The Well

Jonathan Meiburg – Part 2 – “Antarctic Adventure” – TWP074

In this episode: How Jonathan joined a scientific expedition to Antarctica and how the fathomless abyss became a psychedelic bikini bottom – it was also like going to the moon. This conversation makes a few side quests to Chile and Tasmanian trees older than the Roman empire. Also, how to tell your friend you don’t like their band. Plus, Jonathan assigns homework -now go Google magnetostrategraphy. https://youtu.be/fB7vSfy0T5I

Jonathan Meiburg – “The New World” – TWP073

Jonathan Meiburg sits down with us to discuss the musical journey behind SHEARWATER’s latest album, “The New World” https://youtu.be/27lX96KEO2c?si=ww7xEtI9p0Yx3546

The Drop – Part 26 “Surprise Drop”

We sat down to record something short when Branan dropped a spontaneous Drop on Anson. Television: The Handmaid’s Tale’s 6th & final season. Severance, The Studio, The Rehearsal and Nathan’s Fileder’s hybrid comedy. Books: Jeff Vandermeer’s latest addition to his Southern Reach Trilogy. Ray Kurzweil’s latest book The Singularity is Nearer sparks a long discussion about the transformational power of AI and is immortality worth it? Podcasts: “Short history of…” and “Cautionary Tales” Plus, Anson sees his first Metallica show and conforms the rumors: they still rule, especially when they’re channeling Ennio Morricone. https://youtu.be/d3OMz76mDCM https://youtu.be/d3OMz76mDCM: The Drop – Part 26 “Surprise Drop”

Todd Stashwick – “The Place Where Imagination Ruled” – TWP072

Todd Stashwick and Anson Mount have three things in common: 1) A love of whiskey, 2) They are both Starfleet Captains, and 3) They are both Dungeon Masters. What else do you need to know? To see Todd leading Anson Mount and others Trek crew through a D&D adventure, click here. If you’d like a BEEPED version of the show, you can find it here. Extra music for this episode provided by Bob Wiseman under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, ShareAlike 3.0 license. https://youtu.be/GCsVHki446I https://youtu.be/Rvq5tgFoFag?si=TDBu0_OihDug1MJO

Introducing “Scroll to the Bottom”: Danny Trejo

Anson & Branan launch a new segment. Anson scrolls to the bottom of Danny Trejo’s IMDB page and asks him about that little known credit, then challenges him to remember the names of characters past. Enjoy! “Cantina Rag”, performed by Jackson F. Smith is provided under an Attribution, Non-Commercial, No-Derivatives, 3.0 International license. Link for CC license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Also, follow the link below to join our new Patreon to see exclusive content before anyone else! https://www.patreon.com/posts/128879619 https://youtu.be/YmzLM7TpOhg

Danny Trejo – “A Book of Miracles” – TWP071 (UPDATED)

One day in 1968, Danny Trejo had hit rock bottom: solitary confinement at the Correction Training Facility, otherwise known as Soledad Prison. From that moment, he decided to change his life completely. During a live interview at DragonCon 2024, Danny tells Anson about the redemptive power in helping others. Music in this episode was provided by John Bartmann under a Creative Commons 1.0 Universal License. Link to John Bartmann’s Patron: https://www.patreon.com/johnbartmann Link to CC License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ https://youtu.be/2DUEVQs-RMs

Adam Savage – Part 3 – “Art and Science” – TWP070

How does Adam see himself, his life and his role as an inventor, artist and educator? Adam reflects on his unique career path, work/life balance, what to do when feeling overwhelmed, investing in your own world-building, how meditating on the origins of things connects him to creators of the past, the miracle of sentience and zombie Richard Feynman. https://youtu.be/wg5laIYBkcA

Adam Savage – Part 2 – “Creativity as performance” – TWP069

Adam gets a touch philosophical on the subject of creativity, discusses some memorable builds and Anson breaks out his Guillermo del Toro impression. https://youtu.be/MmMMV3TnPmg

Adam Savage – Part 1 – “Hands-on Thinking” – TWP068

We covered Isaac Newton’s monstrous nature, the inevitability of calculus, pottery, Clive Owen’s need for a foil, aesthetics as a point of view, lessons from Steven Soderbergh, following the story’s lead, relinquishing control, Sir Anthony Hopkins’ need for George C. Scott’s tension, and how audience feedback improves creators. https://youtu.be/bsi0RcKLmS4

The Drop – Part 25: In Memoriam, David Lynch

We’re tremendously saddened by the loss of a great artist, humanitarian and beautiful human being. David Lynch meant a lot to many people and we were lucky to have shared time and space with him. Branan and Anson shares recollections and Branan breaks out his Lynch impression and a remastered fan film. Mentioned in this episode: Room to Dream is a wonderful biography / autobiography hybrid by Kristine McKenna and David Lynch. We recommend the audiobook version so you can Lynch tell his story in his inimitable “Great Plaines Honk” *according to Kyle MacLachlan* Lumière and Company(1995) which is not streaming anywhere but there is a playlist on YouTube that anthologizes all the entries. David Lynch’s entry Premonitions Following an Evil Deed by David Lynch is there. Branan’s David Lynch fan film David Lynch: Signature Coffee has been remastered and uploaded to YouTube https://youtu.be/gl2LX3XifLw

The Drop – Part 24 “Everything is Rhythm”

After a very busy fall season of Anson moving to a new town and Branan moving everywhere they finally find time to make contact. This episode feature a bit of Branan’s travelogues. Recommendations include ‘The Penguin’, Werner Herzog’s ‘Every Man for Himself and God Against All’, ‘Wild Robot’, ‘Anora’ by Sean Baker, The Apprentice, ‘The Name of the Wind’ by Patrick Rothfuss, and a new book called Don Quixote. Full performance by Sean Ryan, proprietor and wizard of Leap Castle, Ireland. https://youtu.be/kaQqFRxtqPo

Roope Rainisto, Part 2 – “Creativity into Code” – TWP067

Part 2 of our conversation with AI Filmmaker Roope Rainisto gets into the philosophical, ethical and legal aspects of generative art. Is the genie out of the bottle? How do we respond and what choices do we have? https://youtu.be/ja4S2d8fSB8

Roope Rainisto, Part 1 – “Enslaving AI” – TWP066

AI filmmaker Roope Rainisto joins us from Finland for part 1 of our discussion about generative tools and working within AI’s current possibilities and limitations. https://youtu.be/nR__J4L3KY4

• Transcript

The Drop – Part 22

Branan and Anson broadcast from a rooftop in Toronto accompanied by the soothing sounds of a nearby house renovation. In this Drop: Star Trek set tour, Moondog, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, MANIAC by Benjamin Labatut, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds, Emergence Magazine’s “Winds of Awe and Fear” by Nick Hunt and Ethernal Damnation’s INDXcoin. https://youtu.be/H7Lonjt2CrM And here, as read by Branan, the original apology video posted by Eli Regalado regarding his crypto currency investigation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsgCU-OxORo

Rod Lurie – “My Blood & Bones” – TWP065

Film Director Rod Lurie was in Bulgaria, deep into pre-production for his film “The Outpost” when he got the call that his son Hunter had suffered a sudden cardiac event. What you are about to hear is a story of loss, but also one of victory through the very decision to keep going. Special thanks to Rod Lurie for sharing his story with us. Happy Father’s Day. Extra music provided by Poddington Bear under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 International license.

THE DROP – “AT THE MOVIES” with Bilge Ebiri

In this episode: Bilge Ebiri, esteemed film critic (New York, Vulture) and friend of the show drops by to discuss where FURIOSA fits in George Miller’s MAD MAX saga, Netflix, ATHENA, IN A VIOLENT NATURE, and the how going out to the movies is more fun and may just make you a better dresser. https://youtu.be/y4kKxIX707w

The Drop – Part 21

In this episode: Back surgery, heart ablation, genetic memory, the eternal jellyfish, Jules Verne, big leather books, The Heart Goes Last, The Curse, Uncut Gems, Safdie’s music choices, squid games game show, Alice in Borderland, Connections, James burke, Incan potatoes, hulked out grasses, The Holdovers featuring the mysterious Andrew Garmen, and Anson and Branan get Verklempt reading a listener review. https://youtu.be/oUCwSOfVpac

TWP064 – Andrew Cumming -“Out of Darkness”

Anson and Branan are still banging on about OUT OF DARKNESS and we are thrilled to have the film’s director Andrew Cumming join us for a chat from the far-flung Shetland islands. Mentioned in this episode: Learning to be a caveman, William Golding’s “The Inheritors”, “Quest for Fire”. “Clan of Cave Bear”, “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari and shooting in remote locations during COVID in the harsh Scottish winter. WARNING: Spoilers within! If you have not seen the film we suggest seeing it now that it is streaming. #OutOfDarkness @SignatureEntUK https://youtu.be/U5xMX1OZr24

Kenneth Mitchell – In Memoriam (repost) – TWP063

When actor Kenneth Mitchell was given a life altering medical diagnosis, it forced him to change his relationship to the concept of time itself. Join us for our first LIVE episode recording from April, 2022 reposted in remembrance. https://youtu.be/VKD-FniubEs?si=u-9KfvIDpaXm8dIO

The Drop – Part 20 – “Out of Darkness”

In this episode: OUT OF DARKNESS, amateur speculation regarding the provenance of our species, recent vacations where Anson and Branan both experience passport issues, volcanoes in Iceland and an actual dick measuring contest (not ours). https://youtu.be/tzSijwuEjs4