Last year, I have the pleasure and privilege to write several episodes for the renowned Cults podcast on the Parcast Network. The good folks at Parcast have numerous channels broadcasting a slew of terrific deep-dive documentary style podcasts released every week. I’m delighted to have contributed to the Cults series which was a rewarding challenge but also incredibly educational.
Here are links to the four stories, I wrote. Each one is about 2 45 or so minute episodes, perfect for long walks to sprucing up the commute. These do, however, go unapologetically to some dark places. Parcast endeavors to be as truthful (and tasteful) as possible with some disturbing subject matter so there’s aren’t for the kids.
RAËLISM – Claude Vorilhon went for a hike one day which he claims led to being contacted by the alien race which supposedly created humanity. He then launched a following of free love & orgies – all at the behest of the aliens – that continues to this day.
THE RIVER ROAD FELLOWSHIP – Listener discretion very much advised. Victor Bernard convinced dozens of families that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. He lead them to create a commune in remote Minnesota. What happened next was true horror which lead to manhunt across several countries.
NEW VRINDABAN – This is a truly epic story of a con-man who created America’s Taj Mahal, the Hare Krishna city of New Vrindaban in West Virginia. But within those halls, he inspired the crimes of theft, committed sexual deviancy and even ordered mafia-style executions to hold on to his power.
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS CHURCH: (AKA STRONG CITY) Wayne Bent felt his church wasn’t interpreting the Bible literally enough. So what does he do? Branches out to create a commune where convinces people he’s a Messiah and cuddles naked with underage girls. This all leads to a trial which captivated the nation.
I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I enjoyed writing them. These are a fascinating look into a darker side of our reality, but they also can answer a lot of questions about human behavior in some of today’s headlines.
And if you like these, dig into the other content Parcast has to offer here: https://www.parcast.com/
As you’ve probably noticed by now, I’ve not recorded any new episodes of the Handsome Timmy D Express since 2015. There is a very good reason for this. Several in fact. Beginning in January 2016, my screenwriting workload grew exponentially. Thanks in large part to several years worth of networking, some screenwriting awards and increased experience in writing of course, I was able to hook up and work with several independent producers and directors to write a myriad of projects currently in varying stages of development. In order to make sure I hit all my deadlines, some things had to go on the back burner and well, sadly, the podcast was one of them.
Starting and making this podcast was one of the very best decisions I’ve ever made as some the above opportunities were in fact a direct result of the connections I made doing the show. I enjoyed just about every single second of making every single episode. However, I’m a one-man operation without interns or staff so the challenges of making a top quality show became harder and harder. And I do NOT want to put out substandard product. Over the course of March through May, I tried to schedule several episodes but found my workload was such that I couldn’t make the time work. Editing, promotion, posting across social media outlets, copy etc, while all very very fun, can take up an entire workday and with several screenplays being juggled those hours become more precious. In fact, I was hoping to announce new shows in the fall but a movie shoot schedule pushed that back as well. Never say never, maybe I’ll record a new season of episodes in 2017. I’d love to be able to make it work, but at the end of the day I am a screenwriter, not a podcaster about screenwriting. I will still be blogging when I can various thoughts, quibbles and anecdotes from the world of writing when I can. And hopefully you’ll get to see one of these movies I’m writing sooner than later.
I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to every single person that listened. Based on the numbers of the various feed, many thousands of people, maybe even tens of thousands of people tuned in across over 90 countries. I would have been thrilled to hit 10 countries but to have someone from at least 90 countries tune in is almost impossible for me to comprehend. Thanks so much, everyone and the episodes are still archived on the site’s index for your listening pleasure. And quick-fun fact about podcasts, people are still discovering the show every day. I hope the information and insight offered by my guests remains timeless and helpful to all listening whenever and wherever they tune in.
Along those lines, my guests took time out of their busy schedule to appear on my podcast for free. This was a non-profit operation. No one was paid a single dollar to take part and I can assure, I didn’t make a single dollar from the show. All I could offer was getting the word about their projects. This was just about spreading information and generating buzz in the digital do-it-yourself age. I can’t express my gratitude enough to every guest who appeared: Matt The Cat, Megan Karasch, Mike Doto, Dan And Travis, Chelese Belmont & Shannan Leigh Reeve of Beleeve Entertainment, Brian Veys, Joe Lidster, AJ Feuerman, Arnold T Blumberg, Talia Harari, Stephen J Llorens, Chris Garcia, Rizelle Januk, Mike Sundy, Ron Greenfield, Stephen Scaia, Rick Dominicus, Gordy Hoffman, Tom Krajewski & Jen Muro, Tom Grey of Player Piano, Simone Bailly, M. Dal Walton III, Sammi Kat, Dan Mason, Rory LaPointe-Smith, Paul O’Brien, Jon Matthews, Crystal House, Kyle C Mumford, Ramon Hamilton, Travis Rust & Stacy Gueraseva, Chavo Guerrero, Simon Guerrier, Gregor Collins, Daphne Ashbrook, Chuck Slavin, Jennifer Sharp, Kyle Newmaster, Amy Reynolds and Elizabeth Lombino. These folk are all doing spectacular work to add to their sterling resumes and they have my best wishes for continued success.
I also have to thank John S Drew (who made the above photo), Dan Lackeye and Sean Reiser for linking to my show which provided a ton of new listeners. I did my best to plug their shows back and hope I was as helpful to them as they were to me.
Now, if you’re still looking for some great podcast to check out about the creative world for the upcoming holiday weekend or any weekend in particular, let me throw these options out there:
The closest thing to my podcast is “Making The Sausage” from fellow screenwriter and all-around top gent Nick Rheinwald-Jones. I had the good fortune of meeting Nick at the wonderful Austin Film Festival. Like myself, Nick found real industry pros to interview for his show about how the nuts & bolts of a creative profession works. He’s collected some great guests so far and there’s a lot of knowledge on his show: http://previously.tv/shows/making-the-sausage/
For some criticism and analysis of the latest happenings in the entertainment world, check out the Hollywood Picture News. Loren Erlanger and Ryan Thompson along with some special guests dive into every possible detail examining how and why things work in the ever-changing world of TV and movies: http://hollywoodpicturenews.com/
One of the good guys in the podcasting world is Kenny Mittleider. He’s one of the passionate and knowledge fans of all things “geek” out there and offers several podcasts covering it all: http://geekyfanboy.blogspot.com/
Don’t forget there’s still plenty of great podcasts on the network I was proud to be a part of, John S Drew’s Chronic Rift: http://www.chronicrift.com/ Including of course, the Dan & Travis show who are the first guys who put me on internet radio waaaay back when.
And if you’re just looking from some great old music to discover, you’ll never go wrong with Matt The Cat as he explores The Juke In The Back: http://www.jukeintheback.org/
Thanks again everyone. It’s uncertain world these days, as it is most days, so I hope it’s a safe and happy 4th of July Weekend. Keep fighting the good fight!
The Handsome Timmy D Express is proud to be a part of:
Trying to tackle the subject of real-life science in a fantasy series as varied and long-running as Doctor Who is no easy task. But Simon Guerrier and his colleague Dr. Marek Kukula have risen to the challenge. “The Scientific Secrets Of Doctor Who” blends new fiction while tracing the role of science in the show’s history. Sometimes the science in Doctor Who is dubious but sometimes there’s examples of brilliance accidentally come true by the wildest of ideas. And of course, science has served as inspiration to the show’s many writers.
Simon Guerrier is multi-published author of Doctor Who fiction, writer and producer of Big Finish audio stories, notably the Bernice Summerfield adventures, contributes both fiction and non-fiction to many publications and has even made a few films with his brother Thomas. He and I have whiled many hours talking the wonderful world of Doctor Who. This interview explores the show’s history but also the nuts and bolts of putting together a project as ambitious as “The Scientific Secrets Of Doctor Who.” Enjoy:
The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who will be released June 4th:
Sorry it’s been a while with a written blog dear reader but I’ve been too busy interviewing industry professionals for your listening pleasure. Thanks again to everyone who’s listened, shared and spread the word about the podcast. It’s very much appreciated and as long as people are tuning in, I’m going to keep recording.
The next two week’s shows are scheduled despite the fact that I’ll be taking a trip to the most liberal part of the Lone Star state for arguably the best festival for screenwriters in the country. How liberal is Austin? There are streets where it’s legal for women to be topless in public. For real. I think you can figure out how I found that out.
Don’t get excited, this blog isn’t about public displays of bosom. Get excited, this blog is about the Austin Film Festival. Now, it’s not meant to be a foolproof guide and I don’t claim to know everything about the festival. I should also point out this blog is not authorized or under the auspices by the AFF, it’s just me talking about it. Last year, I was fortunate enough to place 2 of my scripts into the Second Round of the 2013 Festival and it was an amazing, even career-changing experience. It was also the Festival that validated me as a writer and industry professional in ways I didn’t realize.
The AFF opened my eyes to new ways of looking at writing. This blog and podcast are actually the direct result from a panel with “You’re The Worst” (GREAT show) showrunner and writer extraordinaire Stephen Falk. I met some people whom I like, admire and look forward to years of friendship with. I got to shake hands with some great writers who wrote some of my favorite movies. I even get a tutorial on Westerns from this gentleman:
With the festival coming up next week, I figured this was a good time to share some do’s & don’ts I learned from my experiences last year. Take all this with a grain of salt but I dare say these are some pertinent suggestions from myself and others.
FOR THOSE TRAVELING:
The Festival can actually start before you get to Austin. Last year for me it started on the plane as my slumber was awakened by folks in neighboring seats talking about the movies they were showing at the Festival. An hour of friendly conversation later, business cards were exchanged and the networking was underway – 35,000 above Arizona.
Don’t accost people in the airport of course but chances are you’re flying with fellow festival goers. And they’re probably just as scared and nervous of the festival as you are. After all, we wouldn’t be writers if we were great with people. If the opportunity presents itself to talk to folks, take it. The filmmakers I spoke to on the plane (unless they read this) have no idea how much they put me at ease. It was a relief to meet folks who were excited, friendly and nice while still in the air. My nervousness about the festival went way down.
(More on those films at the bottom of the page. They’re great, check ’em out)
THAT MAGIC AGENT
Speaking of nerves, if you’re a 2nd Rounder or above, the spotlight is a bit on you. You’re now a recognized writer and hopefully at the festival you’ll meet that one agent or manager who can open all of Hollywood’s doors for you to finally make it as a professional screenwriter. Only one problem – that person doesn’t exist. There is no agent or manager who can magically do that. Sorry. Keep reading though and keep writing because there’s actually better (if slower) solutions.
Ed Solomon, the screenwriter of “Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, “Men In Black” among many others, brought this home in the very first panel I went to. He was at the very first AFF and reminded us all it’s not about finding the agent who will help you leapfrog above everyone else. It’s actually about meeting everyone else, working with them, making connections with other creative people to ultimately improve your craft and become the hot commodity that all the managers and agents chase. I can’t remember his exact words but he was almost like a football coach telling us how to play the game right and smart as opposed to just rushing the field, trying to kill the other team.
As screenwriters, we’re in competition for jobs and work sure, but we’re all in it together. We’re all on the same team.
TALK TO EVERYONE
Talk to everyone. Everyone. Every. One. Talk to directors. Talk to filmmakers. Talk to writers who write the same stuff. Talk to writers who write different stuff. Talk to writers who’ve written 30 scripts. Talk to writers who’ve not even finished their first screenplay. Make sure you say Thank You to the staff who are working tirelessly to make this happen and love movies as much as we do. Talk to everyone.
No, that magic agent isn’t there. Probably isn’t there 😉 But that long lost writing soulmate might be. The Paul Schrader to your Martin Scorsese. The Larry David to your Jerry Seinfeld. The Stone Cold Steve Austin to your Vince McMahon may be standing next to you in line.Talk to them.
If you talk to someone and you don’t like each other or it’s awkward, who cares? Wasn’t meant to be. Move on.
For many folks outside of LA, it’s hard to find other writers or people who understand the life & struggles of screenwriter. The AFF is your chance to be in the room with like minded people. Talk to them.
I collected something like 160 business cards last year. For real. I counted. I handed out well over 250. Again, I counted. You’re not going to stay in touch with everyone. Just the way it is. And not everyone is going to stay in touch with you. Life happens. (Stupid life) But you will strike up real connections and friendships the wider net you cast.
I’ve probably stayed in touch with about two dozen or so people from last year’s AFF. Over the past year, they’ve been friends and colleagues and we’ve helped each other stay sane in the good fight of screenwriting. This year, we’ve already get plans to reunite and catch up at some of the events.
DON’T GET MAD ABOUT THE LINES
One of the bad news about Austin is there’s a fair amount of lines. Lines to get into the big panels with the wicked famous guests, lines to get into the movies, lines at the BBQ. Lines. Lines. Lines.
Here’s the good news. Lines are a great place to meet people. Some of the best conversations I had last year were in lines. No one likes lines. Everyone’s exhausted. Everyone is a writer. Ice is broken. Get talking. About your favorite movies, about your favorite scripts, about your favorite BBQ joint you’ve found. If the person you try talking to is unreceptive. No worries. There are THOUSANDS of other writers to meet and connect with. But lines in Austin are not an annoyance, they are an opportunity.
FIRST DATE BEHAVIOR
My friend and colleague Stephen Scaia used this line to describe the festival to me. He won the festival overall a few years back and on next week’s show talks about how that launched his career.
What does this mean? Be yourself, be cool and comfortable but remember you are trying to make a good impression. I have a T-shirt collection that is such that I could wear a different T-Shirt every day of the year. I only wore T’s on my travel days. The rest of the time, button downs and suits. In other words, what I would wear to a meeting or interview.
In some ways the festival is one giant meeting. Yes, it’s wicked fun but it’s also intensive. For screenwriters, the AFF is like graduate writing programme crammed into a weekend. You’re doing panels, taking notes, sitting under the learning tree all day long. (Some days, yeah no lunch – eat later or bring a granola bar to munch on during lines.)You’re going to be getting schooled by award-winning screenwriters, directors and producers. The very best in our field is going to be at the front of the room telling us what’s what. Dress accordingly.
IT’S OK TO BE A GOOD WRITER
Promote yourself. It’s OK. Doesn’t mean you should walk around handing out your script but it’s OK to tell people that you are in fact not just a writer, but a good one. We get so self-conscious about our writing, don’t we? It’s actually easier for us to promote other writers as opposed to ourselves sometimes. Pretend you are another writer. Be confident in the work you are doing. You are telling a story. People out there want to hear it.
AFF validated me more than I can say. You will hear professional writers talk about the same problems you face when writing. Listen to their process and how to solve some of those problems. Sure, they may be running shows on TV and may have written 50 movies. But in Austin, they’re not on the mountaintop. They’re side by side with you and they’re there to tell you to “Keep Writing.”
Chances are as you listen to them describe their struggles and problems, they will be sending you the message that you are in fact, doing it right.
DON’T BE THAT GUY
Don’t hog all the questions during one of the roundtables. At the roundtables, you may only get 20 minutes with one of the industry pro’s. Don’t do all the talking so that no one else gets in. I had to block some guy last year who asked like 20 questions and kept cutting off someone else who had only 1.
Don’t hog all the time with one of the big celebrities. There’s a fair amount of accessibility at the AFF. Some of the celebrities are happy to talk to everyone. But don’t hog all their time and not let anyone else in. It’s rude, it’s ugly and it’s unprofessional. Here’s the other thing. If you really are truly making a connection with that celebrity and they want to work with you and hire you, that’s all the more reason to get out of the way. You’ll get to talk to them all year. Some of us may only get a few minutes at the BBQ or in the bar. It’s a lot more impressive to be gracious and generous than snobby and inconsiderate.
Unfortunately, even at the best events with great people, it happens. Don’t be that guy.
THE FILM & FOOD PARTY
DO IT!Oh my God. Sooooo Good. There’s a sampling from a ton of Austin restaurants. So yeah, you get to walk around talking movies with folks while professional chefs shove lobster mac & cheese, smoked salmon and authentic Texas BBQ at you.
Honestly, I can’t imagine going to AFF and not going to this event. And fortunately, the actual festival starts in earnest at noon the next day so don’t worry, have another glass of wine.
LET’S TALK ABOUT DRINKING
We’re all adults and I’m not trying to lecture. There’s a lot of meeting, chatting, networking that happens at the parties and in the bars. And if you’re like me, you like a glass of beer. By all means, imbibe but bear in mind this is still a professional event. Share a beer with your favorite writer. Don’t get frat house drunk and puke on his shoes. Don’t be remembered for all the wrong reasons. A few people last year got the wrong kind of drunk at a few of the parties. Trust me, people notice. Have some beers. Don’t have all of them.
GET SOME BBQ
SERIOUSLY
DON’T JUDGE
Last year I met some folks who wrote two dozen screenplays. I also met some folks who either hadn’t finished their script or felt their script wasn’t ready for the festival. I actually admired those folks more because they’re taking the time to sit under the learning tree and are striving for excellence.
Some people, though, don’t agree. Megan’s scripts weren’t in the festival last year but she came with me for the experience and the education. Yes, we did run into a few folks who actually looked down on her for assuming she didn’t place. That’s not cool. Festivals are subjective and not the only way one’s writing is endorsed or noticed.
We ran into a guy who ignored Megan but would only talk to me because I was a second rounder. Then a few minutes later he met a finalist and completely ignored me. I consider this “Wrong Festival Etiquette 101.”
Because here’s the thing – this year, Megan is a twice 2nd Rounder. We both have won various contests this past year. And for AFF this year, I’m going with Megan for the experience and education. Just another writer there to enjoy myself. But I know I will bump into at least one person who will think I’m not a qualified writer.
GO TO THE MOVIES
You’ll meet a lot of filmmakers. You probably won’t be able to go to the all of their movies which sucks but there’s only so many hours in the day. But GO. Make sure you see some of the films there. Yes, there’s marquee premieres but with all due respect to the big guns, there’s some real gems in the various competitions. Great stories that studios or more commercial production companies can’t/won’t tell. Also, if you’re thinking of making a short or an independent feature someday, definitely make the time to hit at least movie a night. Take notes at the Q & A. Put the Q in Q & A. Talk to the filmmakers and learn from their mistakes and ingenuity.
And quite frankly, screenwriters, even if you’re not going to direct one day – talking to directors only helps us to look at our scripts in new and inventive ways.
DON’T FORGET TO ENJOY EVERY SECOND
Don’t let any of the above mentioned don’ts affect your good time. Last year I flew back to LA thinking “There was my career before Austin and then there’s my career after Austin.”What’s happened to me since?
-Completed Three Pilots in the past year.
-One of those pilots won The Chicago Screenplay Contest and The Hollywood Screenplay Contest.
-That same pilot also has ratings of7,8 & 8 on The Black List. I got an email saying I’m in the top 5%.
-Also finished a feature script from scratch.
-Launched this blog & podcast.
-The networking skills I learned tripled my contacts.
-Those same networking skills have led to consultation employment in that field.
-I remain unsigned but as I write to you my work is with several management companies with meetings scheduled for the next few weeks.
So, yeah, the Austin Film Festival was very very good for me and if you’ve not entered a script yet, I highly recommend making it the best you possibly can, enter it into the festival and save up for the trip. Because I believe immersing yourself into a weekend with some of the very best screenwriters and filmmakers is worth going whether you place or not.
And of course, you might want to walk up the street to Gordoughs: http://gourdoughs.com/
Because:
Keep your eyes, ears and mind open. Take in all the knowledge from the pros. Learn from people who write different stuff from you. Use everything you see and hear to arm yourself for coming year as you keep writing, keep producing and keep fighting the good fight.
If you are at AFF and would like to meet, I’ll be in the Driskill bar. You can’t miss me, I’ll be the guy with the pens.
For more on the AFF Experience, check out my interview with Mike Sundy:
Thanks to the filmmakers I met on the plane. Check out their great movies:
This week on the Handsome Timmy D Express, I am thrilled to welcome to the show one of the most unique individuals whom I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing, Christopher J Garcia. Chris is the curator the Computer History Museum in the beautiful bay area city of Mountain View. He’s also a writer, filmmaker and a Hugo-Award winning editor of a the acclaimed fanzine, The Drink Tank. (For real, check out his acceptance speech below, it’s amazing – heart-warming and honest)
One of Chris’ many projects when he’s not sleeping at all is the Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival. Chris goes into a great detail about what makes this Festival special and why he’s so passionate about it. He also gives a great look into the independent film scene from a distribution perspective and how the recent changes in the industry could mean great news for low-to-no budget filmmakers. And it’s shocking how little he and I, two lifelong wrestling fans, actually talk wrestling. But we do sidestep into the universe of Dune for a bit. I hope you’ll enjoy:
For more on The Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival:
It has a been a whirlwind journey for me since I launched the Express. I went back and forth about this venture because I knew it would require a lot of commitment which would take away from fictional writing and day jobs. But I’m a writer and expressing myself is what I do so I made that commitment and happy to report zero regrets with that decision so far. Incorporating other creative talents into the podcasting element of this blog has been possibly one of the best things I’ve done since joining the entertainment business 11 years ago this very month.
Over the past 6 weeks, I excited and humbled by the talents I’ve been able to wrangle onto the Express. A diversity of occupations, I felt, was vital to give this little venture any credibility. Along the way, we’ve explored the challenges facing women writers, compared writing styles between the US & UK and even managed to pay tribute to recently departed icons. I’ve also been able to pair up with the fantastic Dan & Travis show on iTunes and have joined them on the wonderful Chronic Rift network. I’m overjoyed with the results so far and quite frankly, am very pleasantly surprised at how quickly this little venture has grown.
I’m just a one man operation self-promoting on social media but I am exploring some exciting promotional options to help spread the word. I’m excited about the listenership numbers (47 countries have either read or tuned in) but based on all the positive feedback I’ve received I’m going to do my best to keep building the audience. To that end, I continue to ask: If you enjoy what you’re reading and hearing on the Express, please don’t be shy about posting on facebook, twitter, pinterest, twiter, google+, wherever and yes, twitter is probably the best promotional tool we have right now. We live in a time of saturated media so we all have to promote the things we enjoy so they get noticed.
Thank you very much especially to Megan Karasch, Tim Bannock, Mark Askren, Arnold T Blumberg, Shannan Leigh Reeve & Chelese Belmont of Beleeve Entertainment and Dan & Travis for their extra efforts in shouting the word about the Express far and wide.
If this is the first post your reading, welcome, I hope you enjoy! Below are the first 10 episodes of the Handsome Timmy D Express which explores various aspects of the creative life and screenwriting and the entertainment business from various corners of the entertainment business:
EPISODE 1 – World-renowned DJ Matt The Cat takes us through the world of radio – and soul music:
EPISODE 2 – Award winning screenwriter Megan Karasch gives a guide to self-publishing and writing sitcom pilots:
EPISODE 3 – Director & Digital Media Producer Mike Doto on what a director does & the ever-changing digital landscape:
EPISODE 4 – Awesome podcasters Dan & Travis one what podcasting actually is all about:
EPISODE 5 – Independent film producers Beleeve Entertainment on following your vision & their movie Penumbra:
EPISODE 6 – Director of Television Research Brian Veys tells us how TV Ratings work:
EPISODE 7 – Writer Joseph Lidster on writing about & with depression as well as some Torchwood & Dark Shadows:
EPISODE 8 – Publicist AJ Feuerman on image management & brand-building:
EPISODE 9 – College Professor & Author Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg on the mythology of zombies and comic books:
EPISODE 10 – Stand-up Comedian Talia Harari remembers Joan Rivers & talks about the challenges facing women in comedy:
And it’s just the beginning, Episode 11 will be posted tomorrow (and it’s wicked good) and I’ve got some great guests lined up throughout the fall and winter. The Handsome Timmy D Express goes onward…
The Handsome Timmy D Express is proud to be a part of:
Just wanted to check in about some exciting developments with the old HTD Express.
First, a little bad news. Unfortunately, there was a fair amount of Skype cutout on the Dan & Travis interview toward the end there. I don’t think it took away from the overall enjoyment of the show as I’ve gotten some nice feedback, but it’s more than I would like. So this weekend I will be looking into some upgrades to minimize that as best I can. Bear with me, I’m a one man show making it up as a I go along but I want this to be as well-done as possible.
Speaking of feedback, I’ve gotten some great compliments from some of you and I’m very grateful and humbled to hear them. Comments are always welcome (name-calling is not) but a few folks have asked me in private, “Mind if I comment” or “Do you mind if I share this.” Let me put it on the record: It is very OK with me if you share this blog. This isn’t being produced for money or anything, just collecting positive and productive insight about screenwriting and the entertainment biz. This meant for public consumption to help people who are stuck at the typewriter and spread useful info in this age of plenty of misinformation on the internet. Please feel free to share any blog you’d like on facebook, twitter, bulletin boards, pinterest or foursquare if that even works. Thanks very much. Together, we can save the internet.
Moving on to some good, dare I say, GREAT news. I’m excited to announce that starting tomorrow the Handsome Timmy D Express audio segments will be streaming on The Chronic Rift network! For those who are unfamiliar, the Chronic Rift is one of the premiere, if not THE premiere network of podcasts covering pop culture. The people who participate in their podcastsis Who’s Who of creative talent suchDr. Arnold T Blumberg, Scott Alan Woodard, Keith RA DeCandido, Paul K Bisson and Bill Meeks just to name few:
and of course, they have a really awesome show in The Dan & Travis Show: http://www.chronicrift.com/node/4448
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Lots of great shows on there and I’m delighted my interviews will be found there as well.
Speaking of the interviews, got some really exciting folks lined up including but not limited to, other screenwriters on the festival circuit, a creative executive, a researcher and even a college professor. Next week, I’m scheduled to interview a Director/Producer team who blazing their own way through the business and we’ll be talking about the world of independent film, crowdfunding and their heartfelt drama which is dealing with the battles of addiction. Oh and they’re women so we’re also going to talk about breaking perceptions and glass ceilings that women unfairly face. Their movie looks great & check out their indiegogo fund here:
Work commitments permitting, I’m going to do my best to schedule things going forward with a written blog on Monday and Audio Post on Tuesday. I know people are reading and listening by their own timetables but still I’ve noticed some stability to posting helps traffic so there you have it.
If you’re an industry pro whom I know, please don’t feel slighted I haven’t ask you to be on the show yet. There’s scheduling issues and a method to my programming/recording but there’s no one I’m not avoiding anyone. Trust me, if I’ve worked with you over the past 10 years, I want to interview you. Most of you. 60% at least. (There’s a lot of dicks out there)
If you’re an industry pro or have a project/film/script whom I don’t know and you’d like to talk about it on the Express here, shoot me an email at htd@handsometimmyd.com and we’ll see what we can figure out. This whole project is about getting a myriad of viewpoints and insights about the creative process so I’d love to hear from you.
And to recap, I’m thrilled with the interview numbers so far, but just in case you’ve not heard the shows yet here’s a quick recap.
Episode 1: An interview with Matt The Cat, world-renowned Radio DJ: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/08/the-handsome-timmy-d-express-an-interview-with-matt-the-cat/
Episode 2: An interview with Megan Karasch, novelist and award winning screenwriter: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/14/an-interview-with-megan-karasch/
Episode 3: An interview with Mike Doto, director and digital media producer: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/23/brazen-moves-an-interview-with-mike-doto/
Episode 4: An interview with Dan & Travis, podcasters and masters of pure hilarity: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/29/radio-genius-an-interview-with-dan-travis/
Thanks again everyone for reading, listening and sharing. Be well and all the best…
Want to open this week by saying thanks so much to everyone who read and shared the Open Letter To William Shatner and George Takei. I don’t know if it’s reached their eyes but the post was spread far and wide by the ever faithful science fiction community and I’m very grateful to those who enjoyed it and spread the word. Thanks so much, guys!
Time for a new episode of the Handsome Timmy D Express. 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.
The Handsome Timmy D Express 