Working

This week, host June Thomas talks to Debra Schmidt Bach, a curator of the New-York Historical Society’s new exhibition, " ‘Turn Every Page’: Inside the Robert A. Caro Archive.” They discuss the art of selecting objects that visitors will respond to; how objects like notebooks and a typewriter showcase Caro’s idiosyncratic writing process; and the particular challenges of maintaining an exhibition that features lots of pieces of paper, a material that needs to rest so that it can be preserved.

After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han discuss what kind of museum visitors they are, the art of winnowing, and how they find projects that will sustain their interest.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Schmidt Bach reveals her strategy for overcoming “curator’s block” and shares what she learned from working on the Caro exhibition.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Ai-Ling Lee, a movie sound editor whose long résumé includes the critically acclaimed films First Man, La La Land, and Jojo Rabbit. In the interview, Lee explains what a sound editor does and how it’s different from the work of a sound mixer. Then she delves into the many creative decisions that go into crafting an immersive soundscape for movies. 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han discuss Lee’s early career strategy of cold-calling people in the movie business.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Lee explains how technological advancements have changed the way she works.  

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Karen Han talks to Andrew Ortiz, founder of the movie merchandise company Super Yaki, which designs T-shirts, pins, hats, and more. In the interview, Andrew discusses the origins of the company and their first product, which was an enamel pin with legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki’s face on it. After that, Andrew talks about quitting his day job, staffing the company, and building a customer base of people who adore cinema.

After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss Andrew’s ability to create a vibe and a clear mission for his company.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Andrew offers some tips for avoiding burnout.  

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host June Thomas talks to Zak Rosen, host of The Best Advice Show podcast. First, they discuss the premise of Zak’s podcast, which features very short pieces of advice, then Zak shares some clips of his favorite words of wisdom. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Zak offers advice about interviewing. 

If you have advice that you’d like to share with Zak, you can leave a message at (844) 935-BEST. 

If you want to get in touch with us at Working—whether you have creative advice or a problem you’d like us to help us solve—leave a message at (304) 933-WORK or email us at [email protected]. 

Podcast production by Zak Rosen.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host June Thomas talks to Oliver Burkeman, author of the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In the interview, Oliver shares his philosophy of time management, which hinges on the finite nature of life. He also discusses his previous experience as a “productivity geek” and explains some of the dangers of obsessive time management. 

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their own approaches to organization and productivity. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Oliver talks about the benefits (and drawbacks) of group activities. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson, whose latest film, ATTICA, covers the 1971 uprising at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York. In the interview, Stanley explains how he decides which stories to tell and how he earns the trust of his subjects. He also discusses the finer points of structure, editing, and his use of sound effects and music. 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about the challenges of creating a structure for nonfiction projects and the difficult task of cutting interviews down. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stanley looks back at the time he worked with legendary documentary filmmaker William Greaves. Then Isaac asks him if he ever gets nostalgic for the pre-digital era of filmmaking. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, in her first episode as co-host of Working, Karen Han interviews cartoonist Dami Lee. In the interview, Dami talks about her resistance to art school and her early strategy of pursuing art “on the side.” Then she discusses her current career as a freelance cartoonist, her webcomic As Per Usual, and her book Be Everything at Once: Tales of a Cartoonist Lady Person. 

After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the difficulties of pitching work as a freelancer. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dami talks about her work translating comics from Korean to English. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to makeup artist Leslie Ann Sebert about her long career in film and her latest project, the Netflix movie Nightbooks, starring Krysten Ritter. Leslie talks about how she fits into the collaborative process of creating the visuals that shape a film and it’s characters … and just how hard it is to find the exact right formula for candy vomit. 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss people who choose sole career path at a young age, versus people whose career changes over time, And Isaac explains his biggest piece of writing advice—buy a laser printer. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Host

Isaac Butler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host June Thomas talks to Rebecca Lavoie, who oversees podcasts at New Hampshire Public Radio and who has a “side” hustle as host and producer of Crime Writers On..., These Are Their Stories, and several other podcasts. Rebecca explains why her supposed side-gig has expanded into a much bigger enterprise, and how she makes that work. 

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how Rebecca gets it all done and the “grass is always greener” issue of being on staff versus being a freelancer in creative fields. 

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Alessandro Nivola, who recently starred in the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. In the interview, Alessandro discusses his early career as a theater actor and shares a piece of wisdom he got from Robert De Niro about memorizing lines. Then he digs into the process of becoming a believable 1970’s tough guy in Many Saints. 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss line memorization and the joys of being part of a “scene.” 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alessandro shares how he’s able to tap into powerful emotions in scenes that call for it. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.