Creator's Cafe

44. Paula Deming - The Doors that Open

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800

Paula Deming is an actor and creator based in Los Angeles. Paula Deming makes board game comedy videos on Youtube in her series "Things Get Dicey". Her Youtube Channel also features playthroughs, silly strategy videos, and the occasional Top 10 List. You can also find her streaming board games on her Twitch channel, being a cast member of the Golden Geek winning podcast "This Game is Broken", talking about games on Watch It Played and Game Night Picks, and playing ttRPGs with channels like Good Time Society, Glass Cannon Network, and Push the Roll. She starred in the audio series “Deck the Halls with Matrimony”

Website: https://www.paulademing.com/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paolobandita/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thingsgetdicey.bsky.social
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@PaulaDeming

Creator's Cafe with Jessica Payne of Kika Labs

Host Jessica Payne of Kika Labs breaks down the subtle and the sublime of the creative process with inspiring artists at the Creator's Cafe.

Find out more info on the show and host Jessica Payne.
Offering creative strategy, performance coaching, and more! www.kikalabs.com

More info and resources at | www.kikalabs.com
Watch the video podcast on YouTube | YouTube Creator's Cafe Podcast Playlist
Follow the Show | @creatorscafebykikalabs
Facebook Group | Creator's Cafe by Kika Labs
Transcripts and YouTube Links at | www.kikalabs.com/creators-cafe-shownotes

Theme Music
Our theme music is composed and performed by Kyle deTarnowsky.
www.kyledetarnowskymusic.com

44. Ashley Quach - What Lights You Up

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800

Ashley Quach is a playwright and radio dramatist based in Los Angeles. She is best known for her award-winning romcom podcast “Deck the Halls (with Matrimony!)”, featured in 2020 as one of the New York Times’ Fiction Podcasts to Get Lost In. Quach has written original romance for Audible and recently completed a crime serial titled Chinook with executive producer Doug Liman and Realm, released by Wondery+ in spring 2024. Her play Suitor Princess Thief was a finalist for the 2025 Princess Grace Award and was a finalist in the B-Street Comedy Festival in 2023. She was a 2025 Mach33 fellow with Caltech university for the play The Null Test. Quach is also an author and illustrator, with such works as Santa's Husband and Princess Dinosaur. Her book Starring Sophie is due out from Scholastic in fall of 2026.

Follow Ashley at https://www.instagram.com/sassquachcomics/

PS - my coffee is from Collar & Foam in West Hollywood

43. Brian Abraham - Just Be Real

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 07:00:00 -0800

My guest Brian Abraham is an accomplished actor who has worked across Southern CA in film, TV, and Theatre, and is about to take on his third role on Broadway!

Brian is an incredible acting teacher who is passionate about the process of breaking down a script and rehearsing moments to perfection. But he really shines as an actor embodying the work.

I’ve been lucky enough to act with Brian in a silly short where we were both dogs, and now get to go visit him as he kills it on Broadway.

Brian originated the iconic roles of Hagrid and the Sorting hat in Broadway’s “Harry Potter and the The Cursed Child”. He also originated the role of the evil cook in “Life of Pi” where he is also the voice of Richar Parker and has to pupeteer a life size tiger in a fight scene in a boat!

Next up, Brian is joining the cast of a modern adaptation of Oedipus on Broadway.

Follow Brian on IG at @brianthomasabrahamactor

42. Gabrielle Thomas - Championing the Fresh

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0700

Gabrielle and I dish on how to be a sneaky creator and get the wheel of creativity moving so much it feels inevitable.

My guest, Gabrielle Thomas, is a Director and Producer based in LA. She works across film, TV, commercials, and music videos as a digital specialist. She was the Creative Director at Alienware and an executive at Skybound Entertainment.

Gabrielle directed the beautiful and dark short film Hunger, which explored our industry's challenging side, and then completely switched gears to direct "God of Work" for G4—a hilarious office mockumentary about video game heroes between gigs.

Gabrielle is an incredibly versatile creative; she has directed stop motion commercials, beautiful music videos, and post-apocalyptic dramas starring children. She produced the podcast "The San Miguel Kidnappings," which was nominated for a CLue Award and featured in Variety. For animation fans, she directed and co-wrote the upcoming live show with the "Spike and Mike Extravaganza," which is hitting theatres soon.

Gabrielle has been an incredible mentor to me, teaching me how to be a great AD and producer when we worked together on Rob Koteki’s psychological thriller “Safe+Sound. And just this past weekend, we were together making high-end athletic apparel look amazing during a night shoot in a warehouse!

Please enjoy my inspiring conversation with my friend, Gabrielle Thomas.

Follow Gabrielle: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielle.m4.thomas/

41. Megan Green - Embracing Power in Heartbreak

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0700

Megan reveals how she stays committed to her craft through the tough times and creates stories of people rising above their situation.

My guest Megan Green is an award-winning screenwriter based in Los Angeles. Megan's work has been recognized by the Austin Film Festival, Screencraft, Stowe Story Labs, Sundance Labs, and the Coverfly/Act Two mentorship program.

ONLY HUMANS, the indie drama feature she co-wrote, premiered at the Napa Valley Film Festival.

Her feature THE FAMILY HARVEST was later developed with Atlas Entertainment. Her feature biopic drama, ELEANOR & JACK, has ranked in the top 1% of projects on Coverfly and was a Nicholl Fellowship semifinalist twice.

Megan has both her MFA from UCLA and her MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill. She used her expertise at the nexus of screenwriting, tech, and business to write her incredible drama pilot, DANNI’S HARD DRIVE. I recently got to act in a Hollywood reading of this true story of the only woman to appear on the cover of The Wall Street Journal and Juggs Magazine, which won the Drama Division for CineStory’s TV Retreat and Fellowship and was selected for The Women’s List.

Check out her work at https://meganwritesscreenplays.com/

@meggersssss.bsky.social‬

IG: @meggerssssssss

Mentioned:

Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder

Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach by Paul Joseph Gulino

Cinestory Foundation

The Women’s List

40. Jerome Kurtenbach - Wear the Hats You Have

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 14:00:00 -0700

Jerome lets the spark of the story start a composition.

JEROME KURTENBACH

WRITER | DIRECTOR | COMPOSER

Jerome Kurtenbach loves to tell stories! He has directed and written several films in conjunction with his web series Someone, Thomas, Mark, and Hope (YouTube), including the psycho/thrillers Ready or Not and The Misconception Trilogy, the comedies Dümscrolt and Anything But Normal, and co-directed/wrote the PSA Rise of the Phoenix. As a composer he's worked on Death Let Me Do My Show/Special (Off-Broadway/Netflix), The Simpsons, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and NASA's Planets Blocking Light. Recent film scores include Sal Bardo's feature debut Out of the Woods and Come Clean, Nick Demos' features Body Electric and Invisible, and Marco Ragozzino's Mondays at the Office among many others. Notable stage works are Life-Giving Waters for Chorus and Chamber Ensemble, the opera Unleashed, two symphonies Westerly and Wanderlust, and four musicals Outside the Lines, Spectra and the Miss Fits Right In, Broadway Crazy! (with Rachel Bloom), and The Final Journey.

Follow Jerome:

jeromekurtenbach.com

http://www.youtube.com/@SomeoneThomasMarkandHope

Instagram

Facebook

39. Clara Griffith - The Art is the Adventure

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0700

Clara Griffith

My guest Clara Griffith is a visual artist based in Austin, Texas. She is also my sister-in-law!

Coming from classical training in music and art, she now works across mediums, from painting and photography to sculpture and textiles.

Clara’s signature triangle series is an original invention where she uses her decade as a software developer to build a program that kaleidoscopes pictures into an abstract triangular puzzle-like field. They are beautifully compelling and pair well with her large, colorful quilts she sews.

As a seamstress, Clara also designs ready-to-wear clothes, formal wear, and costumes for photographic shoots. Some of her costumes, accessories, and body paint are featured in my brother Chris’s book of his nude photography, Fine Art.

From ceramics to dollhouses and photography to 3D printing, Clara is a force of creation whom I’m proud to call family.

Learn more at https://www.claragriffith.com

38. Marshall Knight - Getting the Ideas Out

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 19:00:00 -0700

TV writer Marshall Knight and I connect on the need to create or explode, and on crafting a career that fits his indoor cat personality.

My guest Marshall Knight is a Hollywood TV writer. Most recently, he and his writing partner Rob LaMorgese were executive story editors on Suits LA. This was a natural continuation of their success in the writing room of the original hit show Suits, which was my pandemic comfort show, and I have watched every episode of it.

He first got into the studio system with an internship at Paramount in the Motion Picture Creative Division while he was finishing his degree at UCLA. Marshall then went on to get in a writer’s room as a PA on Lone Star. This led to a position on Homeland, yes, that Homeland, where he got to be in a room of writing greats, plus call the FBI to fact-check episodes.

One of my favorite things about this year has been getting to peek behind the curtain on projects Marshall is working on. It’s incredible to see real-time progress from a writer of his caliber as he talks through projects in development, searches for new ideas, and pitches new projects to studios. His shows are in my living room and have building-sized billboards on the Sunset Strip, but I know him as my smart cafe buddy, enjoy my convo with the incredible Marshall Knight!

37. Rachel Lee - Bold Branding

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 22:00:00 -0700

Rachel Lee and I dig into finding yourself to bravely embody your own brand.

My guest, Rachel Lee, is an artist, designer, and co-founder of Neo Genesis, a personal branding agency for creatives and misfit entrepreneurs who are ready to own their weird and finally, rocket online. Rachel believes that there's no better way of marketing yourself than actually being yourself.

Rachel's taking these important foundational concepts from branding that have made Neo Genesis be a successful service providing agency to transitioning her brand to becoming a household brand that will include a clothing line, comic series, merch, and more. And she's doing this whole process on Twitch to be as unedited and transparent in her journey to be a full-time working artist as possible.

So we get into the details of what makes her business successful, how to brand yourself as a business owner and as an artist, and also how to embrace the transparency and messiness of the journey that we're all on.

Follow Rachel:

Links:
- Personal Website (art, design & cat stuff): https://racheltylee.com/
- Business Website (personal branding stuff): https://neogenesis.me/
- IG: @racheltylee
- LI: Rachel Lee
- Twitch: @caiyrii

36. Jacob Smith: Sounds Like Shenanigans

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 22:00:00 -0700

The always delightful Jacob Smith and I chew on how to take your craft seriously and yourself silly-ly.

My guest is Jacob Smith, an audio expert who lives in Las Vegas and hails from Louisiana. Jacob is a dear friend, but we'll get into that in a second. If you've been to Vegas, there's a very good chance that you've heard a space that Jacob has set up the audio for, or might even be running right now. Jacob is the head of audio for Absinthe, one of the biggest and best shows in Vegas for years.

It's at Caesars Palace. It's incredible. Check it out. He's also done the audio for the same company's production of Rose Rabbit Lie and the burlesque show by Holly Madison called Peep Show, along with the Vegas residency of Spamalot. Jacob's work has been on Broadway, on tours, and all over Vegas, and he's a voice on two major podcasts as well: Ice Cream Social and Pod Therapy.

35. Fern Madden: Revealing Radiance

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Makeup artist Fern Madden encourages us to find our signature look that allows our natural beauty to shine through.

Follow:
https://www.fernmaddenmakeup.com/
IG: @fernmaddenmakeup
Represented by Jk Artists Los Angeles

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Style Icons

Bio & Intro
Fern Madden is a hair and makeup artist from who lives in LA after getting her start in London and Australia. She has worked across fashion, beauty, film, and music. Fern is known for her radiant and glowy makeup. Fern's work has been featured in publications like ELLE, Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, Grazia, Frankie Magazine, OK! Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Cosmopolitan. She was the beauty editor for Tangent Magazine where she covered cutting edge global style. And she regularly works with some of the biggest brands on their advertising, from industry giants like Amazon, Apple, and Nike to iconic brands like Savage Fenty, Northface, free people, Hourglass cosmetics, Dolce Vita, and Halston. Fern has worked with celebreties, like Bon Jovi, Dave Chappelle, Duran Duran, Zara Larsoon, The B-52's, and so many more. She worked with Nicole Richie for the cover of Nylon Magazine. She was the key makeup designer for the Bulgari Cinemagia runway show overseeing a team of 10 makeup artists.

Mentioned
Imogen Clark, Bri Oglu, CeraVe PM, Milk Concealer

34. Tehran: The Trojan Philosopher

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Comedian Tehran and I dig into "freedom of speech, pushing thoughs, pushing the envelope, broadening horizons to absurdity and bringing everyone together."

Follow:
@iamtehran
https://www.iamtehran.com/
IMDB

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Awkward in Public
Have an improvised conversation with a friend where you say the most awkward thing and "yes and" and go along with the conversation, trying not to break.

Bio & Intro
My guest, Tehran, is a comedian, actor, and entertainer. Tehran has a residency at the Laugh Factory on Sunset in Hollywood. Tehran was born in DC but named after the capital of Iran. He leans in to his 1/2 Black 1/2 Persian background in his comedy. He has his law degree and a background in economics and political science, so his comedy on racial relations is incisive and inclusive. Tehran is a TV and radio host. He has also acted in several film projects including Dane Cook's American Typecast which I really enjoyed. He regularly tours with with Maz Jobrani. I caught them recently at Flappers, and Tehran's comed pulls audiences with the light jokes teasing the bro in the front row and then makes us rethink core assumptions about the Mideast Crisis in the next breath. He inspires me with how he devotes a lot of energy to shows and tours with a focus on world peace and uniting people together through laughter.

Mentioned
Maz Jobrani
Mikey Winfield
Dane Cook
Rachel Bloom
Chris Rock
Dave Chapelle
Wanda Sykes
Louis C.K.
Chris D'Elia
Whoopie Goldberg
Ted Danson
Patrick Stewart

33. Amy Kersten: Controlling the Edit

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Filmmaker Amy Kersten and I discuss the importance of learning the skills to take your project from concept to the finish line.

Follow:
IG @AmyKersten
Film IG: @AWomanAbroadFilm

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Mini Movie Edit
Record someone telling you a 2 minute story. Film B roll. Edit the audio over the B-roll. Add Music.

Bio & Intro
My guest Amy Kersten is actor, writer, editor, producer and director. She spent the last decade developing multiple digital series - including Lady Parts Justice, run by Daily Show creator Lizz Winstead, and three seasons of the award winning digital series HOT MESS. Amy wrote produced and starred in an independent pilot "In Case of Emergency" directed by Soma Helmi and partnership with Third Law films, which is now available on Amazon Prime! Amy worked on various feature films including Sandy Wexler starring Adam Sandler, The Spy Who Dumped Me starring Kate McKinnon, and The Week Of directed by Robert Smigel. Amy starred as an actor in Shanghai in Venus in Fur and 39 Steps. and wrote her first feature length screenplay "A Woman Abroad" about that experience, and recently filmed a scene at the historic Peace Hotel as part of the feature development package.

Mentioned
Mary Catherine Greenawalt
Jim deProphetis
Soma Helmi
In Case of Emergency
Alicia Robbins
A Woman Abroad
Emily Hahn
Daniel Newman
Geena Davis Institute
After the March

32. John Mason: Olympic Level Presence

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Olympics Swimming Host John Mason and I talk about the art of hosting and how to be present when the stakes are high.

Follow:
IG: @officialjohnmason
John's IMDB

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Self-Love List
Write down 5 things that you truly love about yourself that are unique to you and make you special

Bio & Intro
My guest John Mason is a TV host, sportscaster, and actor. He is going to be hosting all of the Major Comps and fronting the Content for World Aquatics, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in less than a month!

John grew up in Australia, and began his career in London when he was scouted on the street to be one of those famous Abercrombie models. But his career soon widened into hosting. His time as the face of international swimming began in 2016 when he stepped in at the last minute to host the European Aquatics Championships at the London Aquatic Centre.

He has continued on to host the biggest events in the world for Eurosport, BBC Sport, Channel 5 and FINA TV including, the European Championships, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Diving World Series. He is also a fierce CrossFit athlete himself, and an advocate for LGBTQI visibility and human rights. John is a radiant light who elecrifies a crowd and generously makes everyone he interviews feel like they are the only person in the world.

I've been lucky enough to be an athlete in and attend events he was hosting (not the Olympics) and he has that magic touch of making an event feel like the most exciting party you could be part of.

Mentioned
World Acquatics at the Olympics
John Bailey - Producer
Summer McIntosh - Canadian
Kaylee McKeown- Australian
Adam Peaty - British

31. Sergine Dumais: On My "X"

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Director Sergine Dumais and I explore her journey from Montreal to LA and owning her calling as a director.

Follow:
@serginedumais | Sergine's Website | @slapkiss_film

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Play with Action Verbs
Write 10 action verbs on cards. Pull one at random and apply to text or a song

Bio & Intro
Sergine Dumais is a French-Canadian director, actress, and acting coach. She directed the award-winning short film, Wichita, that is now available on Amazon. She also directed the fantastic Slap Kiss Kill in Hollywood's McCadden Theatre.
Sergine is a talented voice over actress and director, and she has directed the dubs of over 20 feature films and 75 TV episodes! Sergine was known in Quebec as a triple threat performer in shows like La Cage aux Folles, Grease and 5 Woman Show. She directed the French adaptation of Little Women-the musical, and Jason Robert Brown’s 13. She created a webseries 2 Femmes a Hollywood., sold-out music theatre workshops, and has waitlisted voice-over college classes at AMDA in Hollywood. Next she heads to Montreal to shoot her next short film.

Mentioned
Bo Price
Miguel Perez
Karen Strassman
Maxim Roy
Jeremy Sisto
Lev Spiro
Judith Weston - "Directing Actors"
Danièle Dorice
Robert Marien
Elaine Petricoff

30. Jonathan Unger - Producing Impact

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Producing CEO Jonathan Unger and I bond over refusing to stay in one lane and the importance of choosing your collaborators purposefully.

Follow:
Unger Media
IG @jonathanaunger

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Gratitude List
Spend 10 minutes and write down things you appreciate.

Bio & Intro
As CEO & Founder of UNGER MEDIA, Jonathan Unger focuses on content with a purpose, bridging imagination with impact in every story we tell. Believing in the power of storytelling and how it can not only connect us, but Jonathan believes it can change the way we view the world. What matters most is not only entertaining audiences and making them think, but ultimately making people feel seen. With deep relationships across scripted, non-scripted, documentary, music, publishing and audio visual/podcast genres, UNGER MEDIA continues to actively create stories that reflect groundbreaking voices that deserve to be heard.
Some of our collaborators include LeVar Burton Entertainment, Robin Roberts' Rock'n Robin, ATTN:, Peabody Winner Timothy Ware-Hill, Music Legends Yolanda Adams and Rickey Minor, amongst others. Current series include the new podcast series Shattering The System, in collaboration with MACRO and iHeartPodcasts, which is hosted by NPR acclaimed journalist Sonari Glinton, Tastemade series The Unruly Baker with World renowned Author and Cake Artist Bernadette Gee, and acclaimed NZ indie film Mysterious Ways, by Award-winning UK Director Paul Oremland. Recently, Unger Media announced adaptations of Never Forget Eleanor by New York Times Best-selling Author Jason June, along with a film adaptation of The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens, based on the iconic Grey Gardens documentary.

Mentioned
Chris Tucker
The Artist's Way at Work
Sonari Glinton
Bernadette Gee

29. Maggie Szabo: Owning the Risk

Thu, 16 May 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Recording Artist Maggie Szabo and I talk about writing songs for Eurovision and TV

Follow:
IG: @officialmaggieszabo
Maggie's Website

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Fastest Song Ever
Write the full chorus to a song, and as much of the rest of the song as you can in 10 minutes!

Bio & Intro
Hailing from Canada but currently based in Los Angeles, Maggie Szabo is a multi platinum, two-time Billboard #1 songwriter and artist. Szabo has released a series of high-profile singles, remixes and EPs that have put her on the map as a pop artist and changemaker. Her hit single ‘My Oh My’ was named Stingray Radio’s “Trending Track” and hit the Canada Hot AC Chart at #27 (alongside Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran and Adele), taking over radio throughout Canada. Szabo has over 30 million streams on Spotify, thirteen million views on YouTube and more than 50 notable placements in film and television (E!, Disney, ABC, NBC, Netflix).

Szabo has fostered a successful songwriting career. Her song ’SloMo’ reached #1 on the Billboard charts in Spain of June 2022. The song took third in the internationally known Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Maggie also wrote for KPOP group Le Sserafim’s platinum album Anti Fragile, which hit #1 on Billboard World Albums chart. She is also a writer on the group’s first full-length album 'UNFORGIVEN' which accumulated a whopping 1 million copies sold on the first day of its release, setting a new impressive record among K-Pop female groups. The album now holds the highest-selling album in Hanteo history by a Korean girl group in first-day sales, surpassing BLACKPINK.

In October 2021, she released “Sweet Illusion” with GRAMMY-nominated DJ and producer Morgan Page (Armada Music) ‘Rebuild’ and preceding singles were premiered by Celeb Secrets, Rolling Stone, Flaunt Magazine, EDM Maniac and American Songwriter, to name a few. Other notable media include Parade, Atwood Magazine, CelebMix, The Advocate, Billboard, Popdust, Perez Hilton, Huffington Post, EARMILK and more!

28. Thomas Stockwell: Think Bigger

Thu, 09 May 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Creative Executive Thomas Stockwell encourages us to create weirder and more innovative worlds for emerging VR capabilities.

Follow:
@onthelam84
Forbes Article
Current: Head of Unscripted and Specials, Meta
Former: VP, Alternative Programming and Development, Universal Television Alternative Studio/NBCUniversal

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: The Floor is Reality!
Take your favorite hobby and make it into a reality show; perhaps combining it with the format of a show you love.

Bio & Intro
Thomas Stockwell is a creative executive who has helped with creating and designing experiences for unscripted, documentary, and innovative VR specials.
After his success helping launch the first series of the Voice, he rose quickly to the VP of Alternative Programming and Development at NBC/Universal. There he helped create and develop delightful programming like Jimmy Fallon's "That's My Jam" on NBC and "Baking It", which was co-hosted by Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph.

Thomas works as the Head of Unscripted Series at Meta. There he creates innovative VR experiences, such as the Just for Laugh's Presents Surrounded comedy series, and the immersive Red Rocks concert series, where you can get to see a 180 degree view and watch the concert in a fully edited VIP Point of view from the edge of the stage. I especially loved the Doja Cat and Jack Harlow concerts!

Thomas is a dreamy creative executive who is charming and encourages us to thing bigger and then get clear.

Mentioned
Paul Telegdy
The Voice
Christina Aguilera
Sia
Rob Dyrdek
Paul Reubens
Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett
Cardi B
Light Sail VR
Steve Harvey
Taraji Henson
Yara Shahidi
Brooklyn Beckham
Foo Fighters
Post Malone
Shaq
Cardi B
J Balvin
Jack Harlow
Doja Cat
Louis the Child
Red Rocks Live
Just for Laughs Presents Surrounded
Meta MQTV and Horizon World
Dorsey Pictures

27. Suzanne Schmidt: Loving the Work

Thu, 02 May 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Actress Suzanne Schmidt and I dive into how she aims for loving what she's doing 80% of the time.
Follow:
Suzanne on IG: @suzannejschmidt
Suzanne's Website
Suzanne on IMDB
Hey You, It's Me

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne.
Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Flip the Script
Take a recent situation that upset, baffled, or frustrated you, and write it as a comedy.
Keep the inciting incident real/grounded, but find any aspect that could be slightly humorous, and build on that.

Bio & Intro
Suzanne Schmidt is an actor, producer, writer, director, and professor, and a National Michael Chekhov Association instructor. You may recognize her face from Sons of Anarchy or Days of Our Lives as some of her TV and Film. work. You may recognize her voice from her audiobook recordings or her voice acting on the English dubbed version of many Netflix shows. Suzanne is the CEO of High Tide Films, where she writes, produces, and acts in award winning projects. Her webseries Hey You, It's Me won awards for Best Webseries, Best Comedy, and Best Webisode. She has won many Best Actress awards for her beautiful dramatic film Not Nothing. And Suzanne plays JoAnne Tenuta in the upcoming biopic It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story, directed by Taylor Blackwell. She is currently in preproduction for her upcoming project, Unboxing. She is a creative force of nature that I am proud to call my friend!

Mentioned
Not Nothing
Unboxing
From the Heart Productions
Christie Maturo
Drama 3/4 Productions
David Fickas
Brice Beckham
Scott Freeburg
Tom Irwin
Alexander Gelman
Blues for Mister Charlie
Digital Hollywood
Bennett Guillory
Stella Adler
Moscow Art Theatre
Anton & Michael Chekhov

26. Robin Nyström: Building the Band

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Filmmaker Robin Nyström reveals how his art is inspired by the team he builds.

Follow:
Personal website: https://www.robinnystrom.com/
Nicolife: https://www.nicolife.net/
Tracy Buckles: https://www.tracybuckles.com/

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Creative Community
List who in your close circle has natural creative passions and talents, and see how they could complement yours and your projects

Bio & Intro
Robin Nyström is an LA-based filmmaker who was born in Stockholm and raised on a steady diet of Swedish meatballs and ABBA. As a writer, Robin loves to explore absurdist comedy and magical realism. His first independently produced web series Nicolife follows a wannabe influencer hoping to find YouTube fame at any cost. His second web series Tracy Buckles depicts a young woman who becomes the victim of a curse that prevents other people from hearing her voice. He is also the writer/director of multiple short films, including Broken, Super-Psycho-Killer-Bot from Outer Space and Judged.

Mentioned

Jennie Nyström
Jason Kaiser — Director of Photography — @diekaiser
Jersey Greene — Make-Up Artist & Special Effects Coordinator — @hey.jersey.greene

25. Jess Paul: It's Not Cake

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0700

25. Jess Paul: It's Not Cake
Filmmaker and actor Jess Paul and I dish on indie films and the dark side of the industry while she is wearing a croissant on her head. It makes sense.
Follow:
IG: ThisisJessPaul
Jess's Filmmaking/Acting Website: JessPaul.net
YouTube
Fake Food Etsy Shop - https://www.etsy.com/shop/JessPaulArt
IG for Art and Fake Food: @jesspaulart
Onscreen purse construction by Erika Marks

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Go watch an indie filmmaker's film
Watch what your filmmaker friends are making and where their creative heart lies and create a connection by telling them what you liked about it. "What did you make?" Go to a film festival and get inspired!

Bio & Intro
My guest Jess Paul is an actor, filmmaker, and fake food-maker. Jess was the female lead in the Sundance Film Festival Selection, "The Immaculate Reception," a beautiful coming of age piece set in her home city of Pittsburgh. She has won multiple best actress awards, including the Margaret Anne Garza award at the Austin Revolution Film Festival for her work as the leading character in the AI themed feature film "Galatea."

Jess got her start by self-producing the YouTube comedy news show "Wrecked Radio News" which went on to her getting more than 3 million views, a YouTube Partnership, and an international fan base. She pivoted to acting and filmmaking, where she is an indie darling known for multiple award winning films that have made the circuits, including "A Funny Man", Revry.TV's "Promenade" and her current short, "Burying Baby" which is already doing well on the festival scene. Luckily for me, she has also had commercial success because she met my former guest Jeremy Urann on set and came into my world!

In addition to her acting and filmmaking career, Jess is a talented visual artist who has found a niche specializing in hyper realistic wearable fake food.

Mentioned
Benjamin Carlucci
David M. Bowers
Watch

24. Brandon Stansell: It's My Music

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0700

Country music singer/songwriter Brandon Stansell and I dig into the raw truths from trailblazing queer rights in country music to enjoying a more intimate present story.

Follow:
@brandonstansell
BrandonStansell.com

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: Journal Check-In
Write honestly to yourself about where you currently are in your artistic journey and give yourself space for whatever the answer is.

Bio & Intro
Brandon Stansell is a singer/songwriter. His music video for his single "Hometown" was the first LGBTQ-themed video to premiere on CMT, and went on to be named one of Rolling Stone's 10 Best Country Videos of the year. Brandon's first album "Hurt People" is a beautiful and heartbreakingly vulnerable look behind his family's response to him coming out. That album also serves as the soundtrack to the documentaary named "Three Chords and a Lie" where Brandon revisits his Southern Baptist family as he prepares for his first show in his Tennessee hometown. His sophomore album titled "This Must Be The Place" stays true to his country roots and brings in upbeat pop influences. In his most recent project you can see him star with his real life boyfriend in "That's What I Feel About You." He's one of the strongest people I've ever met, and I mean that emotionally and physically!

Mentioned
"That's What I Feel About You"
Stephen Garrett @stephen_lewis_garrett
Devin Karringten @devink_film
Kheaven Lewandowski @kheaven666
Feature in People
Trent Atkinson @trentmakesthings
Hometown
Erik Halbig

23. Carolina Alvarez: Making it Work

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0700

Filmmaker Carolina Alvarez and I dish on finishing post on her first feature film!

Follow:
Carolina's IG: @lafemmecarolina
Femme Regard Website: femmeregard.com
Femme Regard IG: femmeregard
Sync on IG: @syncthemovie
tiktok: @femmeregardtv
Carolina's personal website: https://carolinaalvarez.co/

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Creator's Challenge: One Location Logline
Come up with a story that can happen in one location with two characters and write the log line for it.

Bio & Intro
Carolina Alvarez is an actor, filmmaker, producer, and podcaster. She co-founded Femme Regard Productions with Tessa Markle. They started with creating short films, which were successfull and won multiple awards. She and Tessa have produced 16 seasons of the Femme Regard podcast, which gives upcoming filmmakers valuable resources while highlighting women creators. Now Carolina is in post production on her first feature film, Sync as a writer, producer, actor, and director. Her feature has been awarded with the WIF and Sundance Institute gender balanced and equity in production ReFrame Stamp award.

Carolina has also worked in post production, overseeing the mastering and localization of films for Warner Brothers and Disney. Now she is working as a creative director, developing her next projects, and preparing Sync for the festival circut! Across all of her work she champions developing filmmakers and creating opportunities for women in front of and behind the camera.

Mentioned
Tessa Markle @misstessalauren
Aaron "Wheelz" @wheelz
Sync EP Jake Arky @thejarky
Noam Kroll's Backlot
Sync DP David @atdavidlee
Sync Associate Director Sabine @sabinekfilm

22. Ian Weinreich: Darkly Comic Vibes

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0700

TV Writer Ian Weinreich and I talk about the writer's balancing act between individual contribution and group collaboration.

Follow:
IG: ianweinreich
Ian Weinreich at IMDB

Creator's Challenge: Create an Audio Book
Find a short story you love and record an audio book of it to see how pacing and tone translate.

Bio & Intro
Ian Weinreich is a writer and producer. He was a writer on The Flight Attendant, which was nominated for a Writer's Guild Award for best new series, and Ian's episode in Season 2 featured an epic mother daughter fight between Kayley Cuoco and Sharon Stone. He is currently wrapping up writing on season two of Dead Boy Detectives, a spinoff from Neil Gaiman's Sandman that is about to be released on Netflix.

Ian got his start in TV writers rooms at Disney. You might know his work from shows such like Zach and Mia, Bunk'd, and My Little Pony: Reign of Buttercup Sprinkles. He went on to co-showrun the third season of Skylander's Academy for Activision on Netflix. But his wry dark comedic voice shines through in his current work, and in pieces like The Screen Junkies Show and Honest Trailers.

Ian's writing is clever, sensitive and incredibly intelligent, much like the man himself.

Mentioned
Flight Attendant
Steve Yockey
Dead Boy Detectives
Skylanders Academy
Clayton Sakoda

Transcripts and links at www.kikalabs.com/creators-cafe-shownotes
YouTube Creator's Cafe Podcast Playlist

21. Candace Jade Lewis: Feeding the Inner Child

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0700

Candace Jade Lewis and I dig in the sandbox of finding great work through play.

On-Camera Coaching with Jessica

Follow:
IG: @candacejlewis | Website: Candacejadelewis.com | IMDB | Vimeo

Creator's Challenge: 3 Panel Comic
Create a 3 panel comic that shows a mini story with a beginning, middle, and end that has change!

Bio & Intro
Candace Jade Lewis is a Producer, Writer, Director, and Designer. She currently is an Associate Producer at Old Curiosity Shop working on the upcoming "Presumed Innocent" starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Negga. Prior to that she worked at Bad Robot, the production company headed by Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams where you may have seen her work on "Castle Rock" and "The Cloverfield Paradox."
Along with being a producer working with top tier creators, Candace is a powerful creator in her own arenas. She is a photographer, visual artist, writer, and she has directed multiple music videos and short films, including the upcoming "Two Frogs in Boiling Water." She creates graphic art for industry professionals, including storyboards, vanity cards, and pitch decks to help get stories get sold. Her online promotional series featuring a Bad Robot puppet protagonist created fascinating mini genre films that I couldn't get enough of.

Mentioned
Dustin Thomason
Bad Robot
David E. Kelley
Presumed Innocent
Miranda July
Michel Gandry
Spike Jonze
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Kar-Wai Wong
Wayne White
PBF
Gabriela Quiroz

20. Jeremy Urann: Bigger and Better

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0800

Jeremy and I talk turning insecurities into assets into gigs.

Follow:
@jeremyurann
www.jeremyurann.com

Creator's Challenge: Build Your Own Reel
Turn the camera on and record the core of what you'd like to put out into the world by improvising a moment and catching it on tape.

Bio & Intro
Jeremy Urann is an actor, writer, dancer, model, filmmaker and creative juggernaut.
Jeremy got his start in the Pacific Northwest, where he created plays and home-made movies with his five siblings. He went on to found "Fat Gratitude Productions" with his siblings Sheri and Sean Urann, where they produce documentaries and work for local non-profits and community-based organizations.
After going to school for Dramatic writing, he worked as an actor, writer, choreographer, and director until COVID hit, and he took to TikTok to dance and entertain. That led him to opportunities in LA, where in the last three years alone, he has modeled for 15 brands and appeared in over 50 commercials.
Jeremy is passionate about creating representative art that celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community and the plus-sized community. He has created and produced three short films and killed it as a brawn model for brands from Savage X Fenty to Peloton.

Mentioned:
Kenny Castro
"Paint My Lips Pretty"
Fat Gratitude Productions
Sheri Urann
Sean Urann
Kamarie Chapman
Sherwood Productions

Bottoms
Drive-Away
Theatre Camp
Issa Rae
Tina Fay

19. Miky Mik: Channeling Myself

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:00:00 -0800

Miky Mik and I dig in to how creating power pop rock music videos and working towards her PhD in Microbiology are both expressions of the same creative exploration

Follow:
@MikyMikOfficial
MikyMik.com
Miky Mik

Creator's Challenge: Compose with an App
Write your emotions in a journal; highlight the core ideas, take that to a music app and pair it with a melody OR - download an instrumental app, create a melody around an emotion and see what words come out to create a melody

Bio & Intro
Miky Mik is a power pop rock singer-songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles.
Since picking up her first electric guitar at 14, she's been playing and writing songs.
Mik has developed a modern pop twist on 90s garage band pop punk.
Her lyrics are empowering and aggressive in all the best ways.
She performs regularly as a frontman with her band in LA including recent appearances at the Viper Room and the Whiskey. I really enjoy her recent music video Nuclear Fallout. She has also collaborated with Youngcarebare and Stolen Audio and has several releases from her female pop punk duo Mik & Maxi. Mik is a scientist earning her PhD by day and a powerful pop punk rocker by night!

Mentioned
Mik & Maxi
Maxi @maddmaxi
Justin @thetravelingrocker
NASA - sending up sounding rockets
Kramer Guitars
Courtney Love
TLC
Green Day
Whisky a Go-Go
The Viper Room

18. Luca Malacrino: Chasing the Excitement

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0800

Luca Malacrino talk about how he navigates the rollercoaster ride of a creative career by getting in the driver's seat and steering towards the excitement.

Follow:
IG: @glucamalacrino
IMDB
LucaMalacrino.com

Creator's Challenge: Pillars
Career | Health | Relationships | Finances | Personal -
Pt 1) Why am I feeling based on the bullet points that I put down, and how can I grow? Pt 2) Visualize the end result

Bio & Intro
Luca Malacrino is an actor, writer, producer, and business owner. You may have seen him on TV in shows like Criminal Minds as Paul Sorvino's son, in Grey's Anatomy, Coronation Street, or Jim Carrey's I'm Dying Up Here. Luca is a member of the BAFTA Newcomers Academy, and has worked with Fracis Ford Coppola in "Distant Vision."
He co-owns the production company "The Chameleon Effect" with the talented writer Alex Hanno. Luca starred in their feature film Elephants and will be in the upcoming Dominus. They recently filmed the feature "A Social Contract" starring Sean Astin. And he stars in the short Entrainment, which is currently doing well on the festival circuit. Luca grew up in an Italian restaurant in Wales, has owned and sold two nightclubs, and has a wildly successful online business.
Mentioned
Kaylee Hawley's Creator's Cafe Episode
Alex Hanno
Bill Prokopow
Film Quest
"Nessum Dorma"
Sean Astin
A Social Contract
The Contractor Consultants
SoundTrip

17. Kristen Klehr: Bearing Fruit

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0800

Kristen Klehr and I talk about how to set up the right conditions for satisfying artistic collaborations and our respect for those people actually putting themselves out "on the field" artistically (and in rugby!)

Follow:
IG @kristenklehr
KristenKlehr.com
Produced by BEAR
The Den Collective
Pawprint Music

Creator's Challenge: Have the conversation
Visualize a conversation with the target audience or team to see how the project may happen in real life

Bio & Intro
Kristen Klehr is a Grammy-nominated percussionist, singer, CEO, producer, and professor. She has toured internationally with Scrap Arts music, performed with Gryffin at Coachella, and records in the Hollywood studio scene. Her work with The String Theory: The Los Angeles Suite earned her that Grammy nom.
Kristen is a serial entrepreneur within in the music industry, where she founded "Produced by BEAR" to produce music industry events, started "The Den Collective" to provide resources to professional musicians, and co-founded "Pawprint" which aims to print digital music of award winning women composers.
She is the Professional Development and Engagement Center Director at the SF Conservatory of music, where she is innovating the future of the music business industry.

Mentioned
Scrap Arts Music
Gryffin
Rick Rubin
The String Theory
San Francisco Conservatory
Multiple Discovery Phenomenon
Quality vs Quantity experiments

16. Paul Perri: Being the Cello

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0800

Paul Perri and I dig into the terror and glory of surrendering yourself as an artist.

Check out Paul's body of work:
IMDB
IBDB

Quotes:
John Gielgud: "Acting is half shame, half glory. Shame at exhibiting yourself, glory when you can forget yourself."

Raymond Chandler: “In Hollywood they destroy the link between the writer and his subconscious. After that what he does is merely performance. His heart is somewhere else.”

Rumi: “Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate, ask yourself, ‘Is it true?’ At the second ask, ‘Is it necessary?’ At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind?”

Rumi: “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other”
doesn’t make any sense.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.”
- from "A Great Wagon"

Creator's Challenge: Let it be wrong
Do an artistic project but don't aim to be "right"; allow it to be whatever it is.

Bio & Intro
Paul Perri is an actor, director and teacher. He got his start at Julliard, and was in the Bachhae, Macbeth, and A View from the Bridge on Broadway. Paul replaced John Malkovich in the leading role in Burn This on Broadway, where his show poker name was "Spike." Paul plays Trent Lott against Christian Bale in the movie Vice. He is in films with Stallone, Snipes, and Bullock. Paul was the lead in a film where they shut down part of Times Square for him to act. He's in Hellraiser, Manhunter, Freeway, and the Hannah Montana movie. He's been in so many fun TV shows I can't list them, but my personal highlights are Battlestar Galactica, ER, Seinfeld, NYPD, CSI, Caprica, and the West Wing. He's a wonderful teacher and director who excels at getting actors out of their head and into the moment.

Mentioned
The Bacchae
Michael Cacoyannis
Irene Papas
Burn This
John Malkovich
Joan Allen
Lisa Emery
John Gielgud
Raymond Chandler

15. Bri Oglu: Defining One Voice

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0800

Bri Oglu and I talk about using your journey to define your voice and your aesthetic.

Follow:
IG: @brioglu
Website: brioglu.com
"Dream On" on YouTube Music
"Enough" on YouTube
TikTok @brioglu
IMDB

Creator's Challenge: Find Your 3 Adjectives
Define three adjectives that you want to lead with in visually representing yourself

Bio & Intro
Bri Oglu is a singer-songwriter and actor based in LA. She performs all over LA regularly including venues like the Viper Room, the Townhouse, and the Peppermint Club. Her original music and covers have hundreds of thousands of streams, She has an iconic cinematic pop sound and the mix of her intimate singer-songwriter sound combined with her soaring high belt make her one of my favorite singers working right now.

Mentioned
Featured performances
Beyonce "Crazy in Love" cover
Radiohead cover
Aerosmith Dream on cover
Beyonce clip
Medium
Christina Apostolopoulos IG: @christinaaposto
Will Snyder IG: @okwillsnyder
Sunset Sound
Harold Meers @haroldmeers
Nene ("Grandmother" in Turkish)
Blackwood Cafe
Javista
Verve

14. Dr. Stephen Harrick - Pivot to Comics

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0800

Dr. Stephen Harrick and I catch up on Blue Men, Pulp, ComiCon, and his big swing from theatre to comics.

Follow:
IG: @stephenharrick
StephenHarrickComics@gmail.com
Facebook
Deviant Art

Creator's Challenge: Do it with an audience
Create something outside of your comfort zone, and then share it with a safe audience for feedback.

Bio & Intro
Stephen Harrick is a writer, director, actor, teacher and scholar. His comics have been published by GreyHaven Comics and Ink & Drink Comics (the latter of which he is an active member), as well as the self-published Pulp-Sized Comics (with art by John King and Rhyan Sollace) and Dirt Sheet (co-created with John King). He has written extensively on comics, publishing with The Beat (comicsbeat.com) and Straight Up Magazine, as well as presenting in the Comics Studies Society's annual conference. He has a PhD in Theatre from Bowling Green State University, and has published in Sporting Performances: Politcs in Play, Theatre Journal, Theatre History Studies, New England Theatre Journal, Theatre Topics and Etudes. He has worked in professional and university theatres throughout the United States as a director, actor and dramatist. He has taught theatre, performance, comics and literature at Central Michigan University, Defiance College, Ohio Northern University and Bowling Green State University. He lives and works in the St. Louis area.

Mentioned
Kloie Leslie
Matthew Miller
John King
Rhyan Sollace

13. Sam DiSalvo: Somebody Needs to Hear This

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0800

13: Sam DiSalvo: Somebody Needs to Hear This
Sam DiSalvo and I chat celebrity sightings, lurking at standup gigs, posing as an Olson twin on AOL, cool-kid substacks, bar culture, and dealing with death in a wide-ranging fun and vulnerable conversation.

Follow:
IG: @samdisalvooo
Substack "honestly tho"
TikTok: @heyitssamfromschool

Creator's Challenge: Dance Alone
Put on headphones, pump the music, and dance in your room by yourself!

Bio & Intro
Sam DiSalvo is mostly a writer with actor and comedian tendencies. She's been featured in SF Sketchfest, San Diego Her Film Challenge, and So Say We All's VAMP. When she's not performing, she loves having existential conversations and baking.
Sam has appeared in national commercials and new works readings, has written for top companies and worked with A-List musicians, and writes my favorite substack newsletter, titled "honestly tho." Sam is based in LA, but if you happen to be in San Francisco on February first, she's performing in VAMP at Sketchfest at the Marsh theatre at 9:30pm.

Mentioned
VAMP of So Say We All
Farewell, PianoFight
Born Emo
national commercial for Rocket Money
Jake Arky, husband & Creator's Cafe episode #10 guest!
Greta Gerwig
Mike Birbiglia's comedy special
Talk Easy with Sam Fergoso
Olivia Rodgrigo
Snail Mail
Petey
Smiling: study results replicated
Amy Cuddy: Power Poses

12: Brian Jones: Creating the Space

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:00:00 -0800

I join my former professor Brian Jones for a special in-person episode live from the Artist's Hand Gallery and Espresso Bar in Indiana, PA.

Follow:

Artist's Hand Gallery
Sandglass Theater
When I put on your Glove

Creator's Challenge: Emerging Vision Board
Collect images that feel like you. Rip them into pieces and assemble on a vision board, not aiming for anything realistic. Then paint or draw the essence of what you have created.

Bio & Intro
Brian Jones is Scenic and lighting design professor and former department chair of theatre and dance at IUP, my undergrad. Brian has designed scenery and lighting for more than 200 productions across the nation, while holding a full teaching load. He’s my former professor!

Brian’s the Founding executive director of Footlight Players youth theatre program. And most relevant to this episode, Brian is the founding owner of The Artists hand gallery and espresso bar. At the time of this recording I am in town visiting my family for the holidays and stopped by to do my very first in person podcast episode from the artist's hand so you will hear espresso machines and all the activity of a working Cafe and gallery enjoy the soundscape as part of this episode.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Ed Simpson
Sandglass Theatre

Quote:

On Commitment, by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Until one is committed, there is always hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising to one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would come her way. Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

11. Olivia Stambouliah: Born to do This

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0800

Olivia Stambouliah and I discuss working with Michael Bay, Jane Campion, and on the Walking Dead, and how she brings her full spirit to her all her roles from blockbuster to sketch to art film.

Follow: Olivia on IG @oliviastambouliah | Olivia on IMDB

Dita von Teese: You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches.
Olivia: We're all creative in some way and it doesn't have to have a monetized outcome.
Olivia: Art should be uncomfortable, but it should be safe.

Creator's Challenge: Practice Cold Reading
Pick up any piece of text and read it out loud! The act of cold reading is a different muscle than internal reading that needs to be exercised

Bio & Intro
Olivia Stambouliah is an actor, producer, director, and educator. You may know her from AMC’s the Walking Dead. Or from Michael Bay’s blockbuster movie Ambulance, where she closed down LA and chased Jake Gyllenhaal from a helicopter! But she got her on screen start back in Australia, where she was in the movie The Silence and then starred as a core ensemble member in an SNL-style show: Ben Elton’s Live from Planet Earth. She’s played everything from a cavewoman to Madea, from Amy Winehouse to an arm-wrestling champion.

Mentioned
Ambulance
Michael Bay
Abby Bluestone
My Sister and I
Jane Campion
Paola Morabito
The Walking Dead
Eve Gordon
Kevin Carrol
Danai Gurira
Richard Cottrell
Live from Planet Earth

10. Jake Arky: Building Artistic Community

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0800

10. Jake Arky: Building Artistic Community
Jake Arky and I dig into acting villainous onstage but not in real life.

Follow:
@thejarky
Acting
Storytelling
So Say We All
Tiny Titan Productions
Femme Regard

Creator's Challenge: Garbage Free Write
Free write for 10 minutes, knowing most if not all is garbage - you are clearing the junk out of your head in a meditative process

Bio & Intro
My guest Jake Arky is an actor, writer, and producer. As an actor he recently appeared in the Bay Area production of Silent Sky along with commercial and film projects. Jake is the Co-founder of So Say We All, a non-profit dedicated to educating and producing storytelling events , which has flourished in San Diego for almost 15 years and is now adding shows in LA and San Francisco. Jake is an award-winning writer whose work has been published by SSWA press.
Jake is a producing partner with Tiny Titan, where he executive produced the short film The Waiting Room. He is currently working as Executive Producer on the feature SYNC, from Femme Regard. Jake is a champion of artists and a master collaborator.

Silent Sky
Lauren Gunderson
Elena Wright
Jennifer LeBlanc
TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley
La Jolla Playhouse
Justin Hudnell
Jennifer Corley
SF Sketchfest
The Moth
Carolina Alvarez
Tessa Markle
Suhashini Krishnan

Thanks to Sam Griffith for the editing on this

9. Leonora Anzaldua: Lighting the Mystery

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0800

Leonora Anzaldua and I dive into how she uses the camera as a character in her cinematography, and how she brings dramatic dimension through lighting the darkness.

Follow: LeonoraMakesMovies.com
IG: LeonoraMakesMovies
IG: LeonoraMakesPhotos
IMDB

Creator's Challenge: Tell a story in a single picture
Communicate a message with just images

Bio & Intro
My guest Leonora Anzaldua is a filmmaker, photographer, and storyteller. She has worked on American Horror Story, shot documentaries across Asia, created many award-winning short films, and shot with AwesomenessTV and Skybound Entertainment. Leonora has worked with Barnes and Noble, All Saints, Ball is Life, Buzzfeed Branded, Fox Studios, and WNYC Studios.
Her works have screened at many festivals and earned her the Sun Cinematography award, along with a Student Emmy nomination. She creates stunning images through her work which combine deep character reflection with beautiful storytelling. is inspired by Renaissance painters, contemporary studio artists, and her own deep dive into cultural representation. Leonora is a passionate creator committed to amplifying underrepresented voices.

Mentioned
Ian Asbjørnsen
Caravaggio/Chiaroscuro
Gregory Crewdson
Latina Hollywood
Emily McGregor
Michael Goi

8B. Bonus Episode: Dr. Ben Samuel - Breaking Down AI Storytelling

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 22:00:00 -0800

Dr. Ben Samuel and I talk his performances on Hulu and Netflix, how he is crafting the future of storytelling by having AI and humans build worlds together.

Watch for 8B's bonus episode where we dive into the difference between styles of AI generation of and the shifts we need to keep AI storytelling a diverse and inclusive landscape.

Dr. Ben Samuel is an actor, improvisor, game designer and developer, and a recently tenured assistant professor of Computer Science at the University of New Orleans. As an actor, Ben starred in Hulu's first scripted series, "Battleground" where the New York Times said he was the best reason to watch the show. He was a breakout audience favorite in the reality show "Dating Around." The AP said he was adored and both The Times and Wired praise his likability and compare him to Danielle Radcliffe as "Harry Potter."

In his work as an interactive game designer, Ben is building the platorms that will shape the future of storytelling. His game Bad News is an AI social simulation blended with live improvised performance. He created the social physics engine Ensemble. His social simulation game Prom Week made Richard Evans, the AI lead of Sims 3s say the "characters in Prom Week are capable of doing things that Sims couldn't even dream of."

And his current project Bad News combines AI social simulation and world generation with live improvised interaction. His team has presented Bad News at SlamDance film Festival, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, toured it internationally, and they won the Audience Choice Award at Indicade Game Festival, one of the largest independent gaming festivals.

Follow:
IG: Progresspian
IMDB
LinkedIn
NY Times Article on him in Hulu's "Battleground"
Bad News game
"Dating Around" AP Interview
"Prom Week" game
Vespace
Comme il Faut
Expressive Intelligence Studio,
Ben's PhD advisors Michael Mateas and Noah Wardrip-Fruin

8. Dr. Ben Samuel: Sculpting the Possibility Space

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 22:00:00 -0800

Dr. Ben Samuel and I talk his performances on Hulu and Netflix, how he is crafting the future of storytelling by having AI and humans build worlds together.

Watch for 8B's bonus episode where we dive into the difference between styles of AI generation of and the shifts we need to keep AI storytelling a diverse and inclusive landscape.

Dr. Ben Samuel is an actor, improvisor, game designer and developer, and a recently tenured assistant professor of Computer Science at the University of New Orleans. As an actor, Ben starred in Hulu's first scripted series, "Battleground" where the New York Times said he was the best reason to watch the show. He was a breakout audience favorite in the reality show "Dating Around." The AP said he was adored and both The Times and Wired praise his likability and compare him to Danielle Radcliffe as "Harry Potter."

In his work as an interactive game designer, Ben is building the platorms that will shape the future of storytelling. His game Bad News is an AI social simulation blended with live improvised performance. He created the social physics engine Ensemble. His social simulation game Prom Week made Richard Evans, the AI lead of Sims 3s say the "characters in Prom Week are capable of doing things that Sims couldn't even dream of."

And his current project Bad News combines AI social simulation and world generation with live improvised interaction. His team has presented Bad News at SlamDance film Festival, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, toured it internationally, and they won the Audience Choice Award at Indicade Game Festival, one of the largest independent gaming festivals.

Follow:
IG: @Progresspian | IMDB | LinkedIn
NY Times Article on him in Hulu's "Battleground"
Bad News game
"Dating Around" AP Interview
"Prom Week" game
Vespace
Comme il Faut
Expressive Intelligence Studio,
Ben's PhD advisors Michael Mateas and Noah Wardrip-Fruin
Creator's Ch

7. Kaylee Hawley: Don't Be Afraid of a Bad Drawing

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

Description:
Kaylee Hawley and I chat finding your style while following your bliss and making preschoolers defend their art on gallery walks!

Follow Kaylee:
IG: @kayleehawley
IG: @ducks_ina_row
Website: www.kayleehawley.com
Ducks in a Row store
Agency: Radish House
Melrose Trading Place on Sundays
School: El Sol Academy
Blue Sky Academy of Art

Creator's Challenge: Draw from Observation
Go to a coffee shop or public place; be present and aware of the beauty around you. Collect visual images.

Quote:
"Don't be afraid of a bad drawing. - Kaylee Hawley
"You'll live a happy life if every day you create something, you learn something, and do something physically."
"It's better to say 'oh well' than 'what if'."

Bio:
My guest Kaylee Hawley is an Illustrator and Art Teacher. She's represented by Radish House Agency where she's working on multiple projects including two children's books. She’s illustrating them as we speak! She is also working on her brand Ducks in a Row whose mission is to create and sell products based on organization, creativity, and positivity.

Kaylee is an elementary and middle school art teacher (I wish I was so lucky to have had her!) She works with artists and El Sol Science and Arts Academy and at Blue Sky Academy of Art. She is a positive force of nature to be reckoned with and her illustrations are beautiful and uplifting. I encourage you to check them out, especially if you have young artists or Elementary or Middle School teachers in your life.

Mentioned:
Luca Malacrino (Kaylee's husband)
Pasadena Arts College
Kyle Payne (Jessica's husband) @therealkylepayne
"Luca Magoo Don't Eat the Glue"
California State University, Fullerton
Sophie McPike

Tools:
ProCreate
https://www.adobe.com/ng/products/fresco.htmlAdobe

6. Levi Petree: Sing Your Heart Out

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

6. Levi Petree: Sing Your Heart Out
Levi Petree and I chat Cajun roots and picking up a dream later than you'd expect. We dig into how he brought me joy after heartbreak and how he's walking the same road himself.

Follow:
levistpetree
radiopublicapresents
LeviPetree.com
IMDB

Acting Reel
Music Reel

Creator's Challenge:
Come up with two melodies; a verse and a chorus that you can sing around the house and record it.

Bio & Intro
Levi Petree is an actor, musician and writer. He was born on the bayou in Lafayette, LA and his Cajun roots shine through all his work.
He's a formally trained actor with Steppenwolf street cred. In LA, he has worked in film, tv, commercials, industrials, narrative audio, theatre, and live events.
He's also a rocker who writes incredibly fun songs with influences ranging from rock and country to new wave and British Punk. He and his band, The Radio Publica always incites some raucus dancing, and have an album sarcastically titled "It's Country."
I've seen Levi perform classic rock in a Vegas Casino, a ballad over gun violence on the Sunset Strip, Cajun country at a Hootenany, and as a vampire in downtown LA, and somehow they all completely work.
I'm delighted to introduce you to this exhuberant artist and human who I put in my work whenever I can, Levi Petree!

Mentioned
Deanna Bedoya
Joanne at Rage Talent
Sarah Jessica "SJ" Rhodes Smith
Jacob Smith
Band: Radio Publica
Sean Novak
Chad McKinsey
"Rusty" Ryan Dean Porter
Jeff Ginsburg (taught at Columbia)
Sheldon Pitinkin (Columbia, Steppenwolf, 2nd City)
Monica Payne (Meisner Teacher)
Amy Morton (Meisner Teacher)
Sally Reed - actor from Scotland

Meisner Technique
Steppenwolf Theatre

5. Emily McGregor: Don't Not Film the Joke

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0700

In this fun conversation, Emily McGregor confesses what she's afraid of (truly scary), why she doesn't get writer's block, and and how she's learning a new style of leadership. Come along for a snappy and fun ride!

Content warning: Lots of joyful swearing

Follow Emily
IG: @emcgree
Director's Reel on Vimeo
IMDB
Website
PenguinCat Creative

Quotes
"Don't Not Film the Joke"
"Funny = Good"

Creator's Challenge: Film the Joke.
Write a joke and film it. Don't not film the joke!

Bio & Intro
My guest, Emily McGregor, is a writer, director and CEO. She runs Penguin Cat Creative, where she writes incredible marketing copy. Before that, she co-founded Cosmo Diva, where they used female driven comedy to develop branded campaigns, sketches and web series that garnered over 12 million views. Emily's work has been featured all over, including CNN, Wired, Jezebel, Adweek, BuzzFeed, just to name a few.
Emily has developed branded content for Pepsi, Google, Netflix and other huge companies, and she has sold a script to Amazon. And her work writing and directing is featured on Amazon Prime in the anthology "Edge of Her Mind". Emily is winning award after award most recently for her script, "The Tabby" she co-wrote with her husband Sam Weller. And they have a feature film that she is slated to direct that is already financed.

4. Kyle deTarnowsky: The Validity Comes from Yourself

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 22:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Kyle deTarnowsky and I talk about how music is like baking and how important it is to find joy of expression without getting stuck on how "good" you are, though he's secretly quite good.

Quotes:
"If you express yourself in any way through music; you're a musician."

Creator's Challenge: Music Meets Movement
Connect with something deeper than yourself. Take a phrase of music that you connect with emotionally and physically connect to it. Sing it. Play it on the piano. Dance it.

Stay in touch:
@kyledetmusic
@piano_barre
Kyle on IMDB

Mentioned:
"Murder She Wrote" project with collaborators
Erin Fagundes and Courtney Potter
inspired by original Music by John Addison

Bio:
Musician: composer, arranger, orchestrator, music director, instrumentalist (piano, woodwinds)
My guest, Kyle deTarnowsky, is a musician of all kinds. He's a composer, arranger, orchestrator, music director and instrumentalist. Kyle has worked on music that has been featured on TV shows such as Lost Nashville, the Academy Awards, and such delightful titles as Cats and Dogs, The Revenge of Kitty Galore and Go West Happy Cow. Also the Academy Awards.
If you missed that part. He's a music director and plays for cabarets and music theater shows all around Los Angeles. He's a talented composer who works regularly in short films, and I was lucky enough to have him compose the Creator's Cafe theme music when he's not in rehearsal or teaching at one of the two colleges he teaches at.
Kyle can be found composing his original musical on "Murder, She Wrote" based on the Angela Lansbury TV series. He is as delightful as his projects make him sound.

3. Alex Rose Wiesel: Acting Authentically - Sexy Sausages and Neck Flashlights

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Alex Rose Wiesel examines the psychology of owning a career full of progress and success. She is an advocate for self-directed creative power and inspires me to take a strong point of view.

Follow Alex:
Alex Rose Wiesel IMDB Reel
@alexrose720
Alex's LinkTree

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Follow Jessica:
More info and resources at | www.kikalabs.com
Follow the Show | @creatorscafebykikalabs
Facebook Group | Creator's Cafe by Kika Labs

Alex's Quotes:
"The catalyst for creation for me is a point of view."
On getting representation: "You don't have to force a spark with someone who is not your energy."
Tactic: Create a Google Doc - "Who do I know that could help my representation?"

Creator's Challenge:
A Different Point of View with Alex Rose Wiesel
Take a portion of a piece of work you've made (or a monologue, song, paragraph, scene, dance phrase, piece of art, etc.) and recreate it with a drastically different point of view."
#creatorscafechallenge #cccAlexRose

Mentioned:
Improv Olympics (IO) - Cofounder of Pumps
USC
AMDA College of the Performing Arts
Living Living Donor - UPMC
Easy Red for Anywhere Tools Neck flashlight on QVC

Bio:
My guest, Alex Rose Wiesel is an actor, educator, improviser, and host. You might have seen her on shows such as So Random, Heart of Dixie, Two and a Half Men, House of Lies, and Dexter. Her theatre credits span from Les Miserables to Lucky Stiff and from Disney musicals to Scooby Doo. Alex is a founding member of the first all female main stage improv t

2. Nicholas James Connell: Exuding Pop Comedy Positivity

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 19:00:00 -0700

Host Jessica Payne of Kika Labs breaks down the subtle and the sublime of the creative process with inspiring artists at the Creator's Cafe.

In this episode, Nicholas James Connell breaks down his love of all things pop comedy along with navigating the wild success of his Off-Broadway hit Titanique, piano bars and viral YouTube creations.

Follow Nicholas:
IG | @nicholasconnell
YouTube | @NicholasConnell
SoundCloud | Nicholas Connell
Titanique | TitaniqueMusical.com

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

Quotes from Nicholas's Papa:
"Never trouble trouble 'till trouble troubles you"
"The harder I work the luckier I get"

Challenge | Take your favorite song or most inspiring piece of art and take a small chunk of it ( a chorus or a scene) and write a sequel or your version of it - #creatorscafechallenge #cccnicholas

Content Warning | Brief mention of suicide

Next project | Mannie with Wendy Rosoff and Tom DeTrinis
Titanique Producer | Eva Price of Maximum Entertainment Productions
Arno Diem - YouTube Videography
Piano Bars

Programs

Bio | Singer/Songwriter/Arranger/Orchestrator/Conductor/Pianist/Actor
Nicholas Connell is a singer/songwriter who is passionate about bringing the joys of pop music to his audiences.
With a background composing and music directing starting at Berklee College of Music taking him from cruise lines to regional productions, he has worked on many excellent shows. He music directed pr

1. LaNisa Renee Frederick - Taking Up Space and Learning Who You Are

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 14:00:00 -0700

Creator's Cafe with Jessica Payne of Kika Labs
Episode 1: LaNisa Renee Frederick - Taking Up Space and Learning Who You Are
Actor/ Writer/ Content Creator/ Voiceover Artist and coach

In this episode, LaNisa Renee Frederick embraces her comedic rise through Hashtag Booked, TV, Film, and voiceover. She encourages us all to step out of our comfort zones to create a career we are excited about.

Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching
Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more here.

More info | www.kikalabs.com
Follow the Show | @creatorscafebykikalabs
Facebook Group | Creator's Cafe by Kika Labs

Lanisa | https://linktr.ee/lanisareneefrederick
@lanisafrederick
@hashtagbooked

Quotes from LaNisa:
Hone in on yourself. Listen to who you really are. Focus on what strengths you bring to the table.
It is never too late. It might be a little harder, but it's not too late.

Creator's Challenge: Document doing something outside of your creative comfort zone and tag @creatorscafebykikalabs

Hashtag Booked | www.hashtagbooked.com
Coaching/Studios | LaNisa - Business of Voice Over

Bio
My guest Lanisa Renee Frederick is a successful Actor/ Writer/ Content Creator/ Voiceover Artist and coach.
You can see her across TV and film, where she is currently featured on Snake Oil and voices the teacher Mrs. Slothworth on the hit TV show interrupting chicken. She was featured in a LA Times column about the future of Black Hollywood .
LaNisa trained at the University of Essex, Chicago's Second City, the Victory Gardens Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Steppenwolf.
She's made us laugh on sitcoms such as Mom, Young Sheldon, A Black Lady Sketch Show, The Goldbergs, and Brooklyn 99 to name a few. And you've definitely seen her hold her own in national commercials with Kevin Hart, Mr. T, Amy Poehler, and Flo from Progressive.