Playwright-Actor Michael Federico joins us for part 2 of this special 3 part series of Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC where we talk with the writers and creator of the riveting political audio drama TERMS, an ambitious and impressive creative endeavor that asks,

“What if the POTUS decides not to hand over the reins of power?”

Part 1 – Creator Lindsay Graham (@termspodcast)

Part 2 – Actor-Writer Michael Federico (@mcfed5)

Part 3 – Writer-Director Rob McCollum (@robmcollum)

Playwright-Actor Michael Federico talks about the creative process of taking the TERMS Political Thriller Audio Drama from concept to audio drama gold (my words, not his).

In addition to creative strategies, Michael shares his personal practice for turning insomnia into an opportunity, the importance of giving your creativity a permanent place at the table, what it felt like to see his play performed on stage in New York for the first time, and much more.

Michael Federico is an actor and playwright based in Texas who loves horror films—especially horror films directed by Ti West—and dreams of writing a movie with his dreamteam writer Tina Fey. So, if you know Tina Fey, or Ti West, or want to hire Michael to write you a scary movie, and especially if you enjoyed this episode and want to encourage him onward, you can find Michael Federico here.

For episode details and musical features, visit MaxximillianDafoe.com/maxximillian-presents-thematic-episode-show-notes where you’ll find episode extras, links to this this episode’s featured musical artists PLUS links to download these jammy jams (for free!) for yourself, and to praise their creators.

Are you enjoying this podcast? The best way to help me is to let me know that you appreciate my podcast. Your show of support for what I’m doing means a lot to me. Consider leaving me a positive review!

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC is a labor of love. To find out how you can encourage me and support the show, visit podcasts.maxximilliandafoe.com/patron-rewards.

Eyes Wide Shut: Unpleasant Truths Vs. Comfortable Lies — How Liberal Media’s Seduction of America Led To A Presidential SNAFU

Writer-Director Rob McCollum of the riveting political audio drama TERMS & Author Maxximillian Dafoe (Host of THEMATIC), discuss the unanticipated outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election and what misled many Americans to believe it would turn out some other way.

This is a teaser. Listen to the full episode (coming soon) by subscribing to THEMATIC on iTunes—or your favorite podcatcher.

Maxximillian Presents: Thematic is a journalism based storytelling podcast featuring listener-themed stories. Episodes feature an interview with a creator, innovator, writer, artist or scientist sharing practical tips and how-tos.

TERMS is a political thriller audio drama, preparing for their next season. It’s absolutely excellent. Highly recommended. It’s not about politics, it’s about people in politics, and it’ll have you you on the edge of your seat!

Rob’s episode (coming soon!) is the third installment of a trio. Listen to the Making Creative Endeavors Your Full-Time Job with the creator of TERMS, Lindsay Graham, followed by the episode with Michael Federico. I know you’ll enjoy all three of them. Each has a unique perspective and creative process. Get them all! Download directly from me on the podcast page, here.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

The attitudes that surfaced leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election were a startling surprise for me; mostly because I (mistakenly) thought we, as a nation, had left blatant racial and cultural antagonism in the past. Sadly, it was only an illusion… or was it?

As I looked for a soothing balm for the wet slap of the ugly truth, it was revealed to me that there is a synergy between the re-surfacing of old attitudes and progression of humanity toward kinder, more intelligent interactions. One leads to the other. We experience the unwanted and the desire for the opposite becomes more alive.

In a conversation with Levi Gardner, the founder of Urban Roots in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he dropped some names on us that point to some places we can find peaceful co-conspirators alongside whom we might cultivate the love we’d like to see in the world on our own doorsteps. Read the post, here. It’s uplifting, and offers strong suggestions for further reading and where to look when you’re ready to till your own soil with more of what you love and want to grow in your field of life dreams. This conversation took place at ArtPrize 9. For more of my adventures from ArtPrize 9, check it out here: MaxximillianDafoe.com/artprize. Curious about what ArtPrize is? All is revealed…

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC podcast is available on iTunes and wherever podcasts are found.

Visit the THEMATIC podcast page for details, show notes, and podcast extras, better yet, subscribe via email and be the first to hear new episodes. As my subscriber, you’ll also be invited to Sneak Previews of episodes before their release. Your subscription is a sign to me to keep making podcasts (and it’s free!) sign up here, and please tell a friend who you know would like the show to visit: podcasts.maxximilliandafoe.com/subscribe!

Musical Features

“Be Sweet” from Marco Trovatello

“Everything’s Nice” by Jingle Punks

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.

 

MORE FROM MAXXIMILLIAN

Mollyville Dystopian Suspense Audio Drama

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Official Site for Maxximillian Dafoe

Novels by Maxximillian Dafoe

Peruse my blog for uplifting reads to fortify your creativity!

 

 

Join Authors Jayme Beddingfield and Maxximillian Dafoe (Host of THEMATIC) as they discuss how genre popularity influences literary agents… and what it really means when an agent tells you that the genre you’ve written isn’t going to sell.

Author Jayme Beddingfield has been crafting stories since her third grade assignment to write her own fairytale. She has been writing professionally for five years. Originally from Northern New Jersey she now lives in Seattle, the city of her dreams. Her book The Highly Capable (The Ruby Dawson Saga) (Volume 1) is available for sale on Amazon. Listen to Jayme’s podcast Too Many Words on iTunes. If you’d like to hear more of Maxximillian and Jayme together, tap here to listen to Maxximillian’s appearance on Jayme’s Too Many Words podcast. We had such a good time together, we did it again—tap here to listen.  The full Thematic/Beddingfield Episode is coming soon. Subscribe on iTunes and you’ll be the first to hear it.

Author Maxximillian Dafoe—that’s me!— (Afterlife, Mollyville: Humble Beginnings, Daughter & The Snake) is the host of Thematic and an audio dramatist (Mollyville Dystopian Audio Drama, Award-Nominated Afterlife Paranormal Satire). Like every good business-minded writer should, I like to keep a pulse on the business of publishing as she works on my current creative do.

 

The American Experiment: Are Pure Politics The Solution To Irreconcilable Differences?

Writer-Director Rob McCollum of the riveting political audio drama TERMS and Author Maxximillian Dafoe (Host of THEMATIC) discuss the real boogieman in American politics—and it’s not who you think.

Musical Feature

“Sunday” by Otis McDonald

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC is a Journalism-based storytelling podcast featuring interviews with creators, innovators, writers, artists, and scientists. Musical features from unique musical groups, and solo artists ranging in style from classical to funk are presented in each episode to shine a light on Maxximillian’s favorite—sometimes obscure—musical discoveries.

THEMATIC is available on iTunes and wherever podcasts are found. Subscribe to Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC on Apple Podcasts, or listen and download from me directly at podcasts.maxximilliandafoe.com — thank you for listening.

 

MORE FROM MAXXIMILLIAN

Mollyville Dystopian Suspense Audio Drama

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Novels by Maxximillian Dafoe

Visit my blog for uplifting reads to fortify your creativity!

Creator of the riveting political audio drama TERMS, writer Lindsay Graham, and THEMATIC podcast host multidisciplinary artist Maxximillian Dafoe discuss a business approach to making your creative endeavors your full-time job, the role of self-awareness in the enterprise of human creativity and more.

Conversation with writer-creator Lindsay Graham [52:41]

Creative development of TERMS podcast

From Idea to Project — when to take an idea to the next level

Benefits of working with a writing team

Self-awareness and the enterprise of human creativity

Using vision boards to organize your dreams

How managing expectations improves relationships

Setting boundaries — joyful constraints

The choice to earn a living solely from creative endeavors—making the transition from working for others to being a full-time creator when you have a family and are a financial provider

A practical business approach to making your creative endeavors your job [ 40:15]

Benefits (and challenges) of ‘being present’

 

Mentioned in this conversation

Robert McCollum

Neuroscientist Sam Harris

Aaron Sorkin

Wallace Stegner

 

MAXXIMILLIAN PRESENTS: THEMATIC

MUSICAL FEATURES

 

“Warfare Bus Fare”

Artist: Elvis Herod

Warfare Bus Fare by Elvis Herod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

 

“Butthole Rainbow”

Artist: Breakmaster Cylinder

Butthole Rainbow by Breakmaster Cylinder is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

 

“Impossible Awakening”

Artist: Art of Escapism

Impossible Awakening by Art Of Escapism is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike License.

 

“Night Owl”

Artist: Broke For Free

Night Owl by Broke For Free is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

 

“Come Sit By My Feet And I’ll Tell You”

Artist: Elvis Herod

Come Sit By My Feet And I’ll Tell You by Elvis Herod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

 

“Above The Earth”

Artist: Art of Escapism

Above the Earth by Art Of Escapism is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

 

“A72”

Artist: James Yates

A72 by James Yates is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.

 

“Our Giant’s Alone”

Artist: Art of Escapism

Our Giant’s Alone by Art Of Escapism is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

 

“defy!”

Artist: The Fucked Up Beat

defy! by The Fucked Up Beat is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

Based on a work at http://blocsonic.com/releases/bscomp0050

 

This episode of Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC is licensed thusly:  Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

 

Would you like to hear your music on THEMATIC? Or would you make an excellent THEMATIC guest? Send me a message!

 

About This Episode… Visit the episode page at podcasts.maxximilliandafoe.com/podcast/writer-creator-lindsay-graham

 

About This Podcast… Visit the series page at podcasts.maxximilliandafoe.com/series/maxximillian-presents-thematic

 

Did you enjoy this episode? Yes? Yes! Here are some ways you can let me know that you’re enjoying the show…

 Subscribe to Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC on Apple Podcasts! 

 Leave me a positive review on Apple Podcasts, mentioning your favorite episode or what you enjoy about the show. Your feedback is important, it helps me make my podcasts better.

If there’s an area in which you feel I can improve, or there’s something you’d like to hear more or less of  on THEMATIC podcast, send me a message. 

Tell people who would enjoy these episodes about the show—they’ll thank you for it, and you’ll be encouraging me to continue making episodes.

Become my patron on Patreon.

Buy something from my shop. Furnishing my life with interesting things is one of my favorite pastimes. By purchasing something from my shop or throug

 

“Yes, I want to be empathetic to the pain in the world and bring about justice and restoration that’s not just about satisfying the aching of my own soul but that’s actually about living into redemption and reconciliation with all that is living.”

— Levi Gardner

Founder & Executive Director, Urban Roots

Urban Roots is a small urban community farm and education center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

MISSION: To Cultivate health

TAGLINE:  “Grow, eat, learn.”

 

DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

The abundance we discover when we recognize everything as a resource

What is food justice? Social justice?

How to cultivate your own community of like-hearted people

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Cartesian Doubt

The Adam Smith model of economics

The New Monastics

Levi’s organization, Urban Roots

E.O. Wilson, American biologist, researcher, theorist, naturalist and author

René Descartes

Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh

Dr. Cornel West, American philosopher, political activist, social critic, author

Ecophilosopher Joanna Macy

Janine Benyus, American natural sciences writer, innovation consultant and author

Richard Rohr

Will Allen

Winona LaDuke

BRING IT HOME

YES! Magazine

The Sun Magazine

All mentioned in this episode, Levi shared a lot of references, people, organizations and concepts/theories in this episode. The rabbit hole runs deep. I hope you’ll find yourself curious to explore it. Visit Maxximillian Dafoe .com / ArtPrize

> >> http://maxximilliandafoe.com/artprize-levi-gardner-urban-roots-cultivating-your-dream-life to follow the white rabbit.

BN: During the interview, there’s some background noise. It couldn’t be avoided as we’re standing in the middle of Heartside Park in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan—it’s nestled between two busy overpasses.

Transcriptions will become available (eventually). Are you a transcriber? I’m cultivating my team.

Drop me a line! 

 

MAXXIMILLIAN PRESENTS: THEMATIC

Musical Features in this episode are

“Been On” by JBlanked

“Summer Dreams” by Ryan Little

For more from these musical artists and to learn more about them, visit the episode page.

 

More from Maxximillian Dafoe

Mollyville Dystopian Modern Radio Drama

Caveat: The Mollyville Dystopian Audio Drama employs frank language and provocative themes. It is intended for a mature audience.

Dystopian societies appear in many artistic works, particularly in stories set in the future. Some of the most famous examples are 1984 and Brave New World. Dystopian societies appear in many subgenres of fiction and are often used to draw attention to real-world issues regarding society, environment, politics, economics, religion, psychology, ethics, science, and/or technology.

Award-Nominated Afterlife Paranormal Modern Radio Drama

Caveat: The story of AFTERLIFE employs dark humor, frank language and adult situations. It is intended for a mature audience.

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC, an edutainment podcast

Novels by Maxximillian Dafoe

Join my mailing list — When I find excellent things I like to share them. Get these gems in your inbox. Helpful information, books, videos, and well-vetted articles. Positive perspectives you’ll appreciate.

Connect with me on twitter.com/maxximillian  and instagram.com/imaxximillian.

And if you’d like to drop me a line one-to-one you can always use the contact form on the front page of my website to send me a message. If you like what you see there, join my mailing list — When I find excellent things I like to share them. Get these gems in your inbox. Helpful information, books, videos, and well-vetted articles. Positive perspectives you’ll appreciate.

 

 

Listen on Apple Podcasts…

Mollyville Dystopian Modern Radio Drama

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC, an edutainment podcast to fortify your creativity

 

Subscribe via RSS…

Mollyville Modern Radio Drama (Dystopian Suspense)

Award-Nominated Afterlife Modern Radio Drama (Paranormal Satire)

 

Artist Jordyn Fishman unpacks her ArtPrize entry #65746 “Income Inequality, Imagine”

“Income Inequality, Imagine” is one of those pieces that you stand in front of and look at for a long time. I certainly did. It’s very large at 24 feet long, also there’s a lot of sh*t going on—it’s a scene—three scenes really. “Triptych” is the term she uses to describe the work.

A triptych is a work of art divided into three sections.

Here we are talking in Heartside Park—there is some background noise but as we’re in downtown Grand Rapids on a sunshiny afternoon, in front of the downtown marketplace (my favorite place in Grand Rapids) which is nestled between two busy overpasses, it couldn’t be avoided.

I hope you’ll think of it as I do: ambiance. It’s like you’re with us…

WHAT TO DO NEXT

Visit Jordyn’s website. Take a look at her paintings and upcoming exhibitions.

Subscribe to Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC on iTunes

Leave a comment on my latest Instagram post with your response to the following questions…

Do you see gentrification as the natural progression in the evolution of a city (like I do)?

Or do you see gentrification as undesirable in spite of the money and jobs it brings to a previously under-nourished area? If so, tell me: why the dim view?

Here’s a link to that Instagram post I was talking about—leave your comment here.

Why Instagram?

What better way for me to get to know you, right?

 

TAKE IT FURTHER

Visit the episode page to watch Jordyn’s “Income Inequality, Imagine” video, and see Jordyn’s ArtPrize entry “Income Inequality, Imagine” at maxximilliandafoe.com/artprize-nine-income-inequality-imagine.

 

Curious about ArtPrize?

Visit maxximilliandafoe.com/artprize for episode extras, videos and to learn more.

 

Join my mailing list — When I find excellent things I like to share them. Get these gems in your inbox. Helpful information, books, videos, and well-vetted articles. Positive perspectives you’ll appreciate.

Connect with me at twitter.com/maxximillian, facebook.com/maxximilliandafoe, and instagram.com/imaxximillian.

And if you’d like to drop me a line one-to-one you can always use the contact form on the frontpage of my website to send me a message.

 

More from Maxximillian

Mollyville Dystopian Modern Radio Drama

Award-Nominated Afterlife Paranormal Modern Radio Drama

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC, an edutainment podcast

Listen on iTunes…

Mollyville Dystopian Modern Radio Drama

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC, an edutainment podcast to fortify your creativity

 

Subscribe via RSS…

Mollyville Modern Radio Drama (Dystopian Suspense)

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Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC

 

 

“An individual’s actions when multiplied by many can have dramatic consequences, either for the good or for the bad, depending on how we use ourselves and our friends—our communities to engage with the world around us and our environment.”

— Artist Pippin Frisbie-Calder

#IvoryBilledWoodpecker #SpeciesExtinction #ArtPrizeNine #UICA #ArtPrize #GrandRapids #art #printmaking #woodcut #PippinPrint #woodpecker #birds #wildlife #nature #species #humanity #animals

Speaking with me in this mini-episode is Pippin Frisbie-Calder (@pippinprint) who has just been officially shortlisted by the jury for her #ArtPrize entry #66620 “Cancelled Edition”, a simulated species extinction art piece that opens a visual discourse about the effects of specimen collection and a call to action for humanity to update defunct ideas about human-animal relationships.

This episode was recorded live at Heartside Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan during an #ArtPrize Time-Based entry called “Heartside Community Meal” created by visual artist Seitu Jones. There is some background noise that couldn’t be avoided—Heartside Park is nestled between a freeway and a busy highway in the middle of the city, in front of the Downtown Marketplace (one of my favorite places in Grand Rapids). I hope you’ll enjoy the conversation the same way you would if you were standing next to us in the grass.

Subscribe to my podcast & blog and be the first to receive the latest episodes and accompanying reads.

More from Maxximillian about “Cancelled Edition” #ArtPrize Entry #66620

See Pippin’s work, and purchase her masterful works of art

Visit “Cancelled Edition”

Learn more about Pippin

 

MAXXIMILLIAN PRESENTS: THEMATIC // MUSICAL FEATURE

“Departures”

by Airtone feat. Speck

“Departures”

by Airtone feat. Speck is licensed under

Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0)

Episode details, here… #ArtPrize Nine — Jury Shortlisted Artist Pippin Frisbie-Calder | ArtPrize Entry #66620 “Cancelled Edition” — a call to humanity!

Theme: #ArtPrize Nine // Guest: Artist Pippin Frisbie-Calder // Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

What is ArtPrize®?

ArtPrize is an open, independently organized international art competition

which takes place for 19 days each fall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. More than five hundred thousand dollars in prizes are awarded each year, which include a $200,000 prize awarded entirely by public vote and another $200,000 prize awarded by a jury of art experts. Any artist working in any medium from anywhere in the world can participate.

ArtPrize Nine takes place September 20–October 08, 2017.

To learn more visit ArtPrize.org

 

When people ask what inspired me to write within my answer is often the name Alasdair Stuart.

He’s the owner of Escape Artists Incorporated; host of Pseudopod the weekly horror fiction podcast that’s been providing chills and thrills to listeners for over 10 years. He’s the occasional host of EscapePod, a weekly science fiction podcast featuring over 500 episodes of original science fiction stories narrated by award-winning voice actors. His audio-literary enterprise also includes PodCastle the weekly fantasy podcast, and Cast of Wonders, the weekly Young Adult fiction podcast, and the gorgeous quarterly magazine Mothership Zeta featuring original science fiction from writers all over the globe.

Well-earned street credit… Get it?

Hands down, he’s the most voracious genre fiction reader I know, and always the first to shine a light on fantastic writers, fascinating literature, and under-the-radar literary works that will make your toes curl in delight.

In addition to being the beloved associate of writers Matt Wallace and Mur Lafferty, and a friend to writers of all ilks, he’s also a game author, a frequent contributor to Tor.com, and a fiction writer himself.

During the interview, I asked him: What is the fastest way to become a good writer? Among his actionable straightforward practical advice was this gem:

“The more you do it—I won’t say the easier it’ll become, but the level of difficulty will be something you’re much more comfortable with.”

 

— DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE —

ACTIONABLE CONCEPTS + IDEAS TO HELP YOU WIN

What a “Bossployee” relationship is and why we want (at least) one

2 Time Management Methods to Prevent Overload

The magic of what happens when you “Learn to love your outline.”

Avoiding the pitfall of self-rejection

How to recognize a problem in your story

3 Ways to Solve a Problem in Your Story

Under the radar genre fiction that will leave you mind-blown

 

MAXXIMILLIAN PRESENTS: THEMATIC

EPISODE 2 MUSICAL FEATURES

“Roy” by JBlanked

“And I Mean That Sh*t” by Pretochines

“Dark Fall” by Pretochines

“Fractures” by Ryan Little

“Illusions” by Pretochines

“Damage” by Ryan Little

“Supergirl (Fly In My Dreams)” by Vo1k1 ft. Gurdonark, DeBenedictis

To download these songs, compliment and support the artists, and for episode extras PLUS links to Alasdair’s body of works, and everything else mentioned in this episode, visit the THEMATIC EPISODES page at MaxximillianDafoe.com/THEMATIC.

Thank you for listening.

MORE FROM MAXXIMILLIAN

— More THEMATIC episodes

— Other podcasts from Maxximillian

— Want even more? HERE  it is.

 

Thank you for listening.

 

For those seeking resources, relief and recovery from Hurricane Harvey, and for those who want to help, there’s a comprehensive document online that’s being updated 24 hours a day with links and detailed information HERE.

The originator of this document is Cara Harpole, Texas business owner and former Hurricane Katrina refugee, who is taking this opportunity to give back to the city that gave her a place to call home when she was forced to abandon her home in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

From Katrina With Love is Cara’s Facebook group that offers emotional support for hurricane survivors and a network of people who want to help.

— LINKS —

Resources for relief — Post-Hurricane Harvey Recovery & Support Information

From Katrina With Love

Map of Hurricane Harvey Needs — Sketch City, for those seeking relief and for volunteers — this site has up to date maps and details on where to find shelter, services, also supply and volunteer needs for those who want to help.

Need help? Find shelters here.

About this guest: Cara Harpole of Askadinya Designs, founder of From Katrina With Love

 

More from Maxximillian

More Podcasts from Maxximillian Dafoe

Follow Maxximillian on Twitter

Never miss an episode — Subscribe to Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC on iTunes

Maxximillian Presents: THEMATIC homepage

 

 

— MUSICAL FEATURES —

“Dark Lotus” by MK2

“Sky” by Otis McDonald

“O Sky” by Otis McDonald