UCB Digital Podcast: Recent Episodes
UCB Digital Podcast
A behind-the-scenes look at comedy filmmaking featuring conversations with creators about their craft in a converging digital media landscape. Expect to hear from a varied group of industry professionals (writers, directors, actors and more) who shed light on their unique creative process. New episodes bi-monthly on Tuesdays.
Our final Career Tracker of 2018! We check in with Marla Black, Ben Marshall, Mehdi Barakchian and Nic Stanich to see what they’re working on, how they feel as they look back on the year, and what goals they’re setting for 2018. Sean Weiner (UCB, Jacob Burns Center) is in the studio to chat with Nate over a Bronx beer about his own career trajectory. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
The Maker Book Club is back in session! This week Nate Russell sits down with UCB Comedy writer/directors Tessa Greenberg and Matt Starr, and actor/producer Sam Klemmer to break down everyone's thoughts on the chosen filmmaking guide, The Director's Six Senses by Simone Bartesaghi. This episode was recorded as a livestream on the UCB Comedy Facebook channel with deliciousBronx beers to accompany all our #hottakes!
Editing should never be an afterthought. This week we bring you a compilation of our favorite clips about the editing process, each one illustrating the ways in which every perspective of a production can have some connection to the edit, be it the writers, actors, directors, and so on. Nate revisits conversations with guests Tessa Greenberg, Ed Mundy, Nick Mougis, Trevor Williams, Adam Sacks, and Lee Chin. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Jonathan Furmanski is the DP on all your favorite comedies: Delocated, Search Party, Inside Amy Schumer, and more. This week he’s sitting down with Nate to chat about how he rose through the ranks from assisting, how his approach changes between sketch and more serialized content, and why he loves rehearsals. Plus a little gear talk, of course. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Michela Smith and Lucien Flores are a two-person production team often known as Loose Seal Productions. This week they're in the studio to chat with Nate about how they divide their work as creative partners, how they've found a home in the New York comedy community, and their recent project for Mas Mejor that got into NYTVF. They also take a moment to praise Google Docs, of course. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Writer/comedians Zack Phillips and Madalyn Baldanzi are in the studio to talk about their recent fellowship in the Made in NY Writers Room, a program organized by the mayoral office of New York City and the Writer's Guild of America East. Zack and Madalyn tell Nate what it was like to be in a writers room that mixes drama and comedy, the valuable advice they've gotten from their mentors – creators of well-known, beloved TV shows – and what they plan to do next as the program wraps up. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Our guest today is Patrick Cotnoir, talent booker extraordinaire for The Chris Gethard Show and formerly The President Show, as well as cherished UCBT stage shows like Asssscat 3000 and The George Lucas Talk Show. Patrick explains his method for booking guests big and small, and some tips and tricks he's learned in his career so far. He also tells Nate about his favorite guest experiences which include Mark Hamill and Kevin Bacon. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
It's the fifth installment of our Career Tracker series! What did our four makers – Ben Marshall, Marla Black, Mehdi Barakchian and Nic Stanich – accomplish in the last seven weeks? How did their lives change? Joining Nate in-studio to chat through each check-in is writer/director/performer Matt Starr, formerly (spoiler alert) an Above Average resident alongside Ben Marshall. This episode was created in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
This week, we've dug into the UCB Digital archive to bring you the best tips, tricks and nuggets of wisdom for making a successful web series. Host Nate Russell looks back at the best of our web content-creating guests: Jonathan Braylock, James III, Jerah Milligan(Seriously TV), Soren and Jolles (WhoHaHa, Elite Daily), Zach Broussard (MTV, BET), Marshall Stratton and James Coker (UCB). This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Hayley Kosan is in the studio this week to chat with Nate about what motivates her work as a multi-talented director, DP, producer and actor. Hayley was an associate producer on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and directed the sketch comedy series Business Work, Horrible Insane Girl (IFC) and Straight Marriage (NYTVF). This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
This week we're excited to have performer, writer and activist Dylan Marron in the studio to chat with Nate about his work for Seriously.TV and his podcast project Conversations with People Who Hate Me. Dylan explains the ideas behind his most popular video content which blends the worlds of comedy and internet culture with the overarching goal of social justice. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Canadian director Ally Pankiw stops by the studio this week to chat with Nate about her work as a director in not one but two cities: Toronto and Los Angeles. Ally was a writer on the series Schitt's Creek with Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara, and recently directed the digital series Terrific Women for CBC. This episode was made in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Nate Dern is the senior writer of Funny or Die and the former Artistic Director of the UCB Theatre. He's now also a published author with his book of essays, Not Quite a Genius, available in stores now. He stopped by UCB Comedy to chat with Nate Russell about his rise from comedian to author, what his process is like as an editor at Funny or Die, and his recent move from NY to LA. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
A new installment of our Career Tracker series! At week 21, our four makers are facing new challenges, successes, and some unexpected twists in their career paths. Join host Nathan Russell and filmmaker Alden Ford as they check in with our subjects Nic Stanich, Mehdi Barakchian, Marla Black and Ben Marshall on everything that's happened in their lives in the last seven weeks. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Dan Erickson (UCB, Blue Bloods) is in the studio this week! Dan recently completed his first full-length independent feature and as a follow-up to our book club, he's chatting with Nate about his process in comparison with Reed Martin's guide to indie filmmaking, The Reel Truth. We get into the nitty gritty of licensing, music choices, distribution, and the festival circuit. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
UCB Digital presents its first-ever Maker Book Club episode! We read The Reel Truth: Everything You Didn't Know You Need To Know About Making an Independent Film, by Reed Martin. In this episode, Nate sits down with members of the UCB Comedy team Sophie Yalkezian, Matthew Torres and Sonya Saepoff to break down what they learned from the book and their thoughts about it, all while sipping a delicious Bronx beer. This episode was made in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
This week Nate Russell sat down with freelance film editor Ryan Spears about his time editing digital shorts for SNL and leading the post-production team at Above Average. Ryan's now a freelancer and explains how he made contacts in the comedy world, how editing short form content has become a stronger career option over the years, and some of his favorite projects to work on, like Paula Pell's Hudson Valley Ballers. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Writer, Performer and Stand-up Comedian Alyssa Limperis (Conde Nast) chats with host Nate Russell about how her father's recent passing motivated her to pursue her career goals. Alyssa produces video content for Conde Nast's digital platform, The Scene, and performs standup across the city, including the recent staging of her one-woman show, No Bad Days. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Producer Rachel Roderman (Bustle) joins Nate Russell in-studio to chat about her UCB Digital team Brinkman and their latest and final release, Trolls. She explains how working for an ad agency has made her a better producer, and describes ways to keep a high production standard even on low-budget projects. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Writer, performer and editor Lee Chin joins host Nate Russell in-studio to chat about his departure from The Flama, how his work as an editor influences his pitches and timing as a performer, and his latest project for digital outlet Mas Mejor. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
This week is our latest Career Tracker check-in! Host Nathan Russell sits down with writer, editor and talented multi-hyphenate Megan Stein to discuss her work and chat about the journeys of our filmmakers: Nic Stanich, Mehdi Barakchian, Marla Black and Ben Russell. From new jobs to potential development deals, each filmmaker has a path worth following. This episode was made in partnership with the Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Trevor Williams is a director, filmmaker and actor, and one third of New York-based production company Pig Apple. His credits include ESPN, MTV, Comedy Central, IFC, and Nickelodeon. This week he and host Nate Russell chat about freelance directing as part of a collective, how to get the best out of actors, the similarities between editing and sculpting, and his thoughts going forward after completing his award-winning short film, The Jane. This week’s episode was made in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Chris Burns and Kelley Quinn (UCB) are the creators and stars of the web series Straight Marriage. This week they sat down with Nate to chat about how they've infused their personal values into the production process, how they see the series evolving over time, and how they balance their work as writers and performers with the needs of a self-produced project. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Happy Fourth of July! We're excited to announce our brand new Maker Book Club. Over the summer we'll be reading The Reel Truth by Reed Martin, and we're inviting you to join along with us from home so we can break it down together via livestream in August. As always, this episode is made in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
What makes livestream comedy work (or not work)? This week we’re chatting with early-adopter comedian live-streamers Anna Roisman (The Unemployed Show), Carly Jane Hoogendyk (Play You Guys), and Eric Yearwood (Face Taze Live) to break down their creative process, offer insights on audience interaction, and generally nerd out about making comedy in this exciting new way. This week’s episode was recorded live (and of course livestreamed) from the #DCM19 Podcast Lounge, and made in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Moujan Zolfaghari (The Detour Season 2 staff writer) is in the studio this week to talk about what it's like making the jump from comedy production work to getting staffed as a performer and writer on big projects. Moujan tells Nate how she established herself on a UCB Digital team, created industry connections while writing for MTV's Middle of the Night Show, and continued to stay true to her sense of humor and perspective as a Persian-American performer. This week's episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
This week UCB Digital Podcast has teamed up with the New York Television Festival to bring you a panel discussion about the comedy editing process with some of the city's best editors and visual effects artists. Featuring Tessa Greenberg (MTV, UCB), Nick Mougis (Inside Amy Schumer, Broad City), Ed Mundy (Louie, Archer) and Ian Thake (NYTVF Director of Programming). This week's episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
It’s week 7 of UCB Digital’s new Career Tracker series, where we follow the careers of four emerging filmmakers: Ben Marshall, Marla Black, Mehdi Barakchian and Nic Stanich. For this week 7 check-in, we’ve got director Kris Knight in the studio to chat with us as we see how each filmmaker is doing, and where they're at on their paths as artists, comedians and creators.
In Part 2 of a crossover episode with the UCB Long-Form Conversations Podcast, Doug Moe and Nathan Russell continue their conversation about Doug's new book Man vs Child (available now!). They discuss how the project moved from one-man-show, to blog, and eventually to its publisher and book stores. Doug talks about the importance of being willing to ask people for help (without coming off desperate), learning how to write a book treatment, and how the book editing and publishing process works. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Lisa Kleinman, Senior Director of Development at NorthSouth Productions, who started as a actor, scored her first writing/producing gigs without much prior experience, and just figured it out as she went. Her familiarity with the New York comedy scene gave her a huge Rolodex of talent to consult as a development executive. Along with host Nathan Russell, she talks about the importance of pitching original ideas instead of derivative ones, and advises up-and-coming comedians to focus on making something excellent, rather than trying to “endgame” (like cashing in on a current network trend). This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Host Nathan Russell sits down with Sean Weiner, filmmaker and director of the Creative Culture Initiative at the Jacob Burns Film Center, which is a nonprofit art house theater and education center in upstate New York. His position is focused on creating a collaborative atmosphere amongst students, debunking the idea that working in film needs to be a ‘me against the world’ effort. Topics include why young filmmakers should focus on making one, good five-minute film, the importance of considering your audience, and what the Burns looks for in its applicants.This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Above Average director Tim Bierbaum talks about his scrappy, high-rep approach to creating short-form digital comedy. Tim started putting sketch videos online around 2005, in the early days of YouTube, and was not afraid of a rough final product, where the ‘soundtrack’ would sometimes just come from a tape recorder held next to the camera mic during takes. Since then, despite working on higher budget material, Tim’s pace has not slowed: he has put out around 60 videos per year since 2014. He and Nathan discuss his career trajectory as well as things he’s learned along the way, including becoming a more flexible and trusting collaborator. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
In this episode we speak with John Braylock, James III, and Jerah Milligan, co-hosts of the podcast Black Men Can’t Jump (In Hollywood), creators (along with James Carr) of Seriously.tv’s new web series Projecting, and members of Astronomy Club at the UCB in New York. They talk about the details of negotiating with a network, from pitch meetings to putting down deposits for a shoot from their own pockets before the contracts were finalized. They explore the benefits of working as part of a larger team, from having a larger combined network of contacts to being able to rely on each others support when things get tough during shoots. They express their gratitude for the UCB, which provided them with community, PA’s and extras, and riffing skills that have proven very useful in garnering support in pitch meetings. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Starting with today’s episode UCB Digital Podcast will be tracking the career’s of 4 emerging filmmakers: Ben Marshall, Marla Black, Mehdi Barakchian and Nic Stanich. Every 7 weeks we will be checking in with them and tracking their progress as artists, comedians and creators. In week 0, we meet our candidates, begin to understand their individual career paths and hear their predictions for what the next episode may hold.
Our guest on Digital Podcast this week is Chloe Smolkin discussing her growth and process working in the camera department. From camera PA, to first assistant all the way to overseeing cinematography on features, commercials, documentaries, Chloe offers a look into her professional development as a director of photography or ‘DP’. Together with host Nathan Russell, they examine the importance of making oneself indispensable to the DP by not only delivering what they need but anticipating what they need, offers advice to directors about working with DP’s and how Chloe transitioned from animation into working behind the camera. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Comedian Anna Drezden (SNL, Reductress) is an accomplished comedy writer and performer. Our discussion with Anna presents a look into her writing for sketch and stand-up, the creative process of Reductress.com, starting out in NYC studying acting and learning to be patient with the slow process of becoming a better writer. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Writer, performer, producer and filmmaker, Keith Haskel (The Chris Gethard Show, Improv Everywhere) joins UCB Digital this week to discuss his impressive body of work including Keith’s passion for unscripted comedy. An example of this being that literally even his wedding was captured while happening on the streets of NYC and became a viral video last year. Also, while examining Keith’s history with UCB digital team UCB1 and his own internet videos the conversation veers to the changing landscape for online content in the age of Facebook. Finally, be sure to check out his new series Blissful Thinking on Go90/Seriously.TV. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
Comedian, writer, filmmaker, Zach Broussard, calls in from Los Angeles on the week of the release of a UCB Comedy show he wrote and acted in “Shooting Strangers” from digital team the Buzzards. He offers a look into the challenges and rewards of making an unscripted comedy turned reality show satire. Zach also proves just how far a bit can go. Seriously. His projects include the top 1000 comedians list that this past year was published on billboards throughout LA. Or the SoCal Comedy Festival: the only comedy festival that doesn’t exist. Hosted by Nathan Russell. This week’s episode is in partnership with Bronx Brewery, the official house beer of the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.
The comedy duo Soren & Jolles join the podcast to talk about their work, but more importantly, how they work together. Jessie Jolles and Tracy Soren, based in New York, are behind the series DIBS, have produced content for THINX, The New Yorker, FLAMA, and have been featured on Buzzfeed, TIME, The Huffington Post, and Above Average, among others. It turns out that their partnership looks a lot like a marriage: they have healthy disagreements, share a bank account, balance each other out, and work very, very hard. Also, producer Ben Hosley joins the introduction to discuss the state of internet comedy. Hosted by Nathan Russell.
NYTVF, truTV and UCB Comedy team up for a discussion with the folks behind Comedy Knockout, a hit television show with a point-of-view comedy format. This discussion aims to demystify the process of building and packaging a successful project from creation to series and provide emerging comedy writers, performers, and content creators with the tools they need to succeed. Featuring panelists Michael Davies (President of Embassy Row Productions and Producer, Comedy Knockout), Damien Lemon (Comedian and Host, Comedy Knockout), Mo Mandel (Comedian and EP & Creator, Comedy Knockout), and Marissa Ronca (Head of Programming at truTV). Hosted by Nathan Russell. Recorded live at UCBT East Village and at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City on January 9th, 2017.
Head writer for videos with Broadway Video’s sports humor site The Kicker and longtime member of UCB Maude, Harold and Digital teams in New York City, Zack Phillips joins host Nate Russell to discuss his personal pursuit of comedy work related to the sports world, shares his approach to generating material on a regular basis, Zack’s background in journalism and Ryan Lochte. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Head writer for videos with Broadway Video’s sports humor site The Kicker and longtime member of UCB Maude, Harold and Digital teams in New York City, Zack Phillips joins host Nate Russell to discuss his personal pursuit of comedy work related to the sports world, shares his approach to generating material on a regular basis, Zach’s background in journalism and Ryan Lochte. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer and director, David Sidorov (The Onion, Billy on the Street) joins Nathan Russell to discuss his writing and directing experience with The Onion, the importance of collaboration, and why David excels at working within a style that is not uniquely his perspective. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer and director, David Sidorov (The Onion, Billy on the Streets) joins Nathan Russell to discuss his writing and directing experience with The Onion, the importance of collaboration, and why David excels at working within a style that is not uniquely his perspective. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Two of the members of comedy collective Whale Thief, Matt Mayer (Funny or Die) and Matt Klinman (The Onion), join Nathan Russell to discuss their new* web series out on UCB Comedy, as well as, an in-depth look into the New York City revival of Sketch Cram and the evolution from stage show to the annual Movie Cram. Plus, the CC’d email chain that changed the world!
Two of the members of comedy collective Whale Thief, Matt Mayer (Funny or Die) and Matt Klinman (The Onion), join Nathan Russell to discuss their new* web series out on UCB Comedy, as well as, an in-depth look into the New York City revival of Sketch Cram and the evolution from stage show to the annual Movie Cram. Plus, the CC’d email chain that changed the world!
Team members, Boris Khaykin and Evan Altshuler, join host Nathan Russell to discuss their new series #2016Week including, the development process, collaboration and deciding when jokes are just for the room versus the viewing audience.
Team members, Boris Khaykin and Evan Altshuler, join host Nathan Russell to discuss their new series #2016Week including, the development process, collaboration and deciding when jokes are just for the room versus the viewing audience.
Kelsey Balance (Seeso), David Ingber (The Kicker), Dan Chamberlain (Above Average), Lou Wallach (Comedy Central) join Nathan Russell for look into the current state of digital comedy content. Together the panelists discuss working for start-up companies, the pros and cons of measuring success by “going viral” and what makes an appealing project. Recorded live during the 18th annual Del Close Marathon in New York City.
Kelsey Balance (Seeso), David Ingber (The Kicker), Dan Chamberlain (Above Average), Lou Wallach (Comedy Central) join Nathan Russell for look into the current state of digital comedy content. Together the panelists discuss working for start-up companies, the pros and cons of measuring success by “going viral” and what makes an appealing project. Recorded live during the 18th annual Del Close Marathon in New York City.
Nick Kocher (BriTANicK), Paul Gale (The Huffington Post) and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Two Beers In: A Tipsy Political Round Table) join Nathan Russell for a discussion on the veteran filmmakers individual successes making web content and navigating the ever-changing digital landscape. Together the panelists examine YouTube versus new contender Facebook as a platform for videos, taking advantage of publications/websites for promoting your work and decoding industry terminology like “influencer” or “multi-channel networks.” Recorded live in New York City during the 18th annual Del Close Marathon.
Nick Kocher (BriTANicK), Paul Gale (The Huffington Post) and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Two Beers In: A Tipsy Political Round Table) join Nathan Russell for a discussion on the veteran filmmakers individual successes making web content and navigating the ever-changing digital landscape. Together the panelists examine YouTube versus new contender Facebook as a platform for videos, taking advantage of publications/websites for promoting your work and decoding industry terminology like “influencer” or “multi-channel networks.” Recorded live in New York City during the 18th annual Del Close Marathon.
Tessa Greenberg (Head of Post Production at UCB Comedy), Alex Meyers (Freelance Editor with Buttermilk Studios) and Kristopher Knight (Lead Director/Editor at Flama) joins Nathan Russell for a panel discussion on everyone’s unique experience in finding a career path through working as an editor, how to use editing as a professional tool, and Craigslist horror stories. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Tessa Greenberg (Head of Post Production at UCB Comedy), Alex Meyers (Freelance Editor with Buttermilk Studios) and Kristopher Knight (Lead Director/Editor at Flama) joins Nathan Russell for a panel discussion on everyone’s unique experience in finding a career path through working as an editor, how to use editing as a professional tool, and Craigslist horror stories. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
The New York Television Festival and UCB Comedy together present a live panel discussion about the process of developing your work for long form television and some of the opportunities at this year’s festival for creators to submit. Featuring panelists Terence Gray (NYTVF Founder), Ian Thake (NYTVF Director of Programming), Christine Walters (truTV's EP of Original Programming & Development, UCBT Alum) and Jo Honig (Omelette Bar Productions; Co-Creator, Going Deep with David Rees) this is an inside look at TV development offering perspective from the network side and hopefully benefits creators work. Also, new segment ‘UCB Comedy spotlight’ with members of UCB digital team, Frohnson & Frohnson, Mehdi Barakchian, Michelle Francesca Thomas, and David Sidorov. Recorded live at UCBT East Village and at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
The New York Television Festival and UCB Comedy together present a live panel discussion about the process of developing your work for long form television and some of the opportunities at this year’s festival for creators to submit. Featuring panelists Terence Gray (NYTVF Founder), Ian Thake (NYTVF Director of Programming), Christine Walters (truTV's EP of Original Programming & Development, UCBT Alum) and Jo Honig (Omelette Bar Productions; Co-Creator, Going Deep with David Rees) this is an inside look at TV development offering perspective from the network side and hopefully benefits creators work. Also, new segment ‘UCB Comedy spotlight’ with members of UCB digital team, Frohnson & Frohnson, Mehdi Barakchian, Michelle Francesca Thomas, and David Sidorov. Recorded live at UCBT East Village and at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Matt Moskovciak, Lucas Klauss, and Ben Stadler of The Bilderbergers joins Nathan Russell to discuss meeting through UCB classes, the writing process, their short form video work, and developing their new show ThingStarter premiering May 19th on SeeSo. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Matt Moskovciak, Lucas Klauss, and Ben Stadler of The Bilderbergers joins Nathan Russell to discuss meeting through UCB classes, the writing process, their short form video work, and developing their new show ThingStarter premiering May 19th on SeeSo. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer and director, Chioke Nassor (Late Night with Seth Meyers) joins Nathan Russell to discuss his extensive experience as a filmmaker, including Chioke’s feature film ‘How To Follow Strangers’, creating web series Storytime, working in the late night television and his early days editing documentaries at VICE, directing short form comedy and developing spec scripts. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer and director, Chioke Nassor (Late Night with Seth Meyers) joins Nathan Russell to discuss his extensive experience as a filmmaker, including Chioke’s feature film ‘How To Follow Strangers’, creating web series Storytime, working in the late night television and his early days editing documentaries at VICE, directing short form comedy and developing spec scripts. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer and comedian, Melinda Taub (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Adam Ruins Everything) joins Nathan Russell for a conversation on professional comedy writing. Together they examine Melinda’s start with UCB, writer’s room technique, her young adult novel ‘Still Star-Crossed’ and the pitching process. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer and comedian, Melinda Taub (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Adam Ruins Everything) joins Nathan Russell for a conversation on professional comedy writing. Together they examine Melinda’s start with UCB, writer’s room technique, her young adult novel ‘Still Star-Crossed’ and the pitching process. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Sound engineer and improviser, Jamie Leggero (Above Average, IFC) joins Nathan Russell for a conversation about the craft of audio production in filmmaking. Together they share techniques toward achieving excellent sound, the importance of communication with the actors, crew and director on any shoot, tips and tricks for filmmakers working on a budget and the various tools Jamie brings with him on set. With sound being the most over looked aspect of any production, this episode is an informative and in-depth discussion that will be beneficial for any creator. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Sound engineer and improviser, Jamie Leggero (Above Average, IFC) joins Nathan Russell for a conversation about the craft of audio production in filmmaking. Together they share techniques toward achieving excellent sound, the importance of communication with the actors, crew and director on any shoot, tips and tricks for filmmakers working on a budget and the various tools Jamie brings with him on set. With sound being the most over looked aspect of any production, this episode is an informative and in-depth discussion that will be beneficial for any creator. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Emmy award winning writer, producer and actor, Tracey Wigfield (30 Rock, The Mindy Project) joins Nathan Russell for a discussion on the ins and outs of working in the writer’s room of a television show. Together they examine Tracy starting on a UCB Theatre Harold team the same day she was hired as an writer’s assistant on 30 Rock, what qualities helped her make the leap to staff writer, pitching jokes, making the move from network television over to streaming service Hulu while on the writing staff for The Mindy Project and her new pilot with NBC. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios West in Los Angeles.
Emmy award winning writer, producer and actor, Tracey Wigfield (30 Rock, The Mindy Project) joins Nathan Russell for a discussion on the ins and outs of working in the writer’s room of a television show. Together they examine Tracy starting on a UCB Theatre Harold team the same day she was hired as an writer’s assistant on 30 Rock, what qualities helped her make the leap to staff writer, pitching jokes, making the move from network television over to streaming service Hulu while on the writing staff for The Mindy Project and her new pilot with NBC. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios West in Los Angeles.
Director, writer, improvisor and former Creative Director of UCB Comedy, as well as previous host of this podcast, Todd Bieber (Gary Saves the Graveyard) joins Nathan Russell for a discussion with just a week away from Todd’s feature directorial debut and world premiere at SXSW with the new documentary Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon. Together, they discuss how to approach getting your project representation and selling to a distributor, Todd’s background working for UCB and the origins of the documentary going back to 2013, share thoughts on traditional media companies looking to the digital landscape and the idea behind “platform agnosticism.” Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Director, writer, improvisor and former Creative Director of UCB Comedy, as well as previous host of this podcast, Todd Bieber (Gary Saves the Graveyard) joins Nathan Russell for a discussion with just a week away from Todd’s feature directorial debut and world premiere at SXSW with the new documentary Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon. Together, they discuss how to approach getting your project representation and selling to a distributor, Todd’s background working for UCB and the origins of the documentary going back to 2013, share thoughts on traditional media companies looking to the digital landscape and the idea behind "platform agnosticism." Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Writer, director, comedian, Joel Jensen (Denizen, UCB Comedy) joins host Nathan Russell to talk about creating content for various digital platforms. They discuss what it means to be a creator, how the lines are blurring between content and advertisement, and how improv and comedy can impact your professional life. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios West in Los Angeles.
Writer, director, comedian, Joel Jensen (Denizen, UCB Comedy) joins host Nathan Russell to talk about creating content for digital platforms. They discus what it means to be a creator, how the lines are blurring between content and advertisement, and how improv and comedy can impact your professional life. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios West in Los Angeles.
Actor, writer, director, Avery Monsen (Vine, Billy On The Street) joins host Nathan Russell to chat about creating short form entertainment for the web. They delve into learning how to make videos on your own, working with companies interested in using your creative voice, as well as, diving into the creation of one of the most watched Vines of all time, “Hello, Hey” https://vine.co/v/MjBBFuXXhvp . Also, a big announcement about the premier of UCB Comedy’s new feature documentary, Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon, at SXSW 2016. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studio West in Los Angeles.
Actor, writer, director, Avery Monsen (Vine, Billy On The Street) joins host Nathan Russell to chat about creating short form entertainment for the web. They delve into learning how to make videos on your own, working with companies interested in using your creative voice, as well as, diving into the creation of one of the most watched Vines of all time, “Hello, Hey” https://vine.co/v/MjBBFuXXhvp . Also, a big announcement about the premier of UCB Comedy’s new feature documentary, Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon, at SXSW 2016. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios West in Los Angeles.
Comedy duo, James Coker and Marshall Stratton (otherwise known as Coker & Stratton) join host Nathan Russell to discuss developing and promoting their awards winning web series “The Other Kennedys.” In an digital landscape overrun with content, Coker & Stratton offer a unique perspective on release strategies, taking advantage of digital film festivals, and leveraging new opportunities to find representation. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Comedy duo, James Coker and Marshall Stratton (otherwise known as Coker & Stratton) join host Nathan Russell to discuss developing and promoting their awards winning web series “The Other Kennedys.” In an digital landscape overrun with content, Coker & Stratton offer a unique perspective on release strategies, taking advantage of digital film festivals, and leveraging new opportunities to find representation. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios East in New York City.
Actor, writer, comedian Veronica Osorio (Comedy Bang! Bang!, UCB Comedy) joins host Nathan Russell to discuss her one year anniversary of making the move to Los Angeles. Together, they examine the circumstances surrounding her decision to relocate from New York City, the auditioning process, navigating a new comedy community and getting cast in the upcoming Cohen Brothers’ film Hail, Caesar! Also, Nathan welcomes in the new year with some new resolutions for the podcast moving forward. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studio West in Los Angeles.
Director, writer, actor Alex Fernie (Children’s Hospital, NTSF:SD:SUV, The Hotwives of Orlando) joins Nate Russell, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, to discuss his experience in television and digital production. Starting with Funny or Die as a staff writer and director to transitioning into directing for television, together they examine Alex’s background and career development working in comedy. Also, how being an improviser has influenced his approach to directing, being a triple union threat and the pilot development process. Recorded at UCB Comedy Studios West in Los Angeles.
Comedian, writer, producer and the man behind the recent phenomenon Pizza Rat, Matt Little (Above Average, Left Handed Radio, Thank You, Robot) joins host Nate Russell, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, to discuss the unique experience of having your content go viral. Together, they examine how it all began one night riding the subway to 8 million views and counting, leveraging new opportunities as someone who is trying build a career as a content creator, and how to develop and offer a unique conversation with your audience. Recorded at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Nate Russell, creative director of UCB Comedy, is joined by showrunner Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere) and story producer Moujan Zolfaghari (The Onion News Network, UCB1) to discuss the origins of their involvement with MTV’s Middle of the Night Show. Together, they examine developing the project from a pilot, the trial and error of an unscripted show, the logistics of planning early morning shoots and the challenges of booking celebrity guests. Recorded at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Director, animator, visual effects artist Ed Mundy (Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, Archer) joins Nate Russell, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, to discuss his background in comedy production. Together, they examine Ed’s career trajectory from starting out interning at Adult Swim, being involved with the early days of Channel 101 and finding his way to becoming an accomplished professional filmmaker and editor. Also, being one of the longest running members involved in the UCB house production team program (having made made hundreds of comedy shorts over the last six years), his production company Pig Apple and the rectangular DVD market in the early aughts. Recorded at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Between the Scenes: Star Wars - UCB Comedy Presents https://youtu.be/-FlOA_pLx-k
Director, writer, editor, animator Adam Sacks (UCB Comedy, IFC, Nerdist) joins Nate Russell, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, to discuss his varied experiences working in filmmaking and comedy production. From starting out in children’s television, learning to shoot live action while working on the first BETA teams: The Brig and The Punch, to eventually finding himself being drawn more towards directing rather than writing, together they examine Adam’s career path and approach to making videos. Also, how to plan scenes when you first get a script, influences from art school as a illustrator and comic books, and why its so important to keep post-production in mind. Recorded at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Writer, director and producer Paul Briganti (CollegeHumor, Jest, Landline Productions) joins Todd Bieber, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, to discuss making the transition from digital media to television. Currently working on 2 soon to be debuted shows: TruTV’s Adam Ruins Everything and MTV’s Middle of the Night Show, Paul examines his years of experience creating online videos and how that translates into a larger production. Also, the origin story of Landline Productions and why being a well rounded candidate starting out can set you apart. Recorded at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Denizen is Joel Jensen, Joe Matsushima, and Amy Matsushima. They create highly visual, fun, engaging videos on YouTube, and the success of these videos has led to them being hired to produce content for huge clients. If you've ever wondered how your passion project can turn into a real job, this will be a great panel. They also just released a book! Tiny Hamster Is a Giant Monster! Print media!!!
The New Brain Panel series is held every Saturday on the Inner Sanctum stage at UCB Sunset in Los Angeles, CA. UCB Comedy hosts the third Saturday of each month. Other Saturdays feature panels hosted by the UCB Training Center and the UCB Diversity Program. To attend the please check http://ucbinnersanctum.com/schedule for the latest panel info and schedule.
In an effort to bridge the gap between being a struggling writer in Los Angeles to being a big-time show runner on the TV show you've always dreamed of making, we're presenting a panel on what it is like to be a writer's assistant: a crucial job in the sphere of the writer's room. On a panel made up of both currently working writer's assistants and former writer's assistant now working as TV writers, we hope to to go in depth on the do's and don'ts of the job, the paths that lead to their position, and offer a Q&A session to provide advice for young writers still on their way up in the television writing world. Guests: Emily Towers (former Writers Assistant on Almost Human [FOX], former Show Runners Assistant on Believe [NBC], former Writers Assistant / Show Runners Assistant on Dan Mazer's pilot Love is Relative [NBC], writer on the Netflix animated series F is for Family); Caroline Anderson (current writers assistant on Comedy Bang! Bang!).
The New Brain Panel series is held every Saturday on the Inner Sanctum stage at UCB Sunset in Los Angeles, CA. UCB Comedy hosts the third Saturday of each month. Other Saturdays feature panels hosted by the UCB Training Center and the UCB Diversity Program. To attend the please check http://ucbinnersanctum.com/schedule for the latest panel info and schedule.
Will Reese, Executive Producer for UCB Comedy, is joined by Heather Anne Campbell and Eric Moneypenny (Fox’s Animation Domination High-Def/the Midnight Show) as part of the New Brain panel series. Listen to valuable insight into writing sketch comedy across various platforms and why making web videos can be an important part of launching a career. From how to approach creating content that reaches wider audiences to finding a new take on something topical, this panel offers a unique behind the scenes look into their creative process.
The New Brain Panel series is held every Saturday on the Inner Sanctum stage at UCB Sunset in Los Angeles, CA. UCB Comedy hosts the third Saturday of each month. Other Saturdays feature panels hosted by the UCB Training Center and the UCB Diversity Program. To attend the please check http://ucbinnersanctum.com/schedule for the latest panel info and schedule.
In this special episode, Todd Bieber, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, sits down for a one on one interview with director, writer, producer and performer J.D. Amato (The Chris Gethard Show, Cop Show, IFC.) Together they offer some insight into creating comedy in today’s digital landscape, why everyone should be getting their hands on equipment and start making videos and the future of the web series vs. independent film. Also, J.D. discusses the progression of TCGS from a monthly UCB stage show to becoming a cable television show and Todd and JD try to have an argument. Recorded at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Todd Bieber, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, hosts a discussion with a panel of directors working in television, web and feature films. Featuring Eric Appel (The Office/Brooklyn Nine-Nine/NTSF:SD:SUV), Maggie Carey (The To Do List/Silicon Valley) and Mitch Magee (Funny or Die/IFC). Listen to valuable insight into what its like to be a professional director and how creating your own web series, sketches or short films can lead to a career directing comedy. From the importance of pre-production to the relationship with your crew and actors this panel offers a chance to understand whats its like to be behind the scenes. Recorded live at UCB studios in LA.
After 40 seasons, Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update has continued to be at the forefront of topical humor. But with today’s 24 hour news cycle, the immediacy of trending topics on Twitter and an abundance of late-night television programming, how does the comedy institution remain relevant and competitive? Featuring longtime producer Scott Weinstein and writers Pete Schultz, Josh Patten, and Katie Rich, learn about the development process leading up to Saturday night and hear some of the writer’s favorite jokes. Recorded live at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.
Nate Russell, head of post-production of UCB Comedy, is joined by a panel of editors to discuss the techniques, skills and tools involved with fine-tuning a creative project. Featuring Nick Mougis (Inside Amy Schumer/Broad City) Kyle Gilman (Maron), Sascha Stanton Craven (The Onion News Network/On Cinema) Chris Tartaro (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon/Human Giant), Peter Holmes (Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee). Listen to these unsung heroes talk about the cutting room floor and what it takes to present a comedic work in the best possible light.
Now into their fourth season, Key and Peele is one of the the most critically acclaimed sketch shows on television. Todd Bieber, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, sat down with a panel of the writers to examine their creative process. Featuring Ian Roberts, one of the founders of the Upright Citizens Brigade, Colton Dunn, Rebecca Drysdale and Phil Jackson, learn about how they collectively develop material around the show’s voice, get tips on submission packets, and some different methods that will help to be successful in the writer’s room. Recorded live at UCB Comedy studios in NYC during the 16th annual Del Close Marathon.
Todd Bieber, Creative Director of UCB Comedy, invited a panel of producers to discuss the art of the pitch. Featuring Celeste Ballard (Above Average), Cory Stern (Comedy Central), Brendan Kennedy and Morgan Evans (both of MTV Other), listen to valuable insight from people that hear pitches every single day, and also share some of the horror stories of the worst pitches they’ve ever heard. Recorded live at UCB Comedy studios in NYC.