Podcasts about watkins college

ABOUT THREE EVIL GHOSTS Three of the most evil villains from history have returned to our world in spectral form. Together, they share a diabolical plan with far reaching consequences. Vlad "Dracula" The Impaler. Elizabeth "The Bloody Countess" Bathory "The Assassin" John Wilkes Booth. A town under siege. A group of young friends caught in a terrible trap. The fight for their lives, as well as our own, may be found in the pages of: Three Evil Ghosts!!!   ABOUT TYON OWNBEY Ryon Ownbey is a motorcycle enthusiast and he currently rides a silver and white Honda Shadow Aero named Zennie. He is an avid reader and enjoys viewing a well crafted film from time to time. He attended Watkins College of Art and Design in Nashville, Tennessee, and is an independent film director. Chocolate Mousse is his favorite dessert but if there is non available, a good New York Style Cheesecake will do the trick. _______________________________________________________________ One easy way to support this show is to rate and review Read Between the Lines wherever you listen to our podcast.  Those ratings really help us and help others find our show. Read Between the Lines is hosted by Molly Southgate and is produced/edited by Rob Southgate for Southgate Media Group.    Follow this show on Facebook @ReadBetweentheLinesPod Follow our parent network on Twitter at @SMGPods Make sure to follow SMG on Facebook too at @SouthgateMediaGrouLearn more, subscribe, or contact Southgate Media Group at www.southgatemediagroup.com.   Check out our webpage at southgatemediagroup.com

This week the contemporary impressionist Anne Blair Brown. Her work centers on intimate scenes inspired by local surroundings as well as travel in the US and abroad. She says: “My artwork starts in reality and evolves through my imagination. As an impressionist, I believe in a painting process that enables me to tap into my creativity rather than trying to copy and perfect. My goal is to invite you, the viewer, to connect to the painting such that you personalize the experience and use your own imagination to complete the story.”  Anne was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island and at the age of four her family moved to Tennessee. Her mother is Rachel Blair, a licensed clinical social worker and caterer, and her father James Brown is a financial advisor. She is the youngest of three children, she has an older brother and sister. Anne attended Saint Henry School and The Harpeth Hall School in Nashville followed by the University of Georgia, and Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville where she earned an Associate Degree. She began teaching art some 25 years ago and offers online courses and workshops for painters of all skill levels. Her in-person sessions take place at Bluebird Hill Retreat in Santa Fe, TN. Anne lives in Nashville, TN with her husband the impressionist & abstract artist, Trey Finney. Anne's website: anneblairbrown.comInstagram: @ablairbrownstudioFacebook: anneblairbrown & anneblairbrownstudio Some favorite female artists:Haidee-Jo SummersCarolyn AndersonAnn LarsenYer Za VueDawn WhitelawIvetta Lokhmatova Host: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramAART on FacebookEmail: hollowellstudios@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wisp--4769409/support.

This week the contemporary impressionist Anne Blair Brown. Her work centers on intimate scenes inspired by local surroundings as well as travel in the US and abroad. She says: “My artwork starts in reality and evolves through my imagination. As an impressionist, I believe in a painting process that enables me to tap into my creativity rather than trying to copy and perfect. My goal is to invite you, the viewer, to connect to the painting such that you personalize the experience and use your own imagination to complete the story.”  Anne was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island and at the age of four her family moved to Tennessee. Her mother is Rachel Blair, a licensed clinical social worker and caterer, and her father James Brown is a financial advisor. She is the youngest of three children, she has an older brother and sister. Anne attended Saint Henry School and The Harpeth Hall School in Nashville followed by the University of Georgia, and Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville where she earned an Associate Degree. She began teaching art some 25 years ago and offers online courses and workshops for painters of all skill levels. Her in-person sessions take place at Bluebird Hill Retreat in Santa Fe, TN. Anne lives in Nashville, TN with her husband the impressionist & abstract artist, Trey Finney. Anne's website: anneblairbrown.comInstagram: @ablairbrownstudioFacebook: anneblairbrown & anneblairbrownstudio Some favorite female artists:Haidee-Jo SummersCarolyn AndersonAnn LarsenYer Za VueDawn WhitelawIvetta Lokhmatova Host: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramAART on FacebookEmail: hollowellstudios@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aart--5814675/support.

In this episode I am joined by Nashville based artist David Onri Anderson.  This conversation went to a lot of amazing places. We began by talking about David's spirituality and its connection to his past and his ancestors. He tells a harrowing story of a near death experience that impacted him greatly.  We also discuss the influence the natural world has on his art making as well as his own personal spirituality.  We discuss the nature of spiritual art and the importance it plays in the past and the importance we both believe it will play in our future.  We talk about the art world and the nature of commerce and how we may create new paradigms for artists to exist in, paradigms that allow for a lot more artists to find true sustainability.  ------------------- David Onri Anderson is a French-American Tennessee-born artist, musician and curator of French-Algerian Jewish ancestry. He graduated from Watkins College of Art in Nashville with the Anny Gowa Purchase Award in 2016. He has had solo exhibitions at Patrick Painter Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, Blaa Galleri in Copenhagen, DK, Harpy Gallery in Rutherford, NJ, David Lusk Gallery in Nashville, TN, Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, and Institute 193 in Lexington, KY amongst others. He has shown at the LA Art Fair 2019 and the Hamptons Art Fair 2020. He has shown at the Atlanta Contemporary Museum and the Alabama Contemporary Museum. His work has been reviewed, exhibited and collected internationally with works in permanent collections including the Soho House in Los Angeles, CA and Nashville, TN, The Joseph Hotel, and the Metro Arts Library in Nashville, TN, amongst others. In 2020 he published a book of drawings with Zürich-based artist book company, Nieves. His work has been reviewed in Art in America, Artnet, BURNAWAY, DailyLazy, Art & Antiques and more. Anderson is founder and curator of an artist-run space called Electric Shed Gallery in Nashville, TN (2018-present) and was guest curator for a section of the permanent collection of Soho House Nashville. https://davidonrianderson.com/home.html https://www.instagram.com/davidonri See More from Martin Benson *To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (Link above) Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Sometimes Island ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the podcast theme music! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/martin-l-benson/support

A spiraling Blind Shovel, this one with Artist~Gardener David Onri Anderson. We discuss spirals, Messianic Judaism, meditation, gardening, and much more."David Onri Anderson is a Tennessee-born French-Algerian Jewish artist, musician, and curator. He graduated from Watkins College of Art in Nashville with the Anny Gowa Purchase Award in 2016. He has had solo exhibitions at Patrick Painter Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, Blaa Galleri Copenhagen, DK (upcoming), Harpy Gallery in Rutherford, NJ, David Lusk Gallery in Nashville, TN, Atlanta Contemporary, amongst others. In 2020 he published a book of drawings with Zürich-based artist book company, Nieves. His work has been reviewed, exhibited and collected internationally with works in permanent collections including the Soho House in Los Angeles, CA and Nashville, TN, The Joseph Hotel, and the Metro Arts Library in Nashville, TN, amongst others. Anderson is founder and curator of an artist-run space called Electric Shed Gallery in Nashville, TN (2018-present). His work has been reviewed in Art in America, Artnet, BURNAWAY, DailyLazy and more."David's links:WebsiteInstagramHeader image: David Onri Anderson, "Pink Lightnin'", 2022

Emily Weiner is a painter living and working in Nashville, TN. She received her BA from Barnard College, Columbia University (2003) and her MFA in Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York City (2011). She is represented by Red Arrow Gallery in Nashville, TN and has exhibited work at Whitespace Gallery (Atlanta, GA); Kunsthall Grenland (Porsgrunn, Norway); Wespace (Shanghai, China); David Lusk Gallery (Nashville, TN); Gerdarsafn Museum (Kopavogur, Iceland); LeRoy Neiman Gallery, Columbia University (New York); CULT (San Francisco); Soloway (Brooklyn), and Grizzly Grizzly (Philadelphia). Emily has been a Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome; Residency Co-Leader at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, Maine; Artist Teacher-Resident at The Cooper Union, New York, NY; Artist-in-Residence at The Banff Centre, Canada; and Resident at Camac Art Center in France. She is a adjunct faculty at Watkins College of Art, Belmont University; and was previously Associate Adjunct Professor in Painting at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and faculty in Visual and Critical Studies at The School of Visual Arts in NYC. Past curatorial projects include Soloway Gallery, The Willows NYC, and Vanderbilt University Gallery. Emily's work as an artist and curator has received press in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Artforum, Artsy, the BBC, New American Paintings, ArtNews, Domus (Italy), and The Brooklyn Rail, among other publications and media platforms.She is a winner of the Fall 2022 Hopper Prize and a 2022 nominee for the Joan Mitchell Fellowship.

Joe Lisi and Ben Stevens start the show talking USFL and the games coming up this weekend. Then, they talk about Kyler Murray contract negotiations and the thin line both the Cardinals and Murray are walking. Packers sign Watkins. Later, they talk about early College Football rankings.

Meet Anderson Goin: a contemporary abstract artist from Memphis, TN, and the founder of The Ugly Art Company. Anderson attended Watkins College of Art and Design in Nashville, as well as Memphis College of Art. His work has been shown in local and regional galleries and museums such as The Dixon Art Gallery and Brooks Museum of Art. He has been a part of many group shows, and presented two one-man shows. Anderson will be the first to tell you that much of his work is born from mistakes or the memories of mistakes made in the past. When asked to explain the meaning of his work, he claims that it is not as simple as interpreting brushstrokes on the canvas. For Anderson, it's about the whole process. The act of representing his missteps is as much a part of the work as the finished piece. He primarily works with oil paint on canvas. You can view and purchase his work through his website, www.andersongoin.com or find him on Instagram at @andersongoin The Ugly Art Company is a "Memphis based art company showcasing local artists and doing what they can to spread the love of art." Be sure to follow along on Instagram at @theuglyartco For more information surrounding Anderson's work, reach out to Sales@andersongoin.com Connect With Sarah: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmalouf__/

In Episode 1 of Lori's interview with Andrés Bustamante, Founder of Persona Contemporary, Andrés talks about the importance of creative play, being a political refugee from Columbia, and the healing power of creativity. Andrés Bustamante @andresbustm is an interdisciplinary artist born in Cali, Colombia based in Nashville, TN. He attended Watkins College of Art followed by a self-taught, experimental practice. Curiosity is a catalyst to malleable mediums, exploring the abstraction in human emotion and human existence. Informed by his immigrant experience at a young age led him to existential questions about reality, exploring concepts of human divinity as a reflection of the unseen, and researching the abstract mystery of life reflected in psychonaut journeys. Unquenched awe and wonder inspire his creative process. Bustamante is passionate about community empowerment, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the visual arts. To provide opportunities for underserved communities to engage in creative play, nurturing awe, and wonder. Empowering communities with art fund-raisers, workshops, and murals via his organization, Persona Contemporary @personacontemporary Song “Beautiful Too” Written and Sung By: Teghan Devon

In Episode 2 of Lori's interview with Andrés Bustamante, Founder of Persona Contemporary, Andrés shares his life philosophy and passions, advice for young creatives, and how he thinks about sustainability. Andrés Bustamante @andresbustm is an interdisciplinary artist born in Cali, Colombia based in Nashville, TN. He attended Watkins College of Art followed by a self-taught, experimental practice. Curiosity is a catalyst to malleable mediums, exploring the abstraction in human emotion and human existence. Informed by his immigrant experience at a young age led him to existential questions about reality, exploring concepts of human divinity as a reflection of the unseen, and researching the abstract mystery of life reflected in psychonaut journeys. Unquenched awe and wonder inspire his creative process. Bustamante is passionate about community empowerment, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the visual arts. To provide opportunities for underserved communities to engage in creative play, nurturing awe, and wonder. Empowering communities with art fund-raisers, workshops, and murals via his organization, Persona Contemporary @personacontemporary Song “Beautiful Too” Written and Sung By: Teghan Devon

The former home to Watkins College of Arts is now turning into someone else's home. More scooters are heading into Nashville, but this time, the scooters come to you! And what are the trends for apartment life and rent throughout the city?Become a subscriber! Visit us at https://www.patreon.com/nashvilledailyTake a Tour With Us! Use code NASH for 20% off - https://xplrtours.com/TEXT US: 615-392-1358Today's Sponsor: Screened ThreadsUse the Code "NashvilleDaily" for 10% off online and in-storehttps://screenedthreads.com/Nash NewsNashville COVID-19 Responsehttps://www.asafenashville.org/Chartwell Residential plans 800 units on former Watkins College of Art campus - Nashville Business Journalhttps://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/05/19/800-units-planned-for-former-watkins-campus.htmlSubscription-based e-scooter company rolling out in Nashvillehttps://www.wsmv.com/news/subscription-based-e-scooter-company-rolling-out-in-nashville/article_4b5bdcaa-bc6e-11eb-a228-036dcfc42612.html?block_id=998420https://unagiscooters.com/Nashville apartment costs rising as market recovers from pandemichttps://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2021/05/24/nashville-apartment-costs-rising-market-recovers-pandemic/4922987001/Local Artist Feature - Jenn BosticJealous of the Angels / Amazing Grace https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TK1H3VeQnZEczCCdzAvap?si=lAxdVbBhQqGeq1p_7YiUsghttps://jennbostic.com/Nashville Daily Artist of the Day Playlisthttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/51eNcUWPg7qtj8KECrbuwx?si=nEfxeOgmTv6rFUyhVUJY9AFollow us @ XPLR NASHWebsite -  https://nashvilledailypodcast.com/YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/xplrnashInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/xplr.nash/Twiter - https://twitter.com/xplr_nashNASHVILLE & XPLR MERCH - http://bit.ly/nashville_merchMedia and other inquiries please email hello@xplr.lifeArtists can submit songs to be featured here https://forms.gle/mtkxUCFds7g9e2466

Welcome back to Season 2 of Couture & Construction! We are an uplifting podcast dedicated to the many different aspects of the luxury building industry.This week, for our 37th episode of the podcast, we have the pleasure of sitting down & delving into a new avenue of the luxury construction build! We have Anna Caro, CEO & Lead Interior Designer at MOTIV Interiors.Anna joins us to discuss everything that goes into sustainability within the building process. They also dive into some interesting insights about her story, including her initial move to Nashville & her transition to Interior Design at Watkins College that led her to becoming a sustainable design protege!

Hello, my name is Robert Fairley III, but my artist name is Rf3theartist. I'm a 22 year old African American artist born and raised in Nashville,TN. I've been drawing since age four , painting since I was in middle school, but started taking it seriously in high school. I graduated from high school in 2016 and completed 2 years of college at Watkins College of Art and then dropped out to pursue my art career. My reason for doing so was lack of support and wanting to be able to create my own art, on my own time, without anybody getting in the way of my dream or shutting down my ideas. My objective when I paint is to portray my vision, the underlining theme in my work is black culture, but not your average slavery and racial discrimination. I want to highlight the pop aspect of black culture, meaning using black celebrities in my work in the way I see them. I'm very inspired by Kehindé Wiley, I love how his floral and decorative backgrounds invade the space of his African American subjects. So in some of my pieces I've decided to put a little twist on that and instead of painting a whole background, I paint with oils on decorative fabrics. These fabric paintings are something that I'm doing for the moment, because I have so many more issues I want to work on that I'm interested in like the female rap culture ,hip hop/R&B, and the LGBTQ community. IG: @rf3theartist Hosts IG: @ambitious1k, @qdroppindope, @youcantsitwithusradio, @thresholdbrace   facebook:@you can't sit with us twitter@Y.C.S.W.U. radio --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ycswu/support

For our second episode, we hosted an open discussion with Nashville artists Jaime Raybin, R.D. King and Marlos E’van. Last September Raybin and King were detained by TSA at LaGuardia airport when they were returning from the Independent Art Book Fair with copies of E’van’s book Skull Microwave. The book contained visuals from Evan’s art practice that depicts subjects of police brutality, gun violence and criticism of capitalism.We will discuss their experience, the practice of artist book production and dissemination, as well as the recent buyout of Watkins College of Art in Nashville and how all of it relates to the recent uprising across the country.Skull Microwave McGruder Family Resource CenterIG: @marlosevanHyperallergic ArticleExtended Play PressWatkins College of Art Buyout NYTWatkins College of Art Buyout Tennessean

The Slammer: A struggling designer competes for the money to kickstart his dreams in an epic championship of the 90s fad game, Pogs- chasing adult success by facing the demons of his childhood. You won't want to miss this hilarious 90's nostalgia comedy that matches the emotional journey of self discovery of films like Garden State and Elizabethtown with the hilarious action of movies like Dodgeball and Balls of Fury. Tara Cocco accomplishes a fun, heartwarming story that will speak to the collective journey, and the collective memory, of the Millennial generation. Written By: Tara Cocco Directed By: Nathan Edwards Produced By: Nathan Edwards, Heather Lannan Narrated By: Brad Oxnam Post Audio and Foley Mix By: Derek Slawson Cast: Jay Putnam Olivia Evans Sara Antonio Colin McCann Brenna Greene Allison Shrum Michael Leidel Dean Shortland Sam Brooks Leonard Jackson Carla Christina Contreras Presented by Watkins College of Art and the Grand Divisions Production Company

On the Side [Comedy]: When Drew's girlfriend calls him at work to say she's leaving him and moving in with another guy, literally at that moment, Drew brings production at Michael's Sandwich Company to a halt until she's agrees to say with him. Written by Jay Putnam Produced and Directed By: Nathan Edwards Starring: Jay Putnam- Drew Allison Shrum- Girl Olivia Evans- Line Cook/Additional Voices Dean Shortland- Chris Brad Oxnam- Narrator/Additional Voices Edited/Sound by: Derek Slawson https://slawsoncreative.com/ Sponsored by Watkins College of Art www.watkins.edu

Allison Shrum (The Son, Nashville, Yes God Yes)plays Isolde in this fantastical drama about love and family. Logline: "With death hovering over her, Isolde navigates the waters of an unexpected romance while trying to settle a lifetime of pain and hatred with the only family she has, her older sister Morgan." "Isolde" was recorded in front of a live audience at Watkins College of Art in November 2017. The screenplay was written by Knox Hargrove, directed by Nathan Edwards, and Narrated by Kathryn Baker. Cast: Allison Shrum- Isolde Olivia Evans- Rose Tiffany Montgomery- Morgan For more information on Southern Storytellers go to: www.granddivisionsproductions.com/SouthernStorytellers

Where Three Roads Meet is Ancient Greek Tragedy set in rural Tennessee. The hero struck a deal with The Fates (God), but it's a deal no human can keep. His sins are visited upon his family. All secrets are revealed and no one escapes unpunished. The story has a hero who battles The Fates—and lust, lies, incest, murder, a wise Oracle, and a church sign that doubles as Greek chorus. This episode was recorded live at Watkins College of Art in Nashville, Tennessee Cast: Story Proctor: Trevor Anthony Cheryl Proctor: Lesley Powers Kate Proctor: Allison Shrum Venisa Berry: Nicole Cyrille Polk Berry: Charles Parks Roberts: Eric Stuart Blue Tant: Scott Moreno Narrator/Artie/Additional Voices: Brad Oxnam Straw Proctor/Additional Voices: Jack Lee Hannah/Additional Voices: Juliene Joyner Oracle/Additional Voices: Carla Christina Contreras A Grand Divisions Production http://www.granddivisionsproductions.com Executive Producer: Nathan Edwards Produced by: Molly Buckley, Heather Lannan, Kyra Madisen Promotional Consideration: Watkins College of Art: http://www.watkins.edu White Avenue Studio: http://www.whiteavenuestudio.com The 4th Wall Acting Studio: http://www.the4thwallactingstudio.com

There ain't no other way!  In this episode, Major and Lise are joined by Grace of @nashvillethebeautiful as our latest #WomensMonth guest. The ladies talk the #MoonlightSyllabus, Chance believes children are the future, Keyshia and Radric slay GQ, Ciara's maternity shoot causes a stir, Xscape is hummin' comin' at 'cha, Balls and All features a girl breaking records, the #DayWithoutWomen was a mixed bag, the only Christopher we acknowledge has been gone 20 years and so much more.  For Let's Talk About It Sis, Major and Lise discuss with Grace the journey of @NashvilleTheBeautiful and how to grow a social media brand.  A certain man with gifted hands but an ashy spirit burned Major's biscuits, Lise was burned and loved by a woman whose feminism has a blindspot, and a certain aunt ahead of her time is the GRITS We Love.  Follow our guest at @NashvilleTheBeautiful on Instagram   or www.facebook.com/nashvillethebeautiful.  Love the intro? Follow the producer on Soundcloud @hitmanmemphis Listen to this episode and others on The 2016 Nashville Winner's Circle's Blog of the Year www.nashvillesocialbutterfly.com  - - - - Follow us @toycpodcast on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat  Like us Facebook www.facebook.com/toycpodcast  Email us at toycpodcast@gmail.com  Find our archives at www.toycpodcast.libsyn.com  - - - - 03/16 - Sips and Stanzas Presents What Happened, Miss Simone at Watkins College 03/18 - Beats and Brushes 90s Pajama Jam Edition at Agenda @spreadluv615 03/18 - Paragon Social Club's Art Show at Vanguard Art Studio @paragonsocialclubnashville  03/20 - Drumline Live at Schermerhorn Symphony Center  04/18 - Rio at The High Watt (tickets at http://ticketf.ly/2mJK60z 03/18 thru 04/23 - Cheekwood in Bloom 

Con Trek, the new episodic series on the Microsoft XBOX Video Marketplace covering the world of conventions and festivals, is the result of innovation, vision, and persistence. Conceived by Nashville's dynamic duo of Stephen and Suzie Lackey, who produced the successful documentary feature "Fans and Freaks" on the world of Fan Cons, Con Trek is quickly gaining momentum, becoming a shining example of independent content development and strategic usage of emerging new media markets.With two vibrant and very talented show hosts (Brittney Eskew and Alan Smith), several episodes under their belt, and a distribution model that offers alot of possibilities for growth, Con Trek is poised to become a true independent hit. In today's indie adventure, we will be visiting with Stephen and Suzie Lackey to get some background on Con Trek; what it is, what's been done so far, and where it's going. It has some great lessons for independent content developers regarding persistence and planning.Nowhere else will you get the kind of inside coverage of science fiction, fantasy, and horror events and conventions that you will with Con Trek. Be sure to check out an episode on the XBOX Video Marketplace today!-Stephen Zimmer for Indie Movie Masters Blog, July 26,2009SZ: Tell us a little about your respective backgrounds as it pertains to indie filmmaking.Stephen: Well, I thought for years I was going to be a rock star, or at least work in the music business. While I was in college I switched my focus to TV production. While I was in college I worked at the local television station and did some student video projects. When Suzie and I were married was the first time I worked on a feature project.Suzie: I have been a film fan for as long as I can remember. I went to film school at Watkins College of Art, Design and Film. Instead of tackling a short film first, my husband Stephen and I jumped headfirst into a feature documentary film entitled Fans and Freaks: The Culture of Comics and Conventions. After being in production for two years, the film was completed in 2002 and has played several film festivals and won a few awards along the way. It still plays conventions and genre events. I know I learned more from making the film versus sitting in the classroom. Since that film, Stephen and I have directed several short documentary films.SZ: Tell us a little about what Con Trek is, in terms of format and style.Stephen: Con Trek is a documentary television series that visits different conventions or festivals each episode. The show is brief at less that a half hour but it goes a little beyond the typical sound bites that most other shows that try to cover the subject stick too. The show is earthy and deep in the middle of each event in an attempt to really draw the viewer into the proceedings. If you're a fan of the particular convention or subject you'll feel right at home and if you aren't you'll get to see some things you may never get to see any other way. The show is currently available exclusively on the the XBOX 360. The show can be found in the Video Marketplace under Gamer TV. The series is also listed under Independent programming.Suzie: Each episode is approximately 17-25 minutes in length, but don’t let the run time fool you: we pack a lot into a short amount of time.Here is a preview of one Con Trek's first episode from season one.SZ: Who are the main players on the Con Trek team?Stephen: Stephen Lackey (me) producer/director/editorSuzie Lackey producer/directorBrittney Eskew hostAlan Smith hostMike Young photographer/production assistantJulie Trull PublicistSZ: How and when did you come up with the concept for Con Trek? What were the main inspirations?Stephen: Well, our first feature was a film called "Fans and Freaks: The Culture of Comics and Conventions". It was a documentary about the world of fandom. We had really good success with that film and over the years have been constantly asked when and if we would do a sequel. I never wanted to do that unless we came up with a unique format to show more conventions and meet more fans. So, the idea for Con Trek was born.Suzie: We are fans and attendees of these events first and foremost. We fly our “geek flag” proudly.SZ: Tell us a little about the relationship between Con Trek and MicroSoft. When did you first pitch the show to them, and how long did it take before the first episode was aired on Xbox? Describe the road that you took.Stephen: I'm a tech fanatic so I saw a couple of years ago during coverage of the Consumer electronics show that Microsoft would be starting up an IP (internet protocol) TV program for broadcasting television programming over the net and that the XBOX 360 would be doing television shows for streaming or download. So I started researching and found a contact. I pitched a number of ideas to them and sent in all of our previous work which included "Fans and Freaks" and a number of additional short docs we had done. They liked the "Con Trek" pitch and a couple of others so we began to move forward with the process of getting the series rolling. We encountered a number of speed bumps which slowed the process down a good bit but two years later the first episode hit the XBOX Live service.SZ: How many Con Trek episodes do you project in a given year?Stephen: This year we hope to do six to eight episodes. Based on how well they do we'll decide about the numbers for next year. The show will soon be available to a wider audience so that may change everything but it's too early to announce anything there yet.SZ: What are some of your highlight moments so far from the first few episodes? Any specific guests that really surprised you? Any particular wild events that you would like to share with us?Stephen: Well, the big thing is all of the fans that we've met. We've made new friends throughout this process that we'll hopefully have for years to come. As far as guests Dana Snyder (Master Shake from Aqua Teen Hunger Force) was a real blast, and many of the professionals we met while covering Wonderfest were great. The big thing is the fans. For instance at Lebowski Fest (our most recent shoot) we didn't have to buy a single beer at the after party. Everyone has been really great.Suzie: Nothing rivals Dragon Con for unabashed cool events and guests and wild attendees.SZ: On that note, who are a few of the more notable/recognizable guests that you have interviewed so far?Stephen: We interviewed Nichelle Nichols (Star trek), Steve Niles (author of 30 Days of Night) Jovanka Vukovic (editor of Rue Morgue magazine), just to name a few of my favorites.SZ: How did you go about selecting your hosts, Alan and Brittney? What kind of hosts were you looking to cast?Stephen: We held a number of casting calls and decided on them after meeting with man people. We wanted hosts that were open minded and energetic. We needed a duo that had good chemistry together too. We wanted one hardcore fan and one less than hardcore fan so we could show two perspectives on the subject. Brittney and Alan are truly exactly what we were hoping for when we began casting. SZ: The Xbox channels, with shows like Con Trek, represent a model for new media content delivery. Do you see signs that this model will be successful for independent developers/filmmakers? Stephen: I believe that yes this system of downloading or streaming TV and film is the future of media and it should really offer more opportunities to indie creators. The only problem is that it's so early in the evolution of this new system that only die hard creators ready to stick with it will see any success. In other words, there's not much money in it yet.SZ: Have you gotten any feedback yet from your contacts at MicroSoft?Stephen: They love the show and are very enthusiastic for us to stick with it.SZ: Do you foresee Con Trek making a jump to broadcast at some point? Or will it remain a Video on Demand-style episodic program?Stephen: We hope to see the show jump to network or cable TV or to see it expand to a much greater level within the new media model. This fall the show will be available wider for sure in its current set up but we hope to take it much further.SZ: Where has Con Trek been over the past few months, and what are some of the places and events that you will be visiting in the near future?Stephen: We've stuck with mostly southern shows and events in Atlanta ,Georgia, Louisville, Kentucky, and Metropolis,Illinois. We'd like to of course expand further out into the country next year, perhaps even do some real coverage of San Diego Comic Con. We want to do the smaller more quirky shows all over the country too.SZ: How does one find and access Con Trek on the Xbox?Stephen: Just log in and go to Video Marketplace, then to Gamer TV, and choose Con Trek to see all of the episodes. Again, we're also listed under the Independent Programming section too.SZ: How does one connect to Con Trek on the web (Facebook, Myspace, website, etc)?Stephen: We're all over the place. We have articles, blogs, pictures and more at the official website at http://www.contrek.com/, we have a fan site on Facebook too, just search for Con Trek, on Myspace we're at www.myspace.com/contrek, and see video tralers, clips, and previews at www.youtube.com/contrektvI think that's about it. If I missed anything, it's linked on the main Con Trek website.Here is a preview of episode 2 from season one of Con Trek