Future of StoryTelling (FoST)

Latest Episodes:

Embodying Empathy with Global X-Perience — DJ Begbie Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Hong Kong-based nonprofit Crossroads Foundation brings together those who are in need with those who can provide help. To raise awareness about global issues and create lasting change, they’ve come up with a unique approach: immersive, experiential programs on world need that allow people to have real emotions and foster genuine empathy. Director and senior spokesman DJ Begbie shares what these programs look like and why they're so effective.

To learn more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to DJ Begbie, Lauren Morrow, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

Your Brain is a Storyteller — Theodore H. Schwartz Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

In his new book, Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery, neurosurgeon Dr. Theodore Schwartz delves into the history and practice of neuroscience. What he and his fellow scientists have discovered is that our lives are based on stories that our brains construct, and those stories are not fact, but fiction. Ted is certainly not the first guest on this podcast to talk about the relationship between brain science and storytelling— but as a neurosurgeon, he comes at it from a uniquely hands-on perspective.

To learn more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Ted Schwartz, Lauren Morrow, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

Greater Humanity with Layered Reality — Andrew McGuinness Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

Immersive entertainment company Layered Reality's approach is, as the name suggests, layered: they combine components of immersive theater with new technologies to create productions that feel participatory, immersive, and alive. Today, their CEO Andrew McGuinness joins us to talk about how he’s built such a successful immersive entertainment company and where he plans to take it next.

To learn more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Andrew McGuinness, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

Making Change One Story at a Time, Revisited — Jose Antonio Vargas Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Today, we revisit an episode from 2020 with Jose Antonio Vargas, Founder of the nonprofit Define American. Drawing on his background as a journalist and his own experience as an undocumented immigrant, Jose created Define American to educate storytellers, challenge stereotypes, and ultimately change the narrative around immigration, one story at a time.

To learn more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Jose Antonio Vargas, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

Agency, Exploration, Discovery, Revisited — Vince Kadlubek Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

In this revisited episode, we go back to a conversation with Vince Kadlubek of legendary immersive art collective Meow Wolf, whose installations give visitors agency to re-engage their imaginations and create their own stories—an experience that can be transformational.

To learn more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Vince Kadlubek, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

Good, True, and Beautiful, Revisited — Glen Keane May 30, 2024

Show notes

Legendary Disney veteran and Academy Award winner Glen Keane has made invaluable contributions to the art of animation. In this episode, we revisit a conversation from 2020 with Glen about his story, craft, and philosophy on creativity.

For additional links and more information, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Glen Keane, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

Creating a Healthy AI Ecosystem, Revisited — Stephanie Dinkins May 16, 2024

Show notes

Since this 2020 conversation with artist, educator, and AI practitioner Stephanie Dinkins, essential questions about artificial intelligence have only become more pressing. In turn, Stephanie's method of approaching AI—with a conscious eye towards breaking down bias, rather than perpetuating it— has only become more necessary.

For additional links and more information, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Stephanie Dinkins, Bonnie Eldon, Michael Bass, David Gray, and Megan Worman.

"Silo" and Disrupting Entertainment, Revisited — Hugh Howey May 02, 2024

Show notes

Silo, the TV adaptation of Hugh Howey's acclaimed sci-fi novel Wool, has become one of Apple TV's hottest properties since it aired last May: it's earned a second season and several nominations in the forthcoming 2024 BAFTA Television Awards among other accolades. To celebrate the success of Silo, we're revisiting this episode with Hugh about how Wool took the world by storm.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Executive Producer, Mike Rugnetta

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Hugh Howey, Bonnie Eldon, Meghal Janardan, Sarah Vitak, Elisabeth March, Michael Bass, and Megan Worman.

Evolving Layers of Experience, Revisited — Felix and Paul Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

Today, we revisit a conversation from 2021 with immersive storytelling pioneers Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël of Felix & Paul Studios. For over ten years, these two have been carefully developing a unique experiential language— a language which they’ve deployed to incredible effect in the location-based VR experience Space Explorers: The Infinite. Felix and Paul discuss the elements of this language and how it came to be in this revisited episode.

For additional links, information, and more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Executive Producer, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix, Music, and Final Assembly, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël, Bonnie Eldon, David Gray, Amy Snook, Michael Bass, Eitan Wolf, and Megan Worman.

Second City and the Power of "Yes, And" — Kelly Leonard Apr 05, 2024

Show notes

Improvisation is an essential skill for comedians at the famous Second City— and it’s a valuable skill for creators and businesses off stage, too. No one knows this better than Kelly Leonard, the Executive Director of Learning and Applied Improvisation at Second City Works. In this episode, Kelly shares some of his insights into how improv can make us better bosses, makers, friends, family members, and all around better people.

For additional links, information, and more, visit our website.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Executive Producer, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix, Andrew Atkin