The Austin Meyer Podcast

Nirupa's Artwork

Nirupa Rao is a Botanical Illustrator and a National Geographic Explorer from Bangalore, India.

In beautiful and precise detail, Nirupa uses watercolor illustrations to record and celebrate the unique flora of India. As a National Geographic Explorer grantee, Nirupa just published a children’s book called "Hidden Kingdom—Fantastical Plants of the Western Ghats" that will help young readers explore the wonderful world of plants.

In 2019, Nirupa participated in a Plant Humanities program at Harvard University's Dumbarton Oaks Research Centre. She has also been named an INK Fellow and one to 'watch out for' in Forbes India's annual 30 Under 30 issue.

In this conversation, Nirupa and discuss how she found this unique niche of illustrating plants, what her creative process looks like from going into the rainforest to getting back to her studio, and why children's books are such a powerful tool for reclaiming cultural identity.

Hear Nirupa Rao on the post show!

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Notes from the show:

The National Geographic photographer that we refer to in the show as an inspiration for both of us is Evgenia Arbugaeva.

Nicholas Kristof is a columnist for the New York Times, an author, and a 2-time Pulitzer prize winner who covers humanitarian crises at home and around the world.

In this conversation, Nick and I talk about how he came up with his wild idea to invite university students (me in 2015) into remote communities and conflict zones, how he builds compelling stories around individual characters and statistics, his new book Tightrope (out today!), and what he hopes his legacy will be as a journalist.

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Follow Nicholas Kristof on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Order his new book, Tightrope.

Follow Austin Meyer 

Get exclusive access to the Austin Meyer Private Podcast which has post shows with our guests and additional episodes on the craft of storytelling!

Nicholas Kristof is a columnist for the New York Times, an author, and a 2-time Pulitzer prize winner who covers humanitarian crises at home and around the world.

In this conversation, Nick and I talk about how he came up with his wild idea to invite university students (me in 2015) into remote communities and conflict zones, how he builds compelling stories around individual characters and statistics, his new book Tightrope (out today!), and what he hopes his legacy will be as a journalist.

.

Follow Nicholas Kristof on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Order his new book, Tightrope.

Follow Austin Meyer 

Get exclusive access to the Austin Meyer Private Podcast which has post shows with our guests and additional episodes on the craft of storytelling!

Happy New Year! In this special edition of the podcast, I am reflecting on my past year's storytelling journey. I distill the lessons I have learned, discuss my goals as a filmmaker, and reflect on the experiences that impacted me most this year.

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast in 2019. I hope you learned something, felt entertained, and that it helped you on your own storytelling journey.

Follow Austin

Subscribe to Austin's newsletter

Get the Austin Meyer Private Podcast for Post Shows and Additional Episodes

Happy New Year! In this special edition of the podcast, I am reflecting on my past year's storytelling journey. I distill the lessons I have learned, discuss my goals as a filmmaker, and reflect on the experiences that impacted me most this year.

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast in 2019. I hope you learned something, felt entertained, and that it helped you on your own storytelling journey.

Follow Austin

Subscribe to Austin's newsletter

Get the Austin Meyer Private Podcast for Post Shows and Additional Episodes

Paul Bessenbacher, or PB, is an esteemed composer for film and TV, and also the lead of the band Opus Orange. His music has been featured on TV shows like Broad City, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Detour, national ads for Apple, Google, and Samsung, feature films and documentaries, and is the theme song for this very podcast!

In this conversation PB and I talk about the musical and life lessons he learned from studying classical piano at a conservatory, why he doesn't consider himself a quote, creator, and the differences between writing albums and composing for film. I hope you enjoy the episode!

Get the Post Show with PB!

Follow Opus Orange

Listen to Opus Orange on Spotify

Follow Austin Meyer

Subscribe to Austin Meyer's monthly newsletter on the craft of storytelling

Paul Bessenbacher, or PB, is an esteemed composer for film and TV, and also the lead of the band Opus Orange. His music has been featured on TV shows like Broad City, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Detour, national ads for Apple, Google, and Samsung, feature films and documentaries, and is the theme song for this very podcast!

In this conversation PB and I talk about the musical and life lessons he learned from studying classical piano at a conservatory, why he doesn't consider himself a quote, creator, and the differences between writing albums and composing for film. I hope you enjoy the episode!

Get the Post Show with PB!

Follow Opus Orange

Listen to Opus Orange on Spotify

Follow Austin Meyer

Subscribe to Austin Meyer's monthly newsletter on the craft of storytelling

Seamus Harte is the cofounder of Only People Media, a media company that helps people working to change our world by making media to share their story. Seamus also teaches story at the Stanford Design School, where he has taught classes such as creative gym and movie design.

In this conversation, Seamus and I talk about how he is found his unique voice as a storyteller, how working on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus developed his directing skills, and why prototyping early and often should be a critical part of the storytelling process.

LINKS:

Subscribe to Austin Meyer's Newsletter

Support the show on Patreon

Ken Adams' Story Spine framework

Stanford Design School

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Seamus Harte

Austin Meyer

Seamus Harte is the cofounder of Only People Media, a media company that helps people working to change our world by making media to share their story. Seamus also teaches story at the Stanford Design School, where he has taught classes such as creative gym and movie design.

In this conversation, Seamus and I talk about how he is found his unique voice as a storyteller, how working on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus developed his directing skills, and why prototyping early and often should be a critical part of the storytelling process.

LINKS:

Subscribe to Austin Meyer's Newsletter

Support the show on Patreon

Ken Adams' Story Spine framework

Stanford Design School

FOLLOW:

Seamus Harte

Austin Meyer

Forrest Gander is a poet, novelist, and essayist based in Northern California, whose most recent book of poems, Be With, was awarded the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

In this conversation, Forrest and I discuss the life changing moment that made him forego a safe and stable career to pursue life as a poet, what he thinks makes a poem not just good, but great, and why poetry continues to be such a significant art form for allowing people to express themselves and process both the beauty and tragedy in life.

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