Storycraft

PRI & NPR Radio Journalist Naomi Gingold sat with me to discuss looking at America from the outside in, why it's okay for journalistic objectivity to be a dubious concept, holding true to your ethics and ideals no matter where you are, and the varied but parallel stories she covered in both Japan and Myanmar(Burma/Yangon/Rangoon). We also enjoy a dive into her love of/obsession with Burmese Hip-Hop (and the associated, forthcoming book), understanding a people through their pop-culture, the hidden sides of journalism, how we wish the current American conversation was being handled differently, following your heart and so, so much more. Above all, this episode is smashed to the rim with a look at storytelling through journalism, that is one of the most incisive yet universal story talks to date. Enjoy them juicy takeaways!

Follow Naomi on twitter @naomigingold, check out her site naomigingold.com and find her segments at www.pri.org/people/naomi-gingold.

Follow this show on twitter @storycraftpod, and please rate, review, praise, dissect or otherwise 5-star rate this show on iTunes to help build the community. Support the show at patreon.com/monkeygong

Follow me on twitter and instagram @kraigcomx, and shop monkeygong.com/shop to support the, my comics, or otherwise engage my abilities/interest.

Chris Mancini, (filmmaker, writer, comedian, podcaster, co-founder and co-organizer of the Los Angeles Podcast Festival,) braved a cranky skype connection to record this terrific episode for writers, filmmakers, comic book makers and Kickstarters. He details the Kickstarter campaign for "Alton Wright & Friends," which opens the door to his notable kickstarter successes, how to survive a campaign, and how to use the built-in community within the platform. He reveals behind the scenes info about his in-progress graphic novel project "Long Ago, and Far Away," illustrated by Fernando Pinto-- which reveals how great Print Ninja is in their community outreach via kickstarter. We also discuss utilizing a platform like Comedy Film Nerds, executing your best work judiciously, the phenomenon of universal themes present in the entire library of a creator's work, why that's a thing, we talk about his book Pacify Me: A Handbook for the Freaked Out New Dad," and he shares his thoughts on maturing as a creator. On top of it all Chris gives some valuable insights about running an online store, drops some VERY interesting news breaks about the upcoming LA Podfest 2017, potential near future podcast happenings, and news about their terrific film "Earbuds: the Podcasting Documentary," (available now at comedyfilmnerds.com.)

Follow Chris on twitter @chrisjmancini and @comedyfilmnerds. Follow Earbuds @earbudspodmovie and go get your copy now at comedyfilmnerds.com, then read the amazing array of their film crit content.

Support "Alton Wright & Friends" on kickstarter before it's gone!

Follow me on twitter and instagram @kraigcomx, and support my work or the show by shopping at monkeygong.com/shop.

Follow this show on twitter @storycraftpod, support it at patreon.com/monkeygong, then please rate & review on iTunes to help build the community.

UCLA scholar and Professor Ramesh Srinivasan joined me to discuss the future of the internet, humankind's relationship to technology, globalism vs. global community, and a lot more, as our first foray into his research and his book "Who's Global Village", (available now wherever you get your books!) Ramesh also shares very eye opening insights gathered in his ample time among indigenous and developing people's, from which our country could learn a thing or two, as well as perspectives we may want to adopt to have a healthy future interaction with both technology, and each other. This is a incredibly relevant episode, full of even handed commentary on our current political climate, how we got here, and how we might dig ourselves out, plus, how creators might do their part.

Follow Ramesh of twitter @rameshmedia and support his work at rameshsrinivasan.org, where you can buy his book!

Follow me on twitter and instgram @kraigcomx. Follow this show @storycraftpod, and support it by heading to patreon.com/monkeygong, or buying merch at monkeygong.com/shop.

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Stop-motion animator Neil McLean is building an amazing little empire in his rigorously crafted world of Dungeon, sure to impress a lot of people when the series debuts a little later this year! I sat down with Neil, accompanied by my pal, artist Seamus Smith, to talk about Dungeon the morning after I got a chance to be blown away by the first short, (watch it now at neilmclean.net.) We got way under the skin of the project, discussing how he came to be making such an arduous project and why he couldn't help but to do. As we recorded with his sets and characters all around, the conversation got deep behind the scenes, revealing secrets of the big reaches imagination will make to solve problems, where specific secrets in design can come from, British upbringing vs American upbringing, and the different yet similar inspirations those contained. Doctor Who, MST3K, Rankin & Bass... no stone is left un-turned. The whole thing has an underpinning of solid humor, nerdy art references and some very keen political/social commentary. It's a packed episode that doesn't drop the beat for a second. We had a terrific time recording it! The amount of takeaways, laughs and sheer level of inspiration is surefire proof.

Watch the progress of Dungeon at neilmclean.net, and follow Neil McLean on twitter and instagram @remdiavideo.

Follow Seamus Smith on twitter and instagram @seamussmithart, and Seamus Smith Art on YouTube.

Follow me on twitter and instagram @kraigcomx. Support this show by shopping on my site, monkeygong.com/shop, or by becoming a patron at patreon.com/monkeygong.

Please rate and review this podcast on iTunes to help build the community.

Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western, Hype), Brian Schirmer (Ultrasylvania, Blackjack Ketchum), and I, moderated by Chris Brandt (Hero a Day, Independents), did a panel at Wondercon in 2013, in which we breakdown the mysteries of running a kickstarter and being an effective creator in the new entrepreneurial age. Both Jimmy and Brian bring incredible wisdom to the conversation, straight from their multiple kickstarter successes. So, if you're thinking of running a campaign, this episode has you covered. From planning and preparing, through the day-in-day-out of managing, marketing and succeeding at your fundraising goal. Throughout, Chris Brandt helps keep the whole thing relevant and focused, making sure everything sticks to the message that you CAN make your own thing, while providing numerous ways to go about that.

Literally the most takeaway packed episode of this show so far. Wall-to-wall wisdom (and wisecracks)!

Thanks very much to Jimmy, Brian and Chris for letting me record this as a podcast. It's twice as pertinent now as in 2013!

Follow Jimmy Palmiotti on twitter & instagram @jimmypalmiotti. Check out his group site paperfilms.com to keep up with Jimmy, Amanda Connor, Justin Gray, Paul Mounts & Frank Tieri. Pick up Jimmy's books All-Star Western and Hype wherever you buy comics.

Follow Brian Schirmer on twitter @brianschirmer and keep up with him at brianschirmer.com. Buy his books Ultrasylvania and Blackjack Ketchum.

Follow Chirs Brandt on instagram @heroaday and keep up with his site bainst.com. Look for Independents the documentary there!

Follow me on twitter & instagram @kraigcomx and support this show at monkeygong.com or patreon.com/monkeygong.

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Film director John Hyams sat with me in a noisy Hollywood motel room to discuss his solid career as a director, from his terrific documentary start, to his great work with Jean Claude Van Damme, especially the bravura surprise that is Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, and his unique childhood that, along with art school and some illustration chops, helped prepare him to become the powerful filmmaker he is today. We get into the difference between directing for TV and feature films, how TV and movies have switched narrative places, the future of cinema, and some incredibly tangible mental tools that allow you to make better films (or really any project.) In addition to dozens of great takeaways for creators, this episode is chock-a-block with behind the scenes wisdom and anecdotes from some very notable projects and moments in time, including the Universal Soldier films, Z Nation, his secret doc that I don't want to spoil here, and it's incredibly timed connection to the world of MMA/UFC, to some projects he didn't direct, but rather observed being made... Why am I being vague?

Listen to find out!

Follow John Hyams on twitter @jrhyams. Keep watching Z Nation, the Originals & Chicago PD to support John's TV work, and watch out for his upcoming projects Bullets for Breakfast and the (serious) remake of Maniac Cop (written by Ed Brubaker!!)

Follow me on twitter and instagram @kraigcomx and keep up with the show and my comics work at monkeygong.com.

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Way back in 2012 I was invited to join a panel at the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco, entitled "Using Childhood Experiences to Create Adult Stories," featuring Jim Woodring(!), Miriam Libicki, Derek Kirk Kim, and mc'd by Andrew Farago from the Cartoon Art Museum. The panel stayed more on point than most and provides, as advertised, a slough of childhood tales, origin details, influences, inspirations, adventures and, naturally, misadventures. Despite some sound issues, which mostly clear up less than 15 minutes in, this is a terrific episode featuring and bunch of young upstarts (us) and a verified legend (Jim) sharing a thought provoking journey through our pasts, and our guts as artists. This episode is just as juicy as I like 'em!

This episode was originally posted during the first run of this podcast in 2013, but since that feed is gone and the the sound was so awful, it's basically new to everyone including me this time out.

Thanks very much to all the speakers!

Follow Miriam Libicki on twitter @realgonegirl and her site realgonegirl.com.

Follow Derek Kirk Kim on facebook and his site derekkirkkim.com.

Follow Jim Woodring on twitter @woodring_jim, on instagram @jimwoodringcartoonist, and at his site jimwoodring.com.

And last but not least, follow me on twotter and instagram @kraigcomx and keep your peepers peeled for more at monkeygong.com.

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Peter Kleeman (founder & curator of the Space Age Museum,) recently wrote a terrific article for Quartz entitled "If you want to change reality, read more science fiction."

He did not pen that headline, which couldn't be more evident when you hear that his perspective goes far beyond just reading science fiction, an instead cuts to the core of the science fiction experience-- the fascination with space, imagination, long term vision and planning, society, spectacle, and of course, the enthralling sense of mysterious wonder for exploring the unknown.

This is a tremendously inspiring, compassionate, universal talk about the human side of politics and society, eschewing party lines and labels to discuss the truth that WE. ARE. ALL. HUMAN. We go deep about how we are in this together and we need to start acting like it. It's episode after my heart, reveling in levels of my mind I love to explore.

Please share this episode everywhere, to help get the attention of JPL, NASA, Elon Musk and the like, as they may be positioned and interested in supporting the Space Age Museum. This conversation is (on behalf of Peter and the Space Age Museum,) a shout out to the pioneers and dreamers who are advancing science and society inspired by their own love for science fiction.

Visit the Space Age Museum online for a dazzling tour of just a fraction of their collection: http://www.spaceagemuseum.com/ and follow the museum on twitter and instagram @spaceagemuseum.

Read Peter's excellent, optimistic and powerful article at Quartz: https://qz.com/894823/science-fiction-films-and-novels-could-help-us-save-the-world/

Follow me on instagram and twitter @kraigcomx. Keep up with my work and shop at monkeygong.com.

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Jimmie Whisman and James Pietragallo, comedians & cohosts of the breakout podcasts, Crime in Sports and Small Town Murder, joined me to record this in the green room at Stand-Up Live in Phoenix, AZ. It has the slightly rowdy, sarcastic vibe of a night out, while simultaneously delivering a keen perspective on comedy tastes, the difference in comedy styles, growing as a comedian, performing in the age of YELP! and some not-so-secret-secrets of how boys play with action figures. We also take a hard look at pop culture icons, why modern movies suck sometimes and much more with some big laughs along the way!

Follow Jimmie Whisman on twitter @whismansucks, and catch him at the San Jose Improve with Jessimae Paluso February 17th-19th, as well as regular gigs at Stand-Up Live and the Tempe Improv in the Phoenix area.

Follow James Pietragallo on twitter @jimmypisfunny and subscribe to his podcast PS I hate this movie (cohosted by Sarah Hunt.)

Subscribe to Jimmie & James' podcasts Crime in Sports and Small Town Murder wherever you listen to your pods!

Subsrcibe to this show at any of those places too!

Follow me on twitter and instagram @kraigcomx and keep up with this show and my comics work at monkeygong.com.

Cartoonist Lonnie Millsap has been impressing me (and cracking me up) with his keen observations and high output for years. It was a long awaited pleasure to sit down and discuss the discipline of producing a regular comic strip, how to navigate relationships, how other people see artists, using social media for good instead of ill, convention hacks, life balance and a lot more. It is, unsurprisingly, also quite topical as the shadow of the orange tyrant looms over all the land, and is impossible to avoid discussing.

Find Lonnie Millsap's current strip Bacon at gocomics.com/bacon, and pick up collections of his past works at lonniemillsap.com. Follow him on instagram and facebook too!

Follow me @kraigcomx on twitter and instagram, and keep in the loop about the show and shop at monkeygong.com.

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