These Are My People

"The Choice" (http://thechoicepod.com/) is a six-episode audio drama, a feminist dystopian thriller set in the refugee camps of Los Angeles. Set in the year 2047, Dr. Margaret Carter is facing the death penalty. These are a series of recordings played as evidence in her trial. Misty Eddy is a director working in Portland, Oregon. Her obsession with radio dramas started early when, at twelve years old, she fell in love with classic radio theater programs like The Shadow, Suspense, and Orson Welle's War of the Worlds. Molly Silverstein is the Director of Programming for the Portland Film Festival and the host of the Portland Film Podcast. She studied film at Yale and London Film School. Nick Escobar is a design manager at a digital marketing agency in downtown Portland. As a producer, he has been recognized by the Portland Comedy Film Festival, premiered a short film at the 2016 Rose City Comic Con, and co-founded Blue Envelope Productions. Smarthouse Creative's Leroy Mack sits down with "The Choice" creators, Misty Eddy, Molly Silverstein and Nick Escobar, to learn about the creative inspiration behind "The Choice" and what elements make the series unique, for example including an animator on the team to help listeners visualize the tone of each episode. Misty, Molly and Nick describe the fundraising tips that they've learned through their current Kickstarter campaign, ways to encourage your audience members to become "brand champions" for your work, long-term branding strategies, for example creating a project media-plan, and much more! Visit "The Choice" on Kickstarter: smrths.com/TheChoice_Kickstarter Check out “The Choice” on Facebook: smrths.com/TheChoicePod_Facebook Visit the official “The Choice” website: www.thechoicepod.com TAMP music by Dude York.

Sam Berliner (www.donutfilms.org) is a Seattle-based filmmaker and animator best known for his engaging and accessible films about gender non-conformity. His award-winning short films, Dating Sucks: A Genderqueer Misadventure, Genderbusters, Perception and Float have screened at over 200 film festivals around the world and are distributed by CFMDC. When not actively making films, Sam is the festival director of Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival, as well as a Senior Programmer at Three Dollar Bill Cinema. He leads workshops and gives presentations about gender at various organizations and schools. He is in pre-production on Episode 2 of the Dating Sucks webseries and is the founder of Queer Scouts Bay Area and Queer Scouts Seattle, hosting monthly skill-shares for LGBTQA adults. Sam graduated in 2005 from Smith College with a BA in Film & Theatre and earned an MFA in Cinema from San Francisco State University in 2013. Smarthouse Creative's Brad Wilke sits down with Sam Berliner, director of Three Dollar Bill Cienma's Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival, to talk about Berliner's work at the festival, his own filmmaking career, how he connects with his audience, and what to see at this year's Translations (May 3-12 in Seattle). They also cover Berliner's efforts building an IRL community at Translations and the importance of trans education & allyship via partnerships, panels, workshops and screenings. You can check out Sam's Facebook page here: https://smrths.com/SB_FB You can check out the Translations Film Festival website here: https://translationsfilmfest.org/ Visit Sam’s current projects "Dating Sucks: A Genderqueer Misadventure" and "FLOAT" here: https://smrths.com/SB_DatingMisdventures_FB https://smrths.com/SB_Float TAMP music by Dude York.

Heather Brown (www.mindthebirdmedia.com) is a PR and events professional currently providing publicity, production, and communication services to individuals and literary and cultural organizations from her home base in Portland, OR. She activates her extensive network, her background in public education, and a master’s degree in creative writing to approach each job with inclusivity, rhetorical sensitivity and service-oriented, trust-based leadership. In this TAMP episode Smarthouse Creative talks with PR and events professional Heather Brown about her work as an editor & social media manager at YesYes Books and launching her own communication and events company, Mind The Bird Media. Brown has extensive experience with audience building for artists & authors with a focus on creating authentic connections, which she'll discuss, in addition to describing her approach to building buzz for her new company. You can check out Heather's Facebook page here, https://www.facebook.com/mindbirdmedia/ Visit Heather’s current project "Mind The Bird Media" at this site; http://www.mindthebirdmedia.com/ TAMP music by Dude York.

Episode 16: Alexandra Billings Alexandra Billings (www.alexandrabillings.com) is an actress, singer, author, teacher and activist. Currently, Ms Billings plays Davina on Amazon's Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning hit TV show "Transparent". In 2005, Ms. Billings played Donna, opposite Katherine Heigel, in the ABC film “Romy and Michelle: A New Beginning.” It was the second time a transgender actress played a transgender character in the history of television. She's had guest starring roles on "How To Get Away With Murder", “Grey's Anatomy,” “Eli Stone," “E.R.,” “Karen Sisco,” “Nurses” opposite Lynn Redgrave, and playing opposite Dot Jones in the Ryan Murphy pilot “Pretty/Handsome,” co-starring Blythe Danner and Robert Wagner. She finished her first feature film role as a non Trans character in "Valley of Bones" in the spring of 2016. She is the recipient of five After Dark Awards and one Joseph Jefferson Award. Ms. Billings' activism stretches across the continent. She has won the TPA Award and the Rainbow Spirit Award, and she was inducted into the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in Chicago in 2007. Living with AIDS since 1995. Her life story “From Schoolboy to Showgirl,” produced by Alex Silets for PBS television, was nominated for an Emmy for Best Documentary. In this TAMP episode, Smarthouse Creative's Brad Wilke talks to actress Alexandra Billings about her role on Transparent and her experience communicating with her growing audience. Alexandra discusses how she navigates her personal vs. public persona, how living publicly as a trans actor has informed her career, and what she believes her responsibility is being a part of the Transparent cast. Alexandra’s work is inspired by, “allowing more people to be heard, bringing more people in.” You can check out Alexandra's Facebook page here, bit.ly/AlexandraBillings_Facebook. Visit Alexandra’s current projects "TRANSPARENT" and “VALLEY OF BONES” at these sites; bit.ly/TransparentTVSeries bit.ly/Valley_of_Bones_Movie TAMP music by Dude York.

Episode 15: THE UNCONDEMNED by Michele Mitchell Michele Mitchell (www.filmat11.tv) (www.theuncondemned.com) An award-winning investigative reporter on “NOW with Bill Moyers” (PBS), Mitchell began her broadcasting career as political anchor at CNN Headline News, where she specialized in US politics. At PBS, she developed a reputation for discovering overlooked social justice stories before leaving to start her own company. She was the director/producer/writer/co-executive producer of the groundbreaking “Haiti: Where Did the Money Go?” A graduate of Northwestern University, Michele wrote sports for the Chicago Tribune while in college, and then began her career on Capitol Hill. She is the author of three books. In this TAMP episode, Smarthouse Creative's Brad Wilke talks to Michele Mitchell about her experiences as a journalist, filmmaker, and activist at the intersection of human rights and social justice. Michelle and Brad also discuss the inspiration behind the making of Michelle's new documentary, THE UNCONDEMNED, and her use of social media as a tool to engage, maintain and build her audience. You can check out Michele's Facebook page here, http://bit.ly/Filmat11_FB , and follow her on Twitter at, @michelefilmat11. Visit Michele's current project "THE UNCONDEMNED" here; www.theuncondemned.com. TAMP music by Dude York.

Donovan Janus (https://www.17hats.com/) is Founder and CEO of 17hats, a Pasadena, CA-based software system that provides small business owners tools, knowledge, and expertise so that they can stay organized, feel confident, and look professional. Mr. Janus is a lifelong entrepreneur, and he and his team at 17hats share a passion for guiding small business owners on their respective journeys. In this TAMP episode, Donavan talks with Smarthouse Creative's Rachel Green about developing 17hats and the importance of timing, simplicity and social media in building a brand. He describes marketing tips and various grassroots tools and methods used to identify and connect with an audience, "if you define your ideal client and have a clear message, the selling part really happens by itself." -Donovan Janus. You can check out Donavan's Facebook page here, http://bit.ly/17hats_FB/ and follow him on Twitter at, @17hatsHQ. TAMP music by Dude York.

“Whoever’s within earshot are my people - that’s my curatorial sense for a world of music and experience - I want everybody to understand. Music is universal and that’s what I’m dedicating my life to. Every culture has their own take on it. It’s infinite, you’ll never hear it all. It’s everywhere. It’s like church to me. I want everybody to come in.” -Larry Mizell, Jr. In this TAMP episode, Mizell Jr. talks with poet Colin Walker about his unexpected career in the arts, why he loves what he does, and how he’s built his audience by following his passion for music and community. Check out Larry’s Street Sounds Facebook page [http://bit.ly/SS_KEXP] and follow him on Twitter at @larrymizelljr TAMP music by @Dude York (dudeyork.bandcamp.com/). Note: During the time of this interview, Mizell hosted Street Sounds, the weekly hip-hop show on KEXP. He wrote the column My Philosophy for the Stranger and was in local Seattle bands like Cancer Rising and Don't Talk To the Cops. He has since moved to Los Angeles.

In this TAMP episode, Smarthouse co-founders Ryan Davis and Brad Wilke (www.smarthousecreative.com) talk with Colin Walker and share helpful tips and tools to build your audience, boost your brand, and follow your passion. They also discuss the origins of our in-house podcast and how it aspires to be a rich and generative resource for creative entrepreneurs looking to gain traction, promote their projects, and grow their fan base. Tune in and start putting your best foot forward when it comes to connecting with your audience, both online and off. You can check out our Smarthouse Facebook page here, https://smrths.com/FB_SHC, and follow us on Twitter at @teamsmarthouse. TAMP music by Dude York (https://dudeyork.bandcamp.com/)

Dani Menkin (http://imdb.to/2nXMH3m) is an Israeli Academy Award Winning filmmaker for "39 Pounds of Love"(2005). The film, written, produced and directed by him, has been sold to HBO, and was short listed for the Oscars. Some of his films include: "Is That You?" (winner of "Best Indie Film of the Year" award), "Dolphin Boy" (2011), "Je T'aime - I Love You Terminal"(2010), and his most recent film "On the Map." Dani is also a co-producer and a creator-partner of Ilan Heitner for the Israeli cult indie film "Wisdom of the Pretzel", which is one of the most successful independent feature films in Israeli cinema. In 2005 Director, writer and producer Dani Menkin created his own Independent film production "Hey Jude Productions". In this TAMP episode, Dani talks with Smarthouse Creative's Ryan Davis about what he believes is his most important role as a director, how "On The Map" has appealed to audiences not only in the sports world, but from many different communities outside of competitive sports, and the inspiration behind his filmmaking process. He says one of the biggest lessons he has learned is that it's important as a filmmaker not to "take any moment or any second in making films for granted." "On The Map" will be screening at The Jewish Film Festival in Seattle on APril 2nd! You can check out Dani's Facebook page here, http://bit.ly/2mOrWa8, and follow him on Twitter at, @danimenkin. TAMP music by Dude York.

Lindy Boustedt (http://imdb.to/2hRRnYK) is a writer, director, producer and actor. Lindy co-directs movies with her husband, Kris Boustedt. They've written, directed, produced or edited dozens of films, including three features, and create media for non-profits and corporate clients on the side. Some of their films include: PERFECT 10, THIS IS OURS, BRIDES TO BE, TOGETHER FOREVER and PRACTICAL THINGS. In this TAMP episode, Lindy talks with Smarthouse Creative's Brad Wilke about the first time she realized she had an audience and the tools she has incorporated into her practice that have helped she and her husband maintain a connection with their audience. Lindy describes the inspiration behind her filmmaking in terms of creating new norms via better representation and increased diversity. You can check out Lindy's Facebook page here, http://bit.ly/2hRJm6l and follow her on Twitter at, @krisandlindy. TAMP music by Dude York.

Ingrid Jungermann (http://imdb.to/2ej0wX7) is a writer, director and actor. Along with several short films, Ingrid co-created the web series THE SLOPE (https://theslopeshow.com/), and created the WGA-Nominated web series F TO 7TH (www.fto7th.com/), featuring Amy Sedaris, Michael Showalter, Gaby Hoffmann, Olympia Dukakis and Janeane Garofalo. Her work has screened at various film festivals around the world, including the Tribeca Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, Outfest and Frameline. Ingrid was one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 Faces of Independent Film, Out Magazine's 100 People of the Year and Go Magazine's 100 Women We Love. Ingrid's debut feature film, WOMEN WHO KILL, http://www.wwkmovie.com/, (Tribeca All-Access Program, IFP Emerging Narratives Lab), premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival in US Competition, where she won the Best Screenplay award. She is currently in development at Showtime for F TO 7TH and is working on her next feature film. WOMEN WHO KILL is screening at Seattle TWIST Film Festival on October 21st 7PM. Find more information here, http://bit.ly/2es4mN2 . In This TAMP Episode Ingrid talks with Smarthouse Creative's Rachel Green about her belief in her responsibility as a filmmaker and her desire to offer her audience a new perspective. Ingrid describes how she connects with her audience - including which emotions and genre she chooses, and explains her inspiration and outlook as a filmmaker and the way that her vision of herself, and where she sees herself in the industry has shifted over time. In explaining her absolute response as to whether or not she takes her audience into account when making work, Ingrid replies, “I think the more personal you get and the more specific you are about your own experience, oddly enough, that translates into something more universal because I think we all struggle with the same things, deep down all of our issues are sort of similar, so I think the more you can dig into your own imperfections, your own insecurities, your own loneliness your own struggles - that opens up the audience to be able to share that with you...being honest about those things so that people feel included." You can check out Ingrid’s WOMEN WHO KILL Facebook page here, http://bit.ly/2dZuKyv and follow her on Twitter at, @ingrid_etc. TAMP music by Dude York.

Will Durst (www.http://willdurst.com/) is a political satirist and comedian. In addition to performing hundreds of live shows a year, Durst writes a nationally syndicated weekly column, posts daily jokes to his website, and voices radio commentaries. A regular guest on NPR, MSNBC and Fox News, heʼs received five Emmy nominations and seven consecutive nominations for the American Comedy Awards Stand Up of the Year. His 800+ global television appearances include HBO, The Today Show, Letterman, CNNʼs Inside Politics, Good Morning America, Showtime, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, CBS Morning News, the BBC, CBC, Greek, Scottish, French and Australian TV. In This TAMP Episode Will talks with Smarthouse Creative's Ryan Davis about what inspires his unique satire and explains different patterns he’s experienced in building an audience and the tactics that have stuck. Will describes his most valuable marketing tip to performers and talks about how, amidst the heated political climate, his focus is on the fun. You can check out Will’s Facebook page here, http://bit.ly/2cTTTaN and follow him on Twitter at, @willdurst. TAMP music by BenSound.

Rachel Belle (http://www.hellorachelbelle.com) is a feature reporter, radio personality and host, best known for her segment "Ring My Belle," (www.mynorthwest.com/rachelbelle) that airs weekday afternoons on KIRO Radio's The Ron & Don Show. She was voted Seattle's Best FM Radio Personality by "Seattle Weekly" in 2012. As a freelance food and culture writer, Rachel has contributed to Lucky Peach, The Stranger and Eater Seattle, to name a few. She's a regular contributor, and fill-in host, on Seattle Kitchen, a culinary radio program and podcast co-hosted by James Beard award winning restaurateur, Tom Douglas. She was featured as a taco expert on the Cooking Channel show "Best in Chow," as a journalist on the Discovery Investigates programs "Happily Never After" and "Ice Cold Killers" and was a guest on "Check Please! Northwest," a PBS restaurant review program. She believes a good burrito can solve any crisis. In This TAMP Episode Rachel talks with Smarthouse Creative's Ryan Davis about her production process, working as a one-woman band, and explains how she comes up with, develops, produces and publishes relevant and engaging media stories. She describes her use of social media as a tool, and how, by harnessing and directing its power, she is able to come up with unique story ideas. Rachel encourages storytellers to constantly ask themselves the big question “who cares?” when producing content. In reflecting about voice and audience engagement Rachel explains, “My advice is to really have your own voice and not, on social media, put up, kind of generic stuff…let your personality shine through.” Don’t miss Rachel’s tips about how to deal with internet trolls on social media. Her advice might come as a surprise! Find out more about the ways that Rachel finds, builds and maintains a loyal audience by listening to this episode of TAMP. You can follow Rachel on Twitter at @imrachelbelle.

Russell Hodgkinson is a theater, T.V and film actor and stars in the SyFy original series "Z Nation" (http://www.syfy.com/znation), now in its third season. He has also guest starred on "Leverage" and "Grimm" among other shows. Since moving to Seattle in 2003, Russell has continued his theater career and become active in the independent film scene. His most recent film, STAR LEAF (https://www.starleafmovie.com/), will be playing at the 2016 Seattle Transmedia and Independent Film Festival on July 29 and 30. In this TAMP episode, Russell talks with Smarthouse Creative's Ryan Davis about the various ways that his fans fuel and inspire his work, why he believes the work that he does is important, and the impact that he has on his audience in terms of their perspective of him as an actor and a person. Russell describes the blurred lines between his career and his personal life, and the opportunity it creates for he and his audience to connect more closely. He describes "how to love your audience" and gives a surprising answer to the question: "Do you consider your audience when pursuing new acting roles?" What do you think about Russell's answer? Let us know in the comments! You can follow Russell on Twitter at @hodgmahal and on Instagram at russell_hodgkinson.

Jonathan Zwickel lives and writes in Seattle. He's senior editor at City Arts magazine and contributes to Spin, the Believer, MSN Music, and many more. He is the author of "Beastie Boys: A Musical Biography." Jonathan describes his approach in terms of finding, building and maintaining a readership audience for City Arts Magazine. He describes the inner-workings of the magazine and how such a small team of writers is able to produce such a far-reaching publication. Jonathan also highlights one of his favorite local creative groups, and explains why the group is relevant to, and symbolic of, Seattle's current cultural and political state of mind.

Josh Fox is the director of "How to Let Go of the World and Love All The Things Climate Can't Change" as well as Oscar Nominated, "Gasland". He is the founder and artistic director of the International WOW Company. Josh has written/directed/produced two feature films and over twenty works for the stage which have premiered in New York, Asia and Europe. His narrative feature film debut MEMORIAL DAY (2008), is a jarring roller coaster ride from the beaches of girls-gone-wild spring break to the torture chambers of Abu Ghraib, premiered at CineVegas Film Festival and went on to have a successful limited run at IFC Center in New York. His recent work for the stage includes SURRENDER, an interactive war epic premiering in New York City, which was nominated for a 2009 Drama Desk Award and AUTO DA FE, which premiered in New York and will tour to Japan in 2011. All of Josh's work is produced and created with the award winning International WOW Company, a theater and film group with membership of over 100 actors, dancers, musicians, technical, and visual artists spanning 30 countries on 4 continents. The New York Times hailed him as "one of the most adventurous impresarios of the New York avant-garde" and Time Out NY called him "one of downtown's most audacious auteurs," citing his "brilliantly resourceful mastery of stagecraft." Josh earned his BA from Columbia University. Visit Josh's current project "How To Let Go Of The World And Love All The Things Climate Can't Change" here; http://www.howtoletgomovie.com.

Matt Smith is an accomplished actor and playwright with 35 years of experience in the Seattle arts community. Matt’s body of solo performances includes “Helium” (1995), “My Last Year with the Nuns,” “Beyond Kindness” (1999), “My Boat to Bainbridge” (2005), and “All My Children” (2010). Matt has appeared in several films, including starring in the short “Whiteface” (2001) and playing prominent supporting roles in independent features “The Naked Proof” (2003), “Outsourced” (2006), and “The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle” (2009), and, most recently, "My Last Year with the Nuns" (2015). He was also the mailman in “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993). "These Are My People" is a podcast that asks creative people to share their experiences finding and developing audiences. It is produced by Smarthouse Creative, a marketing and digital strategy agency based in Seattle, WA.

Yahdon Isreal is a non-fiction writer, the founder of #LiterarySwag and an MFA-candidate at the New School. #LiterarySwag explores the cross-section between literature and fashion. Follow him on Instagram: @yahdon and Twitter: @yahdonisrael These Are My People is a podcast that asks creative people to share their experiences finding and developing audiences. It is produced by Smarthouse Creative, a marketing and digital strategy agency based in Seattle, WA.

Director Dennis Hauck talks finding an audience for his directorial debut film "Too Late" starring John Hawkes, which was entirely, gorgeously shot in 35mm. "Too Late" is now playing at the Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle, WA until 4/28. These Are My People is a podcast that asks creative types to share their experiences finding and developing audiences. It is produced by Smarthouse Creative, a marketing and digital strategy agency based in Seattle, WA.