Deviate with Rolf Potts

Deviate with Rolf Potts

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Deviate with Rolf Potts episodes

  • Hollywood composer Rolfe Kent on the joys of throwing out quality work

    “You should write down what you would like your future to look like, because otherwise you will be on autopilot.” – Rolfe Kent

    In Episode 3 of Deviate, Rolf discusses music and the creative process with accomplished Hollywood film composer Rolfe Kent (@rolfekent), whose recent project, The Zen Effect, is available on iTunes.

    To download a free track from The Zen Effect, visit Rolfe’s website.

    Links:

    Tools:

    • FS Binaural Microphone
    • The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, by Steven Pressfield
    • The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal, by Julia Cameron
    • Ketogenic diet
    • Oblique Strategies, created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt
    • Pomodoro Technique (time management)
    • Melodica (instrument)
    • Mixtapes as a Lost Language: A Brief Cultural Primer

      • Rolfe’s film and TV scores discussed in the interview:

      • Dexter theme (television series)
      • Sideways (film)
      • Up in the Air (film)
      • The Hunting Party (film)
      • Mexico City (film)
      • Reign Over Me (film)
      • Mean Girls (film)
      • Wedding Crashers (film)
      • Legally Blonde (film)

        • Notable film music discussed:

        • James Bond theme (by Monty Norman)
        • Star Wars theme (by John Williams)
        • Mission Impossible theme (by Lalo Schifrin)
        • Blade Runner theme (by Vangelis)
        • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly main theme (by Ennio Morricone)
        • Lawrence of Arabia main theme (by Maurice Jarre)
        • Paris, Texas theme (by Ry Cooder)
        • Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ remix (which uses music from The Social Network)

          • Notable people mentioned:

          • Alexander Payne (director)
          • Richard Shepard (director)
          • Jason Reitman (director)
          • Brian Eno (music producer)
          • Mike Binder (director)
          • Thomas Newman (composer)
          • Rick Rubin (music producer)
          • The tune “Hippie Christmas” from Rolfe’s song-shop, as heard in the episode, was written by Craig Richey

            • Show Notes:

            • Purpose of a movie score (11:45)
            • Career path and early influences (23:22)
            • Rolfe’s muscial style (27:18)
            • Collaborating with filmmakers (37:30)
            • Letting go of completed work (43:40)
            • Accidental versus intentional creativity (47:50)
            • On different instruments offering different opportunities to convey a message (50:32)
            • On inspiration (52:30)
            • Organization and focus techniques (54:20)
            • Creative process (59:25)
            • Mid-career creativity and “success management” (1:12:10)
            • Restrictions as a catalyst for creativity (122:19)
            • Immersive music theater (1:24:30)
            • Scoring one’s own life (129:40)
            • Musical structure and its function in everyday life (1:30:55)

              • Free download from Rolfe’s Kent’s Zen Effect.

              This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.

              The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

              Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at [email protected].

              1 hr 45 min
            • TV host Ernest White II on black/white, gay/straight male friendships

              “Culture is cosmetic” – Ernest White

              In Episode 2 of Deviate, Rolf explores friendship and culture as he goes on a road trip with friend, travel writer, and storyteller Ernest White (@ernestwhiteii), whose new TV show, Fly Brother, comes out soon.

              Links:

              Media Links

              • Gringo Trails, by Pegi Vail (travel documentary)
              • The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, by Isabel Wilkerson
              • James Baldwin (author)
              • Notes of a Native Son, by James Baldwin
              • The Fire Next Time, by James Baldwin
              • Passing Strange (Broadway musical / movie)

                • Show Notes:

                • Adult friendships and sexual orientation (8:00)
                • Race (21:10)
                • Cross-cultural travel dynamics (25:15)
                • Recognizing commonalities and appreciating differences (43:40)
                • Cultural conditioning (46:23)
                • Brotherhood (54:15)

                  • This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.

                  The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

                  Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at [email protected].

                  1 hr 2 min
                • Bestselling author Tim Ferriss on how to create a successful podcast

                  “If you never got paid for podcasting, would the skills and relationships you developed be enough to keep you doing it? If the answer is ‘no’, I wouldn’t pull the trigger.” – Tim Ferriss

                  In the inaugural episode of Deviate, Rolf goes meta and talks about podcasting with bestselling author and lifestyle-design guru Tim Ferriss (@tferriss), whose newest book, Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World, debuts this week.

                  Update (12/07/17): An abridged transcript for this episode is now available online in blog form, as “Tim Ferriss on his 17 principles for how to create a successful podcast.”

                  Links:

                  Podcasting Tools

                  • Ecamm Call Recorder (28:04)
                  • Zencastr (28:08)
                  • ATR2100 USB Microphone (28:38)
                  • Zoom H6 Recorder (1:15:24)
                  • Zoom H1 Recorder
                  • Shure SM7B Mic
                  • Audacity (software)
                  • Auphonic (postproduction web service)
                  • Yellowtec: iXm (self-enclosed mic)
                  • Evernote (web application)

                    • Other links

                    • Rolf Potts on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Ed Catmull on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Arnold Schwarzenegger on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Edward Norton on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Dom D’Agostino on Ketosis and the End of Cancer on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Nick Szabo: The Quiet Master of Cryptocurrency on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Jocko Willink on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Debbie Millman on the Tim Ferriss Show
                    • Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant, by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
                    • “1,000 True Fans,” by Kevin Kelly
                    • Joe Rogan podcast
                    • WTF with Marc Maron podcast
                    • Nerdist podcast
                    • James Lipton (interviewer from Inside the Actors Studio)
                    • Terry Gross (interviewer from NPR’s Fresh Air)
                    • Serial podcast
                    • Spirited Away (2001 animated movie)
                    • Agaric mushroom
                    • Tentacle erotica

                      • Show notes:

                      • What not to do in podcasting (15:58)
                      • Crafting questions (19:58)
                      • Learning from previous interviews (24:55)
                      • Interviewing techniques (26:00)
                      • The benefits of phone interviews (29:40)
                      • The decision to start a podcast (32:28)
                      • The anxiety of interviewing (40:45)
                      • Pre-interview tips (45:20)
                      • Editing / producing interviews / podcasts (52:45)
                      • Intro music (58:38)
                      • Guest selection 1:03:01)
                      • Interview strategy (1:12:08)
                      • Recording equipment (1:14:50)
                      • Building a listening community (1:22:30)
                      • Tim’s brand (1:33:25)
                      • Building relationships (1:36:00)
                      • Podcast logistics (1:43:20)
                      • Podcast frequency (1:48:50)
                      • The interview introduction process (1:51:35)
                      • The preparation process (1:56:15)
                      • Monetization (2:05:55)
                      • Wrapping up podcasts (2:38:57)
                      • Japanamation (2:19:40)
                      • Psychedelics (2:27:16)

                        • Books by Tim Ferriss:

                        • Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
                        • Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers
                        • The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life
                        • The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman
                        • The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich

                          • This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.

                          The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

                          Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at [email protected].

                          2 hr 43 min

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