expect (and maybe even encourage) artists to be depressed or otherwise eccentric? Does standing on the outside of society and holding up a mirror mean you will always be disappointed, frustrated, and (metaphorically) alone? Brent...
Will Writing a Play Make You a Better Novelist? – Episode 017
October 23, 2014 03:20 - 34 minutes - 40.3 MBShould novelists also write for the stage? What can you learn from the act of writing a play, and from observing an audience watch it? We look at the benefits (and economics) of writing drama. Your...
What Does It Mean to be a Man in Movies and Television? – Episode 016
October 09, 2014 04:50 - 39 minutes - 45.8 MBOver time, the portrayal of men has changed substantially in movies and television, including sitcom dads, action heroes, character leads in cable dramas, and more. How are men portrayed and characterized? What direction is the going? Your Hosts...
How Do You Launch a Book? – Episode 015
September 30, 2014 23:47 - 37 minutes - 44.3 MBBrent and Erik go into detail about the marketing steps they take to launch a book. This episode also contains an offer to be a beta reader from Brent for his next book! Your Hosts...
Should You Write What You Know? – Episode 014
September 18, 2014 21:46 - 34 minutes - 40.5 MB“Write what you know” is common advice to new writers. But is it always a good idea? Brent and Erik take different sides and look at what it means for writers and for the stories...
What Comes After Paranormal? – Episode 013
September 11, 2014 04:55 - 30 minutes - 34.6 MBParanormal romance has been the “it” genre in publishing for years now. How long can it last? And what comes next? We look at some of the biggest recent genres (paranormal romance, zombies, chicklit) and...
Is Movie Sex Actually Sexy? – Episode 012
August 27, 2014 04:06 - 42 minutes - 49.7 MBIs movie sex actually sexy? We ask the question, and look at why some scenes are sexy (and why some are terrible), why there is sex in movies at all, and why there are so few gay...
Is Nicholas Cage a Good Actor? – Episode 011
August 13, 2014 22:54 - 28 minutes - 34 MBIs Nicholas Cage a good actor? This is the question that has haunted America (and Abed) for years. We delve into this important question from both sides (Erik thinks he’s great; Brent thinks he’s terrible)....
Should Writers Self-Publish? Part II – Episode 010
July 29, 2014 18:08 - 37 minutes - 44.5 MBShould writers self-publish? Brent Hartinger and Erik Hanberg continue the discussion from Part I by talking about their decisions to traditionally publish or self-publish their books. Your Hosts Brent Hartinger Erik Hanberg Media Consumed This Episode Geography Club (book)...
Should Writers Self-Publish? Part I – Episode 009
July 24, 2014 16:33 - 33 minutes - 39.6 MB“Should writers self-publish?” is the biggest question writers are facing today. Authors Brent Hartinger and Erik Hanberg talk about the trends affecting book publishing as authors weigh this big decision. (Discussion continued in Part II)...
What is Snowpiercer? – Episode 008
July 18, 2014 04:49 - 32 minutes - 38.5 MBEveryone seems to be talking about “Snowpiercer,” a smart dystopian sci-fi action film with a lot going for it. Directed by Bong Joon-ho and starting Chris Evans, it’s a great example of a summer “blockbuster” really...
Are Critics Irrelevant? – Episode 007
July 02, 2014 21:48 - 34 minutes - 40.8 MBWith the rise of social media, computer recommendation algorithms, user reviews, and meta-review sites like Rotten Tomatoes that assemble “fresh ratings” for movies, we ask the question: “Are media critics even relevant anymore?” Subscribe! via iTunes...
Why is Raiders of the Lost Ark So Good? – Episode 006
June 26, 2014 03:15 - 32 minutes - 38.7 MBWhy is Raiders of the Lost Ark so good? And why are some of the Indiana Jones sequels so bad? We look at the story, character, and plot that all align to make Raiders such a classic film...
Is Amazon Evil? – Episode 005
June 11, 2014 20:26 - 30.8 MBSince it was founded, Amazon has upended the publishing industry, first with online book sales and again with the launch of the Kindle. Many publishers are crying foul about their practices. So is Amazon evil?...
What Is It Like To Have Your Book Turned Into A Movie? – Episode 004
June 03, 2014 23:55 - 32 minutes - 38.2 MBWhat’s it like to see your novel turned into a Hollywood movie (co-staring Scott Bakula, no less!)? Co-host Brent Hartinger gives the inside scoop on what it was like to have his first novel, Geography Club, adapted into...
Is HBO Better Than Regular TV? – Episode 003
May 22, 2014 06:00 - 34 minutes - 40.9 MBHBO says: “It’s not TV. It’s HBO.” Is that true? Is HBO just plain better than regular TV? Media Carnivores takes on how HBO has transformed television. Subscribe! via iTunes on Stitcher Podcast Feed: http://mediacarnivores.com/feed/podcast/ (Can be cut...
Why Do So Many Summer Blockbusters Suck? – Episode 002
May 14, 2014 22:04 - 38 minutes - 45.2 MBWelcome to Episode 002 of Media Carnivores! In our second episode, it’s fitting that we take on Hollywood sequels, remakes, adaptations, and the summer blockbuster season. Subscribe! via iTunes on Stitcher Podcast Feed: http://mediacarnivores.com/feed/podcast/ (Can be cut...
Who Are We? – Episode 001
May 08, 2014 04:28 - 9 minutes - 12.2 MBWelcome to the inaugural episode of Media Carnivores! Who is Erik? Who is Brent? What is Media Carnivores? Get to know the hosts before you dive into later episodes about movies, TV, books, and making a living...