Behind the Visual with Mark Hanson

How did a Burlesque show lead to Monica Zaffaron becoming a producer? In this episode we hear how the woman responsible for Trybe Production Collective started off as a dancer, model and actor and made a living at it for four years in Europe as well as some time in America. She talks about what it was like being on German TV, touring Germany as a singer in a band, and the time she faked played bongos for a tv appearance where a very popular American actress sang on a German TV show. We also discuss a shoot she had with Elton John and Dua Lipa, her favorite thing about this business and her advice for new producers, or literally anyone in this industry.

There are a lot of great stories in this episode and great information for anyone who wants to be a producer.

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Until very recently Julie was the Managing Art Producer at Havas in NYC, so she has a lot of wonderful stories! We talk about her time in Italy where she was taken to a room with no windows and questioned as she was trying to fly out of the country, her favorite shoot which was for Jaguar, producing her first big shoot for Volvo with basically no help or experience. We chat about how she grew up knowing she wanted to be in advertising and what she did to make that happen. Julie also discusses how she finds photographers for shoots and what needs to happen for her to put a photographer in the mix for a shoot and we discuss a few of the celebs she has met along the way. There are a lot of great stories in this episode and great information for anyone who wants to be an art producer and for photographers

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Courtney tells us how she created the successful production studio Salt Paper Studio and the meaning behind the name. We discuss one of the coolest things to happen to her, which involves Adobe, what unusual thing would be in the rider of her contract (I stole this question from my friend who does the Rocker Dog Podcast – Go listen to it). We also talk about how she finds new clients, what new service they are going to start offering next year and how she got from Delaware down to the Carolinas. I had a lot of fun talking with Courtney and I think you will really enjoy this episode.

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Nina started out in her early teens as a booker for punk rock bands, so she always had the spirit of a producer and entrepreneur. In this episode we talk about the model with no shoes, none at all! We also discuss how she started as a photo studio manager which led to her eventually starting her own production business. There are stories of difficult shoots, one involves large fires in the Pacific Northwest, favorite shoots, shoots with kids and babies, dream clients and much more! 

I know you will love hearing these stories and can probably relate to more than one situation!

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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There are so many good things on this podcast, I don’t know if I can list them all here. Mike talks about the time he was in Italy and a 10-foot wall of dirt magically appeared overnight in front of the photo-shoot location and what they had to do to have it removed so they could shoot. We discuss how his career path went from going to Seminary school to almost becoming a history teacher to ending up as an art producer at Leo Burnett, working on many of the Iconic Marlboro Country ads, including one in Paris, the famous photographers he has worked with including Herb Ritts, Annie Leibowitz and many more. There is also the story of the famous actor that hung up on Mike as soon as they heard his name and how he handled that, his advice to new photographers and art producers and so, so much more. I know you’re going to love this one.

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Alessandra and I talk about the time she thought a famous musician was going to blackball her for something she did. We also talk a lot about travel and cool places to travel, including the country that really surprised her and made her almost move there. We chat about her love of photography and how that has really served her well at Travel and Leisure.

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Liz and I talk a lot about AI on this episode and the positive and negatives of this new technology. She knows a lot about it and I was very interested in what she had to say. We also talk about a class she is starting for photographers, which I would love to take, what it’s like being self employed, are printed promos worth the time and money, and her great advice for any artist!

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Sarah has some great stories, everything from a multi-day shoot for a schizophrenia drug that took place in the abandoned wing of a working, possibly haunted, mental hospital, to her dream project (listen to find out what that is), her favorite project so far, which involved Ebola, and the story of the dancing toe mascot that was for a nail fungus drug!

I know you are going to enjoy this episode and these great stories!

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Ashley is a classically trained artist and a world traveler! In this episode we talk about the time she found herself on her own in Italy and ended up having a meeting at a café with two Advertising legends. We talk about her time at the Clio Awards and what were some of her favorite ads and projects including the Clio’s 60th anniversary video where advertising people became the subjects and were in front of the camera instead of behind it. We also discuss her current job as Art Supervisor at The Bloc and her time as a figure skating coach for the Special Olympics. This was a very fun chat and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

 So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Dwight left Virginia after college and drove to NYC with $20 in his pocket and by the time he got to Manhattan, he owed New York $17! He then went on to assist some of the top photographers in the world like Mary Ellen Mark, Bert Stern, David LaChapelle and more before doing his own thing as a photographer and shooting for Seventeen, Marie Claire, etc. He even talks about one photographer who dressed in drag for a shoot and then went all over the East Village taking pictures and having Iggy Pop on set for a shoot ended with Dwight being fired! Dwight talks about why he left NYC and how he became a producer who had Walmart as his first client, hired a seven year old musician to compose a song for a commercial, the best advice he was ever given as a producer, and so much more. Dwight has some really great stories and I know you will be entertained! So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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In this episode Ken and I discuss what he's been up to since we last spoke, which was during Covid lockdown. Ken has moved to a new city and state and has joined a new agency. We also discuss the good and bad of AI for photographers and what Ken thinks about source books. It was fun catching up with Ken and we had a great conversation. So check this one out and be sure to let me know what you think about it and like it, thumbs up it, follow, comment and everything else you can do :)

Erica Ptohos is the SVP, Group Creative Director for TBWA\World Health and she has some great advice and stories for you in this episode. Erica talks about shooting in an active mental institution and one project that really hit close to home for her. You will also hear her advice (Which is great advice) to anyone wanting to get into advertising and design, how she got into this whole career, why she thinks going to college at Hartford Art School before she went to Pratt Institute was a good idea and how she selects photographers for projects, plus a lot more.

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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We talk about everything in this episode as we catch up on the changes in Erada's life. Her new Design and Creative Production Agency, Shooting in NYC, being a photographer and the stereotypes that come with it, therapy, price of apartments, dating, and a lot more!

It's a really fun episode that I know could have lasted so much longer. Be sure to let me know what you think about this one and like it, thumbs up it, follow, comment and everything else you can do :)

Mary talks about working at Martha Stewart Living and not even knowing who Martha Stewart was when she took the job. We also discuss how she handled a client paying her invoice and then two months later, asking for part of the money back, due to no fault of Big Leo, what to look for if you’re looking for an agent, as well as what is expected from the artist she represents. There is a lot of information in this one for anyone who wants to be an agent or is looking for an agent. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Kelly can tell you what it’s like to almost have your head crushed by an elephant’s tusk! She tells us all about that story, which happened during her time working for Ringling Brothers. She will also chat about working with Disney on Ice, Wrangler, Lowe’s, Sealy, owning her own agency and a whole lot more. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Tony has done it all! We discuss a shoot where the talent had Secret Service protection, what it’s like to shoot with Mary J. Blige, multiple times, how to put together a 45-day shoot and what it really takes to be successful as an agent. We chat about times when your expense account was so large you could fly from NYC to San Francisco just for brunch, and many more interesting stories about working in Los Angeles and New York City. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Griselda left her home country of Mexico and came to NYC with only a dream and almost immediately landed a job with worldwide advertising agency TBWA. She has since worked with celebrities, traveled, for work, to other countries, secured Bacardi as a client and can tell you all about how to run social media at a major advertising agency. Griselda was a lot of fun to talk to and very enthusiastic, which is always fun for me. So go take a listen and let me know what you think. Be sure to Like it, Share, Subscribe and Comment!

Do you want to know what Will Smith is really like to work with? Brian tells you in this episode. We also discuss almost getting beat up by Ghost Face Killah, working with Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Wu Tang Clan, BeBe Winans, Randy Moss and a lot of other artists. We spend time talking about Culture wars, growing up, how some recording studios used to leak music, and a whole lot more. This was a great chat, that I know could have gone on much longer. Maybe we do a part 2?

Let me know what you think of this episode.

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This is a must listen/watch if want to hear some great stories about set decoration and propping for film and TV. Cindy has some amazing stories. We talk about the time she was shooting for a newspaper and wasn’t allowed on the infield of the Richmond NASCAR track because she had on shorts, but Cindy figured out a way to get some pants. You want believe what she did to get them. We also discuss how she got free blood bags for Homeland, 25 feet of books from the 1830’s to the 1870’s in less than 12 hours, a stuffed duck for a shoot, what she thinks of Unions and the possible strike, aging and breaking up a full sized plane for Walking Dead – World Beyond, and so, so much more! So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Listen to David talk about the time the licensing company he worked for turned down a video game that turned out to be a huge hit and a movie! We also talk about what David thinks every creative needs to be successful, his time working with Andrew Lloyd Weber, what it’s like to own and start a magazine that is distributed around the world, how he mentors black fashion designers and how, on occasion, his “accent” has helped him. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Ever had a 300 lb boulder crash your set? Katie has! We discuss what happened when this monster boulder rolled through her set heading straight for the photographer, camera and the car they were shooting. We also discuss shooting in a remote area with the client on zoom and you have to have a satellite truck on set so everyone can see what’s going on, our thoughts on the possible IATSE strike, Katie’s love of the entire Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise, a shoot for Lexus and a whole lot more. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Are you curious as to why the old lead singer left? Well, we discuss that in this latest episode, along with fan reactions to what was being said by the former lead singer leading up to the departure. We also talk about how Bad Wolves practices, different ways bands do their live shows, how to possibly get tickets to a sold-out concert. Let me know what you think about this one.

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What did Dee Ann have to do to the topless model pics for one of the Easy Rider magazines during the time she worked for their printing company? Listen and find out! Dee Ann gives you the answer to that plus, we talk about living on a boat, the difference between Art and Print Producers, what it takes to be a good print producer and how they help a production from making costly mistakes. We discuss really getting to know yourself and how her just saying ‘hello’ to a man, changed the path his life was on. Lots of great info and conversation in this episode. Let me know what you think about it.

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Have you ever been told to Rise, by Steven Tyler, backstage at the MTV Music Awards or had a Television Executive have a nose bleed while you’re pitching a new idea? Well, John can tell you how both of those things happened to him as well as what it’s like to be the Geico Caveman, a comedian, a writer and producer of TV and movies as well as an actor who is the star of the HULU series QuickDraw, which got a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. And those things are just the beginning of my conversation with John! Oh yeah, and check out his podcast, ‘Generation Gab’. So check out this episode and let me know what you think.

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Nate and I talk about a model who showed up on set missing something that was needed and no one knew ahead of time the model was missing it. They worked it out, but listen to hear what was missing. We also discuss Nate spending his High School years in Hong Kong and part of it, he was living on his own. We talk about the difficulties and rewards of doing something totally different in a very regulated industry, who he trusts to help him find directors and photographers, his love of building amps, both for guitars and hi-fi stereos, carving pumpkins, biking and his other hobbies. We also talk about traveling across the country and hiking the Appalachian Trail. So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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What happens when your car prep guy parks a car at the shoreline on a beach and leaves it there? Nothing good, and Chrissy can tell you all about what happened. She can also tell you about the Apple ‘Think Different’ and iMac campaigns, because she worked on them! We also discuss how she turned down a job at one of the biggest ad agencies in the country, but somehow still ended up working there a few months later. Guess which agency, she will tell you. Her first job was as Photo Editor at Entrepreneur magazine and it just gets better from there. So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Who has worked with the cast of The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Grey’s Anatomy, Amy Schumer, Stephen Colbert, and every other entertainer you can think of? Michele Romero, that’s who! In this episode we discuss being backstage at a Kiss concert and seeing an older woman bring Gene Simmons baked good. Can you guess who it was? We talk about working on covers with everyone of the cast members mentioned above, carrying Alice Cooper’s golf bag for him, before a shoot, being on set when something major happened with the band TLC, working with some of the biggest photographers in the world, concepting the amazing cover shoots for Entertainment Weekly and so much more! This is a must listen!

So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Muzam and I discuss, a certain Keeping up with the Kardashians star asking if she can take her clothes off, Martha Stewart planning here own funeral and letting everyone in on a secret they didn’t know about, first job as an intern at Glamour magazine was working on a cover shoot of Beyonce, He also shares a good story about working with John Legend before anyone knew who John Legend was. We also talk about his side passion, Ghost Hunting, what he had to do to get permission to use a green church in Hawaii as a location and a whole lot more!

So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Do you know Morris the Cat? Lisa does, and she know if he actually eats 9Lives cat food. Listen to find out the answer. Lisa and I also discuss what it takes to shoot on remote islands with a large crew, how a model getting a breast enhancement before a shoot and not telling anyone can cause havoc, how she was able to produce a shoot with a guy covered in bees, her approach to portfolio reviews and so much more!

So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Are you ready for some great stories? Well Wylie has them! We talk about shooting in Spain and recreating the running of the bulls for a campaign, her first ever shoot which was with Faye Dunaway, who the nicest celebrity she ever met was, why she had to call a photographer’s agent and have them calm the photographer down, what it was like going to the Olympics in Australia and so much more! This episode is full of amazing stories. You will not be disappointed.

So check this one out and let me know what you think. 

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I’m welcoming back Frank Maddocks on this episode to discuss the Deftones current albums ‘Ohms’ and how he, and they, came up with the album cover. We also discuss the Deftones brand of beer, NFTs, Frank’s sticker packs he trades and sales, his inclusion in ‘The Future Happens’ exhibit as well as a phone call he received from Madonna!

So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Have you seen the Tom Brady Hulu Ad, or the Baker Mayfield, Saquon Barkley deep fake Hulu ad, or the Taco Bell moon campaign? If you have, then you know some of Guto Araki’s work. Guto and I talk about all of these campaigns as well as how he started his own company at 19 and then was bought out and started working at an agency. We talk about him living in South Africa for a year at 15, going t Romania for a shoot and closing down a working train station and highway, plus his latest venture, Biite Club, which is a really great idea, if you like food. There are so many good stories in this episode, you don’t want to miss it!

So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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What do you do when the model misses her flight, doesn’t tell you until the morning of and doesn’t show up for the shoot? Carmen can tell you what she did. She can also tell you how to handle a stylist and assistant that get drunk the night after day 1 and sleep through their alarms and show up severely hung over! So, on top of those amazing stories, we also discuss how her dad had a big influence on helping to develop her artistic eye, her love of looking through stock photography, what it’s like growing up in the Black Hills and hanging out in Sturgis during biker week, why she didn’t become an elementary school teacher and her love of Seinfeld, plus so much more! I had a lot of fun talking with Carmen and I know you will enjoy this episode! So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Did you know that Facebook has Creative Directors, and at least one amazing Creative Director. If you didn’t know that, or even if you did, you should listen to this episode. Toby and I discuss the time she worked on the floor of the NY Stock Exchange, how she is partly responsible for the inclusion of plus/curvy models in a lot of what you see today. We also talk about a shoot she did with WestWorld star Evan Rachel Wood, Toby’s shoot that was a reimagining of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ where she used a photographer that was still in college (and it turned out great), plus how she uses Instagram to find photographers and a lot more! So check this one out and let me know what you think.

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Want to know what it’s like to work with Bad Bunny and Snoop Dogg and Zoe Saldana, Forest can tell you. He can also tell you about working with Rick Ross and having deep conversations with celebrity athletes. Forest tells us about the time he drove from Colorado to Atlanta, just for a job interview. Listen to find out if it was worth the drive. He also tells us a story he has never told before. We discuss his love of writing for McSweeney’s, who originally rejected him, many, many times. We also talk skateboarding, work from home and growing up in Pennsylvania. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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You want to know what a Diva, Hand Models can be? Listen to this episode with New York Times editor, Kim Gougenheim. Kim and I discuss, hand models, shooting on the set of Sesame Street, meeting and working with Elmo. We find out what Elmo can’t do, or is allowed to hold, we discuss her time at Rolling Stone magazine, working at O magazine and her first time meeting Oprah, which also included meeting Maya Angelou, working at Rachel Ray magazine and working with Rachel Ray, how they were able to continue shooting during CoVid lockdown and a bunch more interesting stories. So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Ryan talks about a dinner he had in London where a couple of famous artists, asked him to go out and party with them and then asked him to attend one of their showings. Find out who they were and what Ryan said to their invitations. We also discuss working at smaller agencies versus larger ones, the relationship between the art producer and the creative director, why he had to build a huge hamburger bun for a shoot one time, a last minute shoot in South Africa, why he keeps losing his wedding ring and what his wife thinks about it, and so much more! This was a fun one and I really enjoyed talking with Ryan. I know you’ll like this one!

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This is one of my most interesting episode, so definitely check this one out! Krystle and I talk about the time she played HORSE with Kobe Bryant and it wasn’t easy, for him! We discuss working on shoots with Kobe, LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, including which one always has to have tropical Skittles. We also discuss the past life regression therapy she does for people and she shares some stories of how that works and some incredible ways in which it can help with your current anxieties and fears.

This interview was VERY interesting and I know you guys are going to like it!

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Tim tells us about what it was like to work at McCann Advertising as his first job, how things go down in meetings where the agency is presenting Photographers and Directors to their clients. We also discuss the time he worked with Cindy Crawford, a voiceover he did with Gary Sinise and how nice he was, the MasterCard shoot he did for the World Cup that took him all over the world, why he moved south and a lot more.

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In this episode Nathan and I catch up on how his career has exploded since he moved to London and lockdown has ended. We discuss how he has been getting jobs, the benefits of constructive criticism, his shoots for Mimi London, and other companies, what it was like when each of us shot covers, that we were told not use in our portfolios. We also talk a little bit about the stories we have heard about some famous photographers and all kinds of other things. So check it out.

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Melissa talks about traveling with Super Model Claudia Schiffer, working with Tammy Faye Baker, renting tigers from The Tiger King, having a late-night meal at The Waffle House with Kristin Davis from Sex and the City as they traveled together, a suit emergency she had with Cam Newton, her favorite jobs, why she is called ‘Mamma Melvin’ and so, so much more!

Tune into this episode for some really great behind the scenes stories. And don’t forget to like, share, subscribe and comment!

Have you ever been on a shoot where an 18 wheeler overturned right on your set location, or a shoot that takes you all over the world, even to the top of a glacier, while dragging a large piece of furniture with you, or a 40 day, no days off car shoot? Elle has! Be sure and tune into this episode for some amazing stories from an amazing producer. And don't forget to like it, comment and subscribe!

Joel and I discuss the time he walked the red carpet and thought the paparazzi was going crazy taking his picture of him holding up his award and pumping his fist, only to find he wasn’t what they were going crazy over. But I know you will love this story and finding out what who, or what they were going crazy over. We also discuss his podcast ‘Meeting Tom Cruise’, what it’s like doing a table read with Jeff Daniels and working with Aaron Sorkin. We talk about what it’s like reading books for Audible, what a great guy Kevin Pollack is, and how if you book an appearance with Joel on Cameo, your money goes to benefit Covenant House. I had a lot of fun talking with Joel and I think you will love this episode.

Be sure to check this one out, like it, give it a thumbs up, comment and subscribe!

Milisava and I discuss the time a certain photographer had a model swinging naked from a chandelier (and it wasn't part of the shoot). We also discuss the shoot where they had a taxidermied cat for a shoot in a pool that also had a water aerobics class going and the hell and havoc that was caused, how she was just thrown into her first shoot with virtually no experience, developing an iPhone app, the difference between producing at an agency and producing as a production company and more, more, more! Be sure to check this one out, like it, give it a thumbs up, comment and subscribe!

In this episode Bryan and I discuss the celebrity who found out he had once had a crush on her and then proceeded to harass him about it for the next few days. We talk about what Jason Bateman is like as a director and how he handles someone screwing up on set. We also talk about Bryan’s most recent work on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, his time on Homeland, working on the film Lincoln, Stranger Things and Coming 2 America. There is a lot to talk about with Bryan and we didn’t even get to it all, so definitely check this one out!

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In this one Liz and I talk about one of her first shoots with a certain photographer who also happened to be casting for another shoot at the same time. He was casting Celebrity look alike drag queens at the same time he was shooting for her! We also discuss the time she had to be strip searched for a shoot, what she really wants from photographers and a whole  lot more.  

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Jim and I discuss why the band Pantera nicknamed him “Wild Jim”, the shoot he turned down that ended with a machete fight just off set, working with famed photographer David LaChappelle as he shot Jay-Z and Britney Spears, the time his team, men and women, were kicked out of a strip club, working at Island Record, Sony Music, Elektra Record and MTV, plus a whole lot more!

Be sure to check this one out and leave a comment, subscribe, like it, give it a thumbs up, etc.

On this one, Stephen and I talk about the what Steven Spielberg told him, Tom Hanks, and another actor when it was just the four of them in a room. He shares some stories about working with Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConaughey on the set of Wolf of Wall St. We also talk about the time director Barry Levinson kept Stephen in his trailer for 8-9 hours and then what he made him do once he let him out, we discuss going to Julliard, working in theater and lots more.

Be sure to check this one out and leave a comment, subscribe, like it, give it a thumbs up, etc.

Eric and I talk about the time Polish Nationalist threatened to kill him and his band, he was 19! We also discuss what it’s like touring the U.S. and Europe, sleeping on venue stages and taking cold showers, etc. He tells us how he went from working at a printing company, to being an art buyer at a major agency to becoming Project Manager at Digital Giant, all without even a High School diploma. You’ll learn what to bring to a portfolio review to get the creatives to show up as well as the difference between being project manager and an art buyer, plus many, many more interested stories!

Be sure to like, comment, subscribe and thumbs up this one.