Joey Richter joins me for our annual Oscars roundtable as we talk about the films that marked the surreal, bizarre and crazy year that was 2020. 

Every few months I host an interactive art collaboration called Project Create where Patrons from my Patreon create artwork based on a prompt that I share. This most recent prompt was Back on Track. As we attempt to figure out a new normal in the uncertain world of 2020, I felt compelled and inspired by the idea of getting my life back on track despite the difficulties in the way. I invited my Patrons to create as they were inspired and these are some of the amazing written submissions I...

In this special installment of the podcast, my Glee Dalton Academy Warbler brothers, Riker Lynch, Dominic Tracy, Jon Hall, Telly Leung, Eddy Martin, Brock Baker and Tim Davis join me to reflect on our time working on Glee, how the experience has impacted out lives and what we've been up to since then! 

This week on the podcast, we discuss strategies to cope during this crazy and uncertain time. From baking, to watching dystopian films, to setting small, realistic and achievable goals, we have all been finding different ways to stay mentally sharp and emotionally stable. How do you battle the impulse to be constantly productive when you are stuck at home? Is there a healthy balance of goal setting without pushing yourself to an unrealistic and unhealthy level of expectation? 

In this Advice Corner episode, we tackle the obstacle of CREATIVE ROADBLOCKS! How do you navigate around them before they become insurmountable? Then, a bonus radio-play sketch from my January Writer's Room... MURDER PLANE! 

It's a strange, scary and chaotic time right now. This week, in the wake of the coronavirus that has engulfed every aspect of society and culture as we know it, we discuss strategies for coping as artists and storytellers to maximize creativity, stay motivated, and find the silver lining in the midst of chaos. You can find all episodes of the podcast at www.storymatterspodcast.com

In this month's ADVICE CORNER, we tackle the question: "How are you able to keep yourself focused on current projects and see them all the way through?". How do we overcome creative roadblocks while maintaining healthy life habits at the same time?! Join us as we share our insight into this question and more!

Joey Richter (from Tin Can Brothers, Team Starkid, Jesse on Disney Channel and more) joins us for the 4th year in a row for our 2020 ACADEMY AWARDS OSCAR SPECTACULAR! We dive into each of the nominated films along with the main categories. So put on your best tux or gown, hop in a limo and join us on the RED CARPET for this year's STORY MATTERS OSCARS PODCAST!

Vijay Nazareth, creator of Pixel Playhouse and AVbyte , joins us on this week's episode to talk about the FUTURE OF THEATRE! How does theatre adapt for the digital age in a way that's both accessible and relevant? 

Where will the next decade of filmmaking take us? How will technology and A.I. affect the creative process and what will its impact be on storytellers and creators? In this episode, we take a look ahead at the next decade of filmmaking and storytelling and try to imagine what the future of storytelling will look like and how we can be prepared for it. 

In this month's ADVICE CORNER episode, we tackle the question;  How do you deal with feedback and criticism, both positive and negative, in a way that is useful to your own creative process? Then in part two of the episode, a special GROUP COLLAB radio-play titled The Wedding from Hell! 

We discuss the media, stories and events that defined the decade, both for us on a personal level and on a cultural and global level. From The Social Network, to Game of Thrones, to Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, to the the impact of Netflix changing the streaming game with House of Cards, to the rise of the Disney Empire, to the Me Too Movement, the past decade has had a profound impact on the stories we tell and how we tell them. 

Curt and Kim react to the most recent Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker, and share their thoughts and perspective on whether or not the film is a worthy end to the Skywalker Saga. They also discuss the cultural discourse around the film and what it means for the future of Star Wars.  NON-SPOILER section is 0:00-13:47! SPOILERS SECTION begins at 13:48!

We talk candidly about what lessons we've learned along the way as artists and storytellers over the past ten years in Los Angeles. For all three of us, the beginning of this decade marked a huge transition, leaving behind our lives in Texas for the glitz, the glamor and the rude awakening that is Hollywood. We've experienced a lot of ups and downs along the way and in this episode, we share our perspectives as we look back at this last chapter of our creative lives. 

We discuss the importance that group dynamic plays in the creative process of crafting stories. Then, we step into the writer’s room to pitch each other our potential REVISIONIST HISTORY stories, including the mysterious death of 3 famous poets, Nikola Tesla's free energy, and the death of the golden era of Hollywood.

In this episode, we explore the definition of poetry, duality in storytelling and examine four different approaches to revisionism in creating historical fiction.

Curt, Mike and Kim dive into the world of revisionist storytelling, starting with Quentin Tarantino's newest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. What is the moral responsibility of the storyteller to get the facts right when dealing with an actual historical event in their story? Can they play fast and loose with history? What sort of impact can this have on not only the audience but also the memory of the historical figures in question?

Ty Simpkins (Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man 3, Jurassic World, Insidious, The Nice Guys and more) joins us to talk about his experience as a young actor working in a slew of major franchises and creating characters that are part of a global phenomenon. We also talk spoiler culture, water-cooler conversations, and what it's like to know the end of a story years before the world gets a chance to see it.

How do you make a character's death really count? In the wake of Avengers: Endgame and Game of Thrones: The Long Night, we break down the question of how to go about sticking the landing of a character's final chapter and fate with a NON-spoiler conversation reacting to Marvel's epic conclusion to their 22 film Infinity Saga and the much anticipated Fire vs. Ice battle for Winterfell! Then, at the 31:15 minute mark, we move into an IN-DEPTH SPOILER-FILLED discussion about both the film and...

In the wake of spoiler leaks surrounding Avengers: End Game, Game of Thrones and even Star Wars, does science actually prove that spoilers are a good thing in helping the audience better appreciate the story?! In this episode of the podcast, Curt, Mike and Kim dive into the world of spoilers to examine their impact on the viewing experience and the weight of responsibility storytellers have in creating suspense while also sticking the landing of a dramatic and shocking ending.

As the final season of Game of Thrones begins to roll, we ask the question; Does the show mark the end of the water cooler conversation as we know it? Has the binge-watching model changed the way we engage with stories?

Corey Lubowich (Tin Can Brothers, Starkid) joins us to talk about how internet criticism affects the creative process and shares some personal insights on how fandom and audience interaction has impacted the way he creates and collaborates with other artists and storytellers. 

Are expectations ruining the way we watch about movies? In this episode of the podcast, we explore what sort of films were impacted by negative reviews but have come to be fan favorites in hindsight, despite an initially poor critical reception. Then we take a deep dive into Jordan Peel's newest nightmare with a spoiler-filled roundtable discussion about the meaning, symbolism and interpretations of Us!  You can find all episodes of the podcast at www.storymatterspodcast.com!