Elisabetta Fantone is a singer, songwriter, painter, and actress. No joke. She does it all. We’ve worked with Elisabetta Fantone on some of our most cherished projects, so this is a really special episode for us. Elisabetta starred in two of our original short films, The River Cabin and Christmas Eve (available on Amazon).

Elisabetta has spent her entire career in the entertainment industry. She got her start working on odd jobs, like random club tours and reality shows, which opened up doors for her to pursue her truest passion: acting. Her journey to the screen showed her that nearly everyone has an opinion on how you live your life. Even if they don’t know you, people will often hold you to the expectations that they live by. If you violate their belief structures then they hold you in contempt. That is the world we live in, and it is especially harsh to artists or anyone else in the public spotlight.

This is actually an age-old practice. Keeping your name is the spotlight that is. If people are talking about you it means you’re relevant. Even if their feedback is negative (or just completely outrageous) it gives your voice more gumption. Elisabetta knows this and she’s not afraid to be outspoken. She lives her life to her own tune and doesn’t apologize to anyone who’s “insulted” by her lifestyle.

In this episode of Uncreative Radio with Elisabetta Fantone, Elisabetta is sharing a few ways that she deals with public criticism so you, too, can express who you are without fear of invalid repercussions. You have to have thick skin, yes. But you also need to trust in your own lifestyle. The world will try to make you doubt yourself, but you don’t need to. Elisabetta will show you how to embrace your opinions and ward off the negativity that can make you doubt yourself.

Ptah Quammie has made a big name for himself among photographers, fashionistas, models, and star-studded personalities. His unique style of photography is a transformative experience that melds beauty with science fiction and fantasy, making his work absolutely one-of-a-kind. From fashion photography, he moved into nude photography, which is his true bread and butter. Unlike most, he uses nude photography as a gateway to metamorphosis. If you need help wrapping your head around it, check out his Instagram @artcrazyphotog.

In this episode of Uncreative Radio with Ptah Quammie, a.k.a. “Art Crazy,” we’re taking a trip inside coronavirus happenings to share some unique insights on how you can generate a dollar during these uncertain times.

It goes without saying, but pretty much everyone in the world is in a similar predicament. We’re unemployed. We’re isolated. And we’re bored. Well, not all of us are bored. Not exactly.

Despite our professions, we’re all being forced to think outside of the box to keep our businesses afloat. This holds especially true to those of us in the creative industry. We’re having to be more resourceful during this economic lull, offering services and tapping into overlooked avenues we would not normally pursue. In a way, this is a silver lining. Innovation is a healthy practice in business management and development… Just so long as you know how and when to pivot.

In this episode of Uncreative Radio, Ptah Quammie is sharing the unique ways he’s navigating the coronavirus crisis, as well as ways in which you can turn a dollar in the absence of your usual workload.

Leo Brooks is a rare breed in country music. Why you ask? Well, we don’t often meet black country music artists… Nonetheless, those with two Grammy Awards under their belt buckle. So, yeah, this is quite the treat!

In fact, the last black guy we remember crossing over into the country music genre must’ve been Nelly. But that was just a phase, so it doesn’t fully count. Leo Brooks, on the other hand, is the real deal and country music is his life.

Leo Brooks’ roots tie back to Honduras, where both his parents grew up. Apparently, Country Music has a strong influence in Honduras (surprise, surprise), which explains Leo Brooks’ natural attachment to the genre.

After speaking with Leo for a bit it became clear that he was destined for the Country Music stage. Do you believe in fatalism? It’s kind of hard not to after listening to Leo’s story. But let’s remove fatalism from the equation for just a moment. Let’s chalk up Leo’s many successes to sheer determination, talent, and perseverance (which are most certainly key ingredients in his rise to fame). What are the chances he would have become just another name in the crowd? What is the possibility that he was destined for great things elsewhere?

Of course, we’ll never know, but speculation is fun, so humor us…

In the absence of fatalism, one must question if they’re on the right path…

It’s easy to look back on one’s life and criticize decisions that were made. But in the present, we’re not offered such a luxury. **Curse you linear timeline!** So, how do we know we’re walking the right path? Is it a genetic driver — some inherent chemical reaction assuring us to continue forward? Or is it something less subtle? Perhaps it’s pure chance?… But where’s the fun in that…

Aniela McGuinness is a successful actor turned writer and she’s here to tell us why your “happy endings” are crap.

Aniela McGuinness started her career in show business at C&I Studios. Before moving in front of the camera she was a guru behind the scenes. In fact, after many successful years in Hollywood, her career has come full circle. She is currently behind the scenes on Broadway, taking her hard-earned skills to all new heights. You can keep up with Aniela and learn more about her exciting career by following @anielamcg on Instagram.

Both Josh and Aniela share a passion for film. But not the same passion that you or I would share. Theirs is grounded in many tireless nights, constant travel, annoyances, difficult people, and… a thought-provoking final product. Whereas, ours is likely grounded on the couch in front of an HBO originals series.

There is this notion that “life imitates arts” — that an event in the real world is an expression of creative work. Perhaps the phrase is referring to every other type of art except for American media, because in the American film industry most every story has a happy ending, but in real life that is most certainly not the case.

We are not bound to the happy ending syndrome. We like telling real stories about real people. Take our most recent short film, for instance. Christmas Eve has a rich ending but it is most certainly not a happy ending. It’s real, it’s truthful, and it’s the right ending for the story we were telling.

Aniela McGuinness is also skeptical of happy endings. What are they leaving out? We suppose, that if you took someone’s entire life and removed all of the hardships, shameful moments, anxieties and so one, you may have a beautiful story with a happy ending. But that’s just a snapshot of an entire life. It’s a fallacy. Is it even worth telling a story the omits the true human condition?

Perhaps this is why Aniela McGuinness left film behind for Broadway… In this episode of Uncreative Radio, we’re digging deep into storytelling and the people who create the fables of our time. Why do the people who write a lot about happy endings rarely experience them for themselves? Why do we cling to happiness when the reality of it rarely exists? And why, oh why do people think acting is a glamourous profession?

“The hustle” is often characterized by the decade. It has changed colors many times throughout American history. Most often, it is not cast in the best light. But today’s day and age has introduced a new mindset. The hustle isn’t bootlegging, smuggling, trapping, or rapping. It’s waking up every single day driven by a single purpose: doing what you were put on this earth to do.

Or as Lorenzo (played by Rober DeNiro) in a Bronx Tale wisely said, “It don’t take much strength to pull a trigger but try getting up every morning day after day and work for a living, let’s see him try that, then we’ll see who the real tough guy is, the working man is the tough guy.”

For those that don’t know DJ Fly Guy, he is a child of hip-hop. From an early age, he was inspired to leave his mark on the world through art. For a time, his outlet was rapping. But perspective changed that ambition. Or, rather, it molded his mindset and guided him to use his true god-given talents.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the hustle started for DJ Fly Guy. Was he born with it? Some of us are. Was it an outcome of nature and nurture? Family has a way of inspiring the best in us. Was it a product of geography? New York does indeed breeds some of the world’s best artists? Or was it something he cultivated throughout his entire life?

If you believe there is nothing to disrupt; if you believe that our system is fair; if you squander your vote because it doesn’t matter then you need to tune in on Thursday, February 20th at 6 PM ET. Rob Richardson and Joshua Miller will wake you up to the harsh reality you’ve been choosing to either ignore or be complacent to.

Huh, strange. Then why are so many working Americans living in poverty? Are you aware that poverty compounds instability?

Can’t pay for a cavity filling. Take care of it next year. Can’t pay for a crown. Take care of it next year. Can’t pay for a root canal. Take care of next year. Can’t pay for a cancer screening. Well, now you’re up shit’s creek.

Poverty breeds poverty. That is the way the system works and it’s designed to distract you from creating real change. Prove us wrong.

Then why are forces constantly at work to prevent you from voting?

Access to voting is shrinking. Your voice is shrinking.

If you’re too poor to miss work to go cast your voice. The corporate system has stripped you of your power. If you’re a felon who has paid for your crimes, too bad! No vote for you! Did your usual voting precinct close without notification? Too bad, this is rural America!

Well, you’ve been tricked. If the system was rigged, how in the world would a black man with the name Barack Hussein Obama be elected President of the United States for two terms? Riddle me that!

It begins with adopting the Entrepreneurial Mindset. Watch Thursday’s episode with Rob Richardson to learn the steps needed to take back your power.

The working community, especially people of color and women, can no longer rely on protests to carry their message. They need to work under a collective mindset to propel the wheels of power. Or as Rob Richardson says, “Protests are only an arrow in the quiver of what we are aiming to achieve.” The rest of your power lies in the entrepreneurial mindset. It’s time for you to embrace yours.

If you have an opinion on one, you must have an opinion on both. Why?  Because our political and social climate has blended racism with politics. It’s divisive. And that is the strategy.

Argue against this train of thought all you want but there is no denying the backlash of Obama’s presidency. Just look at who we’ve had to put up with since 2016. He didn’t get there by accident. You can wish him out office all you want. But what good will that do anyway? You have to act to create change. But you’re comfortable and the next episode of The Outsider is airing on Sunday, so we get it.

Just now that as you’re sitting there comfortably the people who showed up to support Donald Trump are turning out again in 2020. They’re blending racism with politics and they’re wielding it against us.

Things were looking good for a time. We had the first black president of the United States who led our country for two consecutive terms. We were looking good. We were feeling united. So, where did we take a wrong turn?

This begs the question of activism… how can it produce the opposite results; how can it give the bigots a taller platform to shout from. We’re talking about Trayvon Martin and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Did it flush out the bigots? Were they pulling a war carriage carrying an orange-faced mongrel in the wake of their stupidity?

If you have questions, we have answers. If you want to know what the heck is going on, then tune in on Thursday, February 13th for Uncreative Radio with Tiffany Lanier.

We’re backtracking a decade to where her activism began to pinpoint the wrong turns we have made as a society and to measure up Facebook’s role in the age of disinformation.

Charlie Villanueva is a longtime friend of the studio. We’ve worked with him on a number of projects in the past, and most recently on our History Matters series where he shares the life and legacy of Michael Jordan.

In this episode of Uncreative Radio, Charlie V joined us in the studio to discuss his life’s passion, the culture of the sport and the players who made the greatest impact on his game.

But that’s not all… we’re also discussing life after basketball and the change in responsibilities that come with retirement.

And he’s correct. But many people who see early success don’t realize this simple fact until it’s too late. Charlie V did. He knew that basketball would not last forever and so he set himself up for success and prosperity when the time would come to hang his jersey. He had a plan and he put it in motion. Athletes or young stars who fail to see the inevitable put themselves at a disadvantage later in life. Charlie V shares many valuable lessons with us, so be sure to tune in on February 6th at 6 PM ET.

There is great power in the spoken word. The right voice, the right message, the right delivery can change history. We’ve seen it happen time and again on platforms as prestigious as the political stage to those as unexpected as the performance stage. And that is what we’re here to talk about today.

Turn on the radio and listen to popular music. It’s unfortunate that so many of the artists that are thriving often take their voice and their platform for granted. They prioritize the fast track — a road derived from mimicking a shallow, inauthentic formula — so that they can get rich quickly. In many songs, the lyrics are meaningless, reduced to incoherent rumblings, random obscenities, and other hype-centric maneuvers. Are they fun to listen to? Sure. But what are they trying to achieve?

Abebe Lewis remembers a time when rappers and hip hop artists created music to bring about positive change. He remembers that music was a movement; that lyrics mirrored society; that enlightenment was their architect. He remembers these times. He recalls the artists who led the charge. Hell, he grew up looking up to them; learning from them. His family’s recording studio, Circle House Studios, has dominated Miami’s music scene for four decades. They originated countless hit productions, like the 1987 theme song to Cops and the Bad Boys franchise.

Abebe Lewis is certainly qualified to discuss music and the artists carving out a piece for themselves. So, on this episode of Uncreative Radio, we’re being treated to an unscripted, insider’s look into the contemporary hip hop scene. The world is on the verge of a musical revolution and its origins very well may be Miami.

Our guests are some of the brightest minds in their industry. Most are self-starters and artists doing everything they can to establish their name among the best of the best. If you have great ambitions in life, then this is your source for art, entertainment, and inspiration.

Joseph Miller is the General Manager at C&I Studios and an avid gamer. He is starring in an upcoming lifestyle sketch docuseries, titled Heart Piece Plus, as his alter ego, Master Joe. Heart Piece Plus creates a dialogue around social responsibility, using video games as the framework for a grand, interconnected (and shared) coming of age story. You can learn more about his upcoming series on our portfolio.

Joseph Miller handles all of the hiring (and firing) here at the studio. He is the first line of defense for the 30 sum applications we receive daily and the last line of offense (if you know what we mean). So, who better than to swap horror stories of life at the studio? Tune in to minute 11:00 for the workhouse gossip and to hear about that one  guy who quit because “all of the cocaine gave him the jitters.”

From there, we get into what makes people succeed in the workplace. Is it a defining character trait — something you can pinpoint? Or is it passion, pure and simple? Find out at minute 20:00! If you have dreams of working with our crew, then this is the segment for you.

If you’re in need of a happy dose of brotherly love, keep watching! Joshua and Joseph are going down memory lane to discover how they ended up here in the first place. Catharsis? You’ll have to decide that for yourself.