Voices & Visions

Today's guest is an accomplished film preservationist and archivist named Snowden Becker who I heard interviewed on The Cinephiliacs podcast a little while ago and made note of her many accomplishments. I knew immediately she was someone I was eager to learn from and listen to. There's a reason why you'll find many links in the show notes this time, because she has a lot to offer in a variety of ways. Her research interests focus on how audiovisual materials are integrated into, accessed, and preserved as part of a larger cultural heritage. She helped launch the annual international Home Movie Day and explored the increasingly pivotal role of audiovisual recordings in the criminal justice system, the latter of which we didn't get to explore as much, but I wouldn't be surprised if we talk some more in the future because Snowden provides a plethora of information and insight. Follow Snowden:https://twitter.com/snowdenbecker Academia Links:https://ucla.academia.edu/SnowdenBecker Center For Home Movies:https://www.centerforhomemovies.org Personal Website:https://snowdenbecker.com/about-me Book Recommendations:https://pamelaslim.com/body-of-work-book https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-to-be-everything-emilie-wapnick?variant=32122185482274

Marissa loves this band Sparks sooo much! So we watched Edgar Wright's excellent new documentary The Sparks Brothers, sparked up a doobie and sparks began to fly when we turned on the mics! Well, some of that is true anyway. Listen to me discover a whole new band while my guest educates me on the history, favorite songs and so much more. This was a delightful conversation and nice to have someone over for a memorable episode all about music! Now be sure to watch the documentary and listen to some Sparks ASAP! Check out the movie Annette opening at a theater near you soon too! Follow Marissa: https://letterboxd.com/m_robertcop https://twitter.com/m_robertcop Follow Sparks: https://allsparks.com https://twitter.com/sparksofficial  

Returning guest Tyler Ritter of the band Shalloboi joins me not from Chicago this time but his hometown of Kansas City. He's just released a new record called Untangled and if you've yet to hear it, you absolutely should especially for fans of the shoegaze / ambient pop genre the likes of My Bloody Valentine. But there are many layers and lots of talent behind this project that are highlighted during our delightful conversation. Please check out the links below to discover and support Tyler's terrific musical endeavor that has been going strong for a long time now. Stay tuned for another music-centric episode later this week! https://www.shalloboi.comhttps://shalloboi.bandcamp.com https://www.facebook.com/shalloboi https://soundcloud.com/shalloboi Listen to our previous conversation here (54:04 mark): https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/kijakwilliamsritter

A few years back I asked my dear friend and writer/journalist Dan Solomon to join me for a new tradition: going back 20 years to look back at the year in music. Once again we put together our Top Ten Favorite Records from 2001 as well as share some honorable mentions. Joining us in the discussion this time is another wonderful friend that also shares in our unabashed love of music and pop culture, journalist and blogger Jason Simpson. It's been a long time since we all three spoke to one another so this was a real treat and more than just an exercise in nostalgia. Get ready to make some playlists and jot down our recommendations. As always there are sound clips included as well. Grateful to Dan and Jason for joining me and truly hope you all are safe + healthy. Stay tuned for a single in the future featuring my cover of the song that closes this episode since I think it's one of the most beautiful ballads ever written. Follow Dan & Jason: https://twitter.com/dansolomon https://forestpunk.wordpress.com https://twitter.com/for3stpunk Previous Years / Episodes: https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1995 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1996 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1997 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1998 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music2000

A true blue talent in so many ways joins me for this latest conversation on Voices & Visions. An accomplished actress of course and now an incredibly inspirational artist/painter, Sabrina Lloyd joins me to discuss her career on stage, film, television and her transformation into a gifted artist whose work you can find in the links below. You remember her from shows like Sports Night and Sliders as well as the Sundance hit Dopamine and Hal Hartley's The Girl From Monday. If you haven't caught up with any of those, you really should. But we talk about other various highlights & stories from the past and what's possibly in store for the future. Sabrina is passionate about all-things related to artistic expression and even offers workshops on storytelling and painting! It was such an honor and a joy to talk with someone whose work I've enjoyed since the mid-90s. 0:00 - 04:09 - Introduction04:10 - 46:10 - Interview With Sabrina Lloyd Follow Sabrina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrina.lloyd_ Check out Sabrina's online workshop with Joel Mckerrow: https://www.joelmckerroweducation.com/story Check out Sabrina's website: https://www.sabrinalloyd.com  

When this show was once called Pop Culture Club, I asked a band I had just discovered to come on to talk about their remarkable LP The Slideshow Effect, a record I consider to be one of the best of the past ten years or so. When I saw that they were returning with a brand new EP of Beatles covers called Mania, I knew immediately I had to contact them again to check in with what they've been up to these past few years and celebrate their triumphant return! Denise and Evan comprise a true blue dream pop duo that constantly evolves while staying true to a signature sound that always brings me joy. As did this interview of course! We dive deep into the world of cover song creation, the future of the band, the hopes of live performance and more! 00:00 - 05:10 - Introduction 05:11 - 34:12 -  Interview w/Memoryhouse! Links: Memoryhouse Facebook Memoryhouse Instagram Memoryhouse Website Memoryhouse Interview (Pop Culture Club era) When You Sleep Cover (my favorite song - they did it justice)  

It’s been awhile since I’ve spoken with one of today’s guests. Art Mayes is someone I share a wild history with given our own collaborations in a band we formed in high school. After we went to different colleges and the band broke up, Art formed a different musical partnership with the great Pete Lents, a remarkably talented musician that now has a very successful Twitch channel that I implore you to check out each and every week. For today’s conversation, Art & Pete share their collaborative history as songwriters in addition to shedding some light on their latest full-length record, Childish Things. We talk about various inspirations, the joy of recording with others, how the “magic” of a song comes into fruition as well as where they’re currently headed both with their latest endeavor and more songs to come in the future. Included are snippets of nearly every recording they have out there in the land of streaming music so be sure to visit their website for links to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more! Take note of their Kickstarter campaign below which allows you to contribute but also possibly create with them too! Thanks so much to Art & Pete and looking forward to more musician interviews in the future. 00:00 - 05:50 - V&V Introduction 05:51 - 01:04:40 - Art & Pete Interview Links: Art And Pete Kickstarter Campaign Childish Things Music Video Pete's Twitch Channel

Voices and Visions returns and presents a joyful interview with one of the all-time great composers, Rachel Grimes. Her talent has been evident for many years going all the way back to her work with the band, The Rachel’s. For this follow-up conversation, we delve into her latest endeavors which includes one of last year’s very best albums, The Way Forth. There’s also a lot of words spoken about Kentucky history and politics, Rachel’s personal journey both past and present as well as just a lot of hope for the future of music and live performance. Please do your best to support independent artists like her by visiting her website and Bandcamp linked below. Stay tuned for a couple of episodes this month but we certainly start out strong here with so many words of insight and inspiration from a legendary composer whose work will definitely give you peace of mind during these difficult times. 00:00 - 04:07 - Introduction04:08 - 51:16 - Interview Buy The Way Forth Here:https://rachelgrimes.bandcamp.com/album/the-way-forth Visit Rachel’s Website:https://Rachelgrimespiano.com Check out this music video from The Way Forth: https://youtu.be/xXB097LWLEA

No intro / outro this time even if it has been awhile. Just wanted to launch right into the topic at hand because it's a doozy and one I always look forward to (though we missed last year sadly). A few years back I asked dear friend and journalist Dan Solomon to join me for a new tradition: going back 20 years to look back at the year in music that was. We put together our Top Ten Favorite Records of 2000, share some honorable mentions and for this episode, we discuss our thoughts on the new Fiona Apple album, Fetch The Bolt Cutters. Grateful to Dan for joining me again and truly hope you all are safe + healthy. Stay tuned to the very end in which Wilco's very own Jeff Tweedy played my request on Instagram after his wife, Susan, read my comment aloud. http://dansolomon.com/ https://twitter.com/dansolomon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_in_music Previous Years / Episodes: https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1995 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1996 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1997 https://www.voicesvisions.net/episodes/music1998

Reposting one of my favorite interviews with someone we just lost yesterday, way too soon, way too young. There is no denying how much those first two Fountains of Wayne records meant to me and of course throughout the years, songwriter Adam Schlesinger continued to inspire and move any number of people who were blessed to hear his music or collaborate with him. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing him about his collaborative work with Rachel Bloom on the incredible show, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. We spoke for a good half hour about his process but also about his love of music. It’s hard to summarize such a prolific talent like Adam or even make a concise playlist because I pretty much loved every song he wrote over the years. He was taken from us way too soon from this terrible virus that is plaguing the world. Instead of mourning the loss, it’s best to celebrate his talent by listening to any number of songs and records he’s been a part of over the years. I also wanted to repost this conversation I had with him. You can tell that he had a big heart, a great sense of humor and just a love of great pop songs and his music was representative of all that and more. Sending much love to his family and friends today including Rachel Bloom, Chris Collingwood among many others who were touched by this incredible musician. During the episode, there are snippets of the following: “Troubled Times” "Hackensack" "She's Got A Problem" "Hate To See You Like This" "Radiation Vibe" "Red Dragon Tattoo" "Prom Theme" "Settle For Me" (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) "Getting Bi" (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) "All Kinds Of Time" "That Thing You Do!"

cross-posted at Director’s Club What started back five years ago with 1985 continues. This time it’s one entire episode instead of split into two: all five and a half hours of an annual tradition co-starring yours truly, Collin Souter and Erik Childress as we run down nearly every film that came out thirty years ago. This time it’s all about 1990! If you’re a fan of nostalgia, sound clips, trailers, 1990 songs, laugh out loud moments and memories, then you’re in for a treat. Granted we don’t cover every single title but as always, we come pretty close. To follow along with our resource / guide, feel free to click on this link. See you in a year when we’ll do it all again and thank you so much for listening and for the support.

Let's talk about snacks! Back when this show was known as “pop culture club,” I had dear friend Marissa Robertcop on to discuss the anniversary of UHF and our fondness for the parody song genre. In the midst of recently returning to the Director's Club hosting gig, I decided it was time for Marissa and I to reunite to talk about another mutual appreciation: the delicious snack food. Could be salty, could be sweet, could be healthy, could be neat. In addition to hearing her favorites along with some special taste tests taken live on-air, we also discuss the copious flavors of Skittles & Lay's that have come out over the years, we go over a list of the top 25 snack foods in America, take some listener submissions and I reveal some shocking preferences along the way. If you’re curious about my favorites here they are: Honorable Mention: Apple Pie Kit Kat, Take 5 Candy Bar, Peanut Butter Snickers, Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips 10. Planters Cheese Curls / Aldi's Cheese Curls 09. Utz Sourdough Pretzel Daisies 08. Traditional Chex Mix07. Utz Pub Mix (minus the weird flavorless rice crisps)06. Munchies 05. Dark Chocolate Almonds 04. Wavy Ranch Lay’s 03. Microwave Popcorn 02. Chips & Guacamole 01. Pita Chips & Hummus Top 25 Snack Foods List:https://www.eatthis.com/most-popular-snack-foods-america/ Tweet at Marissa: https://twitter.com/M_Robertcop Stay tuned since the next episode will be the annual 30-year movie retrospective spectacular (crossover with Director's Club)

Two years ago at the Music Box of Horrors after a screening of Lord of Illusions, I had the pleasure of briefly talking with legendary character actor Kevin J. O’Connor. Recently, he did an interview with radio hero Nick Digilio, but I wanted to follow-up on my promise to talk with him even more about his incredible career. He started out working with Francis Ford Coppola, went on to collaborate with Robert Altman and many other huge names but of course, I was most excited to hear about his time spent working with my favorite director. Kevin had two very memorable back-to-back supporting roles in There Will Be Blood and The Master and most recently has starred in a couple of great TV miniseries along with my #10 favorite film of 2019, Colewell. There was a lot to discuss including time spent working on big budget blockbusters like Deep Rising & The Mummy which he’s also very well-known for too! It was an absolute joy to talk with another remarkable talent that I hope continues to work steadily since he always leaves a lasting impression no matter what role he takes on. Thank you so much for listening and it’s good to be back interviewing another great guest for V+V.

Cross-posted at Director's Club: So you might remember him as Arnie from Christine and that's where I first became aware of the terrific talent of one Keith Gordon. He's been on Voices + Visions / Director's Club a few times now, thus beginning a yearly tradition where we check in, talk about what he's been up to, but also take the opportunity to nerd out about cinema. Get out a notepad to jot down some of the titles discussed on this episode, as well as check out my own personal list on Letterboxd. On the last episode, we went over what it was like working on the TV show Legion which transitioned into a talk about underrated films of the 90s. This time we go back yet another decade to discuss the 80s and how weird of a time it was. Some titles might be familiar but several were new to me. We have a wonderful discussion as always so if you've been a fan of our last three episodes, I have no doubt you'll enjoy the latest one as well. For more interviews and other projects I'm a part of please visit VoicesVisions.net. 

As most listeners know, I’ve mainly done interviews with individuals associated with arts and entertainment. For me, podcasting is all about archiving the experience of connecting with another person in addition to learning about the lives of those I’m not always entirely familiar with. Most recently, I was enrolled in a library science class in which my professor included a link to a webinar regarding “Transgender Inclusion In Libraries.” Watching this particular webcast, while also reading more information and doing research on this particular subject really filled with me a sense of motivation to spread awareness. Hence this episode. I’ve also just started my MLIS program and already see a lot of possibilities when it comes to activism and meeting the needs of everyone within the community. Awareness and intelligence surrounding this comes courtesy of today’s incredibly articulate and empathic guest by the name of Micah Kehrein. Kehrein believes that public libraries must explicitly center equity and social justice in order to truly provide access for all. Once they have completed the MLIS program, Kehrein hopes to go back to their roots and practice radical, welcoming librarianship in rural America. They are responsible for a lot of terrific collaborative efforts alongside peers and fellow co-workers when it comes to ensuring the transgender community is welcome within the library. Even if you are unaware of their accomplishments, you will truly be engaged and intrigued throughout the duration of our conversation. Micah offers a lot of resources, insights, experiences, and compelling arguments for why the community needs to collaborate in order to make a difference. I cannot thank Micah enough for taking some time to shed some light and share a lot of great possibilities for all to consider. In case you need a starting point along with some helpful links to explore this subject, look no further than this Google Doc listing of links courtesy of today’s guest: https://tinyurl.com/SJSU-TransResources Also, this resource collection from Oak Park is mentioned as well: https://oppl.org/read-listen-watch/transgender-resource-collection/  

After a ten-minute preamble ramble, Voices + Visions returns with another wonderful interview with a truly extraordinary talent. Aisling Franciosi is an Irish-Italian actor, known for The Fall (2013), Game of Thrones (2011) and the latest film from Jennifer Kent, who previously gave us The Babadook. The Nightingale is definitely a film I will watch again by the end of the year since I wasn't prepared for the impact it had on me the first time. During the interview with Aisling, I expressed a lot surrounding some of the violence portrayed on screen. She talks about preparing for that level of intensity, creating a strong dynamic with co-star Baykali Ganambarr, and what she hopes audiences will get out of seeing this remarkable performance in what will be one of the year's most-talked about films.  00:00 - 10:59 - Introduction 11:00 - 27:00 - Interview With Aisling http://nowplayingnetwork.net http://voicesvisions.net  

Cross-posted with Director's Club It's appropriate that this is Episode 78, since I was born in 1978. And just like last year, my dear friend and fellow podcaster Patrick Ripoll returns for a very special episode of this show. Around the month of May, I ask Patrick to return to a microphone to talk a variety of topics. We play catch up on our lives, talk about our latest projects, and review two movies that we've assigned to one another. The two movies for this year were the Hong Kong late 80s action flick IN THE LINE OF DUTY IV as well as the gorgeous Anime coming-of-age tale, 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND. After the reviews, we launch into our other yearly tradition by playing a game show. If you want to hear last year's version of "Score Bits," it's included in the show notes below as a separate download. For this year, we took a cue from Film Junk's 700th episode and played a round of "Tonal Recall," which includes dialogue excerpts from favorite films of ours in addition to score / soundtrack samples. For our final segment, we program our own separate 12-hour film festivals in honor of the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival, which is also discussed here as well. All in all, it was a blast to talk with Patrick like we used to frequently back in the day, so I truly hope you enjoy this blast from the past as we look forward to the future! 00:00 - 29:19 - Introduction / Catching Up 29:20 - 01:20:11 - Movie Review Assignments 01:20:12 - 02:28:27 - Tonal Recall Movie Game 02:28:28 - 02:53:02 - CCFF + Our Film Festivals? 02:53:03 - 02:56:07 - Outro Follow Patrick on Letterboxd: http://letterboxd.com/patrickripoll Check out the Chicago Critics Film Festival: https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/chicago-critics-film-festival Last Year's Birthday Movie Game: http://www.mediafire.com/file/v51b8n5xlze6bs4/S_Bits.mp3

A few years back, I had the pleasure of talking with Alex Ross Perry for my then-titled Pop Culture Club podcast. We spoke about QUEEN OF EARTH and the greatness of Elisabeth Moss. For his 6th film, he recruits one of our very best actresses working today once again for HER SMELL. It’s the story of a rock star addict played by Elisabeth Moss, who is on the edge of self-destruction. This time a familiar story is beautifully filtered hrough the lens of a true original who continues to write emotionally powerful films. I’ve been of his work going all the way back to THE COLOR WHEEL, and his latest might be his most accomplished, assured work to date with a powerhouse of a performance at its center. We talked a lot about sound design, the power of certain moments throughout the film, and the experience of writing that can create a feeling of panic and ultimately, catharsis. Plus there’s a bit of an update on what’s going on with me along with a particular cover song at the end that you might enjoy especially after you see HER SMELL. 00:00 - 11:55 - Introduction / Update 11:56 - 36:38 - Interview With Alex Ross Perry 36:39 - 40:50 - ”Heaven (Bryan Adams)” Cover Check out Patrick Ripoll's new record: https://patrickripoll.bandcamp.com/album/now-more-than-ever Check out Genre Grinder: http://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/genregrinder/episode1

This is easily one of my most anticipated guests to have on the show so far. Granted we focus mainly on the fact that she's starring in the new reimagining of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, directed by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, which just opened today in theaters everywhere. But for those who know me personally, a film that she starred in a few years ago, is actually my 2nd favorite of all time. Shane Carruth's Upstream Color has had a monumental impact on me in a myriad of ways so of course, towards the end, I had to inquire further. Most folks might know her as Jane Ives from Stranger Things but check out her extensive IMDB page - she's worked some of the best directors out there. We also talk about Stephen King, growing up on horror, losing a parent, what Amy is working on next and so much more. Again, can't say enough kind words about today's guest and truly hope you enjoy our talk as much as I did. 00:00 - 06:44 - Intro 06:45 - 30:24 - Interview w/Amy 30:25 - 31:00 - Outro Check out Pet Sematary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837563/ More about Amy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Seimetz  

The one, the only character actor/writer/director Larry Fessenden joins me to talk about his latest film DEPRAVED, his own take on the Frankenstein myth, the many “stats” that horror fans know and love, as well as his production company Glass Eye Pix. DEPRAVED just premiered at the What The Fest!? in NYC to great acclaim and it’s a truly original take on the classic Frankenstein story. In addition as a bonus, we flashback to the past back in 2015 when I briefly interviewed writer/director Alex Ross Perry about his film QUEEN OF EARTH. Thought it might be fun to revisit that conversation since his latest film HER SMELL is opening in the next month or two! 00:00 - 09:30 - Introduction 09:31 - 26:12 - Larry Fessenden 26:13 - 39:49 - Alex Ross Perry (from 2015) 39:50 - 40:40 - Outro My review of Larry Fessenden’s DEPRAVED: https://www.voicesvisions.net/reviews/depraved Check out Larry Fessenden’s production company: http://glasseyepix.com/ Be sure to attend What The Fest!? in NYC: http://www.whatthefestnyc.com/

https://tinyurl.com/1989retro PART TWO: Cross-posted with Director’s Club as well. You can follow the list from 1989 that we cover linked above. Ladies and gentlemen, let's go back thirty years to when three film critics were first falling in love with movies. The mid-80s informed a lot of our taste, and much like previous years' retrospectives, it's always a blast to go back and see what holds up and what we each consider to be favorites and least favorites from a particular year. Joined once again by Erik Childress and Collin Souter we return for what is officially a yearly tradition that started thanks to original podcast creator Jim Laczkowski. We started with 1985 and plan to do this yearly tradition all the way up until 1999 as a bonus excursion for reflection, nostalgia, and to celebrate those 80s and 90s kids that adored film as much as we did. We go through the entire year chronologically covering titles that range from FIELD OF DREAMS to DO THE RIGHT THING and everything in between (HEATHERS, BATMAN, THE BURBS, ALWAYS, GLORY, etc). Yes, some big titles come up, but have no fear, we talk LISTEN TO ME and DREAM A LITTLE DREAM too. A show so big, six hours had to split into two parts. At the end of Part Two we list our favorite films of 1989. Thank you so much for supporting the show and listening to Part Two! Erik’s 1989 List Jim’s 1989 List Collin’s 1989 List

https://tinyurl.com/1989retro PART ONE: Cross-posted with Director's Club as well. You can follow the list from 1989 that we cover linked above. Ladies and gentlemen, let's go back thirty years to when three film critics were first falling in love with movies. The mid-80s informed a lot of our taste, and much like previous years' retrospectives, it's always a blast to go back and see what holds up and what we each consider to be favorites and least favorites from a particular year. Joined once again by Erik Childress and Collin Souter we return for what is officially a yearly tradition that started thanks to original podcast creator Jim Laczkowski. We started with 1985 and plan to do this yearly tradition all the way up until 1999 as a bonus excursion for reflection, nostalgia, and to celebrate those 80s and 90s kids that adored film as much as we did. We go through the entire year chronologically covering titles that range from FIELD OF DREAMS to DO THE RIGHT THING and everything in between (HEATHERS, BATMAN, THE BURBS, ALWAYS, GLORY, etc). Yes, some big titles come up, but have no fear, we talk LISTEN TO ME and DREAM A LITTLE DREAM too. A show so big, six hours had to split into two parts. At the end of Part Two which is coming soon, we list our favorite films of 1989. Thank you so much for supporting the show and listening to Part One!

Today's guest is one of the reasons why I fell in love with movies and started working on solving the mysteries behind my own mental health. As many of you know, PUMP UP THE VOLUME had a monumental impact on me and shed some light on the depression I experienced as a teenager. Seeing it gave me hope, and a couple years ago, I was lucky enough to express my gratitude to the writer/director Allan Moyle. Samantha Mathis played Nora in that film, but her entire catalog of performances throughout the years is beyond impressive. And boy, does she share some great stories. She's worked with a wide array of talented actors, writers, and directors too numerous to list here. We did our very best to cover as much as we could including THE THING CALLED LOVE, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, BROKEN ARROW, AMERICAN PSYCHO, and so much more. She's also appeared on several TV shows including LOST, THE STRAIN, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM and you can soon see her as Sara Hammon in the latest season of BILLIONS starting in March. I can't say enough good things about this interview and her wonderful insights, experiences, and passions that she was kind enough to share. Thank you so much to Samantha, and much gratitude to you for listening. Talk hard! 00:00 - 09:43 - Introduction 09:44 - 1:03:15 - Interview

For the last episode of 2018, I present to you a delightful conversation with filmmaker Meredith Danluck. Her latest film is STATE LIKE SLEEP, starring two of my favorite actors working today: Katherine Waterston and Michael Shannon. The story surrounds grief with a central mystery about a widow trying to uncover secrets from her husband's past. Meredith was kind enough to talk for 20 minutes about her process, influences, and what it's like directing great talent while keeping it all together. The film opens this Friday, January 4th on VOD so please do seek it out. Happy New Year to all and see you next year! 00:00 - 12:59 - Introduction / 2018 Reflection 13:00 - 36:50 - Interview With Meredith Danluck For more about Meredith: https://www.freethebid.com/directors/meredith-danluck/  

Before an official new interview episode arrives next week, I wanted to treat my listeners to a Christmas treat. I love Christmas music and always love finding hidden treasures out there. Back in the days of the 365 Day Project presented by WFMU, I did my fair share of sharing the truly bizarre thrift store finds from various sources. Everything from weird commercials, cassette tape recordings, and anything that people uncovered that were considered lost then found. Well, there are definitely a few obvious picks from the Christmas catalog that the Internet has to offer included here, but a few that you've probably never heard before. This was inspired by what friend and podcaster Patrick Ripoll did with Halloween and the great Andy Cirzan. Some songs are presented in their entirety, while most are just random snippets. It was done rather spontaneously without cataloging each individual track included. It's meant to be listened to as a whole weird collage. You'll find the brief delights of "Honky The Christmas Goose" first, but then there are some deep dives included two songs created by a former student along with my own song "Christmas Is Ridiculous." Along the way there's a wide array, before concluding with an eels song that I enjoy hearing every year (or does it end there?). There's even a brief interlude courtesy of SCTV. If you want to have some laughs and discover some very strange diamonds in the rough, feast your ears on this mix and thank you for supporting the podcast and the network! Merry Christmas to all! http://voicesvisions.net http://nowplayingnetwork.net  

With the busy holiday madness and awards season voting taking place, it's been hard to schedule an interview in the midst of it all. But I made an effort to make sure I could speak with today's delightful guest: an extremely talented young filmmaker named Bridey Elliott. You may have heard of her sister, Abby Elliott, or have had the pleasure of growing up with her dad, Chris Elliott, like I did. Bridey's feature-length debut, CLARA'S GHOST, opens on VOD today on December 7th, and I highly recommend giving it your time especially if you too have a wacky family. It's darkly comedic with a dash of the supernatural but showcases a real love for this gifted group of performers. Bridey cites some very cool influences during our conversation, two titles in particular that made me light up like a Christmas tree. In addition, we talk about crafting a character like Clara, working with the family in a familiar setting, the delights of Haley Joel Osmeont as an adult, and other topics of discussion. Listen to the interview and then be sure to check out her excellent dinner party ensemble piece now available in theaters and/or streaming! 00:00 - 11:10 - Introduction 11:11 - 30:20 - Interview w/Bridey Elliott Check out Chris & Bridey Elliott on Jimmy Kimmel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mscWl98WEms More About CLARA'S GHOST: https://www.smudge-films.com/claras-ghost/

The New Romantic is a 2018 Canadian romantic dramedy, written and directed by one of today's guests, Carly Stone. It stars the luminous, lovely Jessica Barden and manages to deconstruct the dating scene in a very unexpected way. It was a pleasure to talk with the writer/director about how her personal experiences informed this story among many other topics of discussion. The Clovehitch Killer is a 2018 mystery thriller, written and directed by my other guest, Duncan Skiles. Like many of us, he developed a fascination with the horrors of the world, taking a cue from Zodiac to tell a Hardy Boys-like tale of a teenager who thinks his father may be up to no good. Charlie Plummer, Dylan McDermott, Samantha Mathis are among the excellent cast in a very unnerving tale of paranoia and obsession. Duncan has a lot of influences and favorite films that I certainly respect and agree with to boot! It was an honor to talk with two young, amicable and incredibly smart filmmakers making their debuts that will be playing either at a theater near you or via video-on-demand very soon. I recommend both titles and I know you'll get a kick out of our conversations even if you're unfamiliar with the names yet. 00:00 - 11:11 - Introduction 11:12 - 23:35 - Interview w/Carly Stone (The New Romantic) 23:36 - 43:20 - Interview w/Duncan Skiles (The Clovehitch Killer)

Cross-posted over at Director's Club too! Jim here! I've been in a horrible funk so I put out the call (or the "Pat" signal) to my dear old friend Patrick Ripoll to stop by for pizza, cannoli and some good old fashioned conversation. First we dealt with our dark thoughts surrounding jobs and then turned on the mics to do what we do best - ramble on about movies. This time we focus on two recent horror releases in particular. David Gordon Green's 2018 sequel HALLOWEEN and Luca Guadagnino's remake of SUSPIRIA. Fair warning, we spoil both so hopefully you've seen them by now, and you probably should. Along the way, we dive further into the Halloween franchise, conflicted thoughts about Argento, other horror remakes we like, and a whole slew of bizarre digressions towards the end including the idea of all remakes putting podcasters into their updated takes. What horror remakes would we like to see or can expect? Is Hollywood already as doomed as planet Earth to the point of not expecting greatness anymore? Is 2018 a weak year for movies? Did Patrick actually capture the sense and sound of eating cannoli at the top of the show? You'll have to tune in and listen to find out. This was a blast and hopefully you think so too. 00:00 - 12:39 - Intro 12:40 - 47:02 - Halloween (2018) 47:03 - 01:30:27 - Suspiria (2018) 01:30:28 - 02:20:40 - Digressions, Remakes, The Future Of Cinema Be sure to check out Patrick's latest episode of Tracks of the Damned, which is a totally awesome mix of Halloween treats: http://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/tracksofthedamned/halloweenmixtape2018

I’ve had a lot of special guests that I consider to be personal heroes on this show before, and today’s is no exception. Yoni Wolf, frontman for the excellent band Why?, as well as the host of The Wandering Wolf podcast was kind enough to talk with me for a half hour before sound check. He is currently back on the road for the Alopecia 10th anniversary tour, playing that amazing record in its entirety. It remains a personal favorite of mine along with so many songs particularly “The Blackest Purse, Gemini (Birthday Song), Rubber Traits, Yo Yo Bye Bye,” and many more. I try to relay my enthusiasm as usual, but also get some insights to the man behind the curtain.

 Yoni’s songs have meant a lot to me over the years and hopefully this conversation will inspire you to check out his work, support the band while on tour, as well as learn more about how a touring songwriter manages to thrive and survive. Topics include social media cancer, maintaining one’s health, work/life balance and a whole lot more. Again, I can’t say enough good things about the majority of the Why? discography, in addition to the other two bands that are supporting the tour: The Ophelias and Lala Lala. Check them all out, buy their records and maybe go see a show. Huge thanks to publicist Brent and of course, Yoni himself for taking some time to talk in the backstage green room. Songs featured: 
“Fatalist Palmistry” 
“Song Of The Sad Assassin”
 “The Blackest Purse” (briefly) 
“Gemini (birthday song)” 

Visit:
 http://whywithaquestionmark.com Subscribe to Yoni’s podcast: http://thewanderingwolfpodcast.com      

Happy Halloween! The only scary thing here is my rambling introduction, though I do briefly discuss my experience at this year's Chicago International Film Festival, including a couple of reviews. The majority of the content was done via writing from both myself and the talented Kate Blair. The real fun begins when returning guest Olivia Lilley joins me to talk all-things theater. We do discuss the differences between how film directors work as opposed to her own approach, which is unconventional but truly groundbreaking and special. Her latest play NEVERLAND opens this weekend at the Prop Theater, and I know I will be seeing it sooner than later. We had another great conversation about what makes her take on the material so special, in addition to how current events played into this particular adaptation. Next up will be a very special interview done live backstage with a huge inspirational songwriter for me. Until then please enjoy this treat of an episode with one of my favorite guests!  Tickets / info for her latest play: http://www.propthtr.org/ 00:00 - 13:44 - Introduction / CIFF Review 13:45 - 54:45 - Interview With Olivia Lilley 54:46 - 55:42 - Outro

After the usual rambly intro about heavy thoughts, things lighten up with a great conversation featuring two members of The Pauses, a band I've grown to truly love. Tierney + Jason are the main songwriters alongside drummer Nathan, and I was happy to learn more about their history, process, and influences. We touch upon a lot of the inspiration that Tierney + Jason had while writing their excellent new record, Unbuilding, which I encourage everyone to buy ASAP.  00:00 - 10:20 - Introduction 10:21 - 57:27 - Conversation w/ Tierney + Jason 57:28 - 58:22 - Outro Buy Unbuilding Here: https://www.thepauses.com/ Bandcamp: https://thepauses.bandcamp.com/ Daytrotter Session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6dkOeMwxP0 Voices + Visions Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nowplayingjim  

Once upon a time in the mid-90s, I worked for a video store chain in Northwest Indiana. A couple years in to my time as a customer service clerk at Box Office Video, a new chain opened up down the road called Family Video.  Despite being able to rent movies for free, every now and again, I ventured down to the competition and really enjoyed the experience of renting from them.  Cut to many years later in the age of streaming, Netflix, and RedBox, and that same video store chain, Family Video, is alive and kicking.  Inspired by a recent article by Matt Fagerholm, I was able to correspond and interview the Regional Vice President.  Bill Mohler joins me today for a half hour to talk about the history of the video store, how Family Video has managed to stay open all these years, and their upcoming 40th anniversary celebration! Thank you so much to Bill and for listening.  Please stay subscribed - as the fall draws closer, so does the opportunity for more great interviews!  You can also help me out by donating / subscribing via Patreon through the link below.  Any support at this time would be extra appreciated:  https://www.patreon.com/nowplayingjim

Hi everyone. Jim here. Returning for a very personal 40-minute outpouring of emotion about how hard things have been regarding depression + anxiety, some recent realizations, and slowly being able to reach out with honesty.  It might be a bit long-winded and indulgent, but I wanted to share my truest thoughts and feelings as of late, as I've struggled more than usual but trying to find light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.  A tunnel I've been stuck in most of my life.  Hope you get something out of this and do feel free to reach out with support, questions or suggestions:  voices.visions.jim@gmail.com Traditional V+V interview episodes will be forthcoming very soon, and I'm excited to keep this show going with a more consistent schedule.  All the best to you and thank you so much for listening to this monologue.  Special pop-culture shout-outs to the film MADELINE'S MADELINE and songwriter Julien Baker.

Cross-posted with Director's Club One of my favorite guests returns for a special conversation! This is our third time talking and likely not to be our last.  Keith Gordon who you might remember from such films as CHRISTINE, DRESSED TO KILL, BACK TO SCHOOL and many more, decided to focus primarily on directing in the late 80s / early 90s.  I wanted to have him back on to discuss the experience of directing one of my favorite shows on TV, LEGION, since I couldn't have been more excited about his work on the recent (and divisive) season 2 finale.  We then transition into a thorough conversation on overlooked films from the decade of the 90s as well as a brief foray into Keith's favorite Coen Brothers film.  It's a must-hear for fans of Keith's past podcast appearences as well as cinephiles looking to add some titles to their queue.  Thank you so much for listening and again, thank you to the great Keith Gordon for his third appearence on the podcast(s).   http://voicesvisions.net http://nowplayingnetwork.net My choices for underrated films from the 90s: https://letterboxd.com/nowplayingjim/list/underrated-films-from-the-90s/

Catching up here with a couple of really great conversations I had with two independent filmmakers as well as a producer!  Director Matthew Ross worked with actors like Michael Shannon on FRANK & LOLA previously, which captured the attention of Keanu Reeves who saught him out to work on a script by A SIMPLE PLAN's Scott Smith entitled SIBERIA.  It's part thriller, part diamond heist story, mostly character study highlighted by an understated Reeves performance and a memorable setting.  I talked with Matthew about what it's like working with Keanu Reeves, Scott Smith's screenplay, as well as some of the hurdles of the filmmaking process.  Immediately after, you'll hear some Cinepocalypse coverage since I was able to snag an interview with director Johnny Kervorkian as well as producer Jack Tarling about their terrific Christmas sci-fi horror tale AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS, which has been compared to both Black Mirror & THE THING.  You'll be surprised to discover the source of inspiration for the story (courtesy of The National) as well as many other great anecdotes from the British team.  SIBERIA will be out soon and hopefully AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS will find distribution within the year too!   Thank you to all three of my guests and for listening.  Even if you're not familiar with the names, the interviews were great and I truly hope you'll support the work of these fine independent filmmakers. 00:00 - 08:08 - Introduction 08:09 - 27:34 - Interview w/Matthew Ross 27:35 - 42:47 - Interview w/Johnny + Jack 42:48 - 43:46 - Outro More on SIBERIA: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6494418/ More on AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4971408/    

As many of you know, the film BACK TO THE FUTURE is responsible for turning me into a film fanatic at the age of 7.  It was also the first movie that my dad and I equally adored and rewatched countless times. Aside from the fact that today's guest is a gifted actress that starred in the BTTF trilogy, among many other classics, the great Lea Thompson has just directed her first feature film entitled THE YEAR OF SPECTACULAR MEN!  Written by and starring her daughter Madelyn Deutch, it's a very personal story about being in your 20s and searching for direction as a young woman.  It's also a great story about family and sibling connection, since the extremely talented Zoey Deutch is also in the film, who happens to be Lea's other daughter!  We talk a lot about family, women in the industry, the inception of the film and much more.  It was truly a delightful discussion and I am honored to have talked to someone whose work I have cherished for three decades and counting.  During the introduction, I get a bit "heavy" and personal as well in regards to #MeToo and other topics that have struck me as of late. 00:00 - 15:34 - Introduction 15:35 - 31:57 - Interview with Lea 31:58 - 32:42 - Outro More on the film: THE YEAR OF SPECTACULAR MEN Follow / Like Lea On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeaKThompson/

One of the greatest joys to experience in the fine city of Chicago is seeing a screening of a classic film at The Music Box Theater.  It has been my favorite movie theater for quite some time and when the opportunity came to talk to the general manager of this theater, I could not have been more thrilled.  Ryan Oestreich has a long history with the film industry, particularly film festival programming and theater management.  He is now able to combine both of his passions alongside Josh Goldbloom, to put together a film festival that I can't wait to cover this summer:  The Cinepocalypse!  Ryan and I briefly cover his past experience and then we launch into our endless excitement for the many films and special events happening from June 21st to the 28th.  You can listen to us passionately talk about some of the titles we're looking forward to of course, but also be sure to visit the links below to buy a festival badge or tickets to any number of screenings coming up in about a month.  Ryan is a hard-working, energetic guest with a lot to contribute so even if you're not in the Chicagoland area and have no familiarity with the Music Box, I have no doubt that as a movie fanatic, you'll find a lot to enjoy throughout our conversation. More About Cinepocalypse 2018 Ryan's New Music Box Podcast Live 80s All Over Podcast Recording! Music Box on Facebook

It's been... one year since we did this.  Every year, I make sure to do a retrospective going back 30 years for movies and 20 years for music.  Earlier in February, I had two friends on to discuss our favorite 1988 movies.  This time it's all about records from 1998. A lot of it does stem from my nostalgic tendencies, but it’s also to deconstruct my two favorite art forms to see what holds up, what doesn’t, and how pop culture has changed over a span of a couple decades.  It’s also a chance for you to see where my taste lies, for better or worse, as well as to get to know a close friend of mine. He’s joined me for the past couple of years on Pop Culture Club (which is what this show was called in its inception) and once again, Austin-based journalist Dan Solomon is back to discuss our favorite records from 1998.  We also share memories, talk about the year in general, and have some laughs.  Included are several song clips and hopefully a surprise or two along the way! Thanks as always to Dan for joining me on this adventure through time and space and memory.  This was definitely our best year in review yet when it comes to the favorites we chose and the overall conversation as well.  Hopefully, you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording this yearly tradition!  See you next year for our 1999 year in review. Follow Dan on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dansolomon Check out Dan’s writing here: http://www.texasmonthly.com/author/dan-solomon/ http://dansolomon.tumblr.com

Well, I can't believe, This is 40?  One day in and I can already say that it's nothing like that overlong Judd Apatow movie.  While waiting for my midlife crisis to commence, I invited my old compadre over to the recording studio for a conversation in the tradition of our old-school bonus episodes!  This time, we even play a round of Score Bits, inspired by the one and only Film Junk Podcast.  At the top, you'll hear me introduce this joyful birthday present, bookended by songs from my favorite band, The New Pornographers.  First up, we catch you all up on how things have been for the two of us, then we review two movies that we assigned to one another.  Patrick assigned MANJI for me and I assigned one of my all-time favorites, TAKE SHELTER.  After that, Score Bits begins after a brief intermission and that is definitely a highlight for the both of us.  We challenge our sense memory, musical knowledge, and more with this wild take on "Name That Tune" revised as "Name That Movie!"  As a birthday present for one of the main reasons for the inception of this podcast, please give it a listen and enjoy the rambling digressions you came to know and love back in the day.  Brad and Al will return in a week or so with a traditional episode of course!  Thank you again to everybody for supporting me over the years and for subscribing to Director's Club & Voices + Visions! 00:00 - 04:20 - Introduction 04:21 - 04:59 - "Sing Me Spanish Techno" - New Pornographers 05:01 - 12:42 - Introduction With Patrick & Jim 12:43 - 01:11:19 - Reviews of MANJI + TAKE SHELTER 01:11:20 - 02:15:19 - Score Bits! 02:15:20 - 02:24:06 - Outro 02:24:07 - 02:25:03 - "Bleeding Heart Show" - New Pornographers http://directorsclubpodcast.com http://nowplayingnetwork.net  

I decided to offer up a special bonus treat here for both Director's Club + Voices and Visions alike.  I had the pleasure of seeing a very good new film called AND THEN I GO, directed by my first guest Vincent Grashaw.  We had a great talk about the inspiration behind the film and his process.  Then, I was absolutely honored and thrilled to talk to one of my all-time favorite actresses, Melanie Lynskey (HEAVENLY CREATURES, SHATTERED GLASS, THE INFORMANT!).  It was a short but sweet interview with a lot of great insights about being an actress, as well as singing the praises of her incredible career.  I can't encourage you enough to give this episode your time and attention! 00:00 - 12:34 - Introduction 12:35 - 25:25 - Interview with Vincent Grashaw 25:26 - 40:15 - Interview with Melanie Lynskey For more on AND THEN I GO: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2018111/ https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=2j1rD5YHnjo

Goodness, it has been a very long time, but an interview came along that I didn't want to pass up.  Brad Silberling is best known for some of his very personal albeit mainstream fare like CITY OF ANGELS or MOONLIGHT MILE.  But he's made a couple of children's films as well as independent features where the emphasis is on character and performance. Brad's latest is more the latter, a subdued and intimate character study featuring the legendary Ben Kingsley. AN ORDINARY MAN is now available on-demand and streaming everywhere, and it's definitely worth a look.  Brad shares some stories of his past work as well as what it took for him to return after a very long hiatus (sounds familiar).  Hope you enjoy this brief but insightful discussion with another true talent whose career I've enjoyed since the start! 00:00 - 10:00 - Intro 10:01 - 10:43 - City Of Angels Score Excerpt 10:44 - 25:02 - Interview with Brad Silberling 25:03 - 25:47 - Outro http://voicesvisions.net

Steven T. Hanley is an entertainment journalist, takes photographs, and curates films at Moth Club, Hackney. His work has appeared in Vice, The Quietus, Little White Lies, Huck, The Fanzine and Clash Magazine. He's been a movie fanatic since childhood, contacted me as a result of hearing Director's Club, and has a lot of passionate opinions surrounding the world of pop culture.  We talk about his experiences as an interviewer, such as talking to a few heroes like Marc Maron, Bret Easton Ellis and a personal favorite of mine, Max Richter.  We had a lively conversation despite the fact that I was feeling quite under the weather, and if you're a movie fan in particular, I think you'll enjoy listening to what we discussed.  Thanks again to Steven for joining me for this episode! Check out Steven's Published Works here: http://www.steventhanley.com/publishedworks

Ray Padgett founded the blog Cover Me in 2007 and has run it ever since, growing it into the largest blog devoted to cover songs on the web.  Yours truly has been featured on there several times under different monikers. Ray's writing has appeared in SPIN, MTV, Vice, Consequence of Sound, and more and he’s been interviewed as an expert on cover songs by the Wall Street Journal and the BBC. He lives in New York City and also works as a senior music publicist for Shore Fire Media. His book Cover Me: The Stories Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time is now available to buy and I cannot recommend it more.  As a musician, a lover of cover songs and music in general, it is one of the best reads of 2017 by far. Buy Ray's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Cover-Me-Stories-Behind-Greatest/dp/1454922508 Follow Ray On Twitter: https://twitter.com/rayfp Check Out Ray's Cover Song Blog: http://www.covermesongs.com/

Marissa describes herself as " an incredibly awesome, ambitious geek with a passion for many things," which is quite accurate.  In addition to her podcasting endeavor, love of absurdist comedy and immense musical talent, she has the pleasure of contributing to many projects both past and present.  She's also a joy to talk with and a wonderful friend.  She currently hosts a show with her friend Aaron and plans to contribute more to the world of podcasting next year.  I also had her in the studio to sing a cover of a recent song from CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND that is included as well.  Enjoy this delightful conversation with a truly delightful guest that I'm sure you'll be excited to learn more about.

"NOWHERE MIND is a feature length speculative fiction thriller that rests along the intersection between what we currently understand about the brain and the mysteries of consciousness. The film follows Ivan, a troubled student who has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He is desperate to escape his illness, but traditional methods of treatment only seem to make things worse. He begins studying the ideas of a fringe philosopher who teaches that experimental meditation might allow one to escape the physical trappings of the body." My guest for Episode 50 is an excellent conversationalist about the art of filmmaking. Ben Nissen is a Columbia College graduate with a day job that managed to spend his free time creating a rather unique character study / psychological thriller that explores mental instability and the search for a higher consciousness.  These happen to be topics I'm always fascinated by, so I contributed to the IndieGoGo campaign for the now-completed film NOWHERE MIND, which we discuss at length (no spoilers though of course).  I learn a lot about indie filmmaking as well as discuss some inspirations, the film school experience, editing in Final Cut Pro, as well as Ben's plans for the future.  Really honored to present this talk to close out the first 50 episodes of a show I could not be happier with.  The intro is truncated since I went on longer during Episode 49 about future plans, so feel to go back and check out that episode as well as all the others that came before it.  See you in about six weeks when V&V returns!  Thank you so much for the support and thanks again to Ben for a lively discussion about his excellent debut feature. NOWHERE MIND Teaser Trailer: https://vimeo.com/134376838 IndieGoGo Campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/nowhere-mind-feature-film-chicago-thriller#/ Official Websites: http://nowheremind.com/ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3349553/ https://www.facebook.com/nowheremindmovie/

It's an absolute honor to talk with actor / co-writer Jerod Haynes, whose collaboration with director Daryl Wein, BLUEPRINT, is one of the best films of the year.  I was absolutely taken with the lead performance from Haynes and I had an opportunity to talk with him for a half hour as we learn about his intentions behind such a personal story about the South Side of Chicago.  So personal in fact, he included family members and friends in the cast.  Our hearts get heavy talking about the horrific violence taking place not just in and around Chicago but on a national level.  We also talk about the acting process and the future for this incredible talent.  Then for the fifteen minutes that follow, I talk my love of BLUEPRINT as well as a few other titles for a short preview of what's to come in the next couple of weeks for the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival.  The three songs you hear throughout the episode are courtesy of Torres, one of my favorite songwriters, who just released a new record entitled Three Futures that I recommend. 00:00 - 02:00 - Intro 02:01 - 31:56 - Jerod Haynes Interview (BLUEPRINT) 31:57 - 47:04 - Previewing The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival Links: Tickets to see BLUEPRINT at CIFF Check out the latest record from Torres The Official Website for CIFF My Review Of BLUEPRINT

It's been awhile since I took the crossover approach for an episode, allowing it to exist for both Director's Club & Voices and Visions.  Since my guests today are both tremendously talented filmmakers with a lot of insights, stories and new projects to promote, I decided to include this in both feeds.  After my introduction to the proceedings, I first speak with writer/director Jonathan Milott who alongside collaborator Cary Murnion have recently made a film called BUSHWICK that couldn't be more timely.  We delve into exactly why that is as well as the history between this team who is also responsible for the indie horror/comedy COOTIES.  P.S They're not brothers. At around the 40 minute mark, I then speak with someone I've known for quite awhile since she also happens to be the wife of one of my closest friends and former guests, Mr. Dan Solomon.  Katherine Craft is an established writer in many forms with a lot of success stories, both as an activist and as a creative artist.  Her latest endeavor involves HBO (yes that HBO) so we discuss the experience surrounding that as well as her IndieGoGo campaign for her personal project CHARLOTTE AND CHARLIE, which I hope you'll contribute to.  Both interviews provide a lot of great commentary on the art of directing, writing, within the film and theater industries, so I am positive you'll get a lot of these talks.  And be sure to follow the work of Katherine linked below! Kat's IndieGoGo Campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/charlotte-and-charlie-car Kat's Personal Website: http://www.katherinecraft.com/ More about Jonathan's Film, BUSHWICK: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4720702/ Jonathan & Cary's Personal Website: http://www.caryandjon.com/about/  

Attending Elmhurst College was one of the great experiences of my lifetime.  Before going there, I felt intellectually inferior having mainly been a C & D student in high school and struggled initially in the world of academia.  I wound up going to three colleges, Purdue University, Columbia College and finally Elmhurst, which gave me the learning experience I never knew I truly craved.  Professors like my guest today are a huge reason why I have a degree and treated education with integrity and passion, the way I have with the creative arts.  I became instantly enraptured with psychology and philosophy thanks to some truly inspirational figures, some of which I know I will be interviewing in the future. The first of those inspirational figures is Dr. Katrina Sifferd, who holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of London, King’s College. After finishing her PhD, Katrina held a post-doctoral position as Rockefeller Fellow in Law and Public Policy and Visiting Professor at Dartmouth College. Before becoming a philosopher, Katrina earned a Juris Doctorate and worked as a senior research analyst on criminal justice projects for the U.S. National Institute of Justice. Katrina is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on responsibility, criminal law, reductionism, neuroethics and more.  Taking her class along with another incredible mind, courtesy of Dr. Patrick Ackles, was one of the more memorable moments at Elmhurst.  For this episode, I had the immense pleasure of catching up with her, learning about her past, present and future.  We bring up some thought-provoking content, not unlike some of the issues tackled in some of her many classes. I also learn a little bit more about being an educator during these tumultuous times as well as learn about her upcoming book currently in the works. Check out this great APA interview with Dr. Sifferd: https://blog.apaonline.org/2017/08/04/apa-member-interview-katrina-sifferd/ Follow Dr. Sifferd on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KSifferd Check out her website: https://pleasandexcuses.net/

This guest is a special one for me indeed.  I first discovered Sam's talent as a filmmaker since he is responsible for one of my favorite music documentaries, I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART, which chronicles a difficult but rewarding series of events from one of my favorite bands, Wilco.  He went on to create his own television broadcast / video podcast by the name of OFF CAMERA, which is an interview show not unlike Inside the Actor's Studio or WTF except it is one-on-one, in B&W, and divested of all props and distractions.  Plus it is documented in both audio and video form!  It happens to be one of my favorite shows and a huge inspiration for this podcast. Sam was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule out in LA to talk with me about his love of radio, humble beginnings, his photography, his own inspiration behind making a music documentary as well as how he feels about the future.  NOTE:  Our connection was a bit inconsistent it turns out, so there is the sporadic choppy sound of clicks from time to time, but it does disappear towards the end.  Please try to ignore the poorer than usual sound quality, as the content itself is very strong coming from a great guest like Mr. Jones!   Check out Sam's excellent broadcast show / podcast: https://offcamera.com/ Check out Sam's photography: https://www.samjonespictures.com Check out an early interview with Sam about working with Wilco: http://pitchfork.com/features/interview/5876-sam-jones-wilco-documentarian/

Every now and again, Facebook does some good in creating new friendships and connections that I'm grateful for.  Today's guest is no exception.  Jess Hicks is becoming one of my favorite writers about genre films, with a plethora of great essays and reviews out there.  She is a Northeast Ohio native who has loved all things horror and fringe since birth. She has a piece published in a book entitled Trash Cinema about the film ILSA SHE WOLF OF THE SS, writes for a number outlets such as Blumhouse.com and is simply just one of the more passionate enthusiasts for films that I've had the pleasure of speaking with on this show so far.  We talk about being a horror fan from a very young age, how niche message boards helped to shape her writing, self-awareness in modern horror, television anthology shows, as well as the power of the original NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.   A truly joyful conversation with someone I'll know you'll enjoy listening to whether you're an avid fan of horror cinema or not.  It was a tremendous pleasure talking with her and don't be surprised if she pops by again in the future. Here is a small sampling of her work: Channel Zero - Candle Cove Rising Above Horror Genre Backlash Dead Awake Review Why Conjuring 2 Made Me Cry Buy The Book "Trash Cinema" Follow Jess on Twitter

Another wonderful guest that I am blessed to call a co-worker.  Fellow educator Erisa Apantaku has lead quite a life, having lived and traveled overseas, competitively swam in high school, and more recently, has become a radio broadcast journalist with a lot of success over at WHPK.  Erisa writes fiction short stories and film scripts, produces a podcast in which she interviews people about their identities, and writes little songs with her guitar. She loves collaborating with people on almost anything that involves “making art.”  Needless to say, we get along swimmingly and this conversation brings a lot to the table that previous guests haven't before!  She's one of the more ambitious and dedicated people I know and I can assure that you'll enjoy learning about her just as much as I have! Check out Erisa's Blog: https://apeandtaco.wordpress.com/ Follow Erisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apeandtaco/ Check out South Side Weekly: https://southsideweekly.com/