In this episode, Brent and Erik talk about how politics and power are portrayed in movies and TVs. How are US politics portrayed? How does Game of Thrones speak to our modern politics? We also talk...

In this episode, Brent and Erik talk about the choices writers face as they consider their future career. “Would you rather be a bestselling hack or a critical darling who never sells?” How writers approach...

In this episode, Brent offers up a theory about how to write something that will be successful over the long run: either write something perfect or write something with just one great thing that outweighs any...

Summer 2016 felt a little different, especially when it came to movies. Sequels bombed, and Netflix killed it with Stranger Things. So did something change? Was Summer 2016 a tipping point somehow? Brent and Erik...

Calvin and Hobbes ran for ten years from 1985 to 1995. Bill Watterson, its creator, is famously protective of his creation. He retired at the top of his career, he has never authorized any merchandising...

We’re talking about Brent’s new book, Three Truths and a Lie, published August 2, 2016, by Simon and Schuster. The YA/psychological thriller/horror is a new direction for Brent. Four teenagers go for a weekend vacation to...

Fandom brings artists and storytellers the opportunity to create art for a waiting and eager audience. Fans can be brought in to give feedback early, which helps both the fans and the creator. But sometimes fans...

It is easy to say that Steven Spielberg is the most successful American director. Just look at the box office of the movies he’s directed. But is he the best? That’s a much trickier question....

What is it about humanity that makes us enjoy watching scary movies? Why do we pay to go into a dark movie theater and watch terrible things? Brent and Erik delve into horror films and look at...

Since 2008, The Shawshank Redemption has been at the top of the IMDb Top 250 Films. It is a fixture on cable television. It is one of the most commonly cited “favorite films.” Why is...