For the past 10 weeks I’ve been showing up—week after week—committed to building this podcast and connecting with you. Along the way, I’ve wrestled with the difference between obsession and commitment, the cost versus the value of creating content, and what it really means to thrive in today’s engagement economy.

In this episode, I reflect on how obsession differs from true commitment in the creative process, why engagement has become the real currency of the internet, and how creators measure the balance between value and cost in their work. I also dig into the broken state of traditional publishing, the opportunities for indie authors, and the importance of discoverability and connection for anyone trying to reach an audience. At the heart of it, I’m exploring why I continue this podcast, how it’s evolving, and what it means to create consistently in a way that provides value without burning out.

I also reference Tia Jana’s essay Dear Authors, Leave Amazon the Hell Alone, which you can read here.

If this episode resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], leave a rating or review on your favorite podcast app, and subscribe so you won’t miss future episodes. Your engagement lets me know this podcast is providing value—and it helps me decide where to take it next.

🎬 What makes a movie perfect? Is it the airtight story structure, unforgettable characters, flawless pacing… or something deeper that keeps us coming back decades later? In this episode, we break down the qualities that define a “perfect movie” and dive into a list of examples that many fans and critics agree come close to cinematic perfection.

From the timeless romance of Casablanca to the pulse-pounding adventure of Raiders of the Lost Ark, from the emotional weight of Schindler's List to the groundbreaking imagination of Star Wars—we explore what makes these films stand the test of time.

👉 Topics covered:

* The key criteria of a “perfect” film (story, character, dialogue, visuals, impact).

* Why some movies feel universally beloved.

* Reasons why some films fall short of "perfect."

* Whether a truly flawless film even exists.

💡 What do YOU think is the most perfect movie ever made? Drop your pick in the comments—we’ll feature listener favorites in a future episode.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more deep dives into movies, storytelling, and pop culture.

👍 Like this video if you believe perfect movies exist (or even if you think they don’t).

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://x.com/indianajim

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Website: https://indianajim.wordpress.com

This week we're talking about the new details about Star Wars: Starfighter, coming to theaters in 2027. Who has been cast besides Ryan Gosling? Also, Shawn Levy signs an Oscar-winning cinematographer!

https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-starfighter-cast https://www.theinsneider.com/p/task-hbo-mark-ruffalo-review-caught-stealing-austin-butler-karen-read-series-elizabeth-banks

Paramount is looking to license the Call of Duty IP for a Call of Duty movie? https://insider-gaming.com/call-of-duty-movie-paramount-seeking-rights/

Finally, it looks like the online woke cancel mob isn't going away any time soon. They've struck again, this time against Jordan Lee, a fledgling author just trying to find an agent. They drove her off Twitter but she came back! How do we handle the cancel mob and should writers be looking somewhere besides traditional publishers? https://www.fictionalinfluence.com/p/the-cancel-pigs-are-still-here

Email: [email protected]

This week, I'm revisiting how to remove noise from your podcast, because honestly, last week, I didn't do such a good job.

I'm also discussing a seminal work of modern fantasy, which also happens to be an underrated yet often-criticized masterpiece by a legend of the genre.

Origins of the Wheel of Time by Michael Livingston (affiliate link)

Do you use a Mac and want a great way to remove background noise from your recordings? Try Hush from the App Store! I demonstrate the difference in sound on this podcast.

Something to note: the Hush app does tend to leave some digital artifacts periodically, and I think that is due to having to process thirty minutes of audio in a single file. Your mileage may vary, and I will be experimenting with shorter files to see how that goes.

Also! Is the SM7B the BEST microphone for YOUR podcast?

Try Hush for free for three weeks! https://hushaudioapp.com/products/hush

Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff demonstrating the Hush App:

Have you seen K-Pop Demon Hunters? Plus I’ve been playing the Battlefield 6 Open Beta.

NEWS

Las Vegas tourism is sinking — and younger Americans could be to blame https://trib.al/0RbqxQ5

Gina Carano, Disney settle lawsuit https://t.co/aPZmeRSJRI

10 Favorite Books for Writers

(The following contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission)

The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall

The Story Solution by Eric Edson

The Anatomy of Story by John Truby

The Anatomy of Genres by John Truby

20 Master Plots by Ronald B. Tobias

Sometimes the Magic Works by Terry Brooks

The Art of Creative Writing by Lajos Egri

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

BONUS:

Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile by J. Daniel Sawyer

Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Hollywood has upscaled The Wizard of Oz using A.I. enhancement technology for a presentation at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The internet has opinions, and most of them are wrong!

I review the release of INDIE AUTHOR: The Movie! This Kickstarter-backed project looking back on the career of author Michael J. Sullivan and the Indie Author revolution has finally released!

Bobbi Althoff ends her podcast and it was always her dream to make more money! But everything happens for a reason. Well...some things happen for a reason...ok there are things...that happen...and sometimes there's a reason. I don't even know who she is!

Also:

- Are you living out of integrity with yourself?

- How can I get 1% better at podcasting with breath control?

- What the heck is a PROTAGONIST and and ANTAGONIST anyway?

EMAIL FEEDBACK: [email protected]

FOLLOW ME ON X: https://x.com/indianajim

Corrections from last week's episode. Hopefully you'll notice some audio improvements.

Send your feedback to [email protected]

NEWS:

Runescape's developers are pulling back on microtransactions, hoping to make a more satisfying experience for players.

Story from Bellular News on YouTube: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yX2lz_E_fkg

Also, special interests put pressure on VISA and MC to pressure Valve and others to pull NSFW content from their stores! This has wide implications for free speech and expression worldwide.

Analysis from the Hoeg Law YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oHB7egG-Ak

Virtual Legality Podcast site with video transcript and links: https://vl.hoeglaw.com/episodes/Zx1Pl8MJuky

DISCUSSION TOPIC:

TIME Magazine has issued their list of the 100 Greatest Podcasts EVER MADE! What do I think of this list? As you might imagine, I don't think it's worth the print space.

https://time.com/collections/100-best-podcasts/

"Methodology" https://time.com/7303677/how-we-chose-100-best-podcasts/

Lastly, what does this say about how we create our content? Who are we making it for and why?

In this episode, four headlines from the world of entertainment and video games, followed by a discussion of how you achieve what you want.

Ubisoft Says Star Wars Outlaws Failed Due to Declining Interest in the Franchise - https://mp1st.com/news/ubisoft-star-wars-outlaws-failed

Brian Henson on trying to get Disney to restore full-length version of Muppet Christmas Carol - https://www.theatermania.com/news/interview-brian-henson-on-puppet-up-the-future-of-muppetvision-3d-and-restoring-his-muppet-christmas-carol_1790294/

Not a single actor from Andor received an Emmy nomination, even though the show received 14, including Best Show, Writing, Directing, etc.

Now for the worst take on anything I’ve seen on the Internet: Upcoming Lord Of The Rings Movie Will Turn The Franchise's Biggest Heroes Into Villains - https://screenrant.com/lord-of-the-rings-hunt-for-gollum-movie-aragorn-gandalf-villains/

Website - http://visionarycreativeworks.com

This is Episode 0 of my new venture back into podcasting. I cover the history of my podcasting journey and discuss where I see this going.