The biweekly podcast "MediaMaker Spotlight" features conversations with industry professionals speaking on a wide range of topics of interest to screen-based media makers. The series is a great resource for creators and collaborators who want to learn more about filmmaking, production, and all that goes into bringing projects to life. Our show is a great place to learn, find inspiration, discover communities of support, and celebrate our shared passion for film, television, video and visual ...
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In this episode, host Sandra Abrams sits down with another of WIFV’s 2024 Woman of Vision honorees, Sylvia Bugg. As the Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming for PBS, Bugg shares insight into why she is a life-long learner, how her previous experience at Discovery and CPB shaped her, and what leadership ski…
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American Masters: Creative Spark with Minnie Driver
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Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at PBS’ Webby Award-winning podcast American Masters: Creative Spark. Join host Joe Skinner as he speaks with Oscar-nominated actress Minnie Driver about how she took on the role of one of the most powerful women in history. She talks about the joy of acting in period pieces, and reminds us to…
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The Magic Makers: A Conversation with a VFX Producer
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Host Tara Jabbari talks all about visual effects with Leah Orsini, a VFX Producer with over 20 years of experience. Leah shares how she started in production and moved to be a VFX Producer, and talks about projects she worked on such as The Gilded Age, Blindspot, Mr. Robot, Falling Skies, and Split, among others. You’ll learn about the difference b…
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Behind the Mix: Exploring Audio Excellence
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43:47
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Great sound is the mark of a quality project. In this episode, host Candice Bloch has a conversation with Charlie Hewitt of Mirror Studios to discuss all things audio post and sound design. From the difference between audio mixing and audio mastering, to layering in all the right sound effects at all the right levels, to the new frontier of fully i…
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Lessons in Filmmaking with What Went Wrong Podcast
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The What Went Wrong podcast series brings you behind-the-scenes of films from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters to shed a light on what it really takes to make a film. The show’s hosts, Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer speak with Tara Jabbari about what they learned about what it really takes to make a film, why James Cameron punche…
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Join the Celebration: Women in Film & Video Turns 45!
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Women in Film & Video (WIFV) is turning 45! To mark the occasion, there’s going to be a big dance party on Friday, September 13. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with WIFV Board President Connie St. John to learn more about the organization and the celebration. They discuss how this amazing non-profit got started back in 1979, how it serve…
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Host Special: Renaming, Recasting, Rebranding
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In this special all-host episode, we are thrilled to debut our new podcast name, MediaMaker Spotlight! During their conversation, hosts Sandra Abrams, Candice Bloch, and Tara Jabbari explain the story behind our rebranding and how making the announcement inspired us to chat about some memorable Hollywood renames and recasts in television shows and …
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Two Thumbs Up: How Siskel & Ebert Shaped Film Critiquing
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In this episode, host Sandra Abrams has a conversation with Matt Singer - film critic, editor, podcaster, and author- about his new book, “Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever.” The book offers an insightful and funny look into the iconic pair of film reviewers and their combative style, and shares details about how their THU…
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Addressing Representation & Belonging With Molly McGlynn
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In this episode, host Tara Jabbari sits with writer and director Molly McGlynn to talk about her new film, “Fitting In.” The comedic coming-of-age drama, starring Maddie Ziegler and Emily Hampshire, is a semi-autobiographical story about Molly’s journey with MRKH Syndrome. Molly shares the challenges but also the support she had while sharing such …
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Giving Screenplays New Life With Immersive Audio Dramas
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38:25
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More stories get written than make it to screen, so what becomes of these lost narratives? In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with producer James Walker to dive into a project he and his company, Velocity Studios have embarked upon to revive some of these scripts in an exciting new way. You’ll learn how they produce immersive experiences…
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In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with WIFV’s 2024 Women of Vision honoree E. Samantha Cheng about her long resume in the media world. She is a writer, director, and producer that has worked in New York City and London before making the DMV home. Her passion and support of the Asian American community has formed the foundation of her work w…
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Discussing Film Portrayals with The Bechdel Cast Podcast
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In this special double-host, double-guest episode, hosts Tara Jabbari and Candice Bloch sit down with Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus, the co-hosts of the popular podcast, The Bechdel Cast. The quartet of podcasters discuss The Bechdel Cast, a weekly podcast from iHeartRadio, that dives into the representation of women and other underrepresented g…
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Bridgerton on Netflix: Behind the Scenes of Season 3
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Lady Whistledown has news: Dearest Gentle Listener - Bridgerton is back! The Regency period romantic drama from Shonda Rhimes dropped on May 16 on Netflix. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with many members of the talented production team to learn how Season 3 came together. Sandra discusses the music with Oscar-winner Kris Bowers, the war…
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Bringing Action to Life with Stunts and Motion Capture
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45:24
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Professional stuntwoman, motion capture performer, and champion martial artist, Thekla Hutyrova sits down with host Candice Bloch for a fun conversation all about bringing action to our screens - on film, television, and in video games. Thekla has worked on films such as Alita: Battle Angel, Logan, and Deadpool 2, shows such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.…
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"Women of Valor" Doc: Orthodox Women Find Their Voice
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28:27
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Israeli director, Anna Somershaf sits down with host Sandra Abrams in this episode to talk about her award-winning feature documentary, Women of Valor. The film follows the odyssey of Esty Shushan, an orthodox mother and wife, as she seeks to change the law for Haredi women to be elected representatives to Israel's Knesset. Over a five year period,…
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Up-and-coming television comedy writer, Julia Lindon sits down with host Candice Bloch in this episode to chat about her journey in writing. You’ll learn more about the dynamics of the writers’ room, hear stories about leveraging connections to get in the door, and get a glimpse into the process of honing her comedy chops and bringing stories to th…
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"Oscar Wars" Author Talks 94 Years of Golden Moments
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In this episode, Michael Schulman, author of "Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears'' sits down with host Tara Jabbari for a conversation about notable Oscars moments and their larger significance. Michael shares how voting works for the Academy Awards, and the two discuss how the famous ceremony is a lens into how Hollywood …
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In this episode - our first with a video companion - join all three of our hosts on a journey through the dynamic world of American reality TV. We explore its origins, cultural impact, and evolving genres. From the groundbreaking series "The Real World'' to the global phenomenon of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," we unpack how these shows reflec…
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PBS’s Grantchester Star Talks Disability and Acting (Rerun)
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People with disabilities have been historically underrepresented in the entertainment industry. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with U.K.- based actress, writer, and disability advocate, Melissa Johns. Johns explains how she landed the role as the brainy Miss Scott in the British detective series, Grantchester, where her disability (born …
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The Rewarding Chaos of Live Broadcasting (Rerun)
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You’ve only got one chance to get it right when the broadcast is live. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Remote Operations Manager, Pam Chvotkin all about the fast-paced and intense world of live event coverage. Pam has years of broadcast production experience ranging from professional sports, to concerts, competitions, awards shows, a…
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Thumbs up, thumbs down? Five stars (or are four stars the highest number?)! In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with film critics to discuss how viewing films has changed over the last few years. When is it worth going to the movie theater? Where should we look to know what’s worth seeing? What’s the difference between Rotten Tomatoes versus …
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Accessing the Marginalized So We're All Seen & Heard (Rerun)
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32:33
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Making a career pivot after 15 years in one job takes guts and some financial planning. Then add to the mix several disabilities and it sounds impossible. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams talks to filmmaker, advocate, and podcaster, Ariel Baska. Ariel shares how she made the leap to a new film career in a niche genre: Queer Horror, and founded t…
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Exceeding Indie TV Show SEXPECTATIONS (Rerun)
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36:47
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In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with the creative team behind the hit indie TV show, ‘Sexpectations.’ Writer Jenna St. John and Director Kevin Good shed light on how they took the series from story concept through production, post-production, and eventually out to audiences on major streaming platforms. They talk about their multi-year jo…
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Woman of Vision: Abby Greensfelder (Rerun)
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Abby Greensfelder has an instinct for developing not only iconic cable shows such as, “Say Yes to the Dress,” but also documentaries featuring icons Megan Rapinoe and Alicia Keys. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with the indie filmmaker and native Washingtonian, ahead of the World Premiere of UNCHARTED at the Tribeca Film Festival in June…
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Casting the Best Performers for Your Project (Rerun)
32:06
32:06
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Originally released Oct 1, 2023 The choice of who is cast in a role can make or break a performance. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with casting director Anne Chapman all about the art and business of casting a project. Anne draws on her decades of professional experience casting projects of all sizes and styles as they discuss the metho…
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An In-Depth Focus on Cinematography (Rerun)
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Originally released on Oct. 8, 2023 What is the difference between a cinematographer, camera operator, and director of photography? Has there been more gender diversity behind the scenes? What is the difference between filming on digital versus film? These questions and more are covered in this episode as host Tara Jabbari speaks with the award-win…
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Originally released Nov. 12, 2023 Screen-based media by its very nature, relies on visuals. And as stories unfold on set, the art department is key in not only building those sets, but making them look the part for the world being created. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with Betsy Zuck, an experienced Production Designer, Set Decorat…
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How 52 Literary Gems Became Films We Love (Rerun)
29:46
29:46
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Originally released on Sept. 14, 2023 Love the movie? Read the book before it’s banned! In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Kristen Lopez, author of "But Have You Read the Book? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films” in association with Turner Classic Movies. Kristen knows her topic as creator of the Ticklish Business podcast…
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Shimmy Isaacs of Netflix South Africa's Unseen (Rerun)
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42:01
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Originally released May 14, 2023 In this episode, host Tara Jabbari sits down with actor Shimmy Isaacs on location in Cape Town, South Africa to talk about her Netflix hit crime thriller, Unseen. They discuss the show, Shimmy's acting journey in drama and comedy, her writing process, her time in the USA, and how the arts is a universal language. Yo…
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Holiday Special: Christmas Movies and More (Rerun)
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Originally released on Dec. 18, 2022. Season two wraps up with this Holiday Special, where all three hosts – Candice Bloch, Sandra Abrams, and Tara Jabbari – discuss the mega genre of Christmas and holiday movies. The trio share fun facts, their personal opinions, and go over the results of Media & Monuments’ own holiday survey, which centered on m…
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Accessing the Marginalized So We’re All Seen & Heard
32:25
32:25
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32:25
Making a career pivot after 15 years in one job takes guts and some financial planning. Then add to the mix several disabilities and it sounds impossible. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams talks to filmmaker, advocate, and podcaster, Ariel Baska. Ariel shares how she made the leap to a new film career in a niche genre: Queer Horror, and founded t…
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Making Money & a Name with YouTuber Evasive
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31:49
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Host Tara Jabbari sits down with influencer Nikole Eva, aka Evasive on YouTube, for this episode. After studying film, gaining experience as an editor, and working towards being a comedy writer, Eva started her YouTube channel to get her name out there… and it has been working! Tara and Eva talk about the start of her YouTube channel, how to make m…
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In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with the creative team behind the hit indie TV show, ‘Sexpectations.’ Writer Jenna St. John and Director Kevin Good shed light on how they took the series from story concept through production, post-production, and eventually out to audiences on major streaming platforms. They talk about their multi-year jo…
…
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1
Award Winning Doc, Call Me Dancer - Filmmakers Spotlight
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Call Me Dancer is a multiple award winning feature documentary that follows Manish Chauhan, a charismatic street dancer from Mumbai, who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer despite his parents misgivings. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with the filmmakers behind this inspiring film: director and producer Leslie Shampaine, co-director Pip …
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When Genres Collide - It’s a Wonderful Knife
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Horror invades holiday in a genre mashup comedy! This episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with director Tyler MacIntyre about his new horror-comedy, It’s a Wonderful Knife. Described as “It’s a Wonderful Life by way of Scream,” they discuss how story elements of the classic holiday film were infused into this killer thriller. Starring Jane Widdop, Je…
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Screen-based media by its very nature, relies on visuals. And as stories unfold on set, the art department is key in not only building those sets, but making them look the part for the world being created. In this episode, host Candice Bloch sits down with Betsy Zuck, an experienced Production Designer, Set Decorator, Lead Person, Set Decorator, fa…
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1
PBS’s Grantchester Star Talks Disability and Acting
32:58
32:58
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People with disabilities have been historically underrepresented in the entertainment industry. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with U.K.- based actress, writer, and disability advocate, Melissa Johns. Johns explains how she landed the role as the brainy Miss Scott in the British detective series, Grantchester, where her disability (born …
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When it comes to creating a story, where that story is told is very important. In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with Kelly Stuart, a location manager for projects such as the award-winning film, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and television shows like True Blood, The Catch, and American Auto. In their conversation, Kelly talks about wh…
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You’ve only got one chance to get it right when the broadcast is live. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Remote Operations Manager, Pam Chvotkin all about the fast-paced and intense world of live event coverage. Pam has years of broadcast production experience ranging from professional sports, to concerts, competitions, awards shows, a…
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Special: Hosts Talk TV Sweeps & Fall Shows
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It's time for our season four special! All three hosts - Candice, Tara, and Sandra - come together in this episode to chat about fall television. You’ll hear some background on fall “sweeps,” the origin of the term, and some information on how they impact advertising rates. The hosts also share their thoughts about some of the 2023 fall lineup for …
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What is the difference between a cinematographer, camera operator, and director of photography? Has there been more gender diversity behind the scenes? What is the difference between filming on digital versus film? These questions and more are covered in this episode as host Tara Jabbari speaks with the award-winning South African cinematographer a…
…
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1
Casting the Best Performers for Your Project
31:56
31:56
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31:56
The choice of who is cast in a role can make or break a performance. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with casting director Anne Chapman all about the art and business of casting a project. Anne draws on her decades of professional experience casting projects of all sizes and styles as they discuss the methods and evolution of the process,…
…
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1
Exploring the Lifestyle of Travel Influencers
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In this episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with two online travel personalities, Gabby Marcellus of Remote Ear and Ashley McDonough from Melanin on the Map. They share their personal journeys, tips on how to make it as a travel influencer, and the importance of creating relatable, engaging content. You’ll learn about the bond between social media in…
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1
How 52 Literary Gems Became Films We Love
29:38
29:38
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29:38
Love the movie? Read the book before it’s banned! In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Kristen Lopez, author of "But Have You Read the Book? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films” in association with Turner Classic Movies. Kristen knows her topic as creator of the Ticklish Business podcast and a film editor with entertainment …
…
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Going Viral with YouTuber and Coach, Chimdi Ihezie
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This episode, host Tara Jabbari speaks with content creator and coach, Chimdi Ihezie. She shares tips that she uses to get her videos seen, how she deals with negative comments, how you can show your authenticity online - and why it matters to be authentic, plus much more! Chimdi’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTC1vsvogotg9sn2j…
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The Importance of the Strike with SAG-AFTRA Actors
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The ongoing strikes have rocked the media community throughout the summer of 2023. Host Candice Bloch had a discussion on August 18th with three Mid-Atlantic SAG-AFTRA members and strike captains - Towanda Underdue, Gabriel Kornbluh, and Keith Flippen (bios below) - to learn more about their experiences being on strike. They discuss the current SAG…
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Spotlighting the Writer’s Guild of America Strike
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Season four kicks off with a conversation about the ongoing Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike. Host Candice Bloch sits down with WGA member, tv writer, standup comic, and podcaster Robby Slowik on day 112 of the strike to learn more. They discuss the demands, the conditions that led to the strike, solidarity with other unions, and much more. T…
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Star Trek Advisor Brings Fact to Fiction - RERUN
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28:16
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Expert advisors help ground stories in plausibility, and can be vital sounding boards for crafting projects that pass muster with fans. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Dr. Erin Macdonald, the science consultant for the Star Trek franchise. Erin Macdonald (PhD Astrophysics) is a public speaker, educator, STEAM advocate, writer, and te…
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Successful Producing Outside of Hollywood - RERUN
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If you think you need to be in L.A. or New York to have a career as a film producer, think again. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams chats with Sara Elizabeth Timmins, the head of Life Out Loud Films before her trip to the Cannes Film Festival. Sara shares how she has carved out a successful film producer career while living outside of the Hollywo…
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Capturing the Cosmos with NASA Mediamakers - RERUN
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29:32
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The ongoing stories of our planet and universe are vast and often highly visual. In this episode, host Candice Bloch talks with Wade Sisler, the executive producer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and Lori Perkins, a computer engineer for NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS). They discuss the exciting process of bringing amazing scien…
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