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PODCAST

Focal Point

Conversations with artists across all industries, taking a deep dive into the nuances, techniques, and philosophies of society"s talent.

arts visual arts

All Episodes

56:27

What NOT to do in a Self-Tape Audition #63 Actress...

Focal Point ·

2026/01/31

Olivia Dennis nearly quit acting once but now she’s all in. In this episode we break down the realities of acting for camera: unlearning stage habits, scaling performances, and her technique of the “moment before” to bring auditions to life. Olivia also shares the mental side of auditions—doing the work, letting go, and handling callbacks that never come—plus a directors note that changed how she approaches heavier material.

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79:50

Eat Fiber So Your Songs Don’t Suck #62 Music Artist...

Focal Point ·

2026/01/24

Forget the tortured artist myth. In this episode, we sit down with Quinn Dorian for a conversation about what actually fuels good creative work—sleep, boredom, better habits, and surrounding yourself with people who make you want to show up. Quinn opens up about moving from panic attacks and a packed science track into a life centered on design, songwriting, and foregoing going it alone and starting a band This episode is about collaboration, trust, and choosing the right team. We also get pr...

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62:20

What I Did To Build A Successful Film Festival #61...

Focal Point ·

2026/01/17

What makes someone take on the slow, exhausting work of building a film festival—and keep going long after the novelty wears off? In this episode, we sit down with the Cindependent Film Festival founder Allyson West to talk about the emotional drive behind turning a scrappy idea into a year-round indie film community in Cincinnati. We explore the less visible side of festival building: choosing care over clout, the weight of responsibility to artists, the burnout that comes with volunteer lea...

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53:12

Fake Green Screens and Real Tears #60 ACTRESS Sofia...

Focal Point ·

2026/01/10

Actress Sophia Castelanos joins us to break down the shift from stage to screen. She shares how she prepares emotionally demanding roles using Meisner-based techniques, how she releases heavy scenes without carrying them home, and what green screen work really requires when you’re reacting to threats that don’t exist yet. We also dig into the side of acting most people never see: researching casting calls, vetting projects, shaping a reel with intention, and knowing when to say no. Sophia ref...

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59:24

Why I Wish I Started Sooner #59 Filmmaker Jamison Braly

Focal Point ·

2026/01/03

What if the stick-figure family on the back of a minivan is actually a body count? In this episode, we sit down with Jameson Brawley, a filmmaker whose path from wedding videography to viral horror shorts proves that smart constraints beat big budgets. Jameson breaks down how one-room setups, small casts, and borrowed locations can elevate story and performance, why his 23-minute short struggled while tighter work thrived, and how weddings quietly trained him to move fast, adapt, and tr...

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87:15

Inside SAG Pay, Residuals, And The Hustle #58...

Focal Point ·

2025/12/27

How do you build a creative career that actually pays? Actor-model Maureo Ruffin breaks down the real money behind acting and modeling—SAG pay, residuals, clean bookings vs. scams, and the mistakes that cost new actors time and cash. We cover practical acting tools that work on camera, self-tape errors that kill auditions, industry red flags to avoid, and how to stay mentally steady through near-miss roles. We also talk AI in entertainment, SAG-AFTRA protections, and navigating union vs. non-...

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75:32

The Experimentalist #57 w/ Director Max Kaplan

Focal Point ·

2025/12/13

Director Max Kaplan joins us to reflect on how a childhood spent devouring DVD special features shaped his unique filmmaking voice. Growing up in Ohio’s festival scene taught him the value of community, long-term collaborators, and building stories with visual precision rather than easy explanations. As he developed Looker and Death of a Bible Salesman, Max learned to trust pre-production, lean into bold stylistic choices, and let the audience complete the puzzle. Max also opens up about the ...

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75:37

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Filmmaker Turns INDIE #56 w/...

Focal Point ·

2025/11/08

What if the best film school is a 15×22 basement? Former NationWriter-director Chris Maes breaks down how he turned a tiny room into a soundstage, shot two features with lean crews, and resourceful filmmaking. We dig into Hemisphere and AirShift, the genre twist that saved a stalled script, and the Nat Geo lessons that taught him to prep hard and stay lean. Chris shares candid night-shoot challenges, smart pre-lighting tactics, and why actor chemistry and small details make low-budget films f...

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68:06

What If Songs Spoke Like People Do? #55 w/ Grammy...

Focal Point ·

2025/11/01

Grammy-nominated songwriter Sandy Knox, known for her work with artists such as Reba McEntire, Dionne Warwick, Neil Diamond, Patti LaBelle, Liza Minnelli, and Donna Summer opens up about how heartbreak, reinvention, and an unshakable love of words shaped her life’s work. From being fired as a receptionist to writing timeless hits like “Does He Love You,” she shares what it means to stay true to your craft when the world changes around you. We talk about grief, empathy, and the magic of melody...

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85:14

How to find work in the Industry 2025 #54 w/ Composer...

Focal Point ·

2025/10/25

Composer Josh Andrus joins us to share how he carved a real career path from EDM tours to scoring films and video games in today’s AI-driven industry. He reveals how a single DM opened doors, why a Juilliard certificate gave him an edge, and how he balanced income with acoustic sample packs while building real-to-picture credits. Josh breaks down the craft of scoring—spotting scenes, shaping a sonic palette like a color grade, and using silence as design—while explaining how small live elemen...

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70:01

Ethics and AI in Cinema #53 w/ Producer Marq Williams

Focal Point ·

2025/09/28

How is AI changing the future of filmmaking? Producer Marq Williams shares his perspective on the promises and risks of tools like Runway and Midjourney, exploring how artificial intelligence could empower indie creators while also threatening the human connection that makes cinema resonate. This conversation dives into ethical frameworks, the decentralization of Hollywood, and why emotionally powerful storytelling must remain at the heart of technology’s evolution in film.

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61:49

Trust Bridges Oceans #52 w/ Filmmaker John Smith Jr

Focal Point ·

2025/09/21

Nigerian filmmaker John Smith Jr. shares how he built international relationships through honesty, cultural pride, and digital collaboration. From voicing characters in American horror-comedies to championing his native language in global projects, John reveals the power of integrity and cross-continental networking.

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65:43

Every CRY is Different #51 w/ Actor Mikah Fikes

Focal Point ·

2025/09/14

When the pandemic disrupted his college plans in 2020, Mikah Fikes rediscovered a childhood passion for filmmaking. With no connections, he dove in by taking local actor classes, eventually landing roles that connected him to the Midwest film community. In our candid conversation, Mikah shares how acting has shaped both his craft of acting and long term goals of directing. He opens up about the psychological challenges of accessing genuine emotions on set, recalling an intense crying scene in...

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79:57

Get to KNOW Your Community #50 w/ Podcaster Robyn Nelson

Focal Point ·

2025/09/06

The craft of horror filmmaking reveals itself through the passionate voices behind the camera—where personal trauma transforms into powerful storytelling, and authenticity trumps high budgets every time. In this captivating conversation with Robyn, host of Horror Pop After Midnight podcast, we journey through the shadows of independent horror filmmaking and explore the unexpected parallels between podcasting and creating cinema. Robyn shares his evolution from a wrestling podcast host...

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68:09

Small Communities Matter! #49 w/ Filmmaker Jake Ryan...

Focal Point ·

2025/08/18

"Nobody makes your movies, you have to make them." His upcoming psychological thriller "The Part" follows a struggling actress who wakes up after a car crash to find strangers claiming to be her family. The film explores identity and reality through an unsettling premise Baker describes as "what's it like to need someone to love you so badly, and then what happens when someone answers that call in the most fucked up way possible?" What makes the headaches and heartbreaks of filmma...

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61:40

Challenges of Art Department #48 w/ Production...

Focal Point ·

2025/08/02

Production designer Stephonika Kaye shares how she transforms empty spaces into story-driven environments, drawing on her 15-year journey from community theater actor to filmmaking. She reveals the often-invisible work behind film sets—like painting props between takes, navigating shifting director demands, and designing full spaces even when only one angle is promised. Through on-set chaos, interdepartmental collaboration, and creative improvisation, Stephonika offers a rare look into the wo...

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56:33

Why I Came Back to Filmmaking #47 w/ Filmmaker...

Focal Point ·

2025/07/19

After three failed feature attempts, a halted production due to the pandemic, and personal battles during Covid, indie filmmaker Richard Russel found himself at a crossroads. Eventually he channeled his frustrations into his latest production Shadow of Thulis—a revenge thriller inspired by Mike Leigh’s Naked. What started as a story of brutal violence evolved into something deeper: a character-driven exploration of pain, forgiveness, and the cost of vengeance. In this episode, we dive into Ri...

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62:57

Dreams VS Reality #46 w/ Filmmaker Malakai Bisel

Focal Point ·

2025/07/05

Filmmaker Malakai Beisel takes us on an authentic journey from his childhood experiments with a borrowed VHS camera to his current work developing a feature film. Aspiring filmmakers will find particular value in Malakai's candid insights about the business realities of independent production. From navigating festival submissions with a 40-minute film to understanding SAG requirements and complex attachment agreements, he doesn't shy away from the nitty-gritty details that can make or break a...

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61:32

The Art of Freedom in Creativity #45 w/ Musician...

Focal Point ·

2025/06/28

Chase from Soft Stone Hearts takes us on a journey through the winding paths of creativity, from recovering from a serious knee injury to finding his artistic voice. The discussion also tackles practical challenges facing independent musicians, from content creation strategies to finding your place in local music scenes. Chase's insights into collaboration, particularly with his bandmate Jess, highlight how creative partnerships can provide essential external filters that help elevate the wor...

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102:39

Killin’ Jimmy Kelly #44 w/ Cinematographer Jason...

Focal Point ·

2025/06/21

From psychology student to storyteller, Jason Johnston reveals how his background in psychological analysis became the foundation for his unique approach to visual composition. His recent work on the Western film "Killing Jimmy Kelly" becomes a case study as he unpacks the delicate balance between technical constraints and creative vision, while shooting in the punishing Texas heat with limited equipment. His career philosophy echoes in his parting wisdom: "Don't be afraid to challenge your...

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63 results

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