Ep. 68 – Basic Vocab on Power Book III: Raising Kanan, The General Dynamic and Thundercat

July 13, 2026

Hip hop group Basic Vocab's trajectory shifted rapidly when their signature track, "Come Get With It," was discovered by HBO and featured during the closing credits of Season 5 of Entourage. In doing so, they joined artists such as Saigon, Gang Starr, Alice Smith, Outkast, Radiohead, and Jay-Z, whose music was also featured during the series' end credits. The track appeared on their debut album, The General Dynamic, featuring JL Sorell, MG, and Square, with production from Tony Galvin, whose work with artists including T.I., Mystikal, and Trick Daddy brought a classically trained sensibility to the group's sound. They followed with A Better Way (2010), a more energy-oriented record infused with b-boy influences. The album included tracks such as "Prescription," "Tears," "Keep It Simple"—later featured on HBO's Crashing—and "Just Dance," which appeared in Hulu's Random Tropical Paradise. Their next releases, Type 3 (2022) and Straight Kemistry (2022), reflected on the post-pandemic landscape, exploring subjects including politics, social media, and healthcare. In 2025, the group released their latest single, "Sign of the Times," and they continue to collaborate together. In our conversation, featuring JL and Square, we discussed the South Beach "conscious rap" scene; the artists who influenced them and those to whom they are most often compared; how their lives changed following Entourage; recent collaborations with Sadat X; contributing to film and television soundtracks; and maintaining originality, creativity, and consistency over time.

Opening Credits: Genx Beats - 07 Already (Lofi Mix) I CC BY 3.0 I Black Ant - Dark Slide I CC BY-NC-SA. Closing Credits: Jangwa _ Dilating Times - Flutter I CC BY.

Ep. 67 - Jared Isaac on An Autumn Summer, Spike Lee and Joe Swanberg

May 21, 2026

Filmmaker Jared Isaac’s debut feature, An Autumn Summer, is currently in theatrical release in select cities ahead of its digital release on June 9 on Apple TV and all major VOD platforms, including Vudu and Fandango at Home. Recently featured in Deadline, the coming-of-age romance stars Sing Street and Wayne actor Mark McKenna alongside Shrinking breakout Lukita Maxwell, who also stars in A24’s upcoming Backrooms. The film follows Kevin (McKenna) and Cody (Maxwell), a young couple spending their final summer before college in a magical Northern Michigan lake town, chasing the feeling of an endless summer in the eve of adulthood, and was cinematographer Brandon Somerhalder’s debut narrative feature film, whose work on The Queen of Basketball won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short in 2022, and whose 2026 documentary Come See Me in the Good Light received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Their collaboration captures the wistfulness and emotional uncertainty of transition in calm, serene fashion. Semi-autobiographical in nature, the story draws from Isaac’s own close friendships and formative summers spent in Northern Michigan. The film premiered on the festival circuit to strong audience and critical response, including a Best Director win for Isaac at the 2025 Phoenix Film Festival, before its Chicago premiere at the legendary Music Box Theatre on April 23, featuring a post-screening Q&A moderated by acclaimed filmmaker Joe Swanberg. The venue held special significance for the Chicago native, who grew up watching films there. Jared recently adapted Zane Grey’s Riders of the Purple Sage for Samuel Goldwyn Films and is currently developing narrative projects on the horizon. In our conversation, we discussed Jared’s journey of independently bringing his first feature to life, the value of casting and how that can enable intuitive chemistry between actors, crafting the film’s dreamlike montage sequences, lessons learned from working on Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq, as an actor, and a disco feature he has written — including the actor he believes is perfect for the lead role.

Opening Credits: Ketsa - My Deal I CC BY 4.0; Black Ant - 5 Piece I CC BY 3.0. Closing Credits: Podington Bear - No Solace I CC BY-NC 3.0.

Ep. 66 - Laura Veirs on Temple Songs, Flying into Darkness and Sufjan Stevens

April 12, 2026

Laura Veirs crafts musical portraits shaped by daily life, family, and the broader dynamics she encounters through international touring, the record business, and motherhood. Her 15th studio album, Temple Songs, arrives August 14 and features the single “Flying Into Darkness,” which she describes as joyous, “but also dark.” Veirs’ musical path has been marked by constant evolution: while studying at Carleton College, she formed the all-female group Rair Kx, and her 1999 self-titled debut leaned heavily into punk. By the time she recorded The Triumphs and Travails of Orphan Mae (2001)—one of her personal favorites of her catalogue—she was exploring bluegrass and country influences, later incorporating more melancholic, blues-inflected tones while maintaining her folk roots, as heard in tracks like “Tom Skookum Road.” In her next album, Carbon Glacier (2004), she introduced more electronic textures, notably on the percussive opener “The Cloud Room.” Year of Meteors (2005) leaned into a rock-infused folk sound, while Saltbreakers (2007) pushed toward a rawer, more experimental edge, with its track “Drink Deep” appearing in the soundtrack to the film Hello I Must Be Going (2012), starring Melanie Lynskey. Her 2010 album July Flame—named after a peach she encountered at a farmers’ market—features one of multiple collaborations with Jim James of My Morning Jacket. She followed this with Tumble Bee (2011), a children’s folk album, and Warp & Weft (2013), recorded during her pregnancy. Over the next couple of years, Laura collaborated with artists like Sufjan Stevens —contributing backing vocals to “Should Have Known Better” on his album Carrie & Lowell (2015) —and Neko Case, with whom she formed the supergroup (and released their eponymous album), case/lang/veirs (2016), alongside k.d. lang. Her later work reflects both personal and cultural shifts: The Lookout (2018) channels anxiety surrounding the 2016 U.S. presidential election, while subsequent albums—including My Echo (2020), released at the onset of the pandemic, Found Light (2022), and Phone Orphans (2023)—demonstrate her fluid, impactful genre-blending talent and ability. Within the music world, she has also hosted the podcast Midnight Lightning, which features interviews with musicians who communicate their approach towards balancing parenthood and artistry, with guests including legendary bassist Carol Kaye and Rosanna Arquette. In our conversation, we discussed her move to the Pacific Northwest in the early 2000s, her evolving musical influences, maintaining a self-care routine, balancing life as an artist and parent, and her upcoming tour across Europe and North America.

Opening Credits: Pierce Murphy - The Shadow Of The Bluff I CC BY 4.0; The Top One Percent - Cavalier I CC BY 4.0. Closing Credits: Podington Bear - Surface Tension I CC BY-NC 3.0.

Ep. 65 - Cara Ronzetti on Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, Alexis Lloyd and Emotional Vulnerability

March 26, 2026

Actor and filmmaker Cara Ronzetti brings a striking sense of human intensity to her performance in Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, now in theatrical release, continuing her work from seasons 1 and 2 of the web series. Her portrayal of Tilda carries a raw authenticity that continually shifts the group dynamic, blurring the line between fiction and reality and sparking curiosity about what her character is truly experiencing, while her deeply immersive character work leaves a lasting impression with the result of elevating the material. The Miami native and Carnegie Mellon alum has appeared in a range of projects, including the television shows New Amsterdam (NBC) and The First (Hulu), the latter created by Beau Willimon and starring Sean Penn; as well as the films Superior — which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021 — The Reunion, and Daniel Isn’t Real. In our conversation, we discussed Tilda’s backstory; Words4Warmth, her poetry-driven initiative supporting individuals experiencing homelessness in New York; the importance of preserving language and culture in our lives; and how she decompresses and compartmentalizes after portraying complex, emotionally intense roles.

Opening Credits: A. Cooper - Track XXIV I CC BY 4.0; Lopkerjo - Sa Ta Na Ma I CC BY 4.0. Closing Credits: snoozy beats - smile and wave I CC BY 4.0.

Ep. 64 - Alexis Lloyd on Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, 30 Beats and Thomas Sadoski

March 21, 2026

Filmmaker Alexis Lloyd has made a distinctive impact on contemporary cinema with Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, currently in its theatrical run at The Quad Cinema in Greenwich Village, NYC. The film draws deeply from his upbringing immersed in psychiatry and psychoanalysis, blending that foundation with his passion for storytelling. Conceived as a prequel to his acclaimed, eponymous YouTube web series, the project offers a poignant exploration of the conflicts, epiphanies, and catharses that emerge within group therapy.

Released five years after the first season, the film reunites much of the original cast while introducing a pivotal new character portrayed by Thomas Sadoski, reuniting Lloyd with one of his frequent collaborators. Sadoski plays a documentarian named Alexis, caught between artistic ambition and financial survival, who must earn the group’s trust while seeking permission to use their sessions professionally—an inherently delicate and potentially disruptive undertaking.

Lloyd’s last feature, 30 Beats, is an ensemble exploration of sexual compulsivity and the longing for connection, featuring Sadoski alongside Lee Pace, Justin Kirk, Paz de la Huerta, and Jennifer Tilly. Earlier in his career, he directed several short films, including Indiscretion (2001) and Le 10ème Jour (2003).

In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Lloyd had a prolific career as Managing Director at Pathé, where he oversaw distribution on a range of influential films, including Basquiat, Swingers, Pi, The Virgin Suicides, Memento, The Blair Witch Project, Bound, Austin Powers, The Fifth Element, and The Spanish Prisoner.

In our conversation, we explore the origins of his interest in mental health storytelling, the response to his latest feature, the challenges of filming during COVID-19, and why casting a real psychoanalyst was essential to creating an authentic group dynamic.

Opening Credits: Ketsa - Goes Red I CC BY 4.0; Pierce Murphy - Chania I CC BY 4.0. Closing Credits: Pierce Murphy - Baby, Write I CC BY 4.0.

Ep. 63 - Tom Epperson on Baby Hawk, A Family Thing and The Gift

September 20, 2025

Trying to pigeonhole Tom Epperson into a single category is impossible—and that’s part of what makes his career so compelling. His path as a novelist and screenwriter has been anything but linear, weaving through genres and mediums with equal parts grit and curiosity. He knew early on that writing would be his life’s work, and meeting lifelong friend and collaborator Billy Bob Thornton during boyhood only strengthened that conviction, leading to a six-decade partnership that produced tremendously profound films like One False Move, The Gift, and A Family Thing. Their work has earned significant critical acclaim, including Independent Spirit Award and Saturn Award nominations, and recognition from the Writers Guild of America. As a novelist, Tom’s range is just as impressive, spanning noir, historical fiction, and adventure with titles such as Sailor, Make Believe, Roberto to the Dark Tower Came, the Edgar Award nominated The Kind One, and most recently Baby Hawk—available wherever books are sold. In our conversation, we dived into the origins of his new book, the dangers of group-think, the challenging nature of AI, his first move to Los Angeles, and what it takes to remain grounded in a chaotic world.

Opening Credits: Arana - Jazz at Mladost Club I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; Komiku - Old artefact to destroy the patriarchy hidden somewhere I CC0 1.0. Closing Credits: Jalikebba Kuyateh and the Toubabs - Griot and the Family I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

Ep. 62 - Philip Andelman on Khruangbin, Lenny Kravitz and Waiting on the World to Change

February 9, 2025

Philip Andelman’s inspired take on the language and rhythm of music videos has impacted the medium in countless ways. The results are evident in his collaborations with contemporary artists, including Usher, Melissa Etheridge, Ludacris, Maxwell, d4vd, James Bay and Taylor Swift. Formative experiences with Annie Leibowitz launched his entry-point into photography. After NYU, continued experiential education under the guidance of Joseph Kahn, the legend, exposed Philip to the world of music videos with an ethos to help keep head above water. He worked as a second unit director on some of the most pivotal music videos ever made, including Moby’s Southside and U2’s Elevation. Soon after came the opportunity to step into the director’s chair for the first of six video collaborations with Lenny Kravitz, beginning with 2004’s Where Are We Runnin - a hedonistic exploration of faith. Some of the notable videos in Philip’s catalogue include John Mayer’s Waiting on the World to Change; Duck Sauce’s It’s You; Fiona Apple and Andrew Bird’s Left Handed Kisses; Miriam, by Norah Jones; and Beyonce’s Halo, featuring Michael Ealy. In our conversation, we discussed the origins of his journey and upbringing in France and New York; the grant he received from Martin Scorsese; the artistry in working with Maxwell; showing Jay-Z what he thought was an unfinished video; and a fateful Samsung commercial he directed. We also discussed his degree of versatility, and its effect on transcending genre.

Opening Credits: Anitek - Tab & Anitek - Mina I CC BY-NC-ND 3.0; Genx Beats - Lofi Beats - 01 Always (Lofi Mix) I CC BY 3.0. Closing Credits: HoliznaPATREON - Tapping On The Roof I CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Ep. 61 - Nabil Elderkin on Gully, The People and Kendrick Lamar

February 1, 2025

Director Nabil Elderkin shoots music videos and films governed by vision, collaboration and diversity. While thematic similarities connect the dots between his projects, each video is different and a product of the stellar combination of the right artist, the right lighting, and maybe most importantly - the right feel. Growing up in a multi-cultural sphere, dictated by several international moves, led to an open-mindedness and an adaptability which did not hurt his transition into film. Surfing was the context which facilitated his portal in, and although he spent more time on the beach than in the water, the education he received, through direct exposure shooting his friends, was invaluable. His photography interest and experience developed further when he settled in Chicago, and came into Kanye West’s orbit. Soon after, he started shooting music videos for a dossier for artists which continues to expand, and includes The Black Eyed Peas, Common, Seal, Bruno Mars, Foals, J. Cole, Travis Scott, Dua Lipa and Kendrick Lamar. For his work on Swim Good and Mercy, which feature Frank Ocean and Kanye West, respectively, Nabil received 3 VMA nominations, including Best Direction in a Video and Best Hip Hop Video for the latter. Among his feature films are the Ugandan breakdancing documentary, Bouncing Cats, and the gut-wrenching exploration of trauma - Gully - which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019 and stars Charlie Plummer, Amber Heard, Jacob Latimore, Terrence Howard and John Corbett. In our conversation, we discussed the kernels of his film beginnings; working with actors like Willem Dafoe and Don Cheadle; collaborating with friends like John Legend; upcoming music video and narrative concepts he is developing; and a memorable encounter with Snoop Dogg.

Opening Credits: HoliznaPATREON - Green Again ( LoFi) I CC BY-NC-ND 4.0; Anitek - Gnats I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US. Closing Credits: snoozy beats - stylish days I CC BY 4.0.

Ep. 60 - Onur Tukel on Poundcake, Richard's Wedding and Anne Heche

January 22, 2025

As an actor and filmmaker, Onur Tukel challenges the audience to delve into the frightening parts of who they are by, at times, leading them to live vicariously through his protagonists’ colorful experiences. From exploring the joy of mortality in Drawing Blood, to the perils of masculinity in 2001’s Ding-a-ling-Less, to a platonic theme of friendship amidst a romantic undertone in Richard’s Wedding, the loss of one’s identity among the backdrop of a physical manifestation of revenge in Catfight, and apathy transforming into adventure after an encounter with a vampire in Summer of Blood, which also features friend and contemporary Alex Karpovsky, Onur’s films are like shining a mirror towards the more intimate and carnal senses. We learn about the power of perspective and its impact on perception in The Misogynists, which features Dylan Baker; psychotic longing for the one that got away in That Cold Dead Look in Your Eyes, which is shot near-exclusively in French; and the connectedness of spirituality during the Pandemic in Scenes from an Empty Church, which stars Kevin Corrigan. His latest projects include the novel Run Werewolf Run, which he authored and illustrated, and will be released in 2025 by Pitchstone Publishing (ironically based in Durham, NC); and a puppet film he directed about a marionette performer which wrapped in 2024. In our conversation, we discussed his collaborations with several actors, including Anne Heche, Sandra Oh, Ariel Kavoussi and Josephine Decker; growing up in North Carolina; the unveiling of psychotherapy’s purpose in a cinematic endeavor; and the filmmakers who affected and inspired the origins of cinema in his eyes.

Opening Credits: Anitek - Strange Sensations I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US; Jangwa - Slow Me Down I CC BY 4.0. Closing Credits: Beat Mekanik - Old Souls I CC BY 4.0.

Ep. 59 - Joe Boyd on And the Roots of Rhythm Remain, Salamat Ali and Nick Drake

December 23, 2024

Joe Boyd’s revered productions of artists ranging from Pink Floyd, The Incredible String Band and Nick Drake had been widely-circulated and universally-acclaimed. He had worked with Stanley Kubrick at Warner Bros to assemble the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange. He founded the UFO Club which featured avant-garde artists like Soft Machine — which became his house band — and Yoko Ono. Productions of R.E.M., Billy Bragg, 10,000 Maniacs, Fairport Convention and Richard and Linda Thompson followed. He directed Jimi Hendrix, the eponymous documentary. But if you were paying attention, you would have made note of the through-line running through Joe’s prolific output — World Music. His productions of artists such as Dagmar Krause, Nazakat & Salamat Ali, the Trio Bulgarka, ¡Cubanismo!, Virginia Rodrigues, Damir Imamović and several others demonstrated his versatility to trancend not only genre, but also language and culture. Joe’s vibrant musical output eclipsed what we thought was possible in the art and science of music. His latest book, And the Roots of Rhythm Remain, examines the origins, impact and cultural undertones which define world music through his lens. In our conversation, we discussed the roots of his latest masterpiece; political-songwriting through shifting of culture; categorization as a benefit toward creativity; and musical and storytelling experiences with Brian Eno, David Bryne, Bob Dylan, Mike Heron and others.

Opening Credits: 1st Contact - Just Quickly I CC BY-SA; Ahmadreza Safarian - Forgotten Corpses I CC BY-NC-SA. Closing Credits: Till Paradiso - Here the Stars for You (TP 063) - CC BY-NC-SA.

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