The Mechanics of Storytelling: Recent Episodes
Ezra Justin Lee
In this podcast, Ezra Justin Lee talks with different storytellers about their creative process— the mechanics and the techniques.
- Becca’s origin story: how she got into special effects work (2:10)
- Defining what is special effects (6:05)
- Working your way up in the special effects world (13:30)
- What is it like in the day of a special effects professional? (21:10)
- What is something in real life that doesn’t actually happen the way special effects makes it seem like in the movies? (25:40)
- Thinking of the overall story/storytelling when doing special effects (28:30)
- How does faith life affect your work in special effects? (43:50)
- Spiritual Question: What have you learned about yourself and the world this past 1.5 years during the pandemic? (49:05)
Bye for now! <3 <3 <3
- Catherine’s origin story (6:45)
- Catherine’s first equity job (15:00)
- Catherine’s Broadway debut in “Mamma Mia!” (18:10)
- Hundreds of hours of training, practice, and injury to perform (26:43)
- Catherine starts the “Artists Who Code” organization (38:20)
- Spiritual question: What theatre superstition/ritual have you been able to bring into your day-to-day life? (46:35)
Connect with our podcast:
https://www.instagram.com/mostpodcast
Connect with Catherine:
https://www.instagram.com/cattricafort/
Artists Who Code:
http://artistswhocode.com/
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhocode/
- How Geneva got into documentary-making (3:55)
- Why did you choose to be behind the camera as a documentarian instead of in front of the camera? (11:05)
- How the Womxn video and podcast documentary series came into being (13:30)
- Listen to first episode of Womxn Podcast (season 2) with Minnijean Brown-Trickey (20:05)
- How do you get your documentary subjects to bring out their moving or interesting stories? (28:00)
- Spiritual Question: Could you share the moment you stepped into your beauty, power, and greatness? (33:15)
Geneva’s website: https://www.genevapeschka.com/
Womxn Podcast: https://anchor.fm/geneva-peschka
Womxn Video Documentary Series: https://www.womxndocseries.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/gneva
- Wong Fu Productions's content during 2020 reflects the COVID experience (3:10)
- Christopher’s origin story: how he got into cinematography (9:22)
- Christopher talks through his technical process as Director of Photography (20:30)
- Thinking quickly, responsively, and on the fly when on set (34:00)
- How to think about lighting/color and developing your own style as a cinematographer (35:50)
- Spiritual Question: What's the meaning of your life and how does it relate to your work as a DP? (39:25)
Connect with Christopher and Wong Fu Productions on Social Media:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yangstopher/
- Personal Website: https://www.christopherhyang.com/about
- Wong Fu Productions YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCutXfzLC5wrV3SInT_tdY0w
- How Edward got into voiceover acting (4:40)
- Edward’s act of social activism: creating a directory of Asian American and BIPOC voiceover actors (8:30)
- How casting works (12:35)
- Role preparation tips for beginner voiceover actors (19:30)
- Sound equipment you need to get started as voiceover actor (25:09)
- Challenges of dubbing work (27:48)
- Is racism and stereotyping still an issue for voiceover actors of color in Hollywood? (37:10)
- Spiritual Question: How do you get through the suffering and rejection attendant to being an actor? (42:18)
- Our first bloopers this podcast! (50:40)
Connect with Edward Hong on social media:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cinnabonmonster
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinnabonmonster/
Connect with us or drop us a line on Instagram (@mostpodcast): http://instagram.com/mostpodcast
Keywords:
podcast, Asian American BIPOC representation, voiceover acting technique process, dubbing, animation, commercials, Hollywood, TV Film Theatre performance, storytelling
- How Nancy became interested in sociology, racial justice, and more equitable racial representation in Hollywood (3:10)
- Nancy’s first experience seeing positive Asian representation in film (5:55)
- Importance of racial representation and mental health amongst youth (8:33)
- Asians perpetually being portrayed as the outsider and "noble immigrant" (10:15)
- Becoming creators of our own storytellers, creators and content producers (16:25)
- The role of regulation and policy in improving diversity and representation in TV and film (25:15)
- Why the current system in Hollywood is difficult to change (29:30)
- “What encouragements would you offer to Asian/BIPOC actors and creatives in the industry now?” (31:00)
- Spiritual question: “How do the spiritual and moral dimensions come together in your work, research, and fight for racial justice in Hollywood?” (34:10)
You can connect with Nancy:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancywyuen
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancywyuen
Connect with us or drop us a line on Instagram (@mostpodcast): http://instagram.com/mostpodcast
- ORIGIN STORY: "How did you get started with storyboarding for animation?" (2:29)
- Bobby talks about his creative process. (12:30)
- Taking feedback from others but staying true to your story’s vision. (14:44)
- Thinking about Asian heritage when Assistant Director for “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. (23:10)
- “How do you access or experience the divine?”(30:05)
- ORIGIN STORY: How Patrick and his college friends started Rotten Tomatoes (0:30)
- When creating a start-up company, how do you deal with discouragement at the onset--or even before you get started? (5:19)
- Patrick’s experience as Executive Producer of a film (16:30)
- As an Asian American in a very white space (i.e. Hollywood) did you encounter any racism in Hollywood and in your professional experience with Rotten Tomatoes? (20:50)
- Experience transitioning from computer science/engineering to the world of business and movies (26:40)
- What do you think is the meaning of life? (28:55)
- Life legacy (32:20)
To connect with our podcast, check out our Instagram: http://instagram.com/mostpodcast
This is the final episode of Season 2. Thank you for supporting our podcast! We aren't sure when Season 3 will be coming out, but if/when it does, we hope to see you then. Please take care during these tentative times. And if you're able to, please VOTE!
- ORIGIN STORY: How Ross got into storytelling, screenwriting, etc. (3:50)
- Combining TECH AND STORYTELLING: How writers can use tech to enable better writing or overcoming writer’s block (5:35)
- How to make a story interesting (drama) and meaningful (theme)? (12:30)
- What makes a great story? (13:50)
- Using “dramatic questions” — or questions that make the audience want to know what the answer is— to retain audience interest and to push forward a story (18:30)
- Importance of theme (24:00)
- Is exploration of moral questions necessary for a great story? (31:20)
- What is your process of getting your ideas to paper — how you actually start writing the script itself?(43:10)
- Snowflake method of writing (46:00)
- Ross, what is the meaning of life?! (51:30)
Preorder Ross's upcoming book "The Structure of Story" here: https://kiingo.co/preorder
More about Kiingo here: https://kiingo.com/
Connect with Kiingo on Instagram here: instagram.com/kiingocreative/
Connect with Ross on Instagram: instagram.com/ross_hartmann
- How Donald got into improvisational (“improv”) comedy and acting (1:15)
- Improv as a way to break out of his shell (4:00)
- How you become the producer for the Asian AF show atUpright Citizens Brigade New York? (7:25)
- Do you improv differently when your audience is mostly Asian? (11:45)
- Basic technique to improv comedy (14:20)
- As an improv actor/partner, what are you trying to achieve in each improv skit? (20:15)
- How you know when the skit is over/ending! (20:50)
- What goes through Donald’s mind as he performs improv (23:35)
- Even in improv, audiences want to see interesting relationships between people (25:00)
- Being afraid of being yourself and improv as a way for repressed adults to return to a place of childhood playfulness (26:30)
- What NOT to do when doing improv(29:00)
- How improv will help you in your life (33:40)
- Doing improv in a way where you’re not worrying about saying the wrong (even if morally wrong) thing (34:11)
- Why do you think there’s suffering in the world? (36:45)
Connect with Donald Chang's Instagram at http://instagram.com/donaldkchang
Learn more about UCB's Asian AF show (and about upcoming performances) at https://www.asianafshow.com/
- Youngmi grows up in Korea and Saipan (1:00)
- Feeling like an outsider as a white person in Korea (5:00)
- How feeling like an outsider has influenced Youngmi’s comedy (9:00)
- Complexities of biracial upbringing (10:45)
- Youngmi retraces her history with starting Mission Chinese restaurant (14:30)
- Working through co-dependency issues (17:58)
- How Youngmi was able to assert her own creative desires and goals, working through baggage of Asian American upbringing and depression (19:15)
- Doing the scary thing of pursuing creative endeavors and honestly facing the possibility of failure (24:40)
- The challenge of living transparently emotionally and being vulnerable (25:30)
- Processing and healing from repressive Asian upbringing (26:50)
- “Was it scary to get into stand-up comedy?” (28:20)
- Coming up with stand-up jokes and practicing them (31:00)
- Power dynamics: Commanding the room as a stand-up comedian while also being vulnerable (36:30)
- Stand-up comedy as means of self-healing and talking about personal history on stage as comedy (38:25)
- “Do you think you could handle fame/celebrity?” (40:05)
- Youngmi answers a spiritual question: “Why is there suffering in the world?” (42:55)
You can check out Youngmi's podcast "Feeling Asian with Youngmi Mayer and Brian Park" here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feeling-asian/id1481891689
Connect with Youngmi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymmayer
- How Eddie got into drawing comics (1:00)
- Eddie talks about his previous zine/comic book “Sidewalk Empire” (4:30)
- Comic strips vs. Zines/Comic books (7:10)
- Learning to draw as a kid up until now (11:30)
- Eddie talks about his latest comic book based on his life as a lawyer in non-profit work (16:25)
- How to work within the comic book panel form? (22:25)
- Crafting the ending of the story first or develop the story as you go? (24:00)
- Ezra talk about what he liked in Eddie’s previous comic book “Wish the World” (31:00)
- How to create storylines, fictional universes, and characters for a zine/comic book? (36:20)
- Eddie answers a spiritual question: “What is the meaning of life?” (38:55)
Find Eddie's comics and drawings here: https://www.instagram.com/ehacomics/
We talk about Eddie's latest comic book release (which he published on Instagram)--to check it out, you can start at this IG post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9KA-7ZB_0s/
More of Eddie's zines, comics, and drawings: ehacomics.com
- Luba’s YouTube Channel “Life of Luba” (3:05)
- “You don’t need to know a lot about opera to enjoy opera” (5:00)
- How Luba got into singing opera (6:00)
- Why Luba wants to share opera with everyone (9:16)
- Stereotypes of opera singers (14:35)
- Thinking of singing technically and with the story/character of the opera in mind (17:45)
- Luba sings for us! (23:28)
- Luba helps Ezra sing (25:25)
- Dealing with negative comments on social media (27:14)
- “What is the meaning of life?” (30:45)
Connect with Luba's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeoflubaa
You can also check out Luba's YT channel/opera videos--here's a great one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKGYps-BTx8
- Using sounds to effect emotional response in trailers (3:45)
- “What is a ‘marketing campaign’ and ‘creative marketing’?” (9:30)
- How Eric started at HBO (10:55)
- Configuring the story of a trailer (19:50)
- How to navigate Hollywood as someone from underrepresented background (29:00)
Check out Eric’s trailers here: https://vimeo.com/ericobutler
- Kobe Bryant’s death and legacy (1:00)
- How Jonathan became a Lakers fan (10:53)
- How Jonathan got idea for podcast (18:02)
- Logistics of setting up a podcast (18:50)
- Building podcast’s legitimacy and brand image (28:28)
- Marketing for his podcast (35:45)
- Preparing for a podcast episode (38:20)
- “Has being a Lakers fan taught you anything about spirituality or faith?” (45:45)
Connect with Jonathan at his Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jhun88/
The Lakers Legacy podcast at https://twitter.com/LakersLegacyPod
Listen to Lakers Legacy podcast on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/show/2ykVwciCmU7wdkrGofobvY
Find more of Mark Dragicevic's music (composed one of the interlude songs) at https://soundcloud.com/cactusbloom
- How Matt got into writing and storytelling in high school (1:40)
- Storytelling as means of self-exploration and meaning (10:30)
- Matt’s process in crafting a story to tell (16:35)
- “What is a story?” (17:15)
- Workshop: Matt crafts a story for us in real-time (26:50)
- Contrast makes things interesting (42:00)
- Scenes: placing stories in physical locations, avoiding exposition (46:39)
- “Where do you think we go after we die?” (67:00)
Find Matt's books, podcasts, and everything else at matthewdicks.com
Find Matt's book on storytelling, "Storyworthy" at http://www.matthewdicks.com/storyworthy
Find more of Mark Dragicevic's music (composed one of the interlude songs) at https://soundcloud.com/cactusbloom
And thanks to Tape Works in Hartford, CT for the recording space and sound engineering help: https://www.tapeworksinc.com/
- Edwin’s origin story (1:50)
- Edwin pitches his short film story (15:35)
- Coming up with the idea for “Wind” (17:45)
- Inviting coworker feedback to improve the story (27:26)
- Reworking story per critical feedback (35:45)
- How Edwin pitched his story (39:40)
- Edwin helps Clara and Ezra craft story for a hypothetical short film (42:26)
- Edwin shares generic story structure we can use to craft our story (55:19)
Connect with Edwin’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/edwinwchang/
Watch “Wind” on Disney Plus: www.disneyplus.com/movies/wind/1EvvZOeiTFGb
- Origin: Why/how Ann started into stand-up comedy (1:30)
- On Failing: How do you push through the failures? (6:15)
- Coming up with New Ideas: And on importance of knowing who you are. (9:54)
- Crafting the joke: Establishing subtext (12:25)
- Joke structure: premise, subtext, reveal/surprise (13:45)
- Excerpt/Sound Clip from Ann's recent set (15:24)
- Breaking down the mechanics behind jokes from Ann's set (17:22)
- Sharing personal material, learning about yourself (25:45)
Connect with Ann on IG here! (IG: @ann_chun)
- Daniel talks about the “Untitled Goose Game” he’s playing on Nintendo Switch (1:30)
- Origin: Daniel’s upbringing and origin story (2:40)
- On fame: Is it difficult to be well-known? (10:00)
- Daniel talks about his transition and how it’s influenced his work (11:20)
- Technique: Daniel discusses his technique in comedy and writing (18:20)
- Drawing unexpected but feasible associations/comparisons for comedic effect (23:48)
- Comedy as natural talent vs. learned skill/technique (26:06)
- Daniel’s upcoming book (29:25)
- Random personal question time: “Where do you go after you die?” (31:50)
- Ezra’s happiest moment and the movie Melancholia (33:30)
Pre-order Daniel’s upcoming book Something That May Shock and Discredit You here. See Daniel’s Instagram here!
You can also subscribe to Daniel’s hilarious and fun newsletter The Shatner Chatner and/or check out The Toast (which Daniel co-founded).
- Origin: Why/how Hannah started into art and illustration (2:00)
- Making her book of zines, comics, and drawings (11:12)
- Cultural expectations & Mental health, and their relationship with Hannah’s work (12:30)
- Becoming an art director at The New York Times (14:35)
- More on mental health and its influence on Hannah’s process and work (15:32)
- Dealing with addiction and recovery (19:15)
- Hannah finds her Chastity Ring (21:43)
- “What is your general process from beginning to end (for illustration)?” (26:05)
- Approach to doing illustrations for The New York Times (31:24)
- Advice for budding artists (33:00)
Check out Hannah's book Language Barrier here!
- Origins: How Chef James Syhabout got into cooking (1:55)
- Growing up in Oakland in an immigrant family (3:19)
- Re-connecting with the food of his heritage culture (7:10)
- What catalyzed Chef James’s reconnection with his heritage culture and food? (13:15)
- Cooking with confidence and without worrying excessively about how food is received (17:40)
- How do you formulate your dishes? (19:40)
- Thinking about presentation (24:05)
- Anthony Bourdain’s friendship and legacy (25:33)
Check out Chef James Syhabout's cookbook here.
- Toni’s origin story (1:20)
- Arguing in the writers’ room (3:58)
- Toni’s professional journey: becoming a creative producer (6:44)
- Getting ideas for stories (11:51)
- Difference in stories for TV and film (16:26)
- Getting audience to connect with characters through universally relatable desires or scenarios (22:55)
- Writing for dialogue and character-to-character relationship (27:07)
- Writing characters into and out of seemingly inescapable situations (32:27)
- Character psychology profiles: Mapping out characters’ psychologies, wants, and fears (34:09)
- Making character actions believable by tying in aspects of their psychological profile (36:00)
- Common pitfalls in the writing room (39:00)
You can find Toni's Instagram here.
- Origins: How Run River North was formed (1:05)
- Navigating interpersonal relationships in the band—aka infighting! (9:49)
- "What kind of stories are you trying to tell?" (10:45)
- Creating songs from place of joy (15:00)
- Writing songs that capture ethos and experiences of moment (18:40)
- "What story trying to tell through song 'Casina'?" (19:52)
- LISTEN TO RUN RIVER NORTH'S SINGLE "WAKE UP" (22:07)
- Honing the sound of “Wake Up” with music producer Nick Anderson (26:04)
- Learning new instruments and “Maintaining the Illusion” (MTI) (34:00)
- Why Alex goes shirtless (39:39)
- Ezra confesses/explains why he used to hate Run River North (40:55)
Check out Run River North...
On Instagram here.
On Spotify here.
Online website here.
- Author John Cha’s personal history (1:52)
- Life of Hwang Jong-yop, mentor of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il (16:40)
- Connecting with the reader (18:35)
- Structuring the biography narrative (20:45)
- Humanizing villainous characters like Kim Jong-il (28:26)
- Pitching the book to publishers (33:50)
- Advice for budding writers (35:37)
FInd author John Cha's Twitter here.
Find John's book here.
- Starting out: blogging, writing for Eater LA, hosting Eater’s YouTube Series “K-Town” (5:33)
- Ideating pilot episodes (10:31)
- Pitching episode ideas to producers (17:12)
- Connecting featured foods with Korean culture/history and personal experiences (25:01)
- Camera work for food (30:29)
- Capturing B-roll —aka supplemental footage (31:55)
- Helping guests (ex: chefs) feel comfortable on camera (35:19)
- What would your last meal on earth be, Matt? (44:00)
Find Matt's Instagram here.
Find Matt's Eater YouTube Series ("K-Town") here
- Coming up with ideas for Instagram Web Comics based on personal life experiences
- Structuring each comic strip’s leadup and punchline (comedy time!)
- Storyboarding — writing out the content/dialogue/action panel-by-panel
- Planning/Storyboarding before actually drawing out each panel
- Finding the funny/comedy through trial and error
- Good stories connect people
You can find Elisa's web comics here.
- Coming up with an idea for Comedic YouTube Web Series
- General approach/process involved with writing the script
- Three-act Structure
- Thinking about character psychology and goals
- Production logistics: Planning, budgeting, venue-scouting, scheduling
- Difference between Writer, Director, Producer, and Editor roles
You can find the YouTube Web Series comedy "Low Key" here.