DESIGNERS ON FILM

Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher, The Social Network is a dramatization of Facebook's founding. The fictional story shows the grit, tenacity, and ruthlessness of its creators. Guests Scott Amyx and Cameron Tau talk about the movie, and how Facebook has caused disruptions impacting people at a very human level, resulting in isolationism and addiction, damaging mental health. But Uplifty aims to do something very different, helping people build relationships.-Scott Amyx is a global innovation expert, venture capitalist, and futurist focused on the intersection of humans and exponential technologies. He is the Founder and CEO of Uplifty, where he builds platforms to enhance human connection in an increasingly automated world, and Chair and Managing Partner at Astor Perkins, a deep-tech and sustainability venture firm. A Harvard Business Review Advisory Council Member, TEDx speaker, and author, Scott has advised governments, Fortune 500s, and startups on breakthrough innovation, smart cities, and the future of work. His work combines cutting-edge technology with human-centered strategies to help people and organizations thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.https://uplifty.ai/about-us/ https://astorperkins.com/ Strive: How Doing The Things Most Uncomfortable Leads to Success by Scott Amyxhttps://amzn.to/4sU2elb -Cameron Tau is a UX and product design professional with a background in psychology, marketing, and data analytics. She served as a UI/UX team lead at Uplifty, driving the app's wireframes and overall user experience while integrating user-centered design principles. Skilled in user research, prototyping, and data-driven decision making, Cameron has created high-fidelity designs that enhance usability and engagement across digital platforms. Her work combines design thinking with analytical insights to deliver seamless and impactful user experiences.https://uplifty.ai/about-us/ -Upliftyhttps://uplifty.ai/ https://www.instagram.com/upliftyai/ -The Social Network (2010)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285016/https://youtu.be/lB95KLmpLR4?si=vKPKWSVjCNTHxulx -The Accidental Billionaireshttps://amzn.to/4tJ6a8T -Social media and recent fallouthttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c747x7gz249o https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68161632 https://lite.cnn.com/2026/03/25/media/meta-google-social-media-verdict-advocates

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) was written and directed by Jacques Demy. Whether you call it off-beat, dreamy, or off-beat and dreamy, this whimsical musical is just the right movie to kick off spring thanks to its bright costumes, memorable set design, great dancing, and upbeat tunes. Plus, the situation with the sadistic killer will keep you guessing. Designer Radha Sachdev talks about what makes The Young Girls of Rochefort so memorable, and why it's worth watching not just once, but again and again.-Radha Sachdev is an independent designer working across timezones, helping brands create identities with unique design aesthetics, telling their story with a touch of humor and innovation that connects with audiences in an authentic way through beautiful and impactful results. Her favorite part of design is diving into the creative process with the clients, since the process is just as important as the end result. She created the custom logotype called Creative Roots for Datalily Studio's blog page, an incredible and fun collaborative experience with Amy and Jen Hood. Radha has a weakness and passion for film, as well as graphic design in film, specially the typography created for the set design in film or type you see in the street, such as Annie Atkin's work on The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). Teddy Blanks, who created the title card for Wuthering Heights (2026), is also one of her favorites. Radha has invented prop design projects just for fun, such as the Adore brand identity from Materialists (2025) and Florist Lily Bloom from It Ends with Us (2024).https://radhadesignstudio.xyz/ https://radhadesignstudio.xyz/adore/ https://radhadesignstudio.xyz/creativeroots/ https://www.datalily.com/blog-The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062873/https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/criterions-the-essential-jacques-demyhttps://www.indiewire.com/gallery/greta-gerwig-favorite-movies-film-recommendations/ -Other movies discussed:Chennai Express (2013)Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)La La Land (2016)Moulin Rouge! (2001)West Side Story (1961)

Fifty years ago, All the President's Men was released, starring Robert Redford as Bob Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein. The movie, written for the screen by William Goldman, dramatizes the research, legwork, and reporting done by The Washington Post's Woodward and Bernstein who exposed the Watergate scandal, shedding light on the corruption that stemmed from President Richard M. Nixon's Committee to Re-Elect the President, known as CREEP. In the movie, released in April 1976, Woodward and Bernstein come across as dedicated, scrappy, and fearless, at times they're even chummy. Designer, author, and teacher Michael Bierut praises William Goldman's screenwriting craft, not only in All the President's Men but also in another Goldman buddy movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid which starred Robert Redford alongside Paul Newman. We also discuss Zodiac, The Post, The Social Network, and movies by Charles and Ray Eames. This episode appeared on Season 1 of the show in 2024.-Michael Bierut graduated from the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning in 1980 with highest honors. He worked at the office of Lella and Massimo Vignelli for a decade. In 1990, Bierut became a partner in the New York office of Pentagram designing for Mastercard, Slack, Verizon, Benetton, Disney, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, among a long list of other clients. He designed the “H” logo during Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and presidential run, and also the typographic inscription for the Obama Presidential Center. Beginning in 2024, he shifted into an alternate role at Pentagram, an advisory role, titled Consulting Partner on his LinkedIn. Bierut has earned numerous accolades, was elected to the Alliance Graphique Internationale in 1989, received the AIGA Medal, and won the Design Mind category of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards. In addition to being a designer, he has been lecturer at the Yale School of Management and senior critic at the Yale School of Art. An accomplished author, Bierut is co-editor of the five-volume design series of books, Looking Closer: Critical Writings on Graphic Design and he co-founded the site Design Observer. Find more of his writing in these books: 79 Short Essays on Design (2007), How to use graphic design to sell things, explain things, make things look better, make people laugh, make people cry and (every once in a while) change the world (2015 and 2021), and Now You See It and Other Essays on Design (2017). Be sure to check out Bierut in Gary Hustwit's 2007 documentary Helvetica.https://www.pentagram.com/about/michael-bierut https://www.instagram.com/p/DLIJ4FzAR3U/ https://www.fastcompany.com/91265497/the-incomparable-michael-bierut-steps-downhttps://99percentinvisible.org/episode/655-exit-interview-with-michael-bierut/ -All the President's Men (1976)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074119 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074119/releaseinfo/ -Nixon, Watergatehttps://visit.archives.gov/whats-on/explore-exhibits/president-resigns-50-years-later https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/american_originals/nixon.html https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/exhibits/watergate-files -Other movies and shows discussed:Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)The Conversation (1974)The French Connection (1971)The Godfather (1972)Keepers of the Magic (2016)Marathon Man (1976)The Post (2017)The Princess Bride (1987)The Social Network (2010)When Harry Met Sally (1989)The X-Files (1993-2018)Zodiac (2007)

Tom Muller talks about Highlander, its poster design and home video release, and shares tips for organizing old school cassette libraries. This episode appeared on Season 1 of the show in 2024.-Tom Muller is an award-winning designer and creative director at helloMuller, and has made an impact on the cultural landscape with narrative-driven design and brand storytelling, creating compelling identities and experiences. Tom's radical and visionary re-design for Marvel's X-Men identity, a new visual language that included wordmarks and typography, helped launch 2019's groundbreaking HOUSE OF X and POWERS OF X. He's also designed for entertainment giants DC and Disney, tech pioneers like Google and Gearbox Software, as well as Wired magazine, Skydance New Media, and Wizards of the Coast.https://www.hellomuller.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hellomuller/ https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/tom-muller-designing-evolution-x-logo/ https://www.printmag.com/comics-animation-design/behind-design-the-weatherman/ -Highlander (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091203/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/08/movies/screen-highlander-with-sean-connery.html-Other movies discussed:Conan the Barbarian (1982)Highlander II (1991)Ladyhawke (1985)The Old Guard (2020)Time Bandits (1981)Wolfen (1981)

Chris Rubino talks about his work on film and television titles and graphics, and analyzes Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, based on Arthur Schnitzler's Traumnovelle. Are Dr. William (Cruise) and his wife Alice (Kidman) in the middle of a nightmare or dream, or dealt a terrible hand of horrors in real life? We also talk about the supporting cast, from Marion to Mandy, and touch on the essay, "A Front Row Seat as an Actress in Eyes Wide Shut Reinforces How Much It Anticipated the Epstein Scandal" written by Julienne Davis who portrays Mandy in Eyes Wide Shut.-Chris Rubino is a New York based director who runs an independent creative studio specializing in visual and conceptual solutions for film and television titling, as well as graphics, plus branding and direction for hospitality and spirits video.https://www.chrisrubino.com https://www.chrisrubino.com/4am https://www.chrisrubino.com/work/reel https://www.instagram.com/p/DPRJhQDDqPQ/ -Eyes Wide Shut (1999)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/fullcredits/ Traumnovelle (1926) by Arthur Schnitzler, basis for Kubrick's moviehttps://amzn.to/4seF4pP -Julienne Davis, Mandy in Eyes Wide Shut, on Kubrick's movie and the Epstein scandalhttps://www.nysun.com/article/a-front-row-seat-as-an-actress-in-eyes-wide-shut-reinforced-how-much-it-anticipated-the-epstein-scandal https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204924/ -Nicole Kidman on divorce, high heelshttps://youtu.be/tashAHo7s3U?si=wjQtzcpnNtMiOB9I&t=13-Other movies and shows discussed:2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)Barry Lyndon (1975)Blue Valentine (2010)The Handmade's Tale (2017-2025)Michael Clayton (2007)The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)Roofman (2025)The Shining (1980)The Testaments (2026-)

In this bonus episode, designer, author, educator, curator, artist, and pioneering podcast host Debbie Millman talks about Arrival (2016). And then, special guest Zipeng Zhu joins the show to talk about creativity, and why trust is an important part of learning, growing, and improving. Plus, learn about the roles that communication and romance play in Arrival.-Debbie Millman is host of the pioneering podcast Design Matters. Fast Company called her "one of the most creative people in business" and Graphic Design USA called her "one of the most influential designers working today." She's a "woman of influence" as Success Magazine has said, building a career at the intersection of design, storytelling, and cultural commentary. As the founder and host of Design Matters, one of the first and longest-running podcasts in the world, she's interviewed more than 700 of the world's most creative thinkers and makers, having earned the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, multiple Webby awards and Ambie nominations, and numerous accolades from Apple Podcasts who named Design Matters one of their "All-Time Favorites" three times. Debbie worked on the concept and design of the vault plate that's aboard NASA's Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter's moon. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Magazine, The Baffler, The New York Review of Books, and Fast Company. The author of two books of illustrated essays, plus author of eight books, she's also Editorial Director of PrintMag.com which she co-owns, Debbie and her business partners rescued the publication from bankruptcy in 2019, preserving its 80-year legacy. Debbie and her wife, best-selling author Roxane Gay, recently acquired The Rumpus. Debbie lives in New York City and Los Angeles with her beautiful wife, two lovable cats and a very charismatic dog.https://www.printmag.com/author/debbie-millman/https://www.instagram.com/debbiemillman/https://designmattersmedia.com/https://apple.co/designmattershttps://debbiemillman.com/https://therumpus.net/-Zipeng Zhu is a Chinese-born artist, designer, educator, and founder of the award-winning creative studio Dazzle in New York City. He wants to make every day a razzle-dazzle musical and has collaborated with iconic brands such as Apple, Adidas, Adobe, Coca-Cola, Instagram, MTV, Microsoft, Netflix, The New York Times, The New Yorker magazine, Samsung and Uber. His work has been exhibited at major museums and institutions in cities all over the world, including New York, Barcelona, Dubai, Shanghai, Beijing, and Mumbai. Zipeng dedicates his days running both the Dazzle Studio and merch shop Dazzle Supply, bringing his dazzling design to clients and fans around the globe.https://dazzle.studio/-Arrival (2016)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/‍ ‍-Other movies discussed:Gravity (2013)Interstellar (2014)The Tree of Life (2011)

Debbie Millman, designer, author, educator, curator, artist, and pioneering podcast host, joins Designers On Film to talk about Arrival (2016), a movie that has all the ingredients to keep you engaged and make you curious about life on this planet, or life beyond this planet. Amy Adams is Louise Banks, Jeremy Renner is Ian Donnelly, and together they're brought into a government operation to understand, analyze, and hopefully communicate with visitors from another planet. In addition to sharing everything about the movie that she loves, Debbie also talks about how science has been an integral part of her own life, why she believes in alien lifeforms, and ponders big questions about language, love, and time.-Debbie Millman is host of the pioneering podcast Design Matters. Fast Company called her "one of the most creative people in business" and Graphic Design USA called her "one of the most influential designers working today." She's a "woman of influence" as Success Magazine has said, building a career at the intersection of design, storytelling, and cultural commentary. As the founder and host of Design Matters, one of the first and longest-running podcasts in the world, she's interviewed more than 700 of the world's most creative thinkers and makers, having earned the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, multiple Webby awards and Ambie nominations, and numerous accolades from Apple Podcasts who named Design Matters one of their "All-Time Favorites" three times. Debbie worked on the concept and design of the vault plate that's aboard NASA's Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter's moon. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Magazine, The Baffler, The New York Review of Books, and Fast Company. The author of two books of illustrated essays, plus author of eight books, she's also Editorial Director of PrintMag.com which she co-owns, Debbie and her business partners rescued the publication from bankruptcy in 2019, preserving its 80-year legacy. Debbie and her wife, best-selling author Roxane Gay, recently acquired The Rumpus. Debbie lives in New York City and Los Angeles with her beautiful wife, two lovable cats and a very charismatic dog.https://www.printmag.com/author/debbie-millman/https://www.instagram.com/debbiemillman/https://designmattersmedia.com/https://apple.co/designmattershttps://debbiemillman.com/https://therumpus.net/-Zipeng Zhu is a Chinese-born artist, designer, educator, and founder of the award-winning creative studio Dazzle in New York City. He wants to make every day a razzle-dazzle musical and has collaborated with iconic brands such as Apple, Adidas, Adobe, Coca-Cola, Instagram, MTV, Microsoft, Netflix, The New York Times, The New Yorker magazine, Samsung and Uber. His work has been exhibited at major museums and institutions in cities all over the world, including New York, Barcelona, Dubai, Shanghai, Beijing, and Mumbai. Zipeng dedicates his days running both the Dazzle Studio and merch shop Dazzle Supply, bringing his dazzling design to clients and fans around the globe.https://dazzle.studio/-Arrival (2016)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/‍ ‍https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5384213/‍ ‍Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chianghttps://amzn.to/4rfSiBk‍ ‍-Other movies, shows, and books discussed:Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)Contact (1997)Interstellar (2014) The Twilight Zone, S3.E24: To Serve Man (1962)

In this bonus episode, hear more from Zipeng Zhu who talks about his design philosophy and methodology, the importance of sprinkling magic dust on top of things, and why swiping up and down and hoping for the best isn't the best design approach. We also talk about manga and manifestation, creating work that you can touch or work that touches people, and be sure to listen to the end, you'll hear us planning a Zoom Drop-In to surprise an upcoming guest.-Zipeng Zhu is a Chinese-born artist, designer, educator, and founder of the award-winning creative studio Dazzle in New York City. He wants to make every day a razzle-dazzle musical and has collaborated with iconic brands such as Apple, Adidas, Adobe, Coca-Cola, Instagram, MTV, Microsoft, Netflix, The New York Times, The New Yorker magazine, Samsung and Uber. His work has been exhibited at major museums and institutions in cities all over the world, including New York, Barcelona, Dubai, Shanghai, Beijing, and Mumbai. Zipeng dedicates his days running both the Dazzle Studio and merch shop Dazzle Supply, bringing his dazzling design to clients and fans around the globe.https://dazzle.studio/https://dazzle.supply/ https://x.com/zzdesign https://www.instagram.com/zzdesign https://sva.edu/features/sva-creators-zipeng-zhu-makes-exuberant-designs-that-leave-you-dazzled -Amélie (2001)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/‍ ‍-Other movies, shows, and books discussed:Akira (manga, 1982-1990)Chicago (2002)Harry Potter (2001-2011)Naruto (manga, 1999-2014)One Piece (manga, 1997-)Sailor Moon (manga, 1991-1997)Shōnen Jump (manga, 1968-)

Nikki Villagomez knows a thing or two about fonts, not only because she's a designer but also because she's a published author and historian who loves typography. In addition to learning about her books Culture+Typography: Examples in Font Pairings and also the sold out Culture+Typography: How Culture Affects Typography, hear why Pretty in Pink means so much to her. Plus, we touch on Miami Vice, the Brat Pack documentary called Brats (2024), Mondrian, and hair gel. This episode appeared on Season 1 of the show in 2024.-Nikki Villagomez is a nationally recognized speaker on typography, and a graduate of Louisiana State University with a BFA in Graphic Design. After working as a designer in New York City, she moved to her home state of South Carolina where she became a full-time freelancer. She's the founder and former president of the South Carolina chapter of AIGA, has been an educator teaching Graphic Design and Typography at the University of South Carolina and the University of Akron, and lives in Charlotte, NC. Learn more at her blog, culture+typography, online since 2012.https://nikkivillagomez.wordpress.com/https://nikkivillagomez.wordpress.com/my-book/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-villagomez/-Pretty in Pink (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091790/

Zipeng Zhu talks about his time studying design in New York and learning from Debbie Millman. He also gives thanks to all the amazing people who helped him on his creative journey, including Jessica Walsh who loves the movie Amélie as much as Zipeng. Amélie lives in a world unto herself, full of imagination and creativity, but she's kind and gives back to others, creating joy in a variety of ways.-Zipeng Zhu is a Chinese-born artist, designer, educator, and founder of the award-winning creative studio Dazzle in New York City. He wants to make every day a razzle-dazzle musical and has collaborated with iconic brands such as Apple, Adidas, Adobe, Coca-Cola, Instagram, MTV, Microsoft, Netflix, The New York Times, The New Yorker magazine, Samsung and Uber. His work has been exhibited at major museums and institutions in cities all over the world, including New York, Barcelona, Dubai, Shanghai, Beijing, and Mumbai. Zipeng dedicates his days running both the Dazzle Studio and merch shop Dazzle Supply, bringing his dazzling design to clients and fans around the globe.https://dazzle.studio/https://dazzle.supply/ https://x.com/zzdesign https://www.instagram.com/zzdesign https://sva.edu/features/sva-creators-zipeng-zhu-makes-exuberant-designs-that-leave-you-dazzled -Amélie (2001)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/‍ ‍https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yy0dc-mzTM https://www.npr.org/2001/11/02/1132568/amelie https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210916-amlie-the-most-stylish-film-ever-made

Sam Potts talks about his comfort movie, Miracle starring Kurt Russell and Patricia Clarkson. Based on real life events, Miracle tells the story of the American hockey team and the 1980 Olympics Miracle on Ice. Russell plays Coach Herb Brooks, who leads the underdog American hockey team on a challenging journey and through rigorous training and a series of wins, they eventually face the seemingly invincible Soviet Union team. We also discuss the Cold War backdrop looming over the characters and events in the movie, teamwork on and off the ice, and how teamwork and accountability are a part of the design world.-Sam Potts has over two decades of graphic design experience across print and digital media. He brings humanity and personality to a project using voice, elegance, and intelligence to solve visual communication problems, taking the long view while also attending to the details. From his first job editing college textbooks to his wide-ranging career as a graphic/ux designer, the thread that runs through everything is a search for meaningful expression, whether the task at hand is a book jacket, a digital experience, or a hardware store for superheroes that's also a writing center for kids. Sam was the original UX/UI designer (first designer on the Games team) for The New York Times Crossword app. He created signage, packaging, posters, books, branding, and websites for the original Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. and 826NYC. And designed the book and jacket for all three of John Hodgman's humorous books of complete world knowledge. You may have also seen his complete branding of the Independent Film Channel's flagship theater in New York for their IFC Center. When he's not working as a designer, Sam plays left wing for the Geri-Hat-Tricks in his local beer league.https://sampottsinc.com/‍ ‍https://sampottsinc.com/present_tense/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzsbfltdFM-Miracle (2004)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0349825/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd0_Dm2xlEM‍ ‍-The 1984 USA vs USSR Miracle on Icehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR56GJ05IMs&t=5224s‍ ‍https://www.si.com/olympics/2014/10/28/reminder-what-we-can-be-1980-us-olympic-hockey-team-si-60‍ ‍-Other movies and shows discussed:American Flyers (1985)Breaking Away (1979)Hoosiers (1986)Of Miracles and Men (2015) Quicksilver (1986)Red Army (2014) -Art, books, design, shops discussed:Breaking Away poster, affiliate linkhttps://amzn.to/4a3H9x2Frenchtown Bookshophttps://www.frenchtownbookshop.com/

Brand expert, author, internationally recognized designer, and TEDx speaker Kevin Finn joins the show to talk about Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, Brion James, and Joanna Cassidy. Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is brought back to an elite unit that hunts and retires rogue Replicants, bioengineered beings virtually identical to humans but often used for slave labor. We also discuss the movies Alien and Aliens, as well as Blade Runner 2049 and Barry Lyndon.-Kevin Finn is a brand expert, author, internationally recognized branding designer and TEDx speaker. Having begun his career in Dublin, he later moved to Sydney, where he became Joint-Creative Director of Saatchi Design, part of the Saatchi & Saatchi global network. From 2003-2018 he wrote, edited, and published the independent design journal, Open Manifesto, which included interviews, essays, and conversations with some of the most influential designers and global thinkers, including: Michael Bierut, Milton Glaser, Jessica Walsh, Edward de Bono, Noam Chomsky, ex-CIA operative Larry J. Kolb, and Neil Harbisson, a real-life cyborg, among many others. During a time when weblogs and Tumblrs had overtaken the design landscape Open Manifesto's print publication was a refreshing approach. In 2022, Open Manifesto, An Anthology was published by Formist. In 2007, Finn founded his independent design practice, TheSumOf, in remote Australia before moving to Brisbane in 2010, where he now lives and works. His award-winning book Brand Principles: How to be a 21st Century Brand was published in 2022. He is also founder and creator of DESIGNerd, the trivia app where the most influential designers test your knowledge and share theirs. Finn acknowledges Australia's First Peoples as the original knowledge holders of the Country, paying respect to Elders, both past and present. https://thesumof.com.au/ https://designerd.global/ https://www.instagram.com/just.kevin.finn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-finn-3aa8a33/ -Blade Runner (1982)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/ https://collider.com/blade-runner-tears-in-rain-monologue/ https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/inspiration/hong-kong/welcome-ridleyville-hong-kong-inspired-blade-runner.html -Other movies and shows discussed:Alien (1979)Alien: Earth (2025-)Aliens (1986)Barry Lyndon (1975)Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

The 2013 movie Her, written and directed by Spike Jonze, stars Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, and Rooney Mara. We see Phoenix as Theodore living an isolated life, occasionally recalling his marriage to Catherine played by Mara. The movie explores loneliness, love, and divorce, as well as technology. When Theodore acquires a new, advanced operating system that is able to relate to him and communicate with him, the Samantha artificial intelligence changes his life. Weber Wong joins the show to talk about the 2013 movie, and we also discuss FLORA, a professional creative tool with all the best text, image, and video AI models on one infinite canvas. Weber started building FLORA to help him make his own art projects at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, a graduate program focused on using technology to make art. -Weber Wong is the Founder and CEO of FLORA, a professional creative tool with all the best text, image and video AI models on one infinite canvas, which you can connect these together to concept rapidly and build scalable generative media workflows to accelerate your creative workflows. FLORA's aim is to build a creative operating system for the creative team of the future. Since FLORA launched their product, it has been used by hundreds of world-class creative teams (such as Pentagram, Publicis, Denstu, Lionsgate) to accelerate their creative workflows for branding, marketing, and VFX. Weber started building FLORA to help him make his own art projects at NYU ITP, a graduate program focused on using technology to make art. Weber has also been an investor at Menlo Ventures before his forays into creative technology.https://flora.ai/https://weberwong.cargo.site/https://x.com/weberwongwonghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/weberwong/-Her (2013)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709https://www.facebook.com/herthemovie-Other movies and shows discussed:Blade Runner (1982)

Greetings, Programs! Designer, writer, curator, and historian Tim Lapetino, who's the Creative Director at Atari, shares insights about Tron: Ares, which tells the story of two tech giants battling for digital dominance. We also talk about video games, the fantastic Nine Inch Nails music, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel comics, Alien, and artificial intelligence.-Tim Lapetino is an award-winning designer and author who has helped brands tell their stories through design and writing. Tim enjoys working with geeky brands and their passionate fans, telling stories and inspiring generations of collectors, creators, programmers, tastemakers, and artists. His best-selling book, Art of Atari, has been published in four languages, and his writing appears in publications worldwide. https://www.timlapetino.com/https://www.instagram.com/timlapetino/https://www.linkedin.com/in/timlapetino/-Tron: Ares (2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6604188/-Other movies and shows discussed:Alien (1979)Alien: Earth (2025)Batman Beyond (1999-2001)The Mandalorian (2019-)Oblivion (2013)Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)Tron (1982)Tron: Legacy (2010)Tron: Uprising (2012)

Greetings, Programs! Meet designer, writer, curator, and historian Tim Lapetino, who's the Creative Director at Atari. Armed with a passion for digital and visual culture, Tim shares insights about 1982's Tron, its production, sequels, and video games. We also discuss WarGames, classic sci-fi, artificial intelligence, and The Big Lebowski. This episode was originally released for our 1st Season in July 2024 and during this recording, Tim was working on a Visual History of Tron book, in mid-pitch mode.-Tim Lapetino is an award-winning designer and author who has helped brands tell their stories through design and writing. Tim enjoys working with geeky brands and their passionate fans, telling stories and inspiring generations of collectors, creators, programmers, tastemakers, and artists. His best-selling book, Art of Atari, has been published in four languages, and his writing appears in publications worldwide. https://www.timlapetino.com/ https://www.instagram.com/timlapetino/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/timlapetino/ -Tron (1982)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084827/ https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/09/movies/disney-tron.html -Other movies and shows discussed:The Big Lebowski (1998)The Black Hole (1979)The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)Photo Tronology (2011)The Shining (1980)Time After Time (1979)Time Bandits (1981)Tron: Ares (2025)Tron: Legacy (2010)Tron: Uprising (2012-2013)WarGames (1983)

Designing a rave requires planning and patience, it also requires a vision. Get the proper space, the best DJs, and electronic dance music (EDM) that gets people dancing all night and into the early morning, until the last record spins. It's all captured in the movie Groove (2000) which Michael Sinanan fell in love with after the first viewing, not only because EDM has the beats that keep his design process going, but the movie also inspired him to become a DJ himself. Michael talks about what makes the movie so iconic, and touches on the current club and dance culture, from musical tastes, to ticketing and admission, to people being distracted by their phones.-Designer Michael Sinanan loves searching for the big idea, creating visuals and visual worlds that fascinate people, pulling them into a unique experience full of wondrous layers and textures. Based in Toronto, he's the creative director running Brainmetal Design and his 20 years of experience shape impactful visual communications that connect meaningfully with target audiences, aligning with marketing and business objectives. He's insatiably curious about AI and like technology itself, Michael is constantly evolving but always puts clarity and strong visual impact first. Whether building a brand, telling a story, navigating change, or spinning as a DJ, Michael moves with purpose, asks the right questions, and pursues excellence.https://www.brainmetaldesign.com/https://www.instagram.com/brainmetaldesign/https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-sinanan-3336a86/-Groove (2000)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212974/-Other movies and shows discussed:Clerks (1994)Friday (1995)Go (1999)House Party (1990) Last Days of Disco (1998)Night at the Roxbury (1998)Singles (1992)Swingers (1996)

Omar Diaz and Manny Colon, who work together as handfellas, bring iconic movie moments to life with custom-made puppets, cardboard props, creature designs, and special effects magic. Their puppet-powered parodies include The Matrix, Pulp Fiction, Jaws, and just in time for the holidays, Die Hard. The team brings unapologetic comedy, vintage puppet vibes, and handcrafted absurdity right to your eyeballs, through painstaking craft and an insatiable curiosity.https://www.instagram.com/handfellas/https://www.youtube.com/@HandFellashttps://www.patreon.com/handfellas/-Die Hard (1988)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095016/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_Lasts_Forever_(Thorp_novel) -Die Hard by handfellashttps://www.instagram.com/p/DSeWijfDrgA/https://www.instagram.com/p/DSjZ1ufjtT3/https://www.instagram.com/p/DSoOnJqjsoS/https://www.instagram.com/p/DSoiz4ujsFs/-James Cameron named Die Hard his favorite action movie during Stephen Colbert's "Questionert."https://youtu.be/7x3Gp2yXuxw&t=354‍ ‍-Other movies and shows discussed:The Dark KnightThe Fifth ElementGoodfellasIndependence DayJawsJurassic ParkLast Action HeroPsychoPulp FictionStaying AliveThe TerminatorTop GunThe Wizard of Oz

What's the best book-to-film adaptation, and could it be Die Hard? Sean McCaul, of Citizen By Design, calls the Bruce Willis action flick his favorite movie. And Sean is in great company, James Cameron has called Die Hard HIS favorite action movie. We also discuss Frank Lloyd Wright, terrorism, Moonlighting and Blind Date, plus 1994's The Crow. For good measure, we get into Batman and Robin and how the comic book detectives connect to Die Hard with a Vengeance, as well as Se7en. Plus, because villains are fun, we touch on Wicked and Cruella. This episode was originally released for Season 1, in July 2024.-Sean McCaul, of Citizen By Design, is a brand-focused creative who helps people bring ideas to life, crafting brands that make businesses stand out.https://citizenbydesign.com/ https://www.instagram.com/citizenbydesign/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/citizenbydesign/ -Die Hard (1988)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095016/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_Lasts_Forever_(Thorp_novel) -James Cameron named Die Hard his favorite action movie during Stephen Colbert's "Questionert."https://youtu.be/7x3Gp2yXuxw&t=354‍ ‍-Other movies and shows discussed:Avengers: EndgameBatman and Robin Blind DateThe CrowCruellaDeath Becomes HerDie Hard with a Vengeance First BloodPredatorPulp FictionSe7enWicked

This episode is dedicated to Michele Singer Reiner and Rob Reiner, and was originally released for our 1st Season in February 2025. The Princess Bride, based on William Goldmans book with a screenplay by William Goldman, is directed by Rob Reiner. "Romance, comedy, suspense, pirates, mystery, and a quest all blended into a single, action-packed movie? Inconceivable!" No, Vizzini, it exists, and it's The Princess Bride.-Mónica Malavé is a marketing and branding strategist, and CEO of Elevate It Now. Originally from Puerto Rico, she has a passion for design, marketing, and all things creative and is a big believer in "people helping people." Her specialties include branding, social media management, technical and creative marketing, and innovative marketing strategies. She's an Adobe Express Ambassador and also a Marketing Mentor with the American Marketing Association, DC Chapter. A big fan of movies, including but not limited to 2015's Cinderella, Michael Keaton movies like Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously, and Batman, she suggested we discuss The Princess Bride, a true gem of a movie.https://www.elevateitnow.com/about-us/‍ ‍https://www.instagram.com/elevateitnow/‍ ‍https://www.threads.net/@elevateitnow‍ ‍-The Princess Bride (1987)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/‍ ‍https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/characters/nm0001597/ https://youtu.be/XCHKYNFH9Lk?si=zcmBVNdsKLMUXTib‍ ‍https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/06/the-princess-bride-homemade-fan-film‍ ‍https://ew.com/movies/2019/09/18/princess-bride-remake-jamie-lee-curtis-cary-elwes/ https://www.npr.org/2025/12/15/nx-s1-5644924/rob-reiner-dead-movies-when-harry-met-sally-stand-by-me-princess-bride‍ ‍https://deadline.com/gallery/the-princess-bride-cast-rob-reiner-tribute/ https://parade.com/news/video-of-rob-reiner-and-father-carl-reiner-recreating-the-princess-bride-goes-viral

Dr. George Ellis, who in addition to being a urologist, is a producer making films, getting them into festivals where he's won plenty of awards. We talk about filmmaking as equal parts design thinking and social experimentation, and why as a producer it's important to have a methodical approach. We discuss his new film Mortal Sin, why theaters matter, and we touch on the Warner Brothers and Netflix deal.-George Ellis, MD is an award-winning filmmaker who has won multiple awards through his production company Coronado Beach Productions at several film festivals. Most recently, George's film Starstruck was selected to be shown at the Central Florida FIlm Festival. George also recently won awards at the Tampa Bay Underground film festival and won the award for best Indie Short Film at the New York Movie Awards for his film The Eden Trials. George's surf documentary, Apres Surf also received an honorable mention at the Jollywood Film Festival. George is currently working on his next film, Mortal Sin and was also a co-producer on the award-winning short film Parallel Lives, which came out in 2024. George is an American Physician and Urologic Surgeon, and has been published numerous times in the scientific literature and now dedicates his medical skills to the under-insured as a volunteer. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm15501484/ https://coronadobeachproductions.com/ https://youtu.be/FH36AiDPNnE?si=WcfuL48wb-plUw7s -United Artistshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Artists‍ ‍https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/february-5/united-artists-created -Other movies and shows discussed:The Eden TrialsStarstruckTed Lasso

"It came for the thrill of the hunt. It picked the wrong man to hunt." Predator (1987) features Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham, and was directed by John McTiernan (who also directed 1988's Die Hard). One by one, the predator hunts and massacres soldiers, and eventually kills a rescue team led by Schwarzenegger's Dutch. Today's guest was so fascinated by the movie that watching it wasn't enough, he had to bring it into the real world, as a playable table-top game. Jesse Shoffstall is a graphic designer who received his design degree from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. When he's not doing design work, playing games, or re-watching 1987's Predator, you'll find Jesse sitting quietly, listening to death metal through his AirPods.-Jesse Shoffstall is a graphic designer who's been dedicated to creating honest work that inspires others to fully embrace their unique interests, desires, and obsessions in the same way that his own passions have inspired him. In addition to being a designer at Social Design House in South Carolina, Jesse is a collector of hobbies, a proud generalist, and accomplished photographer, and he has a sense of humor and loves fantasy table-top games, stories, and movies. He received his design degree from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. When he's not doing design work, playing games, or re-watching 1987's Predator, you'll find Jesse sitting quietly listening to death metal through his AirPods.https://www.instagram.com/jesse.shoffstall/ https://www.jesseshoffstall.com/work/ptom‍ ‍https://www.socialdesignhouse.com/‍ ‍-Predator (1987)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093773/‍ ‍-Alien, the stage playhttps://youtu.be/dd8WsQTDdOk -Alien, Flight of the Nostromo gamehttps://amzn.to/4rGqGGZ -ET, Light Years from Home gamehttps://amzn.to/448E8cL -The Thing Infection at Outpost 31 gamehttps://amzn.to/4oDY8LF‍ ‍-Universal Monsters game https://amzn.to/44er4m5 -Other movies and shows discussed:Alien (1979)Alien: Earth (2025-)Alien: Romulus (2024)Aliens (1986)Alien v Predator (2004)Alien v Predator: Requiem (2007)Jurassic Park (1993)The Predator (2018)Predator: Badlands (2025)Predators (2010)-URLs for products sold on Amazon are affiliate links

What am I thankful for this holiday season? Dan Trachtenberg's Prey from 2022. Diane Faye Zerr, who has never been a Predator fan, talks about how much she enjoyed 2022's Prey, savoring every minute of Naru in action, "She doesn't have assault rifles, she doesn't have grenades," says Diane. We also talk about the next movie in the saga, the recently released Predator: Badlands, starring Elle Fanning. Plus, dogs in movies, rights of passage for heroes, sequels as pure money makers, 1979's Alien, the erstwhile smoking sections in theaters, and Alien: Earth. This episode was recorded in October 2024, released last year for Season 1.-Diane is a graphic designer specializing in lettering and illustration. Her hand-drawn designs have been seen in Inked magazine and Tattoos for Women magazine, and various websites dedicated to outstanding stationery designs. Get 50% off of everything in her Etsy shop until Monday Dec. 1st, 2025.https://fayeandco.etsy.com-Prey (2022)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11866324 https://amzn.to/4rgVLRn (affiliate link)https://www.emmys.com/shows/prey -Predator DVD 4-movie collectionhttps://amzn.to/3M2S1Tr (affiliate link)-Other movies and shows discussed:Alien (1979)Alien: Earth (2025)Predator (1987)Predator: Badlands (2025)

The 2025 Predator: Badlands movie takes the Predator and Yautja mythology into a new, unforeseen realm. Dek, who's ridiculed, persecuted, and then banished from his family, winds up on a strange planet where he befriends a synthetic organism played by Elle Fanning, known as Thia. She has a punk look with a new wave, futuristic charm. Thia and Dek team up to battle monsters and the greedy, evil Weyland-Yutani Corporation, with Elle playing a second synthetic organism known as Tessa. Susie Glass, makeup designer on Badlands, talks about the concepts behind the characters, early mornings on set, the importance of teamwork, and why caring for the actors is of the utmost importance.-Susie Glass is a New Zealand-born hair and makeup designer based in Auckland who's become known for her versatility and leadership with a portfolio that includes feature films, streaming series, and high-end television. With over 30 years of experience, she's dedicated herself to high-quality storytelling and strong craft skills, meeting a variety of demands across a range of genres and screens. As makeup designer on Predator: Badlands, Susie and her team brought a variety of characters to life, from rough ideas to proof of concept to production, including but not limited to synths Thia and Tessa, portrayed by Elle Fanning. Susie is a three-time New Zealand Film and Television Award winner, and her art, craft, and design reflect a dedication to collaboration and storytelling, and most importantly, an understanding of the unique demands of screen work at the highest levels. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322007/https://www.instagram.com/susiesparkle67/-Predator: Badlands (2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31227572/-Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36463894/-Prey (2022)https://www.emmys.com/shows/prey-Other movies and shows discussed:Alien: EarthA Rainy Day in New York (2019)

In the 2016 documentary The Happy Film, designer Stefan Sagmeister started the film's creative process with one set of expectations and ultimately became a co-director who took multiple risks, and suffered a tremendous loss. During the filmmaking, co-director Hillman Curtis passed away. Stefan's movie about happiness not only forces us to look at his life but also our own lives with a fresh perspective, and it teaches us the importance of coping with harsh, tragic, and unforeseen realities.-Stefan Sagmeister is an Austrian designer living and working in New York. He received his MFA from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, and as a Fulbright Scholar he earned his MFA in communication design from The Pratt Institute. In 2025 he received an honorary degree from Pratt, the Doctor of Fine Arts, for being a creative and innovative leader in the field. He's also been honored by the AIGA, received a National Design Award from the the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and exhibited his solo and collaborative designs internationally. Early in his career, Stefan brought new life to music packaging with his memorable, interactive designs for albums by the Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and David Byrne, among others, winning two Grammy Awards. His work is in multiple permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, and he is the author of "Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far" a blend of visual whimsy, serious plan, and sound advice. https://sagmeister.com/‍ ‍https://www.grammy.com/artists/stefan-sagmeister/9972‍ ‍https://www.moma.org/artists/30682-stefan-sagmeister‍ ‍-The Happy Film (2016)rent/buy @ Amazonhttps://amzn.to/3WIdnb6‍ ‍https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5134870/‍ ‍-Sagmeister's "Now Is Better"https://amzn.to/4hP4J49‍ ‍-Sagmeister's "Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far"https://amzn.to/49UmPzD‍ ‍-Other movies and shows discussed:Comedian (2002)

Movies and guests coming soon! Stefan Sagmeister who talks about his documentary The Happy Film (2006), plus plenty of other awesome guests COMING SOON!Get ready for upcoming episodes. WATCH NOW!The Happy Film (2016) with Stefan Sagmeister-https://sagmeister.com/rent or purchase The Happy Film @ Amazonhttps://amzn.to/3WIdnb6Amelie (2002) with Zipeng Zhu-https://www.instagram.com/zzdesign/rent or purchase Amelie @ Amazonhttps://amzn.to/3LrsvY0Then, our next episodes, listed alphabetically.Blade Runner (1982) with Kevin Finn-https://thesumof.com.au/Arrival (2006) with Debbie Millman-https://designmattersmedia.com/Her (2013) with Weber Wong-https://weberwong.cargo.site/Moon (2009) with Andy Pratt-https://andyprattdesign.com/Tron (1982) with Tim LapetinoTron: Ares (2025) with Tim Lapetino-https://www.instagram.com/timlapetino/

In a previous episode, illustrator and graphic designer Daisy Koenig talked about what makes David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) so appealing, and explained why the movie is always on a constant rotation in the back of her mind. In this bonus episode, she talks about other Cronenberg movies that have left a mark.-Daisy Koenig, a graduate of Winthrop University's design program, is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer based in Charleston, SC. She just finished painting her first mural for the software engineering company Modus21 and continues to illustrate for a variety of clients.https://daisykoenig.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisykoe/https://www.instagram.com/daisykoenigart/-The Fly (1986) with Daisy Koenig [full episode]https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YBTXs0kpX7wGfIxQbHRnl?si=gxVVTLj7Qc-tRtXlLeeS4ghttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/designers-on-film/id1758203056?i=1000734355230https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3fbee5b6-f988-436f-889e-0d740fd8969d/episodes/705466c1-ea73-425f-aabc-a2d4a75069b9/designers-on-film-the-fly-1986-with-daisy-koenig-The Fly (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091064/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906901/awards/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Langelaanhttps://www.criterion.com/current/posts/8971-mutation-as-metaphor-body-horror-s-visceral-transformationshttps://collider.com/the-fly-david-cronenberg-production-history-explained/https://ew.com/movies/2018/10/23/the-fly-mel-brooks-david-cronenberg/https://www.slashfilm.com/887903/david-cronenberg-and-mel-brooks-had-very-different-visions-for-the-fly-2/-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listChallengers (2024)Crash (1996)Crimes of the Future (2022)Dead Ringers (1988)The Fly II (1989)Multiplicity (1996)Saltburn (2023)Scanners (1981)Videodrome (1983)

David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) stars Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a brilliant scientist who creates a teleportation process using telepods. Geena Davis, who was Goldblum's real-life partner during the filming, plays the ambitious journalist Veronica who falls in love with Brundle. Coming in at approximately an hour and 36 minutes, Cronenberg's remake of the 1958 movie (which was based on a 1957 short story) packs a lot in, getting right to the mad scientist's lab then plenty of body horror, experiments with flesh, and a bizarre transformation. Brundle, who teleports himself during a drunken pity party, did so with a fly on board. Since the computer doesn't know what to do with these two separate entities, it fuses them, resulting in Brundlefly, and utter tragedy. Daisy Koenig, a graduate of Winthrop University's design program, talks about what makes Cronenberg's The Fly so memorable and why unhappy endings are the best kind.-Daisy Koenig, a graduate of Winthrop University's design program, is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer based in Charleston, SC. She just finished painting her first mural for the software engineering company Modus21 and continues to illustrate for a variety of clients.https://daisykoenig.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisykoe/https://www.instagram.com/daisykoenigart/-The Fly (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091064/https://people.com/movies/geena-davis-says-short-marriage-jeff-goldblum-was-magical-exclusive/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000343/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0486228/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Langelaan-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listAlien (1979)Beetlejuice (1988)The Brood (1979)Call Me by Your Name (2017)Cosmopolis (2012)Dead Ringers (1988)eXistenZ (1999)The Fly (1958)Frankenstein (2025)The Fury (1978)Hereditary (2018)Hostel (2005)The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)Saw (2004)Scanners (1981)Spider (2002)Videodrome (1983)Wicked (2024)

Jack, Wendy, and Danny Torrance stay at The Overlook Hotel, caring for the estate during its off-season period. Jack has been outlining a new writing project and believes that five months of peace is just what's needed, but all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Fortunately, Danny has been mentored by Dick Hallorann, who provides cautionary advice and special instructions such as, "Stay out of Room 237," guidance that helps Danny stay one step ahead of dangers that lie within The Overlook, helping Danny evade the horrors that his father Jack will unleash. Designer, brand strategist, and writer Chris Cureton talks about what makes Stanley Kubrick's The Shining a perfect horror movie, and why writing in and of itself can sometimes be a scary endeavor.-Designer, brand strategist, and writer Chris Cureton helps executive teams move from confusion to clarity. His forthcoming book, The Five Laws of Brand Design, is a field guide for aligning product, marketing, and sales around one powerful, unified strategy. With nearly 20 years of experience, he's assisted leadership teams by helping them cut through complexity, clarifying their unique value, and confidently going to market. He loves helping CEOs, CMOs, CROs, and COOs build one clear strategy, creating actionable steps for teams.https://chriscureton.com https://chriscureton.com/the-five-laws-of-brand-design-book https://www.instagram.com/chriscureton -The Shining (1980)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/ https://www.afi.com/news/afi-movie-club-the-shining/https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-shining/https://youtu.be/U8wxjIecmD4?si=mhwfxDBqNZuoXRy6&t=292 https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/saul-bass-the-shining -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listThe Book of Boba Fett (2021)Black Panther (2018)The Exorcist (1973)Get Out (2017)Hostel (2005)The Mandalorian (2019-)Poltergeist (1982)Room 237 (2012)John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)Tron (1982)US (2019)

For Zac Lim Eubank, there's only one movie that delivers exceptional sound design, calculated editing, and non-stop tension, and it's Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Cure. Random acts of violence seem to follow a mysterious, wandering man who appears ghost-like but is very grounded in reality.-Zac Lim Eubank is Chief Creative Officer at Hyper Rabbit Media, an award-winning video production, interactive, and livestreaming studio. He heads up the creative development and technical direction for Hyper with his wife and CEO Malika Lim Eubank and their full service production company is experienced with livestreaming, virtual production, motion control, scripted or unscripted productions, events coverage, original content creation, and audience engagement and gamification. Zac has over 10 years of creative leadership with video production and community strategy for such clients as Microsoft, Amazon, Nintendo, Twitch, AMC Networks, Mapquest, and more. His prior work includes showrunning Legendary Digital's Geek and Sundry Twitch channel, working with several of Hollywood's top talent. https://www.hyperrpg.com/https://www.instagram.com/hyperrpg/https://www.instagram.com/zaceubank/https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-lim-eubank-b62568129/-Cure (1997)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123948/ https://letterboxd.com/director/kiyoshi-kurosawa/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/19/movies/kiyoshi-kurosawa-primer.html https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/03/movies/film-in-review-cure.html-Allegory of the Cavehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave-Collectivismhttps://sites.psu.edu/global/2018/11/04/4908/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170118-how-east-and-west-think-in-profoundly-different-ways-Franz Mesmer, mesmerismhttps://exhibits.stanford.edu/super-e/feature/franz-anton-mesmer-1734-1815 -Violence in Filmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_film https://www.imdb.com/list/ls076483352/ -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listChime (2024)Dead Ringers (1988)Heat (1995)Pulse (2001)SE7EN (1995)Smile (2022)

Catalina Z. Olvera recalls seeing Weapons in a jam-packed theater, and observing the movie's villain Aunt Gladys for the first time. We also talk about the difference between seeing a horror movie late at night on a small screen in the darkness of your den, or watching it on the big screen with friends and family, as well as strangers, surrounding you. Plus, we reflect on the way design factors into the investigative work Archer does through observations, drawing with a pen and ruler, and ultimately the diagrammatic reveal.-Catalina Z. Olvera is a Charlotte-based designer and illustrator who combines strategy, storytelling, and artful design to create work that feels intentional and full of character. She studied Visual Communication Design at Winthrop University and now works at Yellow Duck Marketing, shaping brand systems and crafting custom illustrations. Her experience spans nonprofit initiatives, sustainable beer branding like Renew Brew, and local signage in East Charlotte. A dedicated thrifter, film fan, traveler, and collector of oddities, she has been fascinated by horror since age eight. The 2004 horror film Saw remains a guilty pleasure because nothing says “form and function” quite like a well-designed trap. She is always on the lookout for the unusual, the weird, and the wonderfully unexpected.https://www.yellowduckmarketing.com/about-yellow-duck-marketing/catalina-olvera/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/designers-on-film/id1758203056?i=1000671582112 -Weapons (2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26581740/ https://newuniversity.org/2025/08/23/a-convoluted-review-of-zach-creggers-weapons/ https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/weapons-zach-cregger-interview-1235398084/ -The Woodford Slasherhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Joubert_(serial_killer) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-woodford-slasher/id1618014949?i=1000598177430 https://www.aetv.com/articles/serial-killer-myths -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listBarbarian (2022)The Conjuring (2013)Dead Silence (2007)Hereditary (2018)Prisoners (2013)Saw (2004)Sinners (2025)Smile (2022)Stranger Things (2016-2025)

Director and writer Jasmine Osean Thomas and production designer Kyle Marchiafava talk about Kandie (2025), and how various influences come together to make this unsettling horror movie. Notably, Jasmine and her team use visuals to provide backstory, with a variety of graphic, photographic, typographic, and artistic elements revealing a character's interests and passions, as well as inner demons.-Kandie (short, 2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29232698/Beyond Fest 9/23-10/8Downtown Film Festival 10/15 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 10/19-Director, Jasmine Osean Thomashttps://www.instagram.com/jasmineethomass/ -Production Designer, Kyle Marchiafavahttps://www.instagram.com/not_for_nothin_papi/ -Art Director, Elena Chudoba https://www.instagram.com/elenachudoba -Graphic Designer, Brooke Bamford https://www.instagram.com/good1bb -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listAlien (1979)All the President's Men (1976)House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

October is here, which means, yes, that's right: SCARY MOVIES. This month, guests will talk about Cure, The Shining, and Weapons, plus the brand new short film making the rounds at festivals, Kandie. See this episode's notes for further information, and as a reminder, leave a voicemail or send a text if you have a question or a guest to recommend, and while you're at it, why not recommend yourself as a guest! Call or text 704-681-6880 to get in touch. Remember to subscribe AND provide a review wherever you listen to podcasts!-Cure https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123948/ https://www.instagram.com/p/C36nwM4vzm2/ -Kandie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29232698/ https://www.instagram.com/kandie.film-The Shining https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DM9_5rrsAga/-Weapons https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26581740/ https://www.instagram.com/weaponsmovie -Letterboxd List for Season 2https://letterboxd.com/jasontselentis/list/designers-on-film-season-2/Letterboxd List for Season 1https://letterboxd.com/jasontselentis/list/designers-on-film-season-1/-DESIGNERS ON FILM, THE HOTLINE704-681-6880

Erin Sarofsky and Duarte Elvas talk about working with James Gunn for the past ten years, and how trust contributed to the title designs that Sarofsky did for Superman (2025). Erin and Duarte also share details about how research, concept development, and typography factored into the end result, and why tactile, hands-on work can stand out, rather than AI-generated "photo real" images that look and feel too surreal.-https://www.sarofsky.com/ https://www.sarofsky.com/work/superman/ https://www.instagram.com/sarofsky_design/ -Superman (2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5950044/ -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listAlien (1979)Star Wars (1977)Superman (1978)

Before Sir Alec Guinness was Obi-Wan Kenobi, he adapted Joyce Cary's book The Horse's Mouth into the 1958 movie. In addition to writing the screenplay, Guinness starred as Gulley Jimson, an artist who is dedicated but snide, talented but demanding, endearing but dishonest. Jimson charms and delights, and nothing will get in the way of his vision. Even worse, he leaves havoc in his wake. Roymieco Carter, who's Associate Professor and Director of the Visual Arts Program at North Carolina A&T State University, discovered the movie when he was a student at Virginia Commonwealth University, and it made a big impact. Carter explains why The Horse's Mouth impacted him at such an early age, and why asking for permission to be an artist or designer isn't necessary, if you want to be something, be it.-Associate Professor and Director of the Visual Arts Program at North Carolina A&T State University, Roymieco Carter teaches graphic design, digital media, visual literacy and theory, and social criticism. Carter has written articles on graphic design education, art education, gaming, human computer interaction, and graphics computer animation. Having studied and worked in fashion art, as well as design and advertising practices, he often draws from his graphic design background for inspiration. His work uses a mixture of digital and hand techniques including collage, calligraphy, drawing, xerography, stenciling and typography. Raised in the tobacco farmlands of Virginia, he draws inspiration from his rural upbringing, and integrates themes of violence, displacement, and oppression into his work, exploring how history is manipulated and rewritten. Holding a BFA in Art and Advertising from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA in Graphic Design from Penn State University, Carter's work fuses documented history with cultural narratives and folklore, evoking deep emotional and personal insights.https://cartergallery.wordpress.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/roymieco-carter-65a38827/ https://www.ncat.edu/employee-bio.php?directoryID=909381433 https://www.ganttcenter.org/calendar/open-air-steven-cozart-and-roymieco-carter/ -The Horse's Mouth (1958)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051739/https://www.tcm.com/video/223317/horses-mouth-the-1958-the-old-dreadnought -Further Readinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly_Csikszentmihalyi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Church_in_the_Wild https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/en/picassos-childhood -Thirtysomething (1987-1991)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirtysomethinghttps://designobserver.com/i-was-a-mad-man/ https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2001/05/miles-drentell-r-i-p.html https://som.yale.edu/blog/memoriam-bill-drenttel-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listSinners (2025)Taxi Driver (1976)

Muralist and illustrator, UX and AR designer Mike Wirth talks about why Back to School is the perfect antidote to the End of the Summer Blues, and why teachers, instructors, and professors should give it a watch, or a re-watch.-Mike Wirth is a leader in Jewish Futurism art and philosophy, using speculative design methods to reimagine Jewish culture, traditions, and technology for the future in his artwork, projects and presentations. Mike's work blends storytelling, technology, and social impact, exploring cultural identity and social justice through public art, digital media, and interactive experiences within and outside of his community. An Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Queens University and artist-in-residence at the Stan Greenspon Center for Holocaust and Social Justice Education, Mike founded the university's graphic design major and has spent over two decades mentoring emerging designers and artists.https://mikewirthart.comhttps://mikewirthart.com/shop/ https://www.instagram.com/mikewirth/ -Back to School (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090685/ https://www.vulture.com/article/best-college-comedy-movies-ranked.htmlhttps://www.vulture.com/2013/01/the-lost-roles-of-rodney-dangerfield.htmlhttps://www.mentalfloss.com/article/81506/15-educational-facts-about-back-school -Rodney Dangerfieldhttps://www.youtube.com/@rodneynorespect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbNYAeYxLbA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7HgjlpMUrw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZpH0re__gM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga_reU5lasQ -Rodney and the Marvel Dazzler connectionhttps://collider.com/unmade-marvel-movie-dazzler-the-movie-kiss-the-village-people-cher/ https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/from-grace-jones-to-bo-derek-40-years-of-marvels-dazzler -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listAnnie Hall (1977)Caddyshack (1980)Dead Poets Society (1989)Easy Money (1983)The King of Staten Island (2020)National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)Real Genius (1985)Revenge of the Nerds (1984)Teen Wolf Too (1987)

Bill Childs, accomplished marketing leader, author, designer, and mentor, talks about his journey to becoming a teacher and why Dead Poets Society means so much to him.-Bill Childs is an accomplished marketing leader with a history of award-winning ideas brought to life through the skillful and creative translation of strategic business objectives, creating revenue-generating campaigns. A collaborative mentor, champion of fearless creativity, Bill celebrates and develops talent in the classroom as a teacher and mentor at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute. His book "Childs Play" serves as a guide for reigniting your creative potential, with real-world examples of innovation in both personal and professional spheres.https://www.billchilds.com/https://www.instagram.com/wpchilds/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/wpchilds/-Robin Williamshttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000245/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/02/movies/review-film-shaking-up-a-boys-school-with-poetry.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/movies/robin-williams-oscar-winning-comedian-dies-at-63.html-Dead Poets Society (1989)https://www.delawareonline.com/story/pulpculture/2014/04/03/dead-poets-society-delaware-anniversary/7252149/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/59232/15-facts-about-dead-poets-society https://scriptmag.com/features/dead-poets-society-retrospective-with-tom-schulman-peter-weir-and-ethan-hawke -Permission to be creative, Ethan Hawkehttps://youtu.be/WRS9Gek4V5Q?si=USFgd3nHPZ4P7VJ8-Teachinghttps://cte.rice.edu/blog/2017/ghost-mr-keating https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/07/24/teacher-who-inspired-dead-poet-is-dismissed/ -Time to Thank, by Steve Guttenberghttps://www.amazon.com/Time-Thank-Caregiving-My-Hero/dp/B0CTGC826P -If you're facing a personal crisis, or are having unsafe thoughts, speak with somebody by calling 988, available 24 hours a day.-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listBack to School (1986)The Holdovers (2023)Summer School (1987)Ted Lasso (2020-)The World According to Garp (1982)-Have something to share? Use the DESIGNERS ON FILM hotline, call 704-681-6880 and leave a voicemail, or send a text message.

Upcoming episodes will feature movies all about school, with guests sharing their own memories, and talking about why they themselves became teachers. But while preparing those episodes, on Wednesday August 27th, yet another shooting stopped me in my tracks, and it's been hard to focus, hard to even articulate all the emotions coursing through my veins. It's overwhelming, scary, unsettling. Below are links to advocacy groups and non-profits, learn about them, and contribute wherever you can. -If you're facing a personal crisis, or are having unsafe thoughts, speak with somebody by calling 988, available 24 hours a day.-8 Documentaries, Gun Violence Preventionhttps://www.sundance.org/blogs/watch-these-8-documentaries-to-fuel-your-fight-for-gun-violence-prevention/-Bowling for Columbine (2002)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310793/-Run, Hide, Fight: growing up under the gunhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfnY14Rwhvshttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/run-hide-fight-growing-up-under-the-gun-a-look-at-how-gun-violence-changed-a-generation-Organizations and Individuals Taking a Stand Against Gun Violencehttps://www.everytown.org/https://minneapolismaddads.org/https://momsdemandaction.org/press/everytown-for-gun-safety-and-delaware-chapter-of-moms-demand-action-celebrate-governor-matt-meyers-100th-day-in-office-with-signing-of-executive-order-to-create-delaware-office-of-gun-violenc/https://www.npr.org/2022/06/13/1104594849/hollywood-pledge-onscreen-gunshttps://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/guest-commentary-lets-stop-the-gun-violence-that-took-my-dad-and-nana/https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/about-us/who-we-are/-Have something to share? Resources in addition to the ones shared above? Use the DESIGNERS ON FILM hotline, call 704-681-6880 and leave a voicemail, or send a text message.

Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical is a brand new Peanuts story, released on Apple TV+ in 2025. Characters created by Charles M. Schulz that we know and love, Charlie, Snoopy, Woodstock, Sally, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and so many more, sing and dance their way through summer camp with music by Ben Folds. Whether you're a fan of the Peanuts from way back when, or a first-time viewer, it's an incredibly moving story, directed by Erik Wiese. He joins the show to discuss how design plays a role in his work, and how Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical honors Charles Schulz and Schulz's development as an artist. -Erik Wiese is a director of animated features and television with over 25 years of experience in the industry. In addition to directing Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical, he was also its story editor. Additional credits include: SpongeBob (writer, board artist, character designer), Samurai Jack (writer, board artist), Sonic Prime (exec producer, writer, director).https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1147326/ https://www.instagram.com/erik.wiese.creative/ -Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical (2025)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36988583/ https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2025/07/apple-tv-debuts-trailer-for-peanuts-special-snoopy-presents-a-summer-musical/ https://music.apple.com/au/album/snoopy-presents-a-summer-musical-apple-tv-original/1828743727 -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listSamurai Jack (2002–2004)Snoopy Presents: It's the Small Things, Charlie Brown (2022)Sonic Prime (2022-2024)The Sound of Music (1965)

Sam Beddoes of FreakZone Games talks about The Rocky Horror Show (1974), the original stage musical that became the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Going in depth, explaining the differences between each production, he also talks about how he made The Rocky Horror Show Video Game. We also discuss Brian De Palma, The Office, Dead Poets Society, Labyrinth, Sweeney Todd, Jennifer's Body, Robin Hood, Dracula, and The Naked Gun, although not in that exact order!-Sam Beddoes, FreakZone Gameshttps://www.instagram.com/freakzonegames/https://open.spotify.com/artist/38YIihgxT5IOeOmQlLFHuXhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manos:_The_Hands_of_Fate_%28video_game%29https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7252239/-The Rocky Horror Show (1974)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rocky_Horror_Show-The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073629/-The Rocky Horror Show Video Gamehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ORgvYXHxM-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listCarrie (1976, 2002, 2013, 2026)Dead Poets Society (1989)Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)Jennifer's Body (2009)Labyrinth (1986)The Naked Gun (1988, 2025)The Office (UK 2001-2003, USA 2005-2013)Phantom of the Paradise (1974)Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)Sweeney Todd (1928, 1997, 2006, 2007)

We're back! Season 2! More great guests, more great movies, more great discussions. Have a question or guest recommendation? You want to be a guest? Have a movie review? Call our hotline 704-681-6880 and leave a voicemail. Remember! Subscribe AND provide a review wherever you listen to podcasts!-contact us, share your thoughts:https://www.designersonfilm.com/hollaback-more about the podcast:https://www.designersonfilm.com/frequently-asked-questions-movies we feature: https://letterboxd.com/jasontselentis/lists/

Recapping some Season 1 highlights, summer movies, and looking ahead to Season 2.-Episodes Mentionedhttps://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/seven-days-in-may-1964-with-steven-hellerhttps://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/all-the-presidents-men-1976-bierut https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/civil-war-2024-with-diane-faye-zerr https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/my-octopus-teacher-2020-with-anna-jordanhttps://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/one-crazy-summer-1986https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/one-crazy-summer-bonus-memories-with-mike-wirth https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/jaws-1975-with-lisa-lake -Contact Ushttps://www.designersonfilm.com/hollaback-Coming Soon in Season 2https://letterboxd.com/jasontselentis/list/designers-on-film-season-2/

About two weeks away from the release of Gunn's Superman, we hear from Tom Muller, Giovanna Chung, and Jen Hood who are all super excited for the new movie.-Superman Official Teaser Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhUht6vAsMY-Tom Mullerhttps://www.hellomuller.com/-Giovanna Chunghttps://kindredspiritsdesign.co/-Jen Hoodhttps://hoodzpahdesign.com/

In a prior episode, designer and illustrator Matt Stevens talked about why 2022's The Batman is such a great movie and how it has some elements from David Fincher's Se7en plus inspirations from various Batman sources, creating a unique vision. Matt does something similar in his own work. His latest project, Good Movies as Old Books from Chronicle Books reimagines films as vintage book covers. In that prior episode, Matt also talked about taking risks, going out on his own, leaving the agency world behind, and various side projects. Here, Matt discusses how maybe, sometimes a side project that looks and feels fun may not be a success but the momentum and direction it gives you could still have value. He also shares his opinions about two summer movies, Superman and The Fantastic Four.-Matt Stevens found himself frustrated with his current job as creative director at a brand agency, so he (literally) went back to the drawing board with an illustration project that turned out to be the perfect fit, designing a Nike Air Max shoe every day. After doing 50 drawings, he had initially chosen to end the project, but aimed for 100 AirMax1-a-day drawings that he'd showcase in an art book, accompanying website, and exhibition, also proved rewarding. To date, he's created multiple, self-initiated projects, including the Good Movies as Old Books project, now a book and postcard set available from Chronicle.https://www.goodmoviesasoldbooks.com/https://www.hellomattstevens.com/https://www.hellomattstevens.com/book-covers-varioushttps://www.hellomattstevens.com/store/batman-xwms5https://www.hellomattstevens.com/store/batman-xwms5-gnyzehttps://www.hellomattstevens.com/new-project-2https://www.hellomattstevens.com/blog/process-the-rookie-handbook-Taking Side Projects to the Next Level, HOW magazinehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1tXNGjxQv4jwbf77DJOffXpENtbJwcPPH/view?usp=sharingMatt Stevens on The Great Discontenthttps://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/matt-stevens/-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listThe Batman (2022)Breaking Bad (2008-2013)The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)Se7en (1995)Superman (2025)

Matt Stevens, designer and illustrator, talks about The Batman, a unique take on the Bruce Wayne and Batman mythology brought to life by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, and Andy Serkis. This 2022 version has less of the comic-y qualities that Joel Schumacher instilled in the 90s versions, but has a gritty, frightening ambiance closer to David Fincher's Se7en. In addition to The Batman, Stevens also talks about Good Movies as Old Books which reimagines movies as book covers.-Matt Stevens found himself frustrated with his current job as creative director at a brand agency, so he (literally) went back to the drawing board with an illustration project that turned out to be the perfect fit, designing a Nike Air Max shoe every day. After doing 50 drawings, he had initially chose to end the project, but aimed for 100 AirMax1-a-day drawings that he'd showcase in an art book, accompanying website, and exhibition, also proved rewarding. To date, he's created multiple, self-initiated projects, including the Good Movies as Old Books project, now a book and postcard set available from Chronicle.https://www.goodmoviesasoldbooks.com/https://www.hellomattstevens.com/https://www.hellomattstevens.com/store/batman-xwms5https://www.hellomattstevens.com/store/batman-xwms5-gnyzehttps://www.hellomattstevens.com/book-covers-varioushttps://www.hellomattstevens.com/blog/process-the-rookie-handbook-Taking Side Projects to the Next Level, HOW magazinehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1tXNGjxQv4jwbf77DJOffXpENtbJwcPPH/view?usp=sharingMatt Stevens on The Great Discontenthttps://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/matt-stevens/-The Batman (2022)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877830/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkeshttps://deadline.com/2024/10/dynamic-duo-movie-robins-dc-1236105077/-Batman and Se7en, the connectionshttps://x.com/JasonTselentis/status/176347788844597248https://www.vulture.com/2012/07/46-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-batman-films.htmlhttps://whatculture.com/film/superman-and-batman-team-up-movie-set-for-2015-Designers, artists, and media discussedSaul Basshttps://eyeondesign.aiga.org/design-history-101/Kurt Cobainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_CobainPrismacolorhttps://www.prismacolor.com/-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listBatman (1989)Batman Begins (2005)Batman Returns (1992)Batman v Superman (2016)Breaking Bad (2008-2013)Citizen Kane (1941)The Crow (1994)The Dark Knight (2008)The Dark Knight Rises (2012)Network (1976)Peacemaker (2022-)The Penguin (2024-)Se7en (1995)Thunderbolts* (2025)

Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg, turns 50 this month. Chief Brody, played by Roy Scheider, is pulled in multiple directions after a fatal shark attack, and subsequent murders, none of which the town's local leaders take seriously. When Hooper, played by Richard Dreyfuss, comes into the picture, the two of them unite with the hope of getting to the bottom of the situation, with factual, scientific accuracy in mind. Hooper and Brody as outsiders, not locals, eventually team up with Robert Shaw's Quint to hunt down the shark, and end the beast's terror. Lisa Lake, a killer designer, awesome photographer, and drone pilot, vividly remembers seeing Jaws in the theatre and hadn't seen it since then, but she re-watched it for this episode.-With over twenty years of creative experience, Lisa Lake is a photographer, graphic designer, and drone pilot who delivers marketing and advertising, logos and dynamic websites, ad campaigns, pro-level photography, and video. Not only is she passionate about the work itself, but she's also eager to take on new technology and master skills, branching into new directions so she can help clients in every and any way possible.https://www.lisalake.com https://lisalake.smugmug.com/ -Jaws (1975)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-06-05/jaws-movie-50th-anniversary-events-ct https://www.lego.com/en-ca/product/jaws-21350 -The Shark Is Brokenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shark_Is_Broken https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/10/jaws-play-the-shark-is-broken-broke-richard-dreyfusss-heart -U.S.S. Indianapolishttps://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/1649838/uss-indianapolis-heroism-and-survival/https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2020/07/30/the-sinking-of-the-uss-indianapolis/-Other movies discussed, alphabetical listAlien (1979)All the President's Men (1976)Duel (1971)The Exorcist (1973)The Lighthouse (2019)Star Wars (1977)

Erin Prus, a design leader living in the heart of the Midwest, focuses on the ways words, and their systems and styles, shape design, along with UI design elements, accessibility, and more. Erin shares more thoughts about Challengers, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor, analyzing its romance, conflicts, parenting scenes, memorable action on the tennis court, compression of time and flashbacks, sponsorships, and also, how Applebee's factors into the story.-A teacher-journalist turned content designer and UX writer, Erin Prus is no stranger to career pivots. She's been consulting for two seemingly disparate clients in the health tech and horticulture spaces, two things she cares deeply about. Also, she's scheduled to wrap up a forthcoming memoir later this year. When she's not working, Erin loves being outside, spending time with her French Bulldog Rumi, doing Pilates, and watching movies with her son.-Challengers (2024)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16426418/ https://www.vulture.com/article/oscars-2025-why-luca-guadagninos-challengers-got-snubbed.html https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/movies/2024/04/29/yes-applebees-in-challengers-is-accurate-zendaya-cincinnati-open/73499584007/ https://www.vulture.com/article/why-challengers-had-that-applebees-scene.html https://variety.com/2025/film/news/sgt-rock-luca-guadagnino-dc-studios-not-in-development-1236382859/https://www.avclub.com/luca-guadagnino-sgt-rock-killed-dc-studios

The HBO Original two-part documentary Pee-wee as Himself, directed by Matt Wolf, debuts Friday, May 23 (8pm ET) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and available to stream on Max.-for more Pee-wee listen to the DESIGNERS ON FILM interview with Ben Shown, available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon podcastshttps://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/pee-wees-big-adventure-1985-with-ben-shown-https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000607/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14419140/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090500/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089791/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081915/

Erin Prus is a design leader living in the heart of the Midwest, focuses on the ways words (and their systems and styles) shape design, and impact UI design elements, accessibility, and more. She returns to the show to talk about Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor. Is Challengers the horniest tennis movies ever? What about the sweaty, rainy scenes? And how does it compare to 9 1/2 Weeks or Basic Instinct?-A teacher-journalist turned content designer and UX writer, Erin Prus is no stranger to career pivots. She's been consulting for two seemingly disparate clients in the health tech and horticulture spaces, two things she cares deeply about. Also, she's scheduled to wrap up a forthcoming memoir later this year. When she's not working, Erin loves being outside, spending time with her French Bulldog Rumi, doing Pilates, and watching movies with her son.-Challengers (2024)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16426418/https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/movies/2024/04/29/yes-applebees-in-challengers-is-accurate-zendaya-cincinnati-open/73499584007/https://www.vulture.com/article/why-challengers-had-that-applebees-scene.html-Other movies discussed, alphabetical listCall Me By Your Name (2017)Matchpoint (2005)Phantom Thread (2017)Queer (2024)The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)The Social Network (2010)The Squid and the Whale (2005)Wimbeldon (2004)Y tu mamá también (2001)

Pump Up the Volume stars Christian Slater as a high schooler who moonlights as an underground radio personality. In addition to the movie, Ian Smile talks about music, media, craft, and the importance of messaging and content.-After over 15 years building his career in the New York City design community, Ian Smile chased his dreams of designing skateboards, following the sunset west for the skateparks and beaches of Southern California. He was welcomed into the skate world by some of his childhood heroes and has since proudly held the position of Creative Director for both the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and CSEF College Skateboarding. https://www.threads.com/@endasheshttps://www.instagram.com/endashes/-Pump Up the Volume (1990)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/ -Music, movies, media, and craft discussedhttps://www.target.com/p/ennio-dvd/-/A-91886972 https://www.kanopy.com/ https://thamesandhudson.com/disorder-9780500029060 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement https://www.underconsideration.com/speakup/interviews/venezky.html https://www.ted.com/talks/paula_scher_great_design_is_serious_not_solemn https://www.moma.org/artists/7070-paula-scher https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC5https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler,_the_Creatorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul%27s_Boutique

Throughout his career, Ian Smile has been a graphic designer, creative director, community builder, and is currently a principal UX designer building digital products for media management and distribution for pro sports & entertainment industries. Ian and I discuss Pump Up the Volume, starring Christian Slater as a high schooler who moonlights as an underground radio personality, he's a voice for the students and somebody they relate to, even look up to. We also talk about Generation X, the punk ethos, and old school media.-After over 15 years building his career in the New York City design community, Ian Smile chased his dreams of designing skateboards, following the sunset west for the skateparks and beaches of Southern California. He was welcomed into the skate world by some of his childhood heroes and has since proudly held the position of Creative Director for both the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and CSEF College Skateboarding. https://www.threads.com/@endasheshttps://www.instagram.com/endashes/-Pump Up the Volume (1990)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/ https://www.theringer.com/2020/08/21/movies/making-of-pump-up-the-volume-30th-anniversary-christian-slater https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-needle-drop-sessions-pump-up-the-volume-and-untamed-heart https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/08/pump-up-the-volume-still-reverberates-30-years-later/ https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/christian-slater-dirty-john-mr-robot-pump-up-the-volume-1234707369/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soupy_Sales -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listClerks (1994)The Crow (1994)Dazed and Confused (1993)Do the Right Thing (1989)Dune (1984, 2021, 2024)The Fisher King (1991)Gleaming the Cube (1989)The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)Network (1976)One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)Singles (1992)Slacker (1990)Sneakers (1992)Stand by Me (1986)Talk Radio (1988)Turk 182 (1985)Vanishing Point (1971)WarGames (1983)

HBO's trailer for Pee-wee as Himself recently debuted, a walk down memory lane, full of familiar faces, funny stories, and some hard truths. The two-part TV series debuts May 2025.-https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14419140/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090500/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089791/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081915/