Know It All

Know It All

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Know It All episodes

  • The Hitchcock Effect: How a Master of Suspense Changed Cinema
    What makes an Alfred Hitchcock movie feel like an Alfred Hitchcock movie? In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC student Chris Sargent explores the filmmaking techniques that helped Alfred Hitchcock become one of cinema's most influential directors. Through films including Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, and North by Northwest, Chris examines how Hitchcock used camera movement, editing, sound, point of view, and carefully constructed suspense to control what audiences see, know, and feel.
    8 min
  • What Scares Us: How Culture Shapes American Horror
    Why do the things that scare us on screen change from one generation to the next?
    In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC student Brayden Buckalew explores how American horror films reflect the cultural anxieties and real-world fears of their time. From the mysterious monsters of early horror to Cold War-era fears of science and mass destruction, and eventually the self-aware scares of Scream and the rise of psychological horror, the genre has continually evolved alongside American society.
    Drawing on the documentary Nightmares in Red, White & Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film and research on the psychology and cultural significance of horror, Brayden examines why scary movies can be about much more than shock value. Horror gives audiences a controlled space to experience fear while offering filmmakers a way to explore society's anxieties about war, violence, social change, and an uncertain future.
    So, what makes a scary movie scary? Sometimes, it may have less to do with the monster on screen and more to do with what we're already afraid of.
    This week's host, Brayden Buckalew, is a 21-year-old General Studies student at the Community College of Baltimore County and a Baltimore native. He is graduating from CCBC and hopes to transfer to the University of Maryland, with an ultimate goal of becoming a firefighter.
    A longtime horror movie fan, Brayden created this episode for MCOM 150: Movies: History & Art, taught by Professor Beth Baunoch. After watching Andrew Monument's documentary Nightmares in Red, White & Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film in class, Brayden became interested in looking beyond horror's scares and shock value to understand how the genre reflects cultural and societal fears.
    5 min
  • Pod People and Paranoia: The Fear Behind Invasion of the Body Snatchers
    In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC student Andrew Sauers explores the 1956 science-fiction horror classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the very real fears lurking beneath its story. Released during the Red Scare, the film arrived at a time when McCarthyism, political suspicion, suburban conformity, and the pressure to fit in were shaping American life.
    7 min
  • AI in College: Tool or Threat?
    Artificial intelligence has quickly become part of everyday college life, but is it helping students learn or making education more complicated?
    In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC student Shawn Bartolomeo explores the growing role of AI in higher education. Drawing from recent research and his own changing perspective, Shawn examines how students are using AI tools to study, organize information, and improve productivity while also considering concerns about academic integrity, privacy, bias, cybersecurity, and environmental impact.
    The episode also explores how educators are responding to AI, with some embracing it as a classroom tool while others remain skeptical of its long-term effects. Rather than arguing for or against artificial intelligence, Shawn encourages listeners to think critically about how AI can be used responsibly as it becomes an increasingly common part of education and everyday life.
    4 min
  • The Scroll Effect: How Social Media Shapes Our Lives
    Have you ever picked up your phone to check one notification, only to realize you've been scrolling for much longer than you intended?
    In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC student Nicholas Lee explores how social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are reshaping our attention, mental health, and communication. Drawing on research from psychologists and technology experts, Nicholas explains how endless scrolling, personalized algorithms, and constant notifications are designed to capture our attention and keep us engaged.
    The episode also examines the effects of social comparison, the pressure created by likes and followers, and how digital communication can sometimes replace deeper, face-to-face interactions. Rather than arguing that social media is inherently good or bad, Nicholas encourages listeners to become more intentional about how they use these powerful platforms and to better understand the ways they influence everyday life.
    About the Host:
    Nicholas Lee is a student at the Community College of Baltimore County with interests in media, communication, and athletics. Passionate about how technology shapes everyday life, Nicholas hopes to build a career that combines storytelling, content creation, and sports performance development. This episode reflects his interest in helping people become more aware of the ways social media influences attention, mental health, and communication.
    6 min
  • Reality Check: The Evolution of Reality Television
    How did reality television evolve from simple social experiments into one of the biggest forces shaping modern culture?
    In this episode of Know It All, CCBC student Kelly Donaldson explores the history of reality television, tracing its roots from early programs like Candid Camera to cultural phenomena such as The Real World, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Love Island, and The Real Housewives. Along the way, Kelly examines how reality TV transformed ordinary people into celebrities, launched the influencer economy, and reshaped the way audiences think about fame, relationships, and success.
    The episode also explores the broader social impact of reality television, including its influence on privacy, conflict, identity, and cultural expectations. As reality TV has become increasingly produced and performance-driven, Kelly asks whether today's "reality" programming reflects real life—or simply creates a new version of it.
    Host Kelly Donaldson is a returning student at the Community College of Baltimore County. After earning an Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant in 2011, Kelly returned to CCBC to complete science coursework while pursuing admission to the Physician Assistant program at the University of Pittsburgh. Kelly will also earn an Associate of Arts from CCBC in 2026. This episode reflects an interest in how media influences society, culture, and everyday behavior.
    7 min
  • Know It All - From Gutenberg to Google: The Evolution of Media
    What would life look like without the internet? No social media, no streaming services, and no instant access to information. In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC student Eden Ortega explores the major technological transitions that transformed media and changed how humans communicate. Eden Ortega is a dual-enrolled student at the Community College of Baltimore County with aspirations of studying mechanical engineering. In the future, Eden hopes to become a mechanical engineer or pursue a career in professional sports. Fascinated by technological innovation and societal progress, Eden chose this topic after learning about the history of media and realizing how each technological breakthrough built upon those that came before.
    4 min
  • Know It All - Superhero Fatigue: Why Are We Still Watching?
    In this episode of Know-It-All, CCBC Professor Eric Cotton explores our complicated relationship with superhero movies. Despite dominating the box office for decades, superhero films have never won the Academy Award for Best Picture. So why do audiences continue to flock to them?
    About the Host: Eric Cotton is a professor of Chemistry at the Community College of Baltimore County. He holds a PhD in Computational Chemistry, loves science fiction, and admits that he probably works too much. When he does have free time, you might find him playing video games or watching soccer with his wife.
    Music Credit:
    Intro and outro music: “Soul Groove” by Josh Woodward. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. www.joshwoodward.com.
    6 min
  • Why No One Did the Work: Understanding Group Dynamics

    From Tuckman’s stages of group development to the concept of “work group norms,” this episode breaks down how groups form, how expectations take shape (often without anyone realizing it), and why those norms can either drive productivity—or lead to dysfunction like social loafing.


    Whether you're working on a class project, part of a team, or just tired of doing all the work yourself, this episode offers a clearer understanding of how groups actually function—and how to make them work better.


    About the Host:

    Ross Briese is a Communications and Media Studies major at the Community College of Baltimore County with aspirations of becoming an investigative journalist. This episode reflects Ross’s interest in how media and communication shape human behavior, focusing here on the dynamics of group interaction and collaboration.


    Sources Featured in This Episode:

    • Lineberry, Jasmine. Small Group Communication
    • Brilhart, John K., and Gloria J. Galanes. Effective Group Discussion
    • Hackman, J. Richard. Research on work group norms
    • Feldman, Daniel Charles. Research on group norms and functions
    • Locke, Edwin A., and Gary P. Latham. Goal-Setting Theory


    Music Credit:

    Intro and outro music: “Soul Groove” by Josh Woodward. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. www.joshwoodward.com

    6 min
  • New Hollywood: Why the 1970s Changed Movies Forever

    Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick began creating films that reflected the uncertainty of the era—shaped by events like the Vietnam War and Watergate. Movies such as Taxi Driver and The Godfather introduced morally complicated characters and stories that challenged audiences rather than offering simple answers.


    At the same time, the decade gave rise to the modern blockbuster with films like Jaws and Star Wars, which transformed moviegoing into a major cultural event and helped establish the summer blockbuster season. From psychological horror like The Exorcist to experimental science fiction like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the 1970s pushed Hollywood to experiment with new styles and genres.


    Even today, filmmakers regularly look back to this era for inspiration, making the 1970s one of the most important turning points in the history of American cinema.


    About the Host:

    Gabe Corpuz is a student at the Community College of Baltimore County with a strong interest in film, storytelling, and media culture. Gabe enjoys exploring how movies reflect social change and how directors shape the way audiences experience stories on screen. This episode reflects a growing passion for film history and creative media production.


    Sources Featured in This Episode:

    • American Cinema in the 1970s. Film History II, Utah Valley University.
    • https://uen.pressbooks.pub/thea2312moody/chapter/american-cinema-in-the-1970s/
    • Hellerman, Jason. “Why Is 70s Cinema Considered the Hollywood Heyday?” No Film School, 2023.
    • https://nofilmschool.com/70s-cinema
    • New Hollywood: American 70s. Film Streams.
    • https://filmstreams.org/series/new-hollywood-american-70s
    • American Cinema of the 70s. Directed by Mark Cousins.
    • https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2098489
    • Dartmouth College Library. “1970s Film History.”
    • https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/filmstudies/1970shistory


    Music Credit:

    Intro and outro music: “Soul Groove” by Josh Woodward. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. www.joshwoodward.com

    5 min

About Know It All

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If you want to know it all, this podcast is for you! Learn something new in FIVE minutes from the smarties at CCBC! Everything from the French New Wave, Marketing, Philosophy, Theoretical Physics, News Literacy and more!