DESIGNERS ON FILM

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/

Ben Shown is equal parts design nerd and creative mentor, bringing a playful curiosity to complex challenges and a love of user-centered everything. As Head of Design at Blink UX, he helps shape the vision for industry giants like Amazon, Expedia, Microsoft, NASA, and The New York Times. When it comes to movies, Ben considers Pee-wee's Big Adventure a North Star, a pillar, and for all the right reasons. It has comedy, drama, surprise, shock, whimsy, and even some horror, with memorable scenes and quotable lines that to this day are iconic.-Beyond agency work, Ben corrupts young design minds at Northeastern University as a part-time lecturer, spreading his infectious enthusiasm for making technology less frustrating and more equitable. Ben earned his MFA in design from the University of Washington in Seattle, where he focused on graphic design, design theory, data visualization, and exhibit design. And when given the chance, he'll gladly talk to you about design workshops, grid systems, typography, improv comedy, movies, and Murphy beds.https://blinkux.com/services https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkshown/ https://camd.northeastern.edu/people/benjamin-shown/ -Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089791/ https://groundlings.com/people/paul-reubens https://youtu.be/WzOQixyJseQ?si=6A3TqCYcKD223WPi&t=93 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKiXu-VVHBw -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listM*A*S*H (1970)The Prestige (2006)Scrubs (2001-2010)

Benjamin Franklin famously wrote, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." When it comes to movies about taxes, finance, banking, scheming, lying, cheating, and selling, here are a few of my favorites, from comedies to dramas, to the completely outrageous and obscene.-American Psycho (2000)The Big Short (2015)Boiler Room (2000)Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)The Other Guys (2010)Trading Places (1983)Wall Street (1987)The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)-designersonfilm.com/bigshort

Accomplished marketing leader Bill Childs comes back to the show. After thirty years of working as a graphic designer, copywriter, art director, illustrator, marketing director, and creative director, Bill shares his insights in the book Childs Play which serves as a field guide for anyone who works creatively. Bill talks about why the high-octane comedy Midnight Run is a perfect movie, from Grodin's improvisations to De Niro's commitment to the character, with Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall in supporting and memorable roles.-From an early age, Bill Childs knew that his life's work would be in the creative realm, and this has brought him to roles as a graphic designer, layout artist, copywriter, marketing director, columnist, lecturer, and creative director. As a lecturer and public speaker, Bill Childs loves sharing his knowledge with the next generation, especially when it comes to leadership styles and how they affect a work culture. Whenever a culture of creativity was embraced, the work was always better, people were happier, and the company drove more revenue. https://www.billchilds.com/ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/childs-play-william-childs/1145035474 -Midnight Run (1988)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/ https://youtu.be/WTmCcnJuGCU https://youtu.be/bJHJw59YLWM -Other movies discussed, alphabetical listAlien (1979)Bad Boys (1995)Beverly Hills Cop (1984)Die Hard (1988)Drive (2011)The Godfather Part II (1974)Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)Mean Streets (1973)Moonlighting (1985-1989)Revenge of the Nerds (1984)Risky Business (1983)Seems Like Old Times (1980)The Sopranos (1999-2007)This Is 40 (2012)Wise Guys (1986)

Thankful for Val Kilmer and all the wonderful work he did, especially 2010's MacGruber which helped me get through some dark times during 2020's COVID lockdown.-Val Kilmer, so much range, such a phenomenal artist. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000174/-MacGruber (2010)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470023/ https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/05/an-oral-history-of-macgruber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCPCekIL3s Top Secret! (1984)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088286/ Real Genius (1985)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089886/ Top Gun (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20215968/The Saint (1997)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120053/https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saint_(TV_series) The Nice Guys (2016)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3799694/ Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/Val (2021)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14731254/

Noah Smith is a multidisciplinary visual storyteller specializing in UX design. With a background in film, Noah's also a big, big fan of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the 1986 comedy that's also full of action, drama, and sprawling musical numbers. Ferris, an extremely popular teenager, skips school and with his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane, they embark on a series of adventures. What about the possibility of Ferris being a figment of Cameron's imagination, the so-called Fight Club theory? And how does Ferris connect to Spider-Man? Plus, the movie's small but memorable baseball moments make it perfect for the month of March and Major League Baseball's season openers.-Noah Smith's true love for all things 80s includes some pretty rad engagement photos that made their way into People and Huffpost. An accomplished woodworker, he's designed tables, bowls, cutting boards, spoons, and everything in-between, a hobby he began in 2020. For a few years in college he produced music (under the name, Hard Mix) and eventually signed to a record label.https://www.noahdanielsmith.com/https://www.instagram.com/noahdanielsmith/https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahdanielsmith/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/omg-these-80s-themed-engagement-pics_n_5978cffce4b0e201d57a8f96https://people.com/human-interest/couple-80s-throwback-engagement-pics/https://open.spotify.com/artist/16VGnqXIwxBGxmeShTvFKE?si=NB20bU3VQQWy0wvD4LSzyw-Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098795/ https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/06/why-ferris-bueller-never-existed/327276/ https://www.businessinsider.com/the-ferris-bueller-fight-club-theory-and-other-fan-conspiracies-sending-people-on-reddit-into-a-tailspin-2015-6 https://www.mlb.com/cut4/33rd-anniversary-of-cubs-game-attended-by-ferris-bueller-c279886598 https://www.slashfilm.com/503532/the-ferris-bueller-fight-club-theory/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiMuj85ngEo https://theweek.com/speedreads/540187/john-hughes-wrote-ferris-buellers-day-6-days-79-other-facts-about-80s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Rose_House -Pop culture discussedhttps://www.bustle.com/p/the-ferris-bueller-reference-in-spider-man-homecoming-you-mightve-missed-68654 https://typographica.org/on-typography/corbis-buys-veer-whither-the-fonts/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooney_(band)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcazL5yNukw -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listAlfie (1966)Deadpool (2016)Fight Club (1999)Hello Dolly! (1969)The Matrix (1999)Napoleon Dynamite (2004)Point Break (1991)Pretty in Pink (1986)Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)Toy Story 5 (2026)WALL-E (2008)WarGames (1983)Weird Science (1985)

Based in Los Angeles, California, F. Ron Miller has designed numerous movie posters and title sequences, as well as an impressive number of covers for The Criterion Collection, who releases important classic and contemporary films. Ron's always been a big fan of The Bad and the Beautiful, starring Kirk Douglas, Lana Turner, and Elaine Stewart. It tells the story of a ruthless producer played by Kirk Douglas, who works tirelessly to reach the top of the Hollywood system with no care for how others get left in the dust. We also talk about movies that are about making movies, David Lynch, Citizen Kane, as well as imposter syndrome, how designers work, design magazines, design culture, and design history.-F. Ron Miller received his bachelor's degree from California Institute of the Arts, where he was a student of Lou Danziger, and his master's degree from London's Royal College of Art. His work has appeared in Communication Arts, The Paris Review, and The Design Observer. He's prominently featured in the Criterion Designs monograph.https://www.fronmiller.com/https://www.amazon.com/Criterion-Designs-Collection/dp/160465936Xhttps://criterioncast.com/column/covering-the-collection/covering-the-collection-an-interview-with-f-ron-millerhttps://www.criterion.com/faq https://www.artcenter.edu/about/alumni/alumni-stories/lou-danziger-leaving-a-well-designed-legacy.htmlhttps://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-lou-danziger-at-100-and-beyond/ -The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044391/ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/apr/22/bad-and-the-beautiful-reviewhttps://www.nytimes.com/1953/01/16/archives/the-bad-and-the-beautiful-with-kirk-douglas-playing-a-scoundrel-at.html-Movie history from Scorsesehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Personal_Journey_with_Martin_Scorsese_Through_American_Movieshttps://www.kanopy.com/en/watch/video/5878649/5878651 -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listAce In the Hole (1951)Boogie Nights (1997)Bowfinger (1999)Cat People (1942)Chaplin (1992)Citizen Kane (1941)CQ (2001)Dolemite Is My Name (2019)Ed Wood (1994)Hollywood Shuffle (1987)Maxxxine (2024)Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood (2019)A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese through American Movies (1995)The Player (1992)Playtime (1967)The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)The Professional (1994)The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Erin Prus recorded the initial Anora episode, Part 1, January 2025 when the movie had already earned plenty of accolades. Weeks later, in February 2025 with even more news swirling about the movie and Oscar buzz, this follow-up episode was recorded. Is the controversy surrounding the movie, which did not have an intimacy coordinator on set, worth debating over? Does it make the movie better, or worse? Does it make Anora, as a work of art, a bolder creative act? Are comparisons to the Julia Roberts and Richard Gere romantic comedy Pretty Woman appropriate? Plus, we discuss stunt coordinators, sports cars, the Madonna-whore concept, and the 2016-2022 HBO series Westworld.-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.https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/rachel-chertoffs-bedside-jewelry-is-the-kind-you-never-want-to-take-off/ https://www.edibleohiovalley.com/eov/2022/cincy-urban-farm?rq=CincyUrbanhttps://www.fotofocus.org/2018/10/30/the-biennial-in-book-form/ https://mooprintms.wpengine.com/blog/inspiration/behind-brand-refresh-500px#more-12827-Anora (2024)https://collider.com/first-oscar-winner-actress-janet-gaynor-street-angel-anora/ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/intimacy-coordinators-challengers-porn-hollywood-oscar-1235910610/ https://medium.com/elucidationtoday/intimacy-coordinator-creating-a-culture-of-consent-in-filmmaking-a805ed4b747e https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/anora-iatse-union-set-1236162501/ https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/views/lives/69502/sex-life-in-defence-of-anora https://variety.com/2024/film/news/anora-intimacy-coordinator-respond-mikey-madison-sean-baker-1236254012/ https://variety.com/2024/film/news/pamela-anderson-mikey-madison-anora-intimacy-coordinators-1236241323/ https://www.vox.com/culture/402258/anora-ocscars-mikey-madison-sean-baker-best-picture -Madonna-whore complex/concepthttps://www.ebony.com/blacks-and-the-madonna-whore-complex-333/ https://www.modernintimacy.com/the-psychology-of-the-madonna-whore-complex/ https://sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2015/10/03/madonna-whore-complex/https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sexual-futurist/202401/embrace-the-sacred-and-profane-in-your-relationships https://theconversation.com/madonna-or-whore-frigid-or-a-slut-why-women-are-still-bearing-the-brunt-of-sexual-slurs-99292 https://www.thecut.com/article/tradwife-cooking-for-husband-fulfillment.html https://www.themarysue.com/hbo-westworld-feminism/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHmHesDYPzw -Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listBlade Runner (1982)Cinderella (1955, 1965, 1977, 2015, 2021)Grease (1978)Hustlers (2019)Pretty Woman (1990)The Stepford Wives (1975, 2004)Striptease (1996)Westworld (series, 2016-2022)

Erin Prus is a design leader living in the heart of the Midwest, focused on the ways words (and their systems and styles) shape design, along with UI design elements, accessibility, and more. Her experience spans copywriting in advertising; short and long form in publishing; editorial, brand-building, and big healthcare. She sees her love of language at the center of many design experiences. Erin shared her thoughts on Anora, in an episode recorded well before the Oscars, where the movie won many statues. Sean Baker's movie tells the story of an exotic dancer from Brooklyn, she is also an escort. Anora, who goes by Ani, meets a young, wealthy Russian boy but their romance and subsequent marriage go from Cinderella story to a maelstrom of unfortunate events.-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.https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/rachel-chertoffs-bedside-jewelry-is-the-kind-you-never-want-to-take-off/ https://www.edibleohiovalley.com/eov/2022/cincy-urban-farm?rq=CincyUrbanhttps://www.fotofocus.org/2018/10/30/the-biennial-in-book-form/ https://mooprintms.wpengine.com/blog/inspiration/behind-brand-refresh-500px#more-12827-Anora (2024) https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/intimacy-coordinators-challengers-porn-hollywood-oscar-1235910610/ https://medium.com/elucidationtoday/intimacy-coordinator-creating-a-culture-of-consent-in-filmmaking-a805ed4b747e https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/movies/sean-baker-oscars-anora.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/25/movies/anora-palme-dor-sean-baker.html https://variety.com/2024/film/news/anora-intimacy-coordinator-respond-mikey-madison-sean-baker-1236254012/ https://variety.com/2024/film/news/pamela-anderson-mikey-madison-anora-intimacy-coordinators-1236241323/ https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/anora-oscars-frontrunner-final-voting-begins-1236303199/ https://youtu.be/EMTHwp1UPjk?si=XQ5TOmzBGVhS9WIL -Sean Baker and typographyhttps://fonts.google.com/specimen/Aguafina+Script https://letterboxd.com/journal/sag-awards-independent-spirit-sean-baker-anora/https://www.fastcompany.com/91289352/why-sean-baker-uses-the-same-font-in-every-one-of-his-movieshttps://mubi.com/en/notebook/posts/movie-poster-of-the-week-the-sean-baker-font -Stockholm Syndromehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome https://www.history.com/news/stockholm-syndrome -Other movies discussed, alphabetical listBachelor Party (1984)Hustlers (2019)Night Shift (1982)Tangerine (2015)Zola (2020)

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/ -Other movies discussed, alphabetical listAll the President's Men (1976)Cinderella (2015)Clash of the Titans (1981)Clash of the Titans (2010Saw (2004)Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

Art historian and design historian Tony Best knows visual culture and as president of Sunset & Madison LLC, a research-based communications firm, his work is rooted in creative services management, archival practices, and mass media studies. Tony suggested a couple of movies to discuss, but ultimately landed on Purple Rain. Prince is The Kid, a young musician facing challenges at home who strives to be the best artist, the best possible musician that he can, no matter the distractions. If you grew up in the 80s, then you know the music, featuring Prince and the Revolution, The Time and Apollonia 6. On March 5th, theaters around the country will re-release Purple Rain for one night only, an exclusive Dolby Cinema Engagement with visuals and audio that improve upon the 40th anniversary edition from May 2024.-Tony Best holds degrees in Moving Image Archive Studies and Art History from UCLA. His portfolio includes projects for the UCLA Film & Television Archive, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, CalArts, Mass Appeal/Showtime, and Amaru Records.https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyjbest/-Purple Rain (1984)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087957/ https://www.fandango.com/search?q=Purple+Rain&mode=all https://variety.com/2025/film/news/purple-rain-theater-rerelease-dolby-vision-8k-presentation-1236312227/ https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/year/1984/page/2 https://www.instagram.com/vaughnterryofficial/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parental_Advisory https://deadline.com/2023/05/jim-brown-dead-nfl-dirty-dozen-actor-civil-rights-1235373574/ https://www.npr.org/2024/07/26/g-s1-13857/purple-rain-prince-movie-40-anniversary https://www.grammy.com/news/prince-purple-rain-album-anniversary-film-legacy-influence https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/08/magazine/prince-netflix-ezra-edelman-documentary.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/04/25/prince-purple-rain-darling-nikki-censorship-lyrics-tipper-gore-column/83466774/ -Other movies discussed, alphabetical listBeat Street (1984)Breakin' (1984)Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)Fame (1980)Krush Groove (1985)Missionary (2024) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho5iOnGcWas Saturday Night Fever (1977)Staying Alive (1983)Urban Cowboy (1980)Xanadu (1980)

Silas Munro and I had a lot to talk about when we discussed 2016's Moonlight, and this bonus episode has even more. Family, friends, spending time together, enjoying a meal together, and preparing a meal, as well as swimming, all play a pivotal role in the movie. In this short bonus episode, Silas talks about the importance of food and family in his own life.

Silas Munro is a designer, artist, writer, researcher, curator, and surfer. He founded the design studio Polymode, based in Los Angeles and Raleigh, that works with clients across cultural spheres. He's also curator and author of Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest at Letterform Archive in 2022-2023 and contributor to W. E. B. Du Bois's Data Portraits: Visualizing Black America. He co-authored the first BIPOC-centered design history course, Black Design in America: African Americans and the African Diaspora in Graphic Design 19th-21st Century. Silas talks about the Academy Award Winning movie, Moonlight, discussing not only the Oscar blunder but also the movie's sights, sounds, actions, and emotions, from the use of lighting and music to the hero's journey. We see a young boy, Chiron, facing challenges and obstacles in school, mentored by Juan who takes the boy under his wings. Composed of multiple acts, we see Chiron grow into adulthood and reunite with his long lost love, Kevin.-Silas Munro, descendant of the Banyole people of Eastern Uganda, has had work recently exhibited at the Raizes Gallery at Lesley University, the LA Design Festival, and the Scottsdale Museum of Art, and it is included in the collections of Tufts University, Lesley University, and the Montalvo Arts Center. Upcoming exhibitions in 2025 include a solo show, How Does The Grid Deal with A Messy World? at The University of Hartford's Joseloff Gallery, and in the group show Data Consciousness: Reframing Blackness in Contemporary Print at Print Center New York, curated by Tiffany E. Barber. Munro is Founding Faculty, Chair Emeritus for the MFA Program in Graphic Design at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Find more of his courses such as Behind and Ahead of the Times: Histories and Futures of Black Futurity, Black Data: W.E.B. Du Bois and Data Visualization, Black Queer Stories in Print: 19th Century to the Harlem Renaissance, as well as Funk, Blaxploitation, & Hip Hop Aesthetics at BIPOC Design History's website.http://www.polymode.studio/https://www.bipocdesignhistory.com/ https://bipocdesignhistory.com/products/behind-and-ahead-of-the-times-histories-and-futures-of-black-futurity/https://bipocdesignhistory.com/products/black-data-w-e-b-du-bois-and-data-visualization/https://bipocdesignhistory.com/products/black-queer-stories-in-print-19th-century-to-the-harlem-renaissance/https://bipocdesignhistory.com/products/funk-blaxploitation-hip-hop-aesthetics/https://aadn.gsd.harvard.edu/2024/12/06/silas-munro-tobi-ashiru/https://raceremix.arts.arizona.edu/guest/silas-munro/-Moonlight (2016)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/https://youtu.be/yiTAQjPe_LM?si=aGf2dLAAVeeMpQWK https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/20/theater/tarell-alvin-mccraney-geffen-playhouse.htmlhttps://shop.a24films.com/products/moonlight-book https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/video/2017/feb/28/who-had-the-card-jimmy-kimmel-explains-oscars-mix-up-videohttps://www.vox.com/first-person/2017/3/1/14777110/typography-oscars-2017-Other movies discussed, alphabetical listAnora (2024)Challengers (2024)

Danu Ardhata believes that living in two completely different worlds has always fueled his creative ventures. Born in Chicago and raised in Jakarta, the Indonesian-American graphic designer and brand strategist recently earned his master's degree at ArtCenter College of Design, California. He talks about his upbringing, learning software on his own, and why The Intern is such a special movie.-Danu Ardhata first discovered graphic design in the 12th grade, but long before that, he was already captivated by the visual storytelling of movie posters and the immersive branding of events, from promotional materials and stage designs to merchandising. He's been recognized by PRINT Magazine, the 2024 Community Choice New Visual Artist Winner, and 2024 New Visual Artist 15 under 30, alongside accolades from Graphic Design USA, Core77, and Graphis.https://www.danuardhata.com/about-me https://www.instagram.com/danudanari/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/danu-ardhatahttps://www.printmag.com/new-visual-artists/print-new-visual-artist-community-choice-winner/ -The Intern (2015)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2361509/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU3Xban0Y6A https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/intern-movie-set-design https://www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/movies-set-in-brooklyn-intern-bridge-of-spies/ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-the-intern-review-20150925-story.html

Some thoughts on David Lynch, plus what's coming in early 2025.

Jessica Barness, design scholar and scholarly designer, recently began exploring a new design sci-fi writing project that deals with blacklisted visual tools and biopreferences. When Jessica was last on the show, we discussed the Wim Wenders science fiction, dystopian movie Until the End of the World. In this episode, we talk about (what is far from a 2024 Christmas Holiday Special) Nosferatu from Robert Eggers, comparing it to prior vampire movies and critiquing facial hair, British accents, vampire hunters and academics, pre-tenure packets, and failed scholarly pursuits.-Jessica Barness investigates connections among and within design systems, from sensory media to publication histories, often found at the edges of design discourse. As Professor of Visual Communication Design at Kent State University she teaches design research and interaction design. She also serves as Design Incubation's Co-chair and Director of Research Initiatives. Prolific in every sense of the word, her projects include but are not limited to: The Designers Respond, The Quiet Design Scholar, and What Scholarship Looks Like (with Amy Papaelias, SUNY New Paltz).https://www.jessicabarness.com/ https://jessicabarness.substack.com/ https://www.whatscholarshiplookslike.net/ -Nosferatu (2024)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5040012/ https://www.history.com/news/vampire-nosferatu-dracula https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/the-haunting-history-behind-nosferatu-Robert Eggershttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm3211470/ Nosferatu (2024)The Northman (2022)The Lighthouse (2019)The Witch (2015)-Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical listBram Stoker's Dracula (1992)Dracula (1931)Jaws (1975)Nosferatu (1922)Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)Shadow of the Vampire (2000)What We Do in the Shadows (2014)What We Do in the Shadows (series, 2019-2024)

Steven Heller has spent a lifetime in design, publishing, and education with accolades including but not limited to the AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement, Art Directors Club Hall of Fame Special Educators Award, The Pratt Institute Herschel Levitt Award, the Society of Illustrators Richard Gangel Award for Art Direction, and the Smithsonian National Design Award. Steven authored, co-authored, and/or edited over 200 books on design and visual culture, and with his wife Louise Fili he has produced over twenty books and design-centric products for Chronicle Books and other publishers. Steven shares his thoughts about why 1964's Seven Days in May is as important today as when it came out, on the heels of JFK's assassination and the Cuban Missile Crisis, with the specter of the Vietnam War looming in the distance. Plus, discussion about movie media, rare movies, books and collectibles, and archiving, and when to decide what to keep or get rid of.-Along with the over 200 books Steven Heller has authored, co-authored, and/or edited, he was a contributing editor for Print, Eye, Baseline, and a contributing writer for Metropolis, Design Bureau, Port, IDPure, and The New York Times Book Review. In addition to serving as Special Assistant to the President of the School of Visual Arts, Steven co-founded their MA Design Research, Writing and Criticism and is co-chair emeritus of the MFA Design program. His blog The Daily Heller at Printmag.com has been called a "must-follow feed in the world of design" by Wired magazine.https://sva.edu/faculty/steven-hellerhttps://www.printmag.com/categories/daily-heller/https://www.printmag.com/author/steven-heller/https://www.louisefili.com/ -Seven Days in May (1964)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058576/https://variety.com/1963/film/reviews/seven-days-in-may-1200420555/https://www.rogerebert.com/features/how-cold-war-thrillers-expressed-presidential-campaign-concerns -Other movies and books discussed, alphabetical listBrave New World Revisited by Aldous Huxley (1958)The Day After (1983)Dr. Strangelove (1964)Fail Safe (1964)Ghost Dog (1999)Gladiator (2000)Gladiator II (2024)Iron Fists: Branding the 20th Century Totalitarian State by Steven Heller (2008)On the Beach (1959)Spartacus (1960)Star Trek (series 1966-1969)Sweet Smell of Success (1957)The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)WarGames (1983)

Aldo Juraidini Zorrilla is a Design Director at Studio Rodrigo. He has worked in fintech, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector, with clients including (but not limited) to Barclays, Peacock, Google, Make the Road NY, and more. Plus! Aldo leads Cinema Rodrigo once a month, when everyone is welcome to watch a film and chat about it over drinks and food. Y tu mamá también made an impact on Aldo at a young age. The movie stars Gael Garcia Bernal as Julio and Diego Luna as Tenoch, two very close friends who embark on a road trip with Luisa, played by Maribel Verdú. At the beginning of their trek, Julio and Tenoch have their own selfish intentions but as the journey progresses, Luisa teaches them a lesson or two, changing their lives in unexpected ways.-Y tu mamá también (2001)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245574/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190860/ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/apr/12/1 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/25/movies/y-tu-mama-tambien.html-Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Lunahttps://variety.com/2024/film/news/la-maquina-diego-luna-gael-garcia-bernal-boxing-butts-botox-hulu-1236174602/https://letterboxd.com/crew/story/gael-garcia-bernal-and-diego-luna-reflect/ -Aldo Juraidini Zorrillahttps://www.aldojuraidini.com/https://www.cinemarodrigo.com/-Other movies and art discussedhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt6155172/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245712/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061722/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110598/https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/mexico-city-1968/logo-designhttps://www.brian-eno.net/about/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City_Metrohttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt17677860/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0939182/

Motion design, animation, visual effects, live action production, typography, Erin Sarofsky and her team can do it all. Sarofsky designed titles for Guardians of the Galaxy, Werewolf by Night, and Echo, as well as James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, plus comedies Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Community. Erin talks about the 1991 comedy Defending Your Life, written and directed by Albert Brooks who starred alongside Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, and Lee Grant. Brooks plays Daniel, who dies and winds up in Judgment City, where recently deceased have access to all the food they want, plus other luxuries, but face an examination that feels like a courtroom trial. -Defending Your Life (1991)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101698/https://www.criterion.com/films/29634-defending-your-life-Albert Brookshttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt20274588/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/06/albert-brooks-movies-defending-my-life/678213/ -Erin Sarofskyhttps://www.sarofsky.com/ https://www.sarofsky.com/work/community/https://www.sarofsky.com/work/brooklyn-nine-nine/ https://www.sarofsky.com/work/werewolf-by-night/https://www.instagram.com/sarofsky_design/-Other movies discussedhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099316/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095188/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16533296/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078346/

Director Wim Wenders has inspired the likes of Beyonce and Kevin Smith, among others, and while he's known for Wings of Desire and Paris, Texas, his lesser-known epic Until the End of the World is equally fantastic. The road trip story, interspersed with science fiction set pieces and hand-held computer devices, will make you question your own relationship with machines. How do we use technology, how do machines cripple us? Jessica Barness, design scholar and scholarly designer, talks about how Until the End of the World impacted her, and why the movie serves as a prescient warning to us all.-Jessica Barness is a design scholar and a scholarly designer. She investigates connections among and within design systems, from sensory media to publication histories, often found at the edges of design discourse. As Professor of Visual Communication Design at Kent State University she teaches design research and interaction design, and serves as Design Incubation's Co-chair and Director of Research Initiatives. Prolific in every sense of the word, her projects include but are not limited to: The Designers Respond, The Quiet Design Scholar, and What Scholarship Looks Like (with Amy Papaelias, SUNY New Paltz).https://www.jessicabarness.com/ https://jessicabarness.substack.com/ https://www.whatscholarshiplookslike.net/ -Until the End of the World (1991)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101458/ https://www.tcm.com/video/1341225/ben-mankiewicz-intro-until-the-end-of-the-world-1991 -More Wim Wendershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dXSH9n2aC4 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/ https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/204209|0/Wim-Wenders#overview -Solveig Dommartin, actress and co-author, Until the End of the Worldhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0231652/ https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/885588%7C0/Solveig-Dommartin#overview https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/her-wings-warmed-hearts-130598/ -Jeanne Moreauhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYbUCtBV4wc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4XV47z1ENU -Other movies discussedhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt27503384/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114558/

What's coming in December 2024, and early 2025. Hey, listeners, tell us about the Superman teaser trailer. https://www.designersonfilm.com/superman-Until the End of the World with Jessica Barness, design scholar and a scholarly designerhttps://www.jessicabarness.com/https://jessicabarness.substack.com/https://www.whatscholarshiplookslike.net/-Defending Your Life with Erin Sarofsky, Executive Creative Director and Owner of Sarofsky, working at the intersection of art, design, technology, and film productionhttps://www.instagram.com/sarofsky_design/-Y tu mama tambien with Aldo Juraidini Zorrilla, Design Director at Studio Rodrigo https://www.aldojuraidini.com/https://www.cinemarodrigo.com/-Seven Days in May with Steven Heller, Author and Historianhttps://www.printmag.com/categories/daily-heller/-Plus! Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Midnight Run, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Children of Men, Purple Rain, Moonlight, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show-Happy holidays, and have a wonderful start to the year 2025.

Jacques Tati's Playtime, aka PlayTime, leaves an impression, and it definitely impressed designer, educator, and writer Louise Sandhaus who has a lot to say about this movie that's kind of about nothing, with the city and scenery as the star, and people merely moving through, around, and within the environment. Be mesmerized by its set pieces, odd circumstances, physical humor, and bombastic party scene that has Marx Brothers antics with Saturday Night Live stumbles and silliness. Watching Playtime, if you get the impression that it influenced Wes Anderson, or shaped the Apple TV show Severance, you're spot on. Louise is the founder and co-director of The People's Graphic Design Archive, a pioneering crowd-sourced platform that preserves graphic design history and is extremely inclusive. As faculty at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), she teaches The History of Motion Graphics with modules on Designer as Filmmaker and Type in Film, as well as Early Abstract Animation.-Louise Sandhaushttps://calarts.edu/members/louise-sandhaus https://peoplesgdarchive.org/https://www.artbook.com/9781938922619.htmlhttps://vimeo.com/lsandhaus/typeinfilm2021?share=copyhttps://vimeo.com/521664142/270b61f1e8-PlayTime, aka Play Time or Playtime (1967)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062136/ https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/31/arts/movies/the-listings-jacques-tatis-playtime.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/oct/04/playtime-jacques-tatis-masterpiece-took-cinema-close-to-a-video-game https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/446-the-dance-of-playtime-Other artists and artworks mentionedhttps://www.instagram.com/anasamoylova/p/CuAA_XwL4l_/?img_index=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936464/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000517/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000694/

With a PhD from the University of California Irvine, behavioral designer Ian Tingen has a range of capabilities: strategic planning, market research, management change, qualitative research, unconscious bias awareness training, behavioral science, and legal analysis, among others. As one of his clients said, "...when you need to make the impossible possible, work with Ian." When it comes to movies, he's a big fan of 2011's Drive starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks, and Ron Perlman. A stuntman (Gosling), who's a getaway driver in his free time, becomes close with his neighbors, then gets twisted up in a robbery that goes wrong. Although it has some slow moments, and we see characters contemplating events and plotting their next moves, from start to finish Drive puts the pedal to the metal.-Ian Tingenhttps://www.tingenindustries.com/abouthttps://www.decision-deck.com/https://www.threads.net/@tingenismhttps://www.youtube.com/@tingenismhttps://uci.academia.edu/iwthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uogChEDRAis-Drive (2011)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0716347/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/movies/drive-with-ryan-gosling-review.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive_(novel)

What's the best baseball movie ever? For Koto creative director Caroline Fox, there's only one answer to that question: 1993's The Sandlot. It tells the story of Scotty Smalls, a fifth-grader in a new town, making new friends, and learning about baseball. Co-starring Karen Allen, Denis Leary, and James Earl Jones, the movie has lessons about collaboration and overcoming challenges. Caroline talks about her work with Koto, team and client relationships, plus we dive into the fun advertising and graphic design from a bygone era, as featured in The Sandlot.-The Sandlothttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108037/https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/off-court/pf-flyers-baseballism-collaborate-ahead-of-world-series-Baseball movieshttps://www.mlb.com/news/best-baseball-movies-of-all-time-c301609142https://variety.com/lists/best-baseball-movieshttps://www.comicsands.com/league-of-their-own-reunion-Koto branding for Workdayhttps://koto.studio/work/workday/

Tom Muller comes back to the show to discuss Mary Harron's American Psycho, released in 2000 and based on the 1991 book by Bret Easton Ellis. Christian Bale stars as Patrick Bateman, a New York City investment banker who's an unreliable narrator with a psychopathic alter-ego, and lives out violent fantasies that spill from his personal life onto his work life.-Tom's 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. I was first introduced to Tom's work in 2018 with The Weatherman, a dark, apocalyptic comic book series from writer Jody LeHeup and artist Nathan Fox, published by Image Comics. The co-creators brought in veteran designer Tom Muller for title type, cover, and layout. Tom's work on The Weatherman is bold and colorful, grabbing the attention of any passersby. You can't avoid the book, and the whole reading experience is mind-blowing.-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.-Learn more about Tomhttps://www.hellomuller.com/https://www.instagram.com/hellomuller/https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/tom-muller-designing-evolution-x-logo/https://www.thepopverse.com/marvel-house-of-x-designer-tom-muller-x-men-logo-redesign/https://www.printmag.com/comics-animation-design/behind-design-the-weatherman/https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/the-weatherman/-American Psychohttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/locations/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0254735/-Business Card Holdershttps://www.muji.us/collections/card-holders-Robert Longo and American Psychohttps://news.artnet.com/art-world/as-seen-on-american-psycho-robert-longo-2434409

DayCloud Studios, the creative branding and web design agency, has had team members Liz Hunt and Chelsea Poppens on the show this season, and based on Liz's recommendation, Keaton Haines had to be on too. "Keaton is our all-around creative guru, he heard about what you were doing and he LOVES talking movies." Less than 24 hours after emailing Keaton, he wrote back, "Princess Mononoke… it's a lifelong favorite that I think I could talk about at length." The 1997 Studio Ghibli animated epic has adventure, mystery, and body horror, some call it one of Hayao Miyazaki's most action-packed movies. Listen in to learn about Studio Ghibli, as well as Keaton's upbringing in Utah, movies that reference Utah, and what it's called when your voice morphs into Demi Moore's.Princess Mononokehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf6c6n35wr4https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119698/The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W71mtorCZDwLive to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zoneshttps://www.netflix.com/title/81214929 Ailments Signaled in Voice, aka Jason's recent Demi Moore voicehttps://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/11/03/ailments-signaled-in-voice/ Oceans 11 and Utahhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX9f3haXi7w Learn about Keaton Haines and DayCloud Studioshttps://www.instagram.com/daycloudstudios/https://www.daycloudstudios.com/team/keaton-haineshttps://www.instagram.com/keaton_who/

What's the best movie trilogy? For Liz Hunt, there's only one answer to that question: The Lord of the Rings. The CEO and Chief Creative at DayCloud Studios weighs in on the original books, the 1977 animated film, Peter Jackson, and also Dune (with some Duplass-puppet-Togetherness memories), the Spider-Verse, Superman, and Batman. Plus we attempt to answer the question, "Does Henry Cavill's wig work in The Witcher?" And just for fun, we touch on board games and why being a Dungeon Master sounds like the best part of fantasy tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG). DayCloud Studios, a branding and creative agency: https://www.daycloudstudios.com/Liz Hunt consulting and links: https://lnk.bio/LizHunt_ConsultingLooking for another cool podcast to add to your library? Listen to Liz Hunt and Chelsea Poppens who host The Agency Rocket Show Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agency-rocket-show/id1711823295https://open.spotify.com/show/2uHRZCU1w4uCqBOLF4LoMr?si=9e803b34424f4f6a&nd=1&dlsi=8d060c4401d54736https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyRocketShow

November marks 25 episodes of Designers On Film, and it's been a fun ride. Let's look ahead, learn what's coming soon.Tom Muller comes back to the show for American Psycho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHMaiPPjHHgLiz Hunt of DayCloud Studios on Lord of the Rings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bo1XFtQbMsKeaton Haines from DayCloud Studios, a lifelong fan of Princess Mononoke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OiMOHRDs14The site: https://www.designersonfilm.com/The writing about movies, pop culture, and more: https://www.designersonfilm.com/musingsThe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): https://www.designersonfilm.com/frequently-asked-questions

Young Frankenstein brought together so many talented actors and comedians, to create a memorable and re-watchable Gothic horror comedy. Artist and designer Mike Wirth explains how Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's Frankenstein and its various adaptations and tributes and parodies connect to and relate to the Jewish golem story. We also touch on not only the classic movies of Mel Brooks, but also Sam Raimi, Airplane 2, and What's Up, Doc? as well as movies becoming musical theater. Plus, some vaudeville history, and Hitchcock, with Dr. San Guinary's Creature Feature thrown in for good measure. Listen closely and you'll hear Mike's cat, our special guest. This episode is dedicated to Teri Garr.

Jen Hood, Co-Founder and Design Lead at Hoodzpah http://hoodzpahdesign.com/, provides plenty of reasons to watch and re-watch Edgar Wright's 2004 horror/comedy classic Shaun of the Dead. Not only is Simon Pegg cute, but he and Nick Frost are also such a dynamic duo that you might find yourself drawing comparisons to Abbott and Costello, or Laurel and Hardy. Appropriate since, like those comedy legends, Pegg and Frost had their own streak with Shaun of the Dead, plus Hot Fuzz and The World's End. We also get into Wright's Baby Driver versus Gosling's Drive, with some talk about hair and highlights, and the problem with two similar movies debuting around the same time, A Bug's Life and Antz, we're looking at you too. In addition to this episode, and Hoodzpah, where else can you find Jen Hood? Some snazzy fonts https://hoodzpahdesign.com/product-category/fonts/ plus freelance and business courses https://courses.hoodzpahdesign.com/courses/freelance-and-business-and-stuff too. Oh, and you may find her on one of those Viking Cruises too, sooner or later, touring one of Wright's movie locations. Would it be Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz or The World's End? Listen in to find out.

Chelsea Poppens, Chief Operating Officer at DayCloud Studios, joins the show to talk about the fun, family-friendly Halloween classic, Disney's Hocus Pocus. We root for sister and brother Dani and Max, with Allison, who battle the Sandersons! But don't take the movie too seriously, enjoy it for what it is, appreciate the nostalgia, and take in all the nifty practical effects from the glory days before computers became the norm for post-production. In addition to Hocus Pocus, we touch on Hocus Pocus 2, and Chelsea shares stories from not only the design-side of her daily routines, but also talks about how she makes time for herself. As a former WNBA/Pro/ISU athlete, she opens up about being a fish out of water, traveling for games. What's the best way to travel? By plane, train, automobile, broom, vacuum cleaner, or Swiffer? Choosing might be easier than you think. Also! Be sure to follow Chelsea at the podcasts Champion This and Agency Rocket Show.

Artist, illustrator, and designer Diane Faye Zerr returns to the show to talk about Prey. Admittedly, she's never been a Predator fan but when she found out about Prey's premise, she jumped right in. Yes, this is a "Predator Movie" but Prey is all about Naru, a strong woman fighting multiple battles, dealing with wild animals, and on top of it all, Naru takes down an alien. "She doesn't have assault rifles, she doesn't have grenades," says Diane, moreover, Naru doesn't have roid-built muscles either. "You don't want to tailor to just guys bringing their girlfriends along to movies," says Diane, "you want to bring girls into things too." Diane also talks about the forthcoming Predator movie starring Elle Fanning, plus, we touch on rights of passage for heroes, sequels as pure money makers, 1979's Alien, the erstwhile smoking sections in theaters, and the forthcoming Alien TV series. Learn more about Diane's work at https://fayeandco.etsy.com and https://www.instagram.com/fayeandco.

Digital and graphic designer Catalina Olvera has not only seen Saw once, but she's also gone back to it time and time again, having been fascinated with it since age 8. A big fan of true crime stories, she explains why the first Saw holds up. Sure, designers will appreciate Jigsaw's crafty "measure twice and cut once" methodology, but it's the story and set pieces that leave an impression. In addition to Saw, we also discuss Saw X and Shawnee Smith who portrays Amanda, aka Mandy, plus we get into 2024's Longlegs and 2022's Smile, as well as Guillermo del Toro. We conclude with a discussion about the movie-watching experience, theaters or streaming and the right time for each, and why trailers should be avoided due to their very spoilery content.

Giovanna Chung of Kindred Spirits Design Co. isn't necessarily a horror fan, but Get Out struck such a chord that she finds herself thinking about it time and time again, and not just because of Jordan Peele's considered use of type, color, and graphics. The movie delivers a horrifying and memorable story with seemingly authentic human interactions used for something else, something evil and horrifying. Not only does Giovanna bring a designer's perspective to her analysis of Get Out, but with a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Neuroscience, Minor in Sociology, she's also able to go beneath the surface. "It's a really good movie for people who like to study people," she says. In addition to Get Out and its alternate ending, we discuss Peele's Us and Nope, the Key & Peele cat comedy Keanu, and improv, Ari Aster, and being a "theater kid." Learn more about Giovanna at https://kindredspiritsdesign.co/ and in AIGA Houston's Hispanic Heritage Month feature.

Motion designer Steven Tapia shares his fondness for The Matrix, from the fantastic story to the cliffhangers and fight scenes, up to and including its commentary on identity, technology, and humanity. A successful designer who's worked with clients like James "Latin" Clark on Tony Yayo's Pass the Patron video featuring 50 Cent, Tapia is also an accomplished teacher with After Effects & Visual Effects Tutorials on YouTube. In addition to The Matrix, we touch on The Acolyte (2024), Bound (1996), the freedoms that come with freelancing, AI and generative art tools like Midjourney, going hard at that thing that you love, and a little bit of Max Headroom.