Storytelling Breakdown

As we near the end of summer, the Storytelling Breakdown team decided it was time for Movie Share II: Electric Boogaloo. The rotation from last time has been reversed. Stephen has Ben, exploring more works of Hayao Miyazaki with Howl's Moving Castle. Ben has Larissa, and the two opened the episode with a trip back to the 1970's with Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous. Larissa has Caleb, and she put Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself on his radar. Caleb has Stephen, who put on his headphones and sat down for Live, Die, Rep… wait, Edge of Tomorrow. In The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power our team begins our journey into The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. From Glamdring to an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks, the conversation starts around the 01:24:03 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Film goers of a certain age have grown up with Indiana Jones. For the Storytelling Breakdown team, that meant seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade on VHS, sharing the first viewings with parents and siblings, and probably seeing Temple of Doom a little later in the ol' childhood. We got Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 and 15 years ago it looked unlikely that Indiana Jones would go out on top. Ben, Caleb, Larissa, and Stephen saw Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny together. Just a couple days later, they sat down for a conversation about growing up with the movies, what makes a good Indiana Jones film, and how each sequel fared in following what some consider to be a nearly perfect movie. With Harrison Ford stating that he will not be tempted to make another Indy film, how does Dial of Destiny hold up as this character's final adventure? Autumn Schultz joined us for last month's Spider-Verse episode. She returns for this month's Spotlight on K-Dramas. The conversation starts around the 01:49:49 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When Storytelling Breakdown debuted in 2020, our first episode dedicated to a single movie was dedicated to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Our guest for that episode was Autumn Schultz. With a new Spider-Verse film capturing the imaginations of audiences worldwide, Caleb and Larissa have invited Autumn back to the podcast to discuss the Web-Head's latest outing. She is joined by another guest bringing his own Spider-Man expertise to Storytelling Breakdown, Apollo Lymon. The four of them will explore the many elements that set Across the Spider-Verse apart from other animated works, even its predecessor. This conversation will be SPOILER heavy, so if you haven't yet, rewatch the first film, put on some Sunflower, and watch Across the Spider-Verse on the biggest screen possible while you have the chance. Then join us for this jam-packed love letter to Spider-Man. We are returning to our original Spotlight format for this episode. Caleb and Larissa got to hear more from Apollo and Autumn as Ben 10 was discussed. The conversation starts around the 00:57:25 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Before the start of Storytelling Breakdown's third season, our community update episode served as an official welcoming of Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker as co-hosts of the podcast. We went down the rabbit hole of everyone's media histories and Larissa mentioned a show we will cover in depth in this June episode, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Despite sixteen seasons of staying power, Sunny has never received Emmy consideration for anything other than stunts, with three nominations and no wins. Larissa and Caleb come into this episode with a for your consideration campaign as they introduce the show to Sunny newcomers, Ben and Stephen. Does It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia deserve an Emmy for Best Comedy? What are the best episodes to start with if you are introducing the show to someone who's never seen it? How do you win a game of Chardee MacDennis? Grab your toe knife and your headphones, and join us for this latest deep dive from Storytelling Breakdown. In The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power our team takes one last look (probably) at The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. We'll be discussing the dynamic between Aragorn and Borimir and the conversation starts around the 01:26:14 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You pull into the drive-in for a double feature. Maybe you tilt your seat back and settle in for the latest entry in a franchise with decades of staying power. The floor is sticky. The popcorn is almost gone by the time the trailers finish. These thoughts could remind you of when you were a kid or maybe you're the one bringing the kids along. They could also remind you of a commercial featuring Vin Diesel or an SNL parody of the same. As the weather gets warmer and we look ahead to summer movie releases, Ben, Caleb, Larissa, and Stephen took some time to reflect on summer blockbusters. Where does the term come from? What are some of your favorite summer movie memories? What makes a movie a blockbuster? And how good is our team at identifying when movies came out even if the films' original releases predate our team? Join us for a blockbuster spectacular on this episode of Storytelling Breakdown. This month's entry in The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power features The Bridge of Khazad Dum from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The conversation starts around the 00:52:15 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Take my love, take my land, take me where I cannot stand… We are finally getting around to a Firefly episode. Ben, Caleb, and Larissa revisited the series for the first time in a while and started out with what currently sits as the highest rated episode in the series on IMDB, Out of Gas. To again paraphrase Robert McKee, “true character is revealed in the decisions human beings make under pressure,” and this episode puts the crew of Serenity in peril from the episode's first moments. Out of Gas also makes fantastic use of flashback, setting, and the opportunities storytelling within the confines of a dark and isolating ‘verse can bring. Ben's first viewing of the show was half his lifetime ago and he's met two members of the core cast since. Put on your browncoat, stay shiny, and remember that no power in the ‘verse can stop you. The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power continues with the Council of Elrond from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The conversation starts around the 00:47:18 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Before this episode starts, we want to boost the signal for a GoFundMe to support the Hall of Heroes. Ben and Caleb visited the museum in 2019 for the finale episode of Storytelling Breakdown's first season. The museum was broken into on March 19 and several valuable items in the museum were taken. Our team is heartbroken that some of this amazing history that the museum holds may be lost and we hope you will support the Hall of Heroes. If you love comics and are anywhere near the midwest, we also hope you take the opportunity to see the Hall of Heroes for yourself. We are thrilled such an incredible organization is so close to home. Planning for this episode started with the discovery that most of our team has visited the Disney parks and experienced the Pirates of the Caribbean rides firsthand. Today, the rides show the cycle of inspiration as elements of the park experience can be found across the film franchise, especially within Curse of the Black Pearl. It's also easy to pick out ways in which the movies have inspired updates to the rides. Almost twenty years after the first film's release, the Storytelling Breakdown team is discussing both experiences of Pirates of the Caribbean. What makes the ride the gold standard for Imagineering? How does the action-packed adventure that breathed new life into the pirates genre hold up? What are the pirate names for Ben, Caleb, Larissa, and Stephen? It's time to parley and find out. The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power continues with four scenes from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The conversation starts around the 01:04:14 mark. Two characters are introduced, one hero and one villain, though they are initially presented as the opposites. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We cover a lot of movies on Storytelling Breakdown. This entertainment is bite-sized compared to the time you can spend getting to know a character through a TV show. And both of these are dwarfed by the time you can spend getting to know a character in a D&D game. Dungeons & Dragons has permeated the pop culture landscape in recent years, becoming even more popular through shows like Stranger Things and The Legend of Vox Machina from Critical Role. When the villains are fantastical, the stakes can be apocalyptic, and the emotional struggles can be showcased in ways that allow for a deep dive into a character's psyche, we wanted to spend this episode speaking about RPG storytelling and how we've seen it reflected in the journeys of Max Mayfield and Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III. SPOILERS AHEAD, as Ben, Caleb, and Larissa will be discussing episode four of season four of Stranger Things, with Dear Billy. The conversation will also include a discussion of the finale from season one of The Legend of Vox Machina. The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power continues with The Shire and A Long-expected Party from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The conversation starts around the 00:58:45 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

“Wait, you haven't seen…” We know how this interaction goes. On one end of the conversation you have someone who hasn't seen a film and is about to get a recommendation that might be going on a list they have been working through at an somewhat uneven pace. The other person gets to share one of their favorite movies and looks forward to hearing what the other person has to say about it. We're tackling four movies simultaneously. Each Storytelling Breakdown host was assigned another host with whom to share a movie. The only prerequisite for a film was that the person giving it had seen it and the person receiving it had not. When the dust settled, Stephen gave Caleb Casablanca, Caleb showed Larissa Tropic Thunder, Larissa let Ben borrow Paterson, and Ben organized a movie night for Stephen featuring Inside Man. How did things work out? How did each film land with its new audience of at least one? Join us for a discussion of, as Caleb put it, “a slice of life film, a high stakes heist thriller, one of the greatest movies of all time, and Casablanca.” In 2023, we will be dedicating Spotlight conversations to discussing movies we have been meaning to get to for a while. The Lord of the Rings: The Scenes of Power is our attempt to do a deep dive into many of the moments from these films, starting off this episode with the prologue from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The conversation starts around the 01:24:04 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Ben said it during the introduction for this episode, but truly this felt inevitable. After many standard episodes and campaign diaries dedicated to Dungeons & Dragons, the Storytelling Breakdown team is attempting one of the most famous dungeon crawls of all time, the Tomb of Horrors. First released in 1978, our adventurers will be attempting the fifth edition version as Ben takes on the role of Dungeon Master. Caleb will step into the talons of Keeoth Krackerjack, the kenku rogue. Stephen will take up the hammer of Olfric Stormjaw, the northman fighter, and Larissa will channel wild magic as Tabitha, the pink dragon sorcerer. Will they have what it takes to survive the tomb before the deadliest traps are sprung, the demilich unleashes his true power, or someone is accidently turned into a potted plant? The Muppet Christmas Carol from 1992 is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Caleb and Ben's conversation starts around the 02:57:44 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It all comes down to this. One game. Four factions. Two undefeated players trying to claim… bragging rights. While it isn't always Smash Up, there's not a pairing of players in this tournament who have played more games against one another than Lucas Gerke and Caleb. Each comes into this game with a win over the other three tournament participants. Lucas got by Ben with the power of game altering Madness effects. Caleb's combo from game one stacked ridiculous action combos. Lucas's most impressive win was arguably his game against Nicole in the midseason finale, where he eked out a victory despite Nicole keeping him from ever getting his most powerful minion into play. Caleb comes into this game with the tournament's highest point differential, thanks to his matchup against Jacob where repeated use of the Cave of Shinies base ability contributed to a ten point win. It's all led to this. Lucas and Caleb enter our season finale undefeated. Aliens & Teddy Bears vs. Changerbots & Killer Plants. Lucas vs. Caleb. Today we crown a champion. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Sometimes a pair of factions can allow Smash Up players to do very similar things. And if those combos go up against one another, they can lead to a very close game. Ben and Nicole Rudolph are each playing their final game of this tournament. If Ben wins, we're set up to have everyone end this tournament with a different number of victories. Ben would be back at .500. Nicole is trying to avoid going 0-4 and while her first and third games were decided by six points, her battle with Lucas in the midseason finale was decided by a single point. It's anybody's game. Now back to the factions. The Fairies are a tried and true utility faction. They can bring a bit of extra power, some minions and actions that offer variety, and they can be disruptive to any minions and actions in play. The Pirates can appear out of nowhere, quickly moving from one base to another and stealing leads at the… opportune moment. That's Ben's combo. Nicole's combo will allow for similar effects. The set-up actions of the Luchadores can stay in play and offer a versatile array of options, making Nicole's minions more powerful and making it harder for Ben to build up power on bases. The Shapeshifters, like the Pirates, can also come out of nowhere. They can copy the abilities of minions in play and the zero power Mimics are especially deceptive, equalling the power of the most powerful minion in play. Fairies & Pirates vs. Luchadores & Shapeshifters. Ben vs. Nicole. May the bases be ever in your favor. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When describing the game of Smash Up to someone who hasn't played it, things are usually pretty clear as you describe the Ninjas, Pirates, or Zombies. Mentioning the Bear Cavalry is likely to get you a “wait, what?” response. The factions for this matchup between Lucas Gerke and Jacob Ganser feature four factions from relatively early on in Smash Up's ten year history. Lucas is deploying the previously mentioned Bear Cavalry. Their combination of disruption and movement generated destruction makes them one of the game's most iconic factions. Lucas will have way more actions to play than minions as the other half of his combo is the Princesses faction. This faction has only six minions, but they are all power five with very strong abilities. Jacob will be attempting to counter all of this with one faction from the same expansion as the Bear Cavalry, the Steampunks. They both lean on actions played on bases, with the Steampunks equally iconic Aggromotive and Rotary Slug Thrower. Jacob's other faction comes from The Obligatory Cthulhu Set, a set Lucas had success with earlier in the tournament. The fish people of Innsmouth have come to swarm all bases in their path. Bear Cavalry & Princesses vs. Innsmouth & Steampunks. Lucas vs. Jacob. Will a winning streak end today or will our season finale feature two undefeated players? Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Game seven of our Smash Up tournament does have significant implications for who can win going forward. SPOILERS ahead! If you've stayed up to date with our last six battles, then you know that this battle could prove decisive. Caleb is battling our dear friend, Nicole Rudolph. If Caleb wins, only he and Lucas Gerke will remain undefeated in our tournament. This would also eliminate Ben, Jacob Ganser, and Nicole as none of them would be able to match Caleb's 3-0 record. If Nicole wins, she notches her first win of the tournament and keeps everyone mathematically alive to win for at least one more episode. As for the factions matchups, Caleb decided to theme his combination around soundtracks of the seventies. The Astroknights are similar to, but legally distinct from characters and lore of the Star Wars universe. While you've got the John Williams cued up, it might be a good idea to add some Bee Gees to the playlist, thanks to the Disco Dancers faction. Caleb's combo will lean heavily on action synergy. Nicole's combo leans into power, destruction, and disruption. The Dragons create many powerful card draw effects, change power balances, and destroy enemy minions and possibly some bases along the way. All of this is before even mentioning the minions and actions that cause opponents to win fewer victory points. Nicole's largest dragon isn't even her largest minion thanks to the six power Yokozuna from the Sumo Wrestlers faction. Astroknights & Disco Dancers vs. Dragons & Sumo Wrestlers. Caleb vs. Nicole. Multiple eliminations hang in the balance. Who will win? Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Our midseason finale featured a Smash Up matchup between two players who had never faced each other before. We are resuming our season with a matchup that is quite the opposite. Ben and Jacob Ganser each come into this match looking to improve their win percentage. They are each also pulling at least one faction from the original base set for Smash Up. Ben is unleashing an army of the undead, with an old favorite in Smash Up lore, the Zombies. He'll also keep up the undead theme by pairing them with a faction that historically has good synergy with them, the Ghosts. Jacob's faction from the base set it the Tricksters, another staple known for its disruption of other players and their decks. To get more power on the table to try to deal with Ben's swarming minions, Jacob has called in the Superheroes. This faction features four minions with five power each. Will it be enough? Ghosts & Zombies vs. Superheroes & Tricksters. Ben vs. Jacob. Old friends renew a rivalry as the second half of our first season begins today! Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You find yourself cornered in an ancient castle that used to be your school as dark forces close in. Or maybe you find yourself being batted by gusts of wind as the shadow of an enormous red dragon appears overhead. Or wait, how about this? You are just trying to get rid of all of the artichokes. What's the best way to deal with any of this? Draw a few cards and hope for the best. Our gaming focused episodes continue in November. After last month's epic clash in Fury of Dracula, the Storytelling Breakdown team is discussing deck building card games. Caleb and Ben played the game Young Jedi all the way back in our first season. How can the narratives of familiar intellectual properties, like Star Wars or Harry Potter, come to life at the game table? What are some good deck builders for families and players young and more experienced? How do you find your footing in a deep well of something like Magic: The Gathering when you are just starting to learn to play the game? Join Ben, Caleb, Larissa, and Stephen to find out. The life and legacy of legendary Batman voice Kevin Conroy is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Caleb and Ben's conversation starts around the 00:53:24 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We've made it to our midseason finale episode, bringing back two fighters from previous battles. Today's episode pits Lucas Gerke against Nicole Rudolph. If you haven't listened to our other episodes thus far this season, spoilers ahead. Lucas defeated Ben in game three, winning convincingly with the help of Cthulhu factions. While his combination for this game will be different, old, giant creatures or just creatures in general is a good way to describe his combo. Lucas will be going back to the original Smash Up set to unleash the power of the Dinosaurs. Hold onto your butts. He'll pair the Dinosaurs with a familiar looking faction from the Big in Japan expansion, the Itty Critters. Nicole lost game two to Jacob Ganser. She comes into this game with one faction that first entered the world of Smash Up at Gen Con in 2019, the Penguins. They will be paired with one of the most disruptive factions we've seen in this tournament. Nicole has her Permit to Kill thanks to the Super Spies. One faction looks like it's wearing a tuxedo. The other one actually is. There's an added bit of intrigue with this battle. Our team is pretty sure this is the only time Lucas and Nicole have played Smash Up against one another. How well can you counter an opponent you have no history of fighting? We shall see. Dinosaurs & Itty Critters vs. Penguins & Super Spies. Lucas vs. Nicole. Our midseason finale features an epic clash and only one will be victorious! Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Throughout this season of RPG Decades, Ben and Caleb have been comparing Smash Up to Magic: The Gathering. One possible comparison comes in the form of bases in Smash Up and lands in Magic: The Gathering. Now, bases in Smash Up are put in play at the start of the game and swapped out when they reach their break points. Lands are put in play by the players in Magic. At first, this might not seem like a good comparison, but think about how land cards can prevent you from winning a game of Magic. It might not matter how well your deck is constructed if your opponent spends almost the entire game with twice as many lands in play as you. In Smash Up, you could have a perfectly good faction combo, maybe one that's far stronger than average, but the combination of bases in play can break things wide open. This is one of those games. Kitty Cats & Kung-Fu Fighters vs. Rock Stars & Vampires. Caleb vs. Jacob. Who will win? And will we set a record for scoring plays in a Smash Up game? Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

With two games played, there's only one more competitor to add to the mix. Lucas Gerke returns to the podcast. You can see him represented on our logo in the likeness of the Bear Cavalry faction. Magic: The Gathering experience is helpful in playing Smash Up. Caleb and Lucas have been playing for years. That is the obstacle Ben will have to overcome as he and Lucas field their team. Lucas is unleashing eldritch horror, combining factions from the Obligatory Cthulhu Set, the Elder Things and the Minions of Cthulhu. Ben's answer will be the Robots and the Time Travelers, cycling through small minions that can swarm bases quickly. Elder Things & Minions of Cthulhu vs. Robots & Time Travelers. Lucas vs. Ben. Who will win? Will our world survive? The answer is unknown or least unpronounceable. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We are one game in and already we are experiencing total chaos. Ben and Caleb have played Smash Up more times than they can count and this next episode will match up two common opponents. We are welcoming Jacob Ganser back to the podcast after his turn as Dr. Seward for our Halloween episode and his Spotlight on RWBY last year. Nicole Rudolph, another dear friend from our team's college days (when many a Smash Up game was played), will be his opponent. The Ninja faction inspired Jacob's look on the RPG Decades logo. They spill a lot of blood, so who better to pair them with than the Sharks? Both of those factions are destructive and opportunistic. Nicole's factions lean more into utility and building up power. It's time to throw down at Grandma's house as Nicole pairs the Grannies with the Mad Scientists. Perhaps that old family recipe requires a jolt of electricity and some überserum. Grannies & Mad Scientists vs. Ninjas & Sharks. Nicole vs. Jacob. Who will win? Give this battle a listen and find out. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

While the first episode of Storytelling Breakdown debuted in September of 2020, the podcast's origins go back to late winter of 2019. Ben and Caleb sat at the dining room table in Ben's old apartment and as the first conversations about starting a podcast were happening, Ben and Caleb were playing Smash Up, the shuffle building game of total awesomeness! RPG Decades is a miniseries under the Storytelling Breakdown banner. Each season will consist of ten episodes centered around the same game and story. In the future, this could mean Dungeons & Dragons, Fate Core, Mutants & Masterminds or Monster of the Week. This debut season is all about Smash Up. Each player chooses two factions, such as Dinosaurs, Pirates, Robots, Super Spies, or Zombies, and shuffles the two faction decks together to create their team. From there, whoever can earn 15 victory points first wins the game, unless there's some Madness involved. Ben and Caleb will explain the rules in more detail. Ben and Caleb have also welcomed three of their friends to join them for a round robin tournament. Each competitor will face each other once as Ben, Caleb, Jacob Ganser, Lucas Gerke, and Nicole Rudolph attempt to earn the most wins overall. Our battle for this episode starts with the two Storytelling Breakdown hosts. Caleb's factions come from Europe, as he'll lean on the tenacity of the Musketeers and rain fire from Olympus thanks to the Mythic Greeks. Ben will turn to horror as he unleashes a pack of Werewolves. The pack has allied itself with arcane spell casters, Wizards whose magic could turn the tide. Musketeers & Mythic Greeks vs. Werewolves & Wizards. Caleb vs. Ben. Let's find out who wins. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes, campaign diaries, and RPG Decades at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown's RPG Decades is hosted by Caleb Meyer and produced by Ben Clemmer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The theme music for RPG Decades season one is The Great Wave by Our Name Is Taken. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The logo for RPG Decades season one is by Michael Ganser. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How is fall damage calculated again? A question that passes through everyone's minds when the party goes airborne, which is where our adventurers find themselves after last episode. Ada, Delilah, Gorg, Nerine, and Siv are about to board an airship bound for a major city. Unfortunately, saboteurs have other plans for the voyage. How did this play out? Ben welcomes Megan Bracker back to the podcast to discuss everything from striking fear into the party, to navigating surprising twists and turns, and finding a way to get a custom subclass into the ongoing narrative. Also, it's a given that when an extremely cute animal is dropped in front of the party, they will adopt him. Hence the hell hound puppy on the art for this series. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The story of Dracula is an epic. It is with that in mind, the Storytelling Breakdown team is bringing you the biggest episode we've ever produced. Our four hosts stepped into the roles of Dracula and three of the hunters pursuing the vampire for this Halloween episode. The game is an ongoing tabletop cat and mouse dynamic. Stephen played Count Dracula, evading the hunters at every opportunity, while leaving destruction in his wake. Caleb played Lord Godalming or Arthur Holmwood, whose resources were used to their fullest potential taking the fight to the vampire's deadliest lairs. Jacob Ganser is back on the podcast, this time taking on the role of Dr. John Seward, attempting to crack the psychology of the dreaded undead before he can make more cracks in the psyches of the hunters. Ben played Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, Dracula's feared nemesis, providing the hunters with the knowledge and tools necessary to stand resolute against evil. Last, Larissa played Mina Harker, whose quest to destroy Dracula is also a quest to regain her agency, from the count, the game design, and the original source material provided by Bram Stoker. Will the intrepid hunters succeed in destroying Dracula before his machinations corrupt all of Europe? There is only one way to find out. Interview with the Vampire (2022) and Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) are the subjects of this episode's Spotlight. Caleb and Ben do a Spotlight each year and their conversation starts around the 02:47:01 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Strahd is the land. While Barovia is synonymous with the dread lord that rules it, this episode will provide an opportunity to get perspective from the characters of our party. We've gotten a bit of a sense of how Ben operates when playing Jagger, the half-elf rogue. He and Stephen talk about the character design, how and when a player's kit can be modified over time, and how one key race ability can upend a potentially dangerous combat encounter. Assassins, especially half-elves, can excel at operating in the dark. “I'm so hungry!” A voice cries from the undercroft and our team of warriors descend to battle their first vampire. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Dungeon Master has the luxury of seeing how the world is connected, what plot threads intersect, and the different places the story could possibly go. We thought it was time to get a perspective from someone experiencing the world firsthand. Ben and Stephen are welcoming Megan Bracker back to the podcast. She plays Ada Ifindow, the half-elf artificer. The first several sessions were a whirlwind for Ada. Now, back on her feet and armed with a new gauntlet, we'll hear how Megan built the character and how Ada saw the party's path from one mission to the next. With the door closed on the Shrine of the Emperor of Bones, Ada and her four companions investigate a robbery, attend a party at a casino, and ready to take to the skies. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

C'mon, it's episode #27. The first ever episode of Storytelling Breakdown was a dive into the world of Batman. We return to that well today to celebrate 30 years since Batman: The Animated Series first aired on this date in 1992. For this conversation we are joined by Todd Espeland, executive and artistic director at Fort Wayne Youtheatre. Batman: The Animated Series has a lasting legacy in part because of its unique art style, blending old and new to create a timeless feel set against backdrops drawn on black paper. The character designs are iconic, pulling inspiration from the comic book source material and creating new stories that would find their way into all sorts of media. The show's largest footprint now may be the creation of the definitive Mr. Freeze origin story and the addition of Harley Quinn to the world of Batman. The voice acting performances are brilliant. The show won multiple Emmy awards for sound design, music, and writing. Original animation cels from the show hang in the Hall of Heroes, where Ben and Caleb visited in 2019 for our season one finale. Todd Espeland was the one who originally recommended the trip. Now, Todd and our team are going to look back at some of the most iconic episodes and dive deep into a show that more than holds up 30 years later. Buffy The Vampire Slayer is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. We'll focus on two lovable characters, Willow and Spike. Our guest is Maria Ward. She is introduced around the 01:07:17 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Half of the conversations amongst our team start with, “Hey, you should watch…” This was one of those times. Caleb encouraged our team to watch Nine, the 2009 musical starring Daniel Day-Lewis. With Nine putting so much focus on the production of a film and the cast, crew, and coordination necessary to pull it off, as well as the protagonist's doomed relationship with a character played by Marion Cotillard, Ben struck up a familiar conversation, “Hey, you should watch Inception.” This episode is brought to you by comparative analysis as Ben, Caleb, and Larissa discuss Nine and Inception. The title of this episode comes from Larissa after watching Nine, “there's so much movie in this movie.” The Black Mirror is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Chad Chenowith. He is introduced around the 53:16 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Knowledge of the past to aid the present: Look for a wizard's tower on a lake. Let the wizard's name and servant guide you to that which you seek. Holy symbol of great hope: Look to the west. Find a pool blessed by the light of the white sun. The Sunsword: I see a sleeping prince, a servant of light and the brother of Darkness. This treasure lies with him. An ally to aid you in your quest: A vistana wanders this land alone, searching for her mentor. She doesn't stay in one place for long. Seek her out at Saint Markovias Abbey, near the mists. The final confrontation: He dwells with one whose blood sealed his doom, a brother of light snuffed out too soon. With these prophecies foretold by Madam Eva, the party enters the Village of Barovia. What horrors will they find? Perhaps a body in need of burying, a reincarnated spirit in a woman unaware of her past life while so many others walk around as soulless husks, or perhaps even price gouging? Only time will tell. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Sometimes so go the dice, so goes the story. We pick back up with our quintet of adventurers in the city of Murktown. Ada, Delilah, Gorg, Nerine, and Siv have successfully defeated the Emperor of Bones. What comes next? When trying to bring flowers to someone recovering from injuries, you roll a 20 and get a bouquet bigger than you are. Sometimes when you are trying to investigate corrupt city guards while wearing a disguise, you roll a 1 and fall quite awkwardly. Our adventurers brave caverns they know to be dangerous, risk discovery even while invisible, and fight a particularly nasty set of furniture in a magic shop. Join Ben and Stephen for this third installment of the Adventurers Assemble campaign. The two discuss getting to know a party when there are few obvious quest hooks, discovering items that might be best left behind, and navigating this final session of level one play. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There are four qualifications for a movie to be a legacy sequel. The movie takes place further down the timeline in an already established universe's continuity. It focuses on new characters, but still has original characters present in the plot.Does this episode count? We talked about legacy sequels for the first time a few months ago. Now, we're picking up in the same continuity and Stephen's experience will drive a significant portion of the early part of this episode, while Caleb, Larissa, and Ben remain present in the conversation as well. Maybe this episode does count as a legacy sequel. Either way, this month's episode was an excuse for the team to watch a bunch of really good movies. We explored three decades of classics with Rocky, Ghostbusters, and Jumanji. Then we tackled their legacy sequels that have all come out in the last decade, Creed, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.Jurassic Park is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Bill Silkworth. You can find his YouTube channel Mr Movie Lover here, which includes his own video on Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Bill is introduced around the 57:16 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It doesn't get much more classic than Ravenloft and Barovia, two of D&D's most beloved settings. Come along with Stephen and Ben as the former takes you further down the rabbit hole of his run of Curse of Strahd. Curse of Strahd is one of the most popular modules built for 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons and has roots going back to the beginnings of the game. Each run of the module is different, so even if you have played it before, you've never played it like this. In the first episode, Stephen walked us through the preparation and the first real sessions. Now it is time to descend to the heart of darkness as the players take their first steps into the twisted landscape of Barovia. Beginning with a brief adventure on the Sword Coast and ending with an ominous prophecy, this episode will have you wondering does anything good happen in Barovia? All in due time. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Adventurer down! We're being vague here so we don't spoil what happened in the first episode if you haven't gotten to listen to it yet. SB Hosts Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky are bringing you campaign diaries, inviting you to hear the tales of their Dungeons & Dragons games as told by the Dungeon Masters. Welcome to the second session of Adventurers Assemble. When we last saw our heroes, they were exploring the Shrine of the Emperor of Bones, dangerous ground for any adventurers, but especially a group of level one characters. The clock is ticking as the party splits up to rescue a fallen comrade, while also recruiting the help they need to get through the shrine and rescue the children trapped underground. There's skeletons, zombies, illusions, hideouts, betrayal, and a particularly dangerous set of chairs in this chapter of our story. Ben and Stephen discuss adjusting plotlines on the fly, reskinning characters who appear in multiple campaigns, and how this group of five is going to survive, or risk becoming a group of four or less very quickly. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The idea of “show, don't tell” allows creators to communicate ideas to those experiencing their stories through sensory details. You can learn a lot about a character and their world by watching how they interact in a given space. You'll likely learn even more in watching them fight. Combat is an element of so many significant pieces of media we have and haven't covered yet on Storytelling Breakdown. From Marvel to Star Wars or from The Witcher to The Princess Bride, we can learn so much about characters from watching them contend with an opponent. The openings not taken, using an enemy's tactics against them, and the preparation that can go sideways in an instant make this deep dive with Casey Stombaugh a blast for all involved. Hook is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Ben Murphy and he is introduced around the 01:23:20 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This was a long time coming. Dungeons & Dragons has surged in popularity so much in the last decade. All four of Storytelling Breakdown's hosts currently actively play or DM in at least one campaign. After blogs and episodes dedicated to RPGs, SB Hosts Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky host a series of campaign diaries, inviting you to take a seat at their tables and experience the tales told by the Dungeon Masters. It doesn't get much more classic than Ravenloft and Barovia, two of D&D's most beloved settings. Come along with Stephen as he takes you through the set up and first sessions of his run of Curse of Strahd. Curse of Strahd is one of the most popular modules built for 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons and has roots going back to the beginnings of the game. Each run of the module is different, so even if you have played it before, you've never played it like this. Our first session begins with getting players to the table, and trying to survive the “Death House”. Will our heroes survive the swirling mists of Barovia, or are they going to be something, or someone's dinner? Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This was a long time coming. Dungeons & Dragons has surged in popularity so much in the last decade. All four of Storytelling Breakdown's hosts currently actively play or DM in at least one campaign. After blogs and episodes dedicated to RPGs, SB Hosts Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky host a series of campaign diaries, inviting you to take a seat at their tables and experience the tales told by the Dungeon Masters. Our story begins in Murktown, a location Ben borrowed from a homebrew module. Murktown is an old village in the Fairknot Region of the continent of Omeria. For ages it has served as a trading post. There hasn't been an attack on Murktown in hundreds of years, but there hasn't been a noble living in the keep to call for aid for even longer. There is a river that flows through the town to the bay and three bridges connecting the two largest neighborhoods, Monarchy and Wastefall. The town is old, kind of dirty, and sees travelers of all kinds. On this day, we look to the interior of the Loaded Buckler, a tavern near the center of Murktown. Upstairs are simple sleeping quarters that can be rented for a night. The main room of the tavern is lit by a pair of fireplaces and torches mounted throughout in brackets on the wall and support columns. Tables and bar seating remain available. A young, redheaded half-elf has just seated a strange group of travelers, five in total and that is where we start our first session. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about our regular episodes and campaign diaries at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown Campaign Diaries are hosted by Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. The Storytelling Breakdown logo is by Daniel Church. The Adventurers Assemble logo is by Michael Ganser. The Curse of Strahd logo is by Jeremy Stroup. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How did it take us this long to get here? Pirates have had an up and down cinematic history. While classic pirate images come to mind from the earliest days of Hollywood filmmaking, the genre was considered cursed for several decades before a movie with “Curse” in the title brought the genre into a renaissance. And it is a genre we are finally discussing.Our Flag Means Death takes this genre to fascinating depths with the craft of one of the most creative directors working today *cough* Taika Waititi. Rhys Darby turns in a phenomenal performance as Stede Bonnet. Historic pirates get new takes in a story that sees clashes with the Royal Navy, shows the transformative power of authentic relationships, and explores the terrible expectations of toxic masculinity. Peacemaker is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Caleb Linnemeier and he is introduced around the 01:08:32 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

“I believe in America.” After Cinematic Icons: A Meeting of the Five Families and Boardwalk Blinders & The Roaring Twenties, our gangster episodes have become a trilogy. That said, this conversation stands alone, much as The Godfather does 50 years after its release. The Storytelling Breakdown team reflects on our first viewings of the film, the numerous production hurdles that could have made for a very different movie, and how this classic is viewed today.Fringe is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Georgia Stachofsky and she is introduced around the 01:00:15 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When we last saw our heroes, it was years, maybe even decades ago. Now they are back, older and wearier, but we are thrilled to see them again. They have new allies. Our story follows a new hero or several figuring out their place in a universe. If you've seen a story like this recently, it was probably a legacy sequel. The popularity of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Creed, and other films sets up this conversation between Ben, Caleb, and Larissa as we take our own journey into the world of continuations, years after the last film in a franchise featured a hero we know and love. The live action Scooby-Doo films are the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Brittany Smith and she is introduced around the 01:02:25 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

“I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!” When we think of quotes that came out of the horribly beautiful mind of James Gunn, this one might be one of the most recognizable. That said, there's a couple recent quotes from interviews with James Gunn that inform our conversation in our season three premier. “I love making movies and telling stories. But, there was part of it I was using to try to fill a whole in me that didn't feel loved by other people… I felt like everything in my life had been taken from me at one time, but in that moment all of a sudden all of these people loved me--in a moment when I thought my career was over. I felt loved for the first time in my life, and it was an incredibly empowering experience.” Storytelling Breakdown Host Larissa Whitaker leads the conversation, and joined Ben, Caleb, and Stephen in the studio to discuss The James Gunn Love Bomb Spectacular. Baseball is the subject of this episode's Spotlight, though it is more specifically about the Chicago Cubs, and even more specifically about MLB: The Show. Our guest is Steve Mullaney and he is introduced around the 01:00:53 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In an effort to avoid false advertising, our team does have to confess that this episode has almost nothing to do with Avatar: The Last Airbender. This month we are bringing you our annual community update. Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer were joined in the studio by Storytelling Breakdown's newest hosts Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. We'll reflect on our last season, look ahead to some of what's coming up, and all four hosts discussed their year in media for 2021. We've got Babylon Berlin, Barbaren, Bo Burnham: Inside, Castlevania, CJ The X, D&D, Get Back, King of Staten Island, Marvel Phase 4, Mass Effect, Matthew Colville, Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out, Monster of the Week, Mythic Quest, No Time to Die, Overly Sarcastic Productions, Secret Base, Succession, Ted Lasso, Vincenzo, The Witcher and The Young Pope. We probably forgot to list a few things.The 2017 videogame Night in the Woods is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Megan Bracker and she is introduced around the 01:10:34 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Since the beginning of 2022, Storytelling Breakdown has also been hosted by Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” When Ben, Caleb, and Stephen joined the Deus Vult podcast for a crossover episode in November, this quote came up. It's from Nucky Thompson, the main character in HBO's Boardwalk Empire. While recent dramas set in the roaring twenties, such as Boardwalk Empire and Peaky Blinders, have taken liberties with historical events, they tell really good stories and feature fascinating characters. Caleb and Ben welcome their friend Carolynn Stouder into the studio to talk about both of these shows, performances that stand out, comparisons that can be made, and what issues their stories address. We've got flappers, bookies, bootleggers, band leaders, rebels, clay kickers, and corrupt officials navigating the chaos for this look at Boardwalk, Blinders & The Roaring Twenties. The 2009 film The Secret of Kells is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Jeremy Stroup and he is introduced around the 01:15:49 mark. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram. Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. Starting in 2022, the Storytelling Breakdown team will be expanding. We'll be adding co-hosts with Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker stepping into the roles.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A tried and true pop culture staple is the top five list. Another tried and true pop culture staple is the gangster movie. In an attempt to reach the length of gangster epics of the past, Ben, Caleb, and Stephen have recorded our longest episode to date. If these movies, scenes, directors, actors, and characters are in themselves a meeting of the five families, who gets a seat at the table? Who's in the room even if they just missed out on one of the five seats?This is the third and final entry in the Cinematic Icons series for Storytelling Breakdown's second season. After previous discussions of Hitchcock and Spielberg, plus our Halloween favorites, this episode looks at the works of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, James Cagney, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and so many others who have appeared in legendary gangster films. Fuggedaboutit.The 2020 film One Night in Miami... is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Kibwe Cooper, host of the EmpowerYou podcast and he is introduced around the 01:30:25 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.Starting in 2022, the Storytelling Breakdown team will be expanding. We'll be adding co-hosts and we can announce that one of them will be a dear friend of the show, Larissa Whitaker. She was first heard on the program for the first Spotlight of Fake Doctors, Real Dramedies, speaking about Black Panther around the 01:19:12 mark. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Maybe it starts with a special delivery. Perhaps the first thing you see is the exterior of the New York Public Library. Or maybe we begin in the present with everything shrouded in black and white at an auction in an abandoned, old opera house, before the chandelier is lit and we go back in time. Halloween looks a little different for everyone and for this episode, Stephen, Ben, and Caleb discuss their go-to Halloween movies.Some of our early conversations about movies focused on more recent releases. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and the Planet of the Apes trilogy of the last decade only go back as far as 2011. For our Cinematic Icons, we go back a little further. Stephen's pick gives us a chance to explore the iconic latter-day appearances of Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. For Ben's pick, we enjoy everything the original Ghostbusters film gave us, as we anticipate a sequel. Finally for Caleb's pick, we consider the brilliant pairing of Andrew Lloyd Webber's music and Joel Schumacher's visuals. Spend a part of your spooky season with your favorite Halloween movie and the Storytelling Breakdown team.  The Apple TV+ series Mythic Quest is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is our social media coordinator Ella Abbott and she is introduced around the 57:14 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions.Starting in 2022, the Storytelling Breakdown team will be expanding. We'll be adding co-hosts and we can announce that one of them will be our dear friend and collaborator, Stephen Stachofsky. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Storytelling Breakdown has now been around for a year! One topic that has always resonated with the Storytelling Breakdown team is voice acting, going all the way back to our first episode in September of 2020 when we highlighted Mark Hamil's Joker. How do voice actors create such memorable performances so radically different from their own? What can be done to help these virtuosos of voice understand their instruments better? Dr. Colette Feehan is the first doctor to come on Storytelling Breakdown and voice acting is something of a *cue sassy Obi-Wan voice… speciality. We talked with Colette about her research at IU, the amazing connections she made at comic cons, and the final chapters of earning her doctorate. For the first time since our first two episodes, Caleb and Ben each did Spotlights for this one. They start at the 54:21 mark. Caleb explores some of his favorite aspects of Downton Abbey after a quarantine watch and Ben highlights an epic battle royale from Critical Role.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This podcast exists because for all of us on our team, someone fueled our passion for movies. Connections can be drawn between actors, writers, and in the case of this episode, directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg. We have two guests in the studio for this episode. Ben Clemmer's brother Don is a lifelong cinephile and provided an early influence for interests like comics, Star Wars, Batman, and The Lord of the Rings. Don is also the seventh guest to appear on Storytelling Breakdown who was once a student of Jane Martin. Jane is a professor of communication at the University of Saint Francis and this episode was a welcome throwback to her Film as Art class. The award winning episode of Batman: The Animated Series, Heart of Ice is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Bryant Rozier and he is introduced around the 48:13 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Our team has a great love of comic books. The stories include, but are not limited to superheroes. Some we couldn't put down as children. Others enthrall us as adult readers. Plus, there is so much major media available today that is based on stories told in the pages of comic books. We're continuing our series of crossover shows with a full Breakdown featuring Albert Wiltfong, Austin Shinn, and Zephyr Ostrowski from The Omniplex Podcast.Albert, Austin, and Zephyr are avid comic book fans who recently interviewed J.M. DeMatteis on their podcast. That conversation sparked an idea that led to a trip to the proverbial aquarium.The card game Intel is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guests are the creators, John Jehl, Ethan Sternke, and Alex Shinn, and they are introduced around the 01:13:47 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Welcome to this episode. Have a look around. Anything that brain of yours can think of can be found...We're still processing the emotions we felt when watching Bo Burnham: Inside. The pandemic has been hard on our team's mental health and Caleb and Ben watched the special for the fourth and second time before recording this month's episode. From the songs, to the lighting, to the feelings, this is Bo Burnham Breakdown.The American anime-influenced, adult computer-animated web series, RWBY is the subject of this episode's Spotlight. Our guest is Jacob Ganser and he is introduced around the 01:17:00 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been praised for its interconnected film and television spanning stories, which have remained largely consistent in tone and continuity since Iron Man came out in 2008. DC films have been… well, not that.After Caleb and Ben saw Zack Snyder's Justice League, they invited Lucas Gerke to return to the podcast for a deep dive into how we got here. In addition to studying film and directing for years, Lucas has actively followed the events that led to the 2021 release of the “Snyder Cut” on HBO Max. The entire experience was different, especially if you are a fan of Cyborg, the Flash, and villains that aren't flat.You get the idea. We'll also wrap up by digging into an alternate timeline proposed by Ben in the Storytelling Breakdown blog. Here's the links to parts one, two, and three. The different aspects of playing a character in an RPG is the subject of this episode's Spotlight portion and we'll hear more from Casey Stombaugh as he's interviewed by Stephen Stachofsky.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. Special thanks to John for recording the majority of this episode in his studio space. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When Storytelling Breakdown Writer, Editor, and Producer Stephen Stachofsky wrote a blog for SB this week, he included this quote from George Lucas, "after Star Wars was released, it became apparent that my story—however many films it took to tell—was only one of thousands that could be told about the characters who inhabit its galaxy. But these were not stories that I was destined to tell. Instead, they would spring from the imagination of other writers, inspired by the glimpse of a galaxy that Star Wars provided.”Today on Storytelling Breakdown, we'll hear how SB's Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky combined forces to create an RPG campaign in the Star Wars universe. The crew of misfits was prone to bad luck and unpredictable, and things were pretty interesting for the characters too.This is Rogue Producers: A Star Wars Story.The Jedi Code is the subject of this episode's Spotlight portion and we'll hear more from the Deus Vult Podcast. The creators, Fr. Stephen Felicichia and Deacon Dan Koehl, are both Catholic clerics in the Fort Wayne area. Their section of our show begins at the 59:19 mark. You can find their podcast at their website or wherever podcasts are found and learn more from their Facebook and Instagram pages. Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. Special thanks to John for recording the majority of this episode in his studio space. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You can hear the choppers in the distance. A slight tilt of the head and looking off screen, and you're in a fantasy. The realities of facing death every single day collide with some of the best comedy and writing of their eras. Storytelling Breakdown's Caleb Meyer grew up watching M*A*S*H. Ben Clemmer grew up watching Scrubs. In this episode the pair discuss the connections and parallels between the two.The stories feature fake doctors, but real dramedy.Once you've done everything you can to get yourself kicked out of the army and finished your last overnight shift at Sacred Heart, you'll be able to hear from a variety of team members and friends of the show for our Spotlight portion.Hope Arthur and Kurt Roembke are both halves of the duo, Silbo Gomero. This episode features their new song called Whale Fall. The track features percussion recorded in a session with Nick Broste at the Shape Shoppe in Chicago, Illinois. The music video was written and directed by Kurt Roembke with puppets designed and constructed by Lyssa Troemel. Lyssa Troemel and Tara Olivero performed as puppeteers.Our first Spotlight in this episode comes from Larissa Whitaker and focuses on the contributions from two female characters in Black Panther. She is introduced around the 01:19:12 mark.Our second Spotlight features Rob Martinez, who has his own show called The Movie Music Spotlight, and he has a followup to our main topic from last episode. You can hear his insights into the filming of The Blues Brothers at the 01:29:38 mark.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. Special thanks to John for recording the majority of this episode in his studio space. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Many movies are endlessly quotable. You can hear one quote, like the title of this episode, and images from the movie immediately appear inside your head. But they don't all spawn from Saturday Night Live. They don't all set a record for the most cars wrecked in a single film production. They don't all feature cameos and performances from music icons. They don't all feature bands assembled from diverse pockets of American music. They don't all feature a musically inclined duo willing to break speed laws, take it to the nazies, and organize a sold out show just to save an orphanage.They aren't The Blues Brothers.Caleb Meyer and Ben Clemmer dig into a classic comedy and musical that has lived, thrived, and survived in the public consciousness for over forty years. An SNL skit inspired a three hundred page script, edited down and directed by John Landis, that featured so many stars, talents, and weird stories, we couldn't think of a better way to begin Storytelling Breakdown's second season!The beginning of Baby Driver is the subject of this episode's Spotlight portion and we'll hear more from Lucas Gerke.Subscribe to Storytelling Breakdown wherever you get your podcasts. You can find out more about this show at storytellingbreakdown.com. There you can also find our blog community and support us through Patreon. You can contact us via email at info@storytelling-breakdown.com or using the Storytelling Breakdown Facebook or Instagram.Storytelling Breakdown is hosted by co-founders Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer. Our theme music is by Kurt Roembke. Our logo is by Daniel Church. Stephen Stachofsky joins us as a producer, writer, and editor. Our social media coordinator is Ella Abbott. Our podcast is hosted by John Dawkins and Wayneshout Productions. Special thanks to John for recording the majority of this episode in his studio space. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★