Greg Lombardo, Vice President of Experiences Creative & Production at Netflix, takes us inside the thinking behind Netflix House and the company’s growing slate of real-world experiences.

From Stranger Things to Bridgerton to Squid Game, Greg and his team are translating global hits into physical environments you can step into, through immersive worlds, live experiences, and themed dining. He shares how Netflix approaches experience design, what audiences are really looking for beyond the screen, and why these spaces are becoming a powerful extension of storytelling.

With a background spanning 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, and BRC Imagination Arts, Greg brings a unique perspective on where entertainment, design, and culture are headed next.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Greg Lombardo, Alexis Garcia, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Reality Escape Pod hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law take a closer look at escape rooms as immersive, participatory experiences. They unpack the medium’s evolution, the rise of escape room tourism, and how hands-on play can reshape learning, collaboration, and the way people connect through story.

They also share standout rooms from around the world and reflect on the creative and business choices that help these immersive experiences thrive.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to David Spira, Peih-Gee Law, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Manish Vora, CEO and co-founder of the Museum of Ice Cream, shares how a 30-day pop-up across from the Whitney Museum became a global experiential brand and helped define what he calls the “experium,” a mix between a museum and an experience.

In this conversation, he reflects on how we define a museum, why participation and hospitality matter as much as physical design, and how simple rituals like choosing an ice cream name can spark real connection. He also opens up about scaling location-based experiences, designing for play in a phone-saturated world, and what’s ahead with new flagship locations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Manish Vora, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

We’re revisiting our conversation with writer and immersive storyteller, Margaret Kerrison, an episode first recorded following the launch of the ambitious Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience at Disney World in Florida. As a key architect of its narrative and characters, Margaret offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create immersive story worlds. We explore the craft of writing for immersive experiences, and how it demands a distinctive creative approach — one rooted in world-building, collaboration, and audience agency.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Margaret Kerrison, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today, we speak with producer Todd Eckert of Tin Drum, a studio creating original work for mixed reality. While the medium remains unfamiliar to many, Todd has spent years exploring its potential as a form of storytelling that blends the physical and digital worlds. This conversation centers on his most recent piece, An Ark, now at The Shed in New York, and how mixed reality can forge intimate relationships between audience and performer. We reflect on how emerging technologies can be valuable in understanding the deeper human condition.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Todd Eckert, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

We’re re-releasing a conversation from 2021 that remains strikingly relevant today. In this episode, we speak with Pierce Freelon– musician, filmmaker, social entrepreneur, and former Durham, North Carolina City Councilman– whose work sits at the crossroads of art, activism, and storytelling. From his Emmy Award-winning Beat Making Lab to his Grammy-nominated albums AnceStars and Black to the Future, Pierce shows how storytelling, rooted in family and community, can drive real social change.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Pierce Freelon, Luke Gernert, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Before Billie Eilish and Olivia Dean were winning Grammys and selling out at Madison Square Garden, they were performing in living rooms with Sofar Sounds. In this episode, we talk with Warren Webster, CEO of Sofar Sounds, about the importance of connecting artists and fans through intimate live music to create community. Warren also discusses the economics of Sofar concerts and how they approach scaling this intimacy across the globe. Stay tuned to hear special Sofar Sounds live performances featured.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Warren Webster, Rebecca Carlisle, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman. Sofar songs in this episode are performed by Benjamin Carter and Rootbeer Richie & The Reveille.

Today, we’re re-releasing a favorite conversation and a 2024 Webby Award-nominated episode with acclaimed Mexican filmmaker, Alejandro González Iñárritu. Iñárritu is best known for directing Oscar-winning films like Birdman and The Revenant, but today, we discuss his work beyond Hollywood. Unpacking Carne y Arena, a groundbreaking virtual-reality installation centered on the lived experiences of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Alejandro embodies a storyteller who creates to evoke empathy and humanity.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Alejandro González Iñárritu, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

What happens when one of Hollywood’s most beloved classics is reimagined for one of the most advanced immersive venues in the world? In this episode, Carolyn Blackwood and Ben Grossmann break down how they adapted The Wizard of Oz for the Sphere. They discuss the technical challenges and creative opportunities of using VFX, generative AI, and 4D effects to pull audiences into the world of Oz, while preserving the authenticity of the original film.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

--

© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Carolyn Blackwood, Ben Grossmann, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

We’re moving away from media that is flat, fixed, linear, and passive. The future of storytelling is embodied, immersive, agentic, responsive, and social — and this is what Charlie Melcher’s new book, The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our World is all about. In this episode, guest host Rohit Bhargava in collaboration with FoST members asks Charlie all about his book and how audiences can become “actiences.” 

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

To listen to the first half of the conversation on the future of storytelling for creators, visit nonobvious.com/podcast/.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Rohit Bhargava, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, Megan Worman, and all FoST members who participated.