(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"Alright, let’s get into some nuts and bolts screenwriting stuff. My guest for episode 11 is Stephen J Llorens who joins us fresh off the heels of his very first job as a screenwriter for hire. That’s a bit different than selling a spec as you’ll hear. Stephen will tell us how he got hired and gives a rundown on exactly how to be professional screenwriter when trying to meld his vision with the notes of his employers. It’s a tricky tight rope that screenwriters have been walking for decades and Stephen offers us some great insights on how to take those steps.

Stephen and I also compare notes on how to tackle writing amidst a busy life. Stephen is the proud father of two very young children so if a parent with a toddler & infant can find the time to finish a script, the rest of us have no excuse. And if that’s not enough, we also found some time to further explore some of the diversity issues that challenge minority writers in 2014. Stephen & I haven’t spoken in a while so we were excited to catch up. As a result this week’s show runs a little long but I don’t think you guys will mind."

LINKS

The Asylum

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"Time for Episode 10 of the Handsome Timmy D Express and this week I welcome Talia Harari who’s worn many hats in the world of reality television. However, this week we talk mostly about her experience in the world of comedy as she’s been doing stand-up in the Los Angeles area for 4 years now.

Talia takes us step by step through the process of coming up with material and the terrifying last few moments before walking on stage to make strangers laugh. She tells us about the rush of making a crowd laugh and those terrible nights when they don’t. And we revisit the topic of challenges facing women in comedy – and entertainment in general.

Also, Talia goes into great detail about working on set with Joan Rivers who recently passed making the world a lot less funny. This episode, I think, serves as a fitting tribute to a comedy icon especially because this contains some very not safe for work language so put the kids to bed, it’s time for Talia Harari on the Handsome Timmy D Express… topic of challenges facing women in comedy – and entertainment in general."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"This is a real informative interview with a gentleman who wears many hats. Dr. Arnold T Blumberg is a college professor, a writer, a podcaster and a publisher. Arnold’s expertise lies within the genres of horror, science fiction and comic books. You may have seen Arnold on nationwide news shows and documentaries as his expertise in all things zombies is often sought out in the media. In fact, he’s such as an expert, he teaches very popular college courses on zombies and comic books amongst other pop culture subjects. Though as you’ll hear, those classes are not pop culture trivia cake walks. Arnold instructs people on how not to be passive viewers and to understand the themes of the media they enjoy.

Arnold is an experienced podcasting host of not one, not two but three different podcasts exploring many aspects of pop culture. It’s fairer to say that Arnold was my co-host this week not my guest. Here, he gives a fascinating overview of zombie mythology in the context of American history as well as the universality of comic book stories and of course, we talk about Doctor Who. I’m happy to say I learned a lot about these topics and I hope you will as well."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Links

The G2V Podcast

The G2V YouTube Channel

Doctor of the Dead on iTunes

Who's Talking YouTube Page

Arnold's Twitter

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"A very interesting Episode 8 is on deck. This week I welcome publicist AJ Feuerman. AJ’s experience in public relations runs a wide spectrum of many projects of varying media platforms. She’s done work for artists such as Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones and The Who. As well as for TV shows like Glee, Homeland and Burn Notice. She’s also done PR for the feature films Rampart, Puncture and Trespass (but she is not biased against movies with more than one word in their title.)

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of image management for huge big budget projects as well as branding yourself in the internet age. We also break the fourth wall a little bit talking about the world of blogging in the ever-changing digital landscape. And an avid Whovian, AJ and I discuss the brand new season of Doctor Who with the brand new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, I hope you enjoy.

Quick-note: There were a few moments of lost internet connection during the interviews so you may hear some edit points where I cleaned those up. It should not effect any listening enjoyment."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Links

Homepage

Twitter

About Me Page

Unfortunately we couldn’t find the Vanity Fair article referenced in the podcast but AJ sent these along:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1045856,00.html
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-04-05-housewives-vanity-fair_x.htm

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"Before Doctor Who returned in 2005 to become the huge global phenom it is today, a company called Big Finish got the license to produce first-run, full-cast audio dramas. And I’m happy to report they are still going strong to this day. Many of the stories were as good as any Doctor Who on TV (before or since) and several authors in particular stood out from the crowd in taking the good Doctor to brave, new frontiers. One of those authors was Joseph Lidster and I’m very excited that he’s my guest on today’s episode.

Joseph’s story “Master” which was part of the Doctor Who’s 40th anniversary villains trilogy in 2003 was a gothic murder mystery that unabashedly explored the nature of good and evil within one’s soul. I hated Joseph Lidster when I first heard this play because I thought it was simply brilliant. I remain inspired by the piece’s clear cut characters and unapologetic tackling of difficult themes.

When Doctor Who did return, the credit “Written By Joseph Lidster” found its way to our screens on the highly popular spin-off series’ Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, where Joseph continued to take the lead characters on dark – and often humorous – explorations of their nightmares and their fears. Joseph has since written for the TV show Wizards and Aliens which was produced by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford. Also for Big Finish, Joseph has written for and produced their licensed line of Dark Shadows audio plays. He’s currently working on a new mini-series for the line coming soon called “Bloodlust.”

With the shadow of Robin Williams’ suicide still cast, this is an open and honest discussion about writing about and with clinical depression. Joseph and I swam in some deep waters here which I feel are very beneficial to the overall conversation as we try to expand our understanding of depression and mental illness.  I hope you enjoy."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Links

Big Finish Audio - "The Rapture"

Big Finish Audio - "Master"

Big Finish Audio - "Bloodlust"

Joe's Twitter

Wiki entry

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"Quick Note: As you guys have figured out by now, these interviews are not recorded live. This week’s episode was recorded before yesterday’s still-stunning and all-too tragic news of Robin Williams’ sudden passing. I want to assure you that had we recorded after 4 PM yesterday, we would absolutely have touched upon Mr William’s career, especially his recent sitcom The Crazy Ones which would have fit into our discussion perfectly.  A great many words have been written about Mr. Williams’ death. I daresay everyone’s personal favorite joke, TV show or movie is the finest tribute anyone can write. And if not, then this one is: http://lisajakub.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/farewell-to-robin-williams-a-thank-you-note/

This week’s interview is about all sorts of good stuff in the world of TV. My guest is none other than Brian Veys, the Director of Worldwide Television Research at MGM Studios. And by research, I don’t mean looking stuff up on wikipedia. Television research is the collection and analysis of ratings. With viewing figures coming in from a historically varied number of sources, that research is becoming more complicated every year.

Brian and I discuss the nuts and bolts of ratings analysis and how it’s not the be-all-end-all of whether a show stays on the air. We also discuss the ever changing landscape of media delivery platforms, how social media influences ratings (if at all) and Brian puts me on the hot seat to talk about the increased savvy of today’s viewing audience. This is a fascinating look at ratings analysis, something I didn’t know a lot about, and a real informed glimpse at how TV decision making works."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"I’m delighted to welcome Chelese Belmont and Shannan Leigh Reeve. They’re the founders of Beleeve Entertainment and this interview ties in perfectly with yesterday’s theme of women making their mark in today’s Hollywood. Chelese and Shannan are currently campaigning on indiegogo to finish their new feature “Penumbra” which takes an honest and unapologetic look at the struggles of addiction from several sides.

PENUMBRA tells the story of Erin Jacobs, a gifted artist who’s harboring a destructive cocaine addiction. She has a run-in with a police officer Valerie, who has a past scarred by her own addiction. Erin struggles to find sobriety but Valerie shows us how hard sobriety is to maintain.

Shannan and Chelese are two women who wear many hats on a movie set and they’re trailblazing their way across the indie scene making the movies they believe should be made. They’re setting a tremendous example to all of us who want to make films but are sometimes intimidated by the complexity of the studio system. The work they’re doing reminds us that if you truly want to achieve something, there’s really nothing stopping you. This a great conversation about believing in yourself and making your own path, especially in the face of glass ceilings and preconceived notions. I’m really proud that they took time out of their busy schedule to appear on my podcast."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Shannan Leigh Reeve was born into a military family and spent most of her life moving from city to city, which proved to be the best acting training she could get since she had to constantly adapt to her new surroundings. While a sophomore in college, she accepted a contract to play Helen in the Water World Stunt Show in Osaka, Japan, while continuing to pursue her Psychology degree through online courses. While there, she also produced, directed, and performed as Columbia in a multi-media production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

After Japan, Shannan lived and performed in NYC for a few years, at which time it became clear that if she was to truly follow her dreams and aspirations, she needed to move to Los Angeles, where film opportunities far outnumbered those in New York. It has been here, in Los Angeles, where Shannan was able to prove her ability to multi-task, to approach situations from an unbiased perspective, to demonstrate efficient time-management skills as well as attention to finite details and continuity, and to utilize her extremely effective skills as a communicator. She has obtained not only acting jobs, but also behind-the-camera production jobs as well thanks to this varied and useful skill set.

In the last two years, Shannan has produced two features, two short films, and various web series. Shannan was 1st AD on the indie feature, Crossroads, which included wrangling a cast of sixty-five, keeping production on task, and wrapping on time. She also kept detailed notes and filled in as needed in other areas of production including wardrobe, locking locations, props, and craft services.

Shannan’s most accomplished work thus far is the indie horror-thriller, Into the Equinox, which shot in and around Anchorage, Alaska. Not only was she the 2nd Unit Director, she was also the writer, producer, script supervisor, and lead actress. The shoot was on location in various inclement weather situations, with a cast of six; the team managed to shoot fifty-six pages in five and a half days. The film is currently in post-production, with Shannan serving as the editor as well.

Shannan also spearheaded the creation of the “Atlantis” music video for Chicago based singer/songwriter Sami Grisafe, as well as numerous IndieGoGo and Kickstarter campaign videos, shot various theater performances, and served as the stunt coordinator on the web series, Cowgirl Up, Montecito Heights, and Diary of a Black Widow.

Her most recent work has been as Stunt Coordinator and 1st AD on the pilot, Niki and Nora, and as director, writer, producer, and actress for Beleeve’s first narrative feature, Penumbra.

Links

Penumbra Indiegogo Campaign
Penumbra website
Beleeve Entertainment

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"I’ve known Dan & Travis for almost 20 years now and they’ve been making the funny for just as long.

They’ve produced radio talk shows over several generations of the ever changing media landscape. On this episode, they share with us how they design their shows, how they’ve adapted to the changing times and offer some good screenwriting reminders/advice even though they’re a non-screenwriting source.

The Dan & Travis podcast is an awesome listen featuring hilarious but thought-provoking looks at the news, pop culture and the hardest trivia game on the planet (for reals, it’s terrifying)  And I’m not just saying that because they’ve let me piggy back on their stream as a sister-show and feature me as a guest debunking conspiracy theories and such.  A great fun listen on both good days and bad, it can found on the links below and is featured on the prestigious Chronic Rift podcasting network.  Sit back, relax and enjoy some radio genius."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Dan Lackaye is simply in search of truth and hilarity, in no particular order.

Travis Searle is not to be confused with the actor of the same name.

Links

The Dan & Travis Show on iTunes
Dan & Travis on Twitter
Dan & Travis on Facebook

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

The Chronic Rift Network is proud to present the first in a series of conversations with creative types about the forms/struggles/joys of the creative life.  Handsome Timmy D (Davis) of The Dan & Travis Show presents this series of conversations, uncut and unedited.

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"Mike Doto is a gentleman who’s worn many creative hats in the entertainment business, climbing the ranks from a Stage PA to Assistant Director but he didn’t stop there.  He’s also directed two critically acclaimed shorts and is currently the Digital Media Producer for TVLand’s “Hot In Cleveland” starring a true cast of legends in Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and the iconic Betty White.

In this episode Mike offers some great practical insight that could serve as a guide to newcomers to the business or great reminders to vets.  We also discuss how directors are finding new creative opportunities thanks to the new frontier of digital media on the internet."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Mike Doto is a Los Angeles based film director and New Jersey native.  He began his career in television and has assistant directed shows for NBC-Universal, Fox, ABC, Paramount, Warner Bros., TNT, Showtime, and Carsey-Werner, including That 70s Show, where he worked for four seasons.

In addition to directing, Mike has also worked in post production as a producer, editor, and production manager for many shows, trailers, promos, and commercials.

Mike's award winning directorial debut, Peace, starring Kurtwood Smith, was an official selection at over 30 film festivals worldwide and is currently  available on iTunes and Hulu and can be seen on cable and network television stations around the globe.

Mike's new film, The Legacy, about a boy who believes his father is a superhero, won best Comics Related Film at San Diego Comic Con 2010.  The film also played at the Cannes Film Festival and has garnered much acclaim by critics.  The Legacy is now available on Hulu.

Currently in development is the feature film Always Picked Last which Mike wrote along with Emmy Award winning writer Steve Feld.  The film is about a young boy who develops a deeper relationship with his father through the game of baseball.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts in film production from Emerson College and is a member of the Directors Guild of America.

Links

Hot in Cleveland's Digital Media

Hot in Cleveland on Twitter

Peace starring Kurtwood Smtih and Nancy Lenehan

The Legacy, which won Best Comics Oriented Film at San Diego Comic Con

Seaside Pictures

Mike on Twitter

(RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE TO SAVE THE EPISODE TO YOUR COMPUTER)

The Chronic Rift Network is proud to present the first in a series of conversations with creative types about the forms/struggles/joys of the creative life.  Handsome Timmy D (Davis) of The Dan & Travis Show presents this series of conversations, uncut and unedited.

Here's how Tim describes this episode:

"This week I welcome one of Hollywood’s most promising up and coming screenwriters. Megan Karasch has scored highly on the Black List website (as in 8 & 9 highly) and is the winner of the 2013 Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition in the Half Hour TV Pilots category. She’s attracted plenty of attention for her work including from an independent producing team who are shopping a sitcom she developed for them.

On this episode, Megan explores the up’s & down’s of self-publishing, how she finds time to write with a full-time job and the challenges facing women writers in today’s ever-changing industry landscape."

Comment on this episode here or by writing john@chronicrift.com.

Megan Karasch was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After college, she worked in a creative capacity assisting with the production of stories for a nationally televised entertainment news program. Following her television stint, she went to law school in Southern California where she earned her J.D. For almost two years, commencing in 2007, while the analytical side of her brain was hard at work in the law, she exercised the creative side writing for a popular Los Angeles lifestyle online magazine, writing music reviews and special interest pieces.

Currently, both halves of her brain remain active while she continues to practice law and has begun what she hopes is a prosperous and rewarding life using the written word to enlighten and enliven. Megan lives in Southern California with her cat, Squeaker, and spends her time reading, socializing with her friends and family and playing drums for a local indie rock band.

Links

Megan’s Homepage

Megan on Twitter

Interview about self-publishing and promotion