
Into The Spotlight
By Morley Kert and Ryan O'Connor
We also have discussion episodes about a range of topics about creativity, where we share our experiences and personal perspectives.
If your creativity is a passionate hobby or a professional career, then this podcast is for you.
Hosted by Morley Kert and Ryan O'Connor.


Episode 30 - Outdoor Adventure Photographer: Evan Ruderman
Evan Ruderman is an outdoor photographer based on the central coast of California. He is a photo assistant for acclaimed adventure photographer Chris Burkard, and travels the world taking photos of surfers, climbers, cyclists and other athletes at the most breathtaking locations on Earth. We talk about Evan's photography journey, the value of working in teams, the experience of turning your passion into a career, preparing for once-in-a-lifetime photo shoots, his most memorable adventures and philosophies around photography.
Mentions:
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
Evan: Mike Dawsy
Ryan: Scriptnotes
Morley: Boris Ipsum
Where You Can Find Us:
Evan Ruderman:
- Instagram: @evanruderman
- Website: evanjruderman.com
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 29 - New Season, New Goals
A new season is here with new goals and potential! Morley and Ryan discuss the projects they've been working on, how they manage their time to create new projects, how they stay motivated, how their creative process has changed over time and how they maintain a fresh perspective.
Mentions:
- Tablo Creative
- Casey Neistat
- Van Neistat
- Jeen-Yuhs
- CLAMP
- Raymond Jacobs
- Jim Cummings
- The Beta Test
- David Sandberg
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
Ryan: Josh Rose
Morley: Nardwuar vs. Tyler The Creator (2022)
Where You Can Find Us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 28 - Ideas
This week, Morley and Ryan discuss ideas! - How they find us, what makes them compelling, how they change over the course of a project, how we put ourselves in the mindset to be inspired, creating inspirational settings, situations, and our strategies for tracking ideas over time.
Mentions:
- CLAMP - The Creating, Living, and Making Projects Podcast
- David Lynch
- Van Neistat
- Sarah Giffin @ viv.jewelry
- Macbeth (2015 film)
- Paul Almond
- Gary Whitta
- C. Robert Cargill
- Snowpiercer (TV series)
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
Ryan: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Amy Sherman-Palladino
Morley: Just Kids by Patti Smith
Where You Can Find Us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 27 - Empathy Through Creativity with John Kuiphoff
John Kuiphoff returns for a second conversation on the podcast! John is a maker, teacher, content creator and has just launched an online course, Glowforge For Beginners. We discuss the future of content creation, learning more through building an online course than he did in grad school, what to do after you get all the tools you've ever wanted, accepting your limitations, asking for help, creative inspiration and more.
Mentions:
- Our first conversation with John
- WORKBENCHcon
- Make48
- Our conversation with Charlie Kert
- John's Glowforge course
- David Picciuto
- Casey Neistat
- Van Neistat
- Chronicle (film)
- Having a Purpose, Goal and Vision - Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Shop Class as Soulcraft (affiliate link)
- Won't You Be My Neighbour (documentary film)
- Jonny Builds - My $80,000 Mistake
- Rick Rubin: The Invisibility of Hip Hop's Greatest Producer
- Wintergatan
- Daniel Schiffer
- They'll Love Me When I'm Dead (documentary film)
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
John: This Old House Makers Channel
Ryan: The Matrix Resurrections
Where You Can Find Us:
John Kuiphoff:
- Glowforge For Beginners
- Youtube: John Kuiphoff
- Instagram: @johnkuiphoff
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 26 - Why Not Be Artists?
For the first episode of 2022, Morley and Ryan talk about how we adapt to changes in circumstances and expectations, thinking bigger, and embracing ourselves as multi-dimensional creators. We also explore dealing with constructive criticism, accepting the undefined nature of the creative path, and the importance of connecting with other creators for inspiration, collaborations and community.
Mentions:
- Morley's THINK BIGGER video
- Prefrontal cortex developed at age 25
- WTF with Marc Maron - Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio
- Jim Cummings
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Tablo Creative
- Van Neistat
- Casey Neistat
- iPod's Dirty Secret
- The Neistat Brothers (TV Series)
- Danocracy
- Rian Johnson
- Justin Oeffler @bearmaked
- Andy Pugh
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
Morley: Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed (affiliate link)
Ryan: GRAY KOTZÉ
Where You Can Find Us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 25 - The Art That Inspired Us Throughout 2021
To wrap up the year, Morley and Ryan talk about the top 10 things that broadened or changed our perspective about creativity in 2021:
Ryan:
- Independent Film & FIlmmakers (Jim Cummings, Richard Linklater, Chloe Zhao, Gus Van Sant, Quentin Tarantino, Debra Granik, Duplass Brothers, David F. Sandberg, Assem Kroma).
- Midnight Mass (Limited Series on Netflix, 2021).
- Folk Music & Musicians (Gregory Alan Isakov, Alexi Murdoch, Bob Dylan & more).
- Raymond Jacobs (American Photographer).
- Gone Home (Indie Game, 2013).
Morley:
- Rick Rubin: The Invisibility of Hip Hop's Greatest Producer by Soulr
- Les Stroud - Survivorman
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
- Andrew Szeto
- Switched on Pop
Mentions:
- Broken Record Podcast
- Casey Neistat
- Grant Alexander
- Adam Mackey
- The Danocracy
- Justin Mabie
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
Morley: Tai Verdes on Switched On Pop
Ryan: WTF with Marc Maron
Where You Can Find Us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 24 - Creative Check-In: New Projects, Goals, Growth, Vulnerability and Favourite Artwork of 2021
In this wide-ranging episode, Morley and Ryan catch up on what we've been up to over the last six months, the new perspectives we have learned in that time, and our plans for upcoming creative projects. We had a great talk about Ryan's new writing project on Medium, Morley's recent maker projects, and how we discover new ways to create, despite limited time and resources. We touch on the importance of being part of a creative community and connecting with other creators, while also reflecting on some of the notable artwork that have made an impression on us this year.
Mentions:
- Ryan’s article on Medium
- Justin Oeffler
- Zodiac (Film)
- Austin Saunders
- Casey Neistat
- Jimmy Diresta
- AGO
- Musée de la Gaspésie
- Raymond Jacobs
- Jim Cummings
- Gus Van Sant
- Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot (Film)
- LVRN Cypher
- Motorsport
- I’m done William Osman
- Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
- 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
What we're putting Into the Spotlight this week:
Morley:
Wingspan (Board Game)
Ryan:
The Narrative Art (YouTube Channel)
Where You Can Find Us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
- Medium: @ryan.oc
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 23 - Keeping it Interesting with Justin Oeffler - Bear Maked
After a brief hiatus, we're back with another amazing guest! Justin Oeffler is a maker, woodworker, and the video creator behind Bear Maked. Whether it's making a pen out of metal nuts, building a socially distanced Halloween candy cannon or cooking food in a Cricut mug press, Justin doesn't shy away from the new and different. In fact, it's a central part of his creative process. We had a fantastic conversation with Justin, and we're looking forward to putting out regular episodes again!
Mentions:
- Steve Ramsey
- I Like To Make Stuff
- David Picciuto
- Vincent Ferrari
- Austin Saunders
- Jacob Anguiano
- Justin's Shipwreck Box
- Jimmy Diresta
- Evan and Katelyn
- Just Might DIY
- Dean Duplantis
- Jeff Stein
- Marian Ward
- Ethan Carter
- WorkbenchCon
- Ben Niemann
- Spring Make
- Laura Kampf
- David Szweduik
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley:
Ryan:
Justin:
Where you can find us:
Justin Oeffler:
- Instagram: @bearmaked
- YouTube: Bear Maked
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @RyanOConnorCA
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 22 - A Wild Ride with Vincent Ferrari
Vincent Ferrari is a woodworker, maker, entrepreneur, and co-host of Because We Make - a podcast about "making, creativity, and why we do what we do as makers and creatives". Just as he was getting his business off the ground, Vincent was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and found out that he would have to undergo aggressive chemotherapy. However, the battle with cancer only made him stronger, and after beating the cancer altogether, Vincent is reaching new heights. We had a fantastic time talking to Vincent, and we hope you enjoy this conversation about Vincent's story, resiliency, flow states, the creative process and much more.
Mentions:
- Steve Ramsey
- Jimmy Diresta
- Evan and Katelyn
- I Like To Make Stuff
- Ethan Carter
- Keith Decent
- Austin Saunders @highcalibercraftsmanbuilds
- Jason Stapleton
- Todoist
- Milanote
- Giaco Whatever
- The Neistat Brothers
- Tom Sachs
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley:
- Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach (affiliate link)
Ryan:
Vincent:
Where you can find us:
Vincent Ferrari:
- Instagram: @handmadebyvincentferrari
- Podcast: https://www.becausewemake.com/
- Website: https://www.vincentmferrari.com/
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 21 - Painting From The Heart with Stephanie Bond
Stephanie Bond is a multi-talented painter and artist, whose beautiful artwork consists of sweeping landscapes, wildlife, and historic seaside scenes of the Gaspé coast. Her imagery evokes themes of nature, memory, and the significance of home. With well over 100 paintings completed and many more on the way, she hopes to represent and promote this unique region of Canada to those within the community and those who live well beyond it.
Mentions:
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley:
Ryan
Where you can find us:
Stephanie Bond:
- Facebook: Stephanie Bond Art
- Art website: https://bondsteph.wixsite.com/stephaniebond
- YouTube: Stephanie Bond Art
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 20 - ViV Jewelry with Sarah Giffin
Sarah Giffin is the artist, designer, and jewelry maker behind ViV Jewelry. In 2019, Sarah started making jewelry as a way to escape the stress of university. Before long, she was enamoured with making colourful, unique pieces out of polymer clay, and two years later, she has built ViV into a successful, full-time business. In our twentieth episode, we discuss Sarah's journey to starting ViV Jewelry, her creative process, how she uses content creation to promote her art, and how we all continue to find inspiration for our own projects.
Mentions:
- Vincent Ferrari
- Arts Market
- OCAD University
- Polymer clay
- Procreate
- Artscape
- 80/20 Principle
- It is estimated that Charles Dickens walked 12 miles per day
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Sarah
- Her brother Cole
- The space you live and work in
Morley:
- Tanner Gooding @UrbanGentlemanPhotography
Ryan
Where you can find us:
Sarah Giffin:
- Instagram: @viv.jewelry
- YouTube: ViV Jewelry
- TikTok: @vivjewelry
- https://vivjewelry.ca/
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 19 - Charcuterie & Chocolate with Chef Chris Parnell
Chris Parnell is a personal chef and entrepreneur based in Golden, British Columbia. From a young age, Chris knew that his passion was cooking. He has over 12 years of professional cooking experience, which includes The Fat Duck in London (a three Michelin starred restaurant) as well as backcountry lodges across the Canadian Rockies. In addition to his personal chef work, Chris is the co-founder of Dogtooth Chocolate, which will be launching later this year. We hope you enjoy this great conversation about Chris's story, passion and adaptation, the professional cooking world, entrepreneurship and the two-sided coin of social media.
Mentions
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Chris:
Morley:
Ryan
Where you can find us:
Chris Parnell:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 18 - Kevin Raposo: The Speedy Photographer
Kevin Raposo is a photographer, video producer, entrepreneur and educator with over a decade of experience shooting concerts, corporate events, sports, real estate and more. After earning his Masters in Media Production from Ryerson University, he went on to start Speedy Photographer - an online photography school. In this episode, we dive into Kevin's story, his experience working as a freelance photographer, his philosophy as an educator, the future of photography and the sometimes controversial culture surrounding the craft. We had a blast recording this episode and we hope you enjoy!
Mentions
- Assem Kroma
- Timebolt
- The Tim Ferriss Show
- The Pareto Principle
- Bill Cunningham
- Leigh Whannell
- Super 8
- Brad Mangin
- Unsane
- Peter Hurley
- Joel Grimes
- Riot Games on How I Built This
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Kevin:
Morley:
- Increasingly Personal Questions
- Josh Waitzkin and Tim Ferriss on The Cave Process, Advice from Future Selves, and Training for an Uncertain Future (#498)
Ryan
Where you can find us:
Kevin Raposo:
- Instagram: @kevinraposo, @speedyphotographer
- Youtube: Kevin Raposo
- speedyphotographer.com
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 17 - It Boils Down to Passion with Giaco Whatever
You might know him from the Maker Knife, the Kinetic Driver, or the Polycalendar. Maybe you've been watching his cinematic maker videos for years. No matter how you came across Giaco, one thing is clear - his passion, creativity and innovation shine through in everything that he does.
In this episode, we dive into Giaco's story, how years spent working in the Internet space created a need to make something he could touch, how he transitioned from creating viral videos to creating whatever he likes, his philosophies on content creation and product development, lessons learned from making YouTube videos, and the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Mentions:
- Jimmy Diresta
- EDM (Electrical discharge machining)
- Freddiew
- Corridor Digital
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt: How Craving Attention Makes You Less Creative
- Fake Famous (HBO)
- David Waelder
- Vlogging in the Past by Dan Mace
- Blinding Lights played with Bricks by Dan Mace
- Wintergatan
- Bike Lanes by Casey Neistat
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Giaco:
Ryan:
Morley:
Where you can find us:
Giaco:
- https://giaco.com/
- https://placedatoms.com/
- Youtube: Giaco Whatever
- Instagram: @giacowhatever
- Twitter: @giacowhatever
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 16 - Piece By Piece with Roxanne Brathwaite
Since 2018, Roxanne Brathwaite has been reimagining vintage furniture into one-off bespoke pieces through Hollis Newton, her furniture company. When the pandemic made it impossible to work in the upholstery shop, she looked into her past and revived a childhood passion - making miniatures. By combining this with her love of everything vintage, Roxanne has created a tasteful, cohesive and whimsical aesthetic that she shares through her Instagram page @SuiteCityWoman. Her work is now being featured in DesignTO, an art festival in Toronto, Canada.
Mentions:
- Andy Pugh
- Eames Lounge Chair
- Virginia Museum of Transportation
- Kamidana (miniature Shinto alters)
- Kent Monkman
- Jane Jacobs
- 30 DIY Upholstery Tools for the Beginner to Intermediate (blog post by Roxanne)
What we're putting in the spotlight:
Roxanne:
- Christine Tatilon @caartstudio
Ryan:
- Design Canada (Documentary, 2018)
Morley:
- A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace (affiliate link)
Where you can find us:
Roxanne Brathwaite:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight
- Youtube: Into The Spotlight

Episode 15 - Staying Curious with Kristen-Innes Stambolic
Kristen-Innes Stambolic is a video artist, animator and dancer. Trained in contemporary dance, Kristen's intimate knowledge of anatomy and movement shine through in her videos. This connection can truly be seen when she combines dance, rotoscoping and video effects to create videos that are nothing short of hypnotic, and with her organic animations that evoke movement and interaction. Kristen, Morley and Ryan create videos in three distinct styles, but a common love for the craft and shared creative struggles made this a fascinating conversation chock full of cross-pollination!
Mentions:
- Rotoscoping
- Riverdance (Theatrical show)
- John Kuiphoff
- manual transfers by Kristen-Innes Stambolic
- Isadora Troikatronix
- How I Built This with Guy Raz
- Bill Burr
- Doja Cat
- Canon (dance term)
- King's Dead music video
- Making of "King's Dead" music video
- Angels' Atlas (excerpt)
- Quibi
- Cat Stambolic
- CLAMP (Morley's other podcast)
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley:
- Loving Vincent (2017 film)
Ryan:
Kristen:
Where you can find us:
Kristen Stambolic:
- Instagram: @kristenstambolic
- Vimeo: Kristen-Innes Stambolic
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 14 - Knocked Out of Your Comfort Zone with Charlie Kert
Charlie Kert is an arts educator, musician, skateboarder, and the founder of Little Fingers Music - a Toronto-based music school. He has released multiple children's CDs, a progressive folk rock album, developed and performed in an interactive rock operetta for children, and was a sponsored, competitive skateboarder in the 1970s (and continues to tear it up on the halfpipe to this day!). While they might seem like totally separate pursuits, skateboarding is a central source of inspiration for Charlie's songwriting, teaching and creative philosophy.
Intro: Shake yer Shakers by Charlie Kert
Outro: Breathe by Charlie Kert
Mentions:
- Z-Boys
- Come From Away
- The Road
- Midnight in Paris
- Before trilogy
- Dogtown and Z-Boys
- Tom Sims
- Wee Willi Winkels
- Lonnie Toft
- Jeff Grosso
- Jay Adams
- Alan Gelfand
- Sébastien Foucan
- David Belle
- George Miller
- Russell Broom
- 4'33" by John Cage
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Charlie:
- Creative solutions
Morley:
Ryan:
Where you can find us:
Charlie Kert:
- littlefingersmusic.com
- Instagram: @LittleFingersMusicTO
- Facebook: Little Fingers Music
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 13 - The Visual Languages of Filmmaking and YouTube
This week, Morley and Ryan compare their approaches to creating YouTube videos versus creating films. This wide-ranging conversation covers editing techniques, cinematography, camerawork that has its roots in cinema but has been adopted by YouTubers, project scale, narrative structure, "hooking" in the viewer, creating and relieving tension with builds and payoffs, judging one's work, creative development and how each medium can learn from the other.
Mentions:
- Seven Up! (Documentary series)
- Icarus (2017 film)
- Serial (podcast)
- The Social Dilemma (2020 docudrama)
- ElleOfTheMills
- TikTok mansions during pandemic: whY *i made a map*
- Whip pan
- Nintendo Switch on an Airplane (Casey Neistat whip pan video)
- Jump cut
- Match cut
- The Big Short (2015 film)
- The Boys (2019 TV Series)
- Rotoscoping
- Waking Life (2001 film)
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley:
Ryan:
Where you can find us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 12 - The Awesome Journey of Assem Kroma
Assem Kroma is a storyteller, filmmaker, actor, teacher and researcher in the fields of new media, interactive and transmedia storytelling as well as virtual and augmented reality. He is using experimental filmmaking to explore new ways of creating connections with audiences, with techniques such as 360 degree video, robotics and extended reality (XR). We had a wonderful, wide ranging discussion with Assem about his story, the importance of being flexible and open to opportunities, accepting imperfections, creative development and much more.
Mentions:
- Extended Reality (XR)
- Nokia OZO (360-degree camera)
- Imagineering
- Jean Baudrillard on Disneyland
- Before trilogy Richard Linklater
- Ethan Hawke on Off Camera
- Donnie Darko
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Assem: The creative outlook of children
Morley: It's Such a Beautiful Day (film)
Ryan: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Where you can find us:
Assem Kroma:
- Website: https://www.assemkroma.com/
- Instagram: @AssemKroma
- Twitter: @AssemKroma
- YouTube: Assem Kroma
- Facebook: facebook.com/awesomekroma
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 11 - Maker from The Tinkerage with Andy Pugh
Andy Pugh is a lifelong maker, creative and teacher. He is a one of the most supportive voices in the maker community, and seems to connect just about every maker across the globe.
We had a great conversation with Andy about his story, how he found the maker community, the maker movement, creativity, art, why we make and so much more. Enjoy!
Mentions:
- Lovespoons
- Jimmy Diresta
- The Repair Shop
- Al's hack shack
- Bob Clagett
- David Picciuto
- Make It Soph
- Andy Birkey
- Jenni Swiss
- Laura Kampf
- April Wilkerson
- Jamie Reader
- Duncan Band
- Joe Garnett
- Brett McAfee @skullandspade13
- Steve House
- The Forge
- Alex Pole
- Justin White @GarageAvenger
- Yuval Noah Harari
- Because We Make
- Welcome to Nightvale
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Andy:
- Stephanie @UncommonOutpost
- Billie Ruben
- Zack Freedman
Morley:
Ryan:
Where you can find us:
Andy Pugh:
- Instagram: @andycpugh, @awelshmanskitchen, @thoughtsfromthetinkerage
- Podcast: Thoughts From the Tinkerage
- YouTube: Tales from the Tinkerage
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 10 - Creating in Their Space with Cathy Kert
For this very special 10th episode, Morley and Ryan are joined by Cathy Kert - a talented interior designer who also happens to be Morley's mom! With over 20 years of experience, Cathy has built her business from the ground up, and is now one of the most highly sought-after designers on Cape Cod. We dive into her decision to change careers, how she works with clients to design their most intimate spaces, her process of building a successful business, things she wish she knew when she started, her design philosophies, and simple steps anyone can take to make their space more comfortable and beautiful.
Mentions:
- Aging in place
- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
- Gaspe, QC
- Viktor Frankl on searching for meaning: Quote 1 and Quote 2
- Ben Niemann @MakeForLifeWorkshop
- Alex Blumberg (host of Startup, co-founder of Gimlet Media)
- This American Life
- Serial
- How I Built This
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
- Cathy: Tonight, go out and look at the sunset. Take note of the colors and the beauty, and try to remember it. Then, tomorrow or next week, find a physical object that brings those colors together, and bring that item into your living space to remind you of that sunset.
- Morley: Startup podcast by Gimlet Media
- Ryan: Off Camera with Sam Jones
Where you can find us:
Cathy:
- Website: cathykertinteriors.com
- Instagram: @cathykertinteriors
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 9 - Shifting Perspectives with Jeremie Warshafsky
This week, Morley and Ryan are joined by Jeremie Warshafsky - a visual artist and architecture photographer based in Toronto, Canada. Jeremie captures the built environment from a unique perspective, and his professional portfolio evokes the sensation of exploring a building for the first time. His personal work is a fascinating combination of rarely-seen perspectives, aerial photography and collages. Jeremie is an inspiration for anyone who wants to turn their creative passion into a career.
Mentions:
- Mise-en-scène
- David Hockney's Joiners
- The Boys (2019 TV Series)
- Justin Vernon
- Morley and Ryan's collaboration video - Making a Leather Tripod Strap
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Jeremie: The City & the City by China Miéville
Ryan: Ghosts and Gravel Roads (short film, 2008)
Morley: i,i by Bon Iver
Where you can find us:
Jeremie Warshafsky:
- Website: jeremieaw.com
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 8 - Putting the Pieces Together with ChrispyD
This week, we are joined by Chris Dezurick, AKA ChrispyD. Chris is a talented young hip-hop artist who is making waves in the independent music landscape. At the time of this writing, Chris has over 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, with his top song coming in at over 2.5 million streams. In a world that is increasingly accessible to independent artists, yet in some ways, more challenging to navigate than ever before, Chris is finding success by focusing on the art and surrounding himself with other talented, motivated, positive people.
- Intro: because of the struggle by ChrispyD
- Outro: Exile by ChrispyD
Mentions:
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Chris:
- Everyone who's doing it and not getting recognized for it
Ryan:
Morley:
ChrispyD:
- Spotify
- Soundcloud
- Apple Music
- YouTube
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 7 - Invention, Imitation and Inspiration
This week, Morley and Ryan talk about finding a balance between skill building and creating original work. We also discuss the difference between imitation and inspiration, and developing the confidence to recognize and apply your inspirations without feeling like you're sacrificing your unique voice.
Mentions:
- Morley's Trail Mix Sheath
- CLAMP (Morley's other podcast)
- Casey Neistat
- Vincent Ferrari
- John Kuiphoff
- Tame Impala
- Kevin Smith
- Slacker
- The Taste Gap - Ira Glass
- Stephen King Says Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ Is “Like A Big, Beautiful Cadillac With No Engine Inside It”
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rian Johnson on Creative Processing
- Brick
- Dave Culligan
- Side by Side (2012)
- Flatbush Zombies
- Little King Goods
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
- Morley: How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan
- Ryan: Christopher Nolan
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 6 - How The Pandemic Has Impacted Our Creativity
This week, Morley and Ryan discuss how the past 5 months of living in a pandemic has affected our creativity, shifted our perspectives, brought clarity and created unexpected opportunities.
Mentions:
- John Kuiphoff
- CLAMP (Morley's other podcast)
- Kevin Smith
- Bon Iver
- Because We Make - Enlighten Us Challenge
- Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
- F. Scott Fizgerald
- The Lean Startup
- Agile
- Clerks
- All Gas No Brakes
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
- Morley: Alli Royce Soble - @HouseofSobolovitz and @Roycetakespics
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 5 - Unconventional Creatives: Stacie DaPonte and Sandra Rizkalla of Tablo Creative
This week, we are joined by Stacie DaPonte and Sandra Rizkalla - cofounders of Tablo Creative, a full-service creative agency in Toronto, Ontario.
Stacie and Sandra help brands tell their story through content creation, creative branding, web design & development and digital marketing.
Stacie and Sandra are the epitome of a complimentary duo. Though they have started their business at one of the most uncertain times in modern history, they have been able to stay agile, adapt, and develop relationships with great clients that reflect their values.
Mentions:
Dexter McQueen and article by Tablo
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Ryan: Mad Men
Morley: The Passion Economy by Adam Davidson
Sandra: Stephen Pressfield
Stacie: Michael Brooks
Where you can find us:
Tablo Creative:
- Instagram: @tablocreative
- Website: https://tablocreative.com/
- The Unconventional Creatives Facebook Group
- Twitter: @tablocreative
- YouTube: Tablo Unconventional Creatives
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 4 - A Bunch of Happy Accidents with Olivia Guselle
This week, we are joined be Olivia Guselle - a multi-talented musician, singer, and songwriter from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Olivia sings across a variety of musical genres, has participated in multiple concerts, musicals, and other music shows across Canada! She talently plays the ukulele, drums, guitar, piano and many other musical instruments.
She is currently a student at the University of Toronto where she is studying for a Bachelor’s of Music in Performance.
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
- Morley: Vulfpeck live at Madison Square Garden
- Ryan: Jordan Duguay (singer and musician)
- Olivia: The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer
Where you can find us:
Olivia Guselle:
- Instagram: @gusellout
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 3 - We're Just Getting Started! with John Kuiphoff
This week, we are joined by John Kuiphoff - maker, designer, woodworker, teacher, coder, video creator, and a guy who is generally difficult to put into a box!
The best way to sum up John is in his own words: "I make stuff with computers and glue."
John's work is a unique marriage of woodworking, creative coding, technology, teaching and data visualization. His passion is contagious and we are so excited to see what he does next. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
John: Wintergatan and his marble machines
Morley: Articles of Interest by Avery Trufelman - a 99% Invisible miniseries
Ryan: Townsends
Where you can find us:
John Kuiphoff:
- Instagram: @JohnKuiphoff
- YouTube: John Kuiphoff
- Website: johnkuiphoff.com
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
- Twitter: @ryanoconnor08
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 2 - Expressing Through Interaction with Luis Regalado
This week, we are joined by Luis Regalado - a talented 3D artist, designer and musician who is starting his career in the video game industry. Luis's work spans across a dynamic range of practices such as character modelling, rigging, animation, environment modelling, and shredding on the guitar!
Mentions:
Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino by The Arctic Monkeys
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley: Mirror's Edge
Ryan: Journey
Luis: Aspic
Where you can find us:
Luis Regalado:
- Instagram: @Luis.regalado16
- Portfolio website
- Youtube: LFRegalado 16
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 1: It Matters How You Show Up - with Julia McGillicuddy
This week, we are joined by the talented and multifaceted Julia McGillicuddy - artist, designer and a recent graduate of Parsons School of Design.
Julia creates across a wide range of themes, visual art and media. This includes Workmens Denim - her personal line of hand painted, one-of-a-kind custom made denim clothing and Equal Fans - a platform and online community for female football fans that challenges the "male, pale and sometimes stale state of modern football culture."
What we're putting in the spotlight this week:
Morley: 8:46 by Dave Chappelle
Julia: Remedy Studios by Emily Noelle Morabito
Where you can find us:
Julia McGillicuddy:
- Instagram: @jmac25
- Workmens Denim
- Equal Fans - Instagram and Website
- Personal Website
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight

Episode 0: A Spotlight on Creativity
Hello and welcome to Into The Spotlight, a podcast about bringing creative people and the creative process... you guessed it, into the spotlight!
In this inaugural episode, we talk about how we met through Ryan's documentary on content creators, reminisce on the origins of the podcast, and take turns interviewing each other!
This was a really fun conversation to kick off the podcast, and we hope you join us for the ride!
Thanks for listening :)
Mentions:
- The Birth of a Tool. Part III. Damascus steel knife making (by Northmen)
- Vincent Ferrari - Because We Make Podcast
- Andy Pugh
- La La Land
Who we're putting in the spotlight this week:
- Patrick Swanson - musician and artist. Huge shoutout to Pat for creating the theme music for Into the Spotlight!
- Reaching My Hand Out to Touch the Sun
- Autumn Dewilde - Director and photographer
- EMMA.
Where you can find us:
Ryan O'Connor:
- Instagram: @ry.oconnor
Morley Kert:
- Instagram: @morleykert
- YouTube: Morley Kert
- Website: morleykert.com
Collectively:
- Instagram: @intothespotlightpodcast
- Twitter: @into_spotlight