Lost the Plot

SpectreVision Radio

Lost the Plot is a mythic exploration of the narrative arts. Addressing writers and audiences alike, it is equal parts esoteric and academic, irreverent and intellectual. It critiques troubling trends while celebrating excellence wherever it can be found, at all times seeking to understand where the plot of our culture has gone.

  1. 20/12/2025

    Against Passive Protagonists | Writing Main Characters

    I barely scratched the surface on the "gender" aspect ("the active" as masculine, etc) and could easily do an entire video on that subject and the "Heroine's Journey." As always, THERE IS SO MUCH THAT CAN BE SAID... Please note: Marie-Louise von Franz in her book "The Feminine in Fairy Tales" complicates and questions the Freudian idea that "the ego is the hero of every story." It's obviously not so simple... 🌐Request notes on your story: https://www.jgscammell.com/ ✍️Check out my writing: https://yeshua.substack.com/ 📹Bonus videos on Patreon:   / josh_from_xbolive  \ 🎙️My film podcast: https://linktr.ee/haventseenpod 📸 My Instagram:   / josh_from_xboxlive   🟠🟢🔵 My Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/vaeP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min

  2. 15/11/2025

    Is Padmé the Villain of the Prequels?

    What do Carmella from Sopranos and Padmé have in common? They are both married to evil men. But are they victims of that evil? Or are they enablers of it? Big think. ▶️⁠Find me on youtube⁠ 🌐⁠Request story notes⁠  ✍️Check out my writing 📹⁠Bonus videos here⁠  🎙️⁠My podcast⁠  ᯤ ⁠Spotify feed for my videos ⁠  📸 ⁠My Instagram⁠  🟠🟢🔵 ⁠My Letterboxd⁠ #starwars #writing #villain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    10 min

  3. 05/10/2025

    STORY AS MUSIC

    Writers! What is your relationship to music? Do you listen to music while writing? While daydreaming for new stories? Do you have a type of music you listen to while writing? Any particular playlists or artists? How do you view the relationship of storytelling to music? This video was absolutely MAULED by the copyright police. It is blocked in some countries and (like many of my videos) is not monetized. I humbly ask you to check out my patreon and consider supporting me there in exchange for bonus videos (and eternal love). Link below. Huge shoutout and thank you to my patrons, especially James, ya'll rock! I love you all! Happy writing! 🌐Request notes on your story: https://www.jgscammell.com/ ✍️Check out my writing: https://yeshua.substack.com/ 📹Bonus videos on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Josh_from_xbolive\ 🎙️My film podcast: https://linktr.ee/haventseenpod ᯤ Spotify feed: https://open.spotify.com/show/24AHrJ6b1yA0V2WIfXt8KK?si=9f65d151f19c4485 📸 My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josh_from_xboxlive/ 🟠🟢🔵 My Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/vaeP MUSIC USED IN THIS VIDEO: https://youtu.be/VfxRiBn32Fs?si=4ooPzfYMivk-EjlK https://youtu.be/Of-iP_VL7Bg?si=NGVx_PN-LWJYIOGx https://youtu.be/PL_SBGwG3Yk?si=Jru21tQSLcSNSFiI https://youtu.be/d1Wp5PWZ20w?si=vZbgenh35FqvlhO5 https://youtu.be/rg-TGaNKqhk?si=Bzu4evoz668j-F1Y https://youtu.be/Hl_4W5sBSRk?si=1BLUlUHYZYoJ-j81 https://youtu.be/ex2iwmIXd5A?si=W5KTG7COrpFS3RB4 https://youtu.be/ri8zLrQFuGg?si=LAxrb45tOoM7H0cF https://youtu.be/jo4sf2wT0wU?si=enNCaU0wLeJOrrcK https://youtu.be/t0KUzIZggIs?si=pD4rsiwjO9y5iaI8 https://youtu.be/4RaR210hglo?si=E9GPAD_axaYOp0Nv https://youtu.be/IImakFsEHL8?si=wyG7zHXw5I4qrOs_ https://youtu.be/Y9iDOt2WbjY?si=ctWaMjxqyg_qydSJ https://youtu.be/BeR6wG3b8ck?si=sBLqqBqVikSjCkTQ https://youtu.be/LjONJzpDa2E?si=Ap1U3DKp247_4x-1 https://youtu.be/qrmUN-fZT2w?si=OfAbUon3S4TT5WBM CHAPTERS: 00:00 Prelude 00:32 Part 1: Narrative Beats 18:02 Part 2: Music and Meaning 41:06 Part 3: Temporal Philosophies 53:16 Part 4: Bringing it Home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    59 min

  4. 22/08/2025

    What the Hell is Happening to Horror?

    This comes from a place of love. The trend I name "insecure horror" is not something I despise, just something I've noticed. Many filmmakers working in this style are immensely talented. The truth is, we live in insecure times, and hey, I’m insecure too, and that's why it would mean a lot to me if you gave me a 5 star review! In return I will do nothing. I realize this is not a fair exchange, but hey, we live in the age of content, and as weird as that is, there is also an emancipatory potential there, in the sense that *we are all voting for the reality we want to share.* Sharing my videos, commenting, and subscribing will, in a very concrete way, help position me in a place where I can actually get my career as a writer off the ground, so I could actually deliver you films along the lines discussed here (Enlightened Fantasy, Sacred Horror, etc) and not just make videos about them. As always your support is massively appreciated! One footnote: Striking this balance between terrorism on one extreme, and parody on the other, is not merely a matter of going back and forth between the extremes enough times (which seems to be the strategy of the filmmakers that come out of that comedy-to-horror pipeline [Peele, Cregger]), Rather, it’s about merging these two strains into a unity, which makes the comedy serve the story, and help the audience stay invested, and willing to suspend their disbelief. Also: braindead shlock is fun, all I'm saying is let’s not kid ourselves and pretend it’s great. ▶️⁠Find me on youtube⁠ 🌐⁠Request story notes⁠  ✍️Check out my writing 📹⁠Bonus videos here⁠  🎙️⁠My podcast⁠  📸 ⁠My Instagram⁠  🟠🟢🔵 ⁠My Letterboxd⁠ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 03:47 Chapter 1: the Other 12:33 Chapter 2: Elevated and Post-Elevated 31:50 Chapter 3: The Sacred and the Insecure 45:24 Chapter 4: Genre Trouble 50:51 Chapter 5: How to Scare 54:41 Chapter 6: Do Not Fear the Reaper #videoessay #filmmaking #horror Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1j 7m

  5. 22/08/2025

    SHAMANISM or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Mystery

    Are you in a creative rut? Struggling with writer's block? Feeling hopeless, aimless, and out of sorts? This video essay about the history of human creativity might be just the thing to inspire you. Whenever I feel stuck, these are the ideas I play around with to get back in the fight. I am many things, but I am not a historian, an anthropologist, or an academic of any stripe. I do not recommend quoting me when it comes to the nitty gritty. I'm a big picture ideas guy. Some notes: 1. I believe "Tungus" is the language-family, rather than a name for the people themselves. 2. There is certainly some oversimplification going on in the deep history. I don't mention how the Neanderthals and early homo sapiens co-mingled after being separated for who knows how long, and that the Neanderthals were likely the first cave artists. This may complicate the historical trajectory I put forward here, or it may not. I'm not sure. 3. For a more secular discussion of "proper" vs "improper" art, I highly suggest reading R.G. Collingwood's "The Principles of Art." 4. A comprehensive "Reading List" for this video is on my patreon, available for free members. No need to pay me anything to see it: https://www.patreon.com/c/Josh_from_xbolive CHAPTERS: 0:00 A Niche Topic? 2:58 Are you Experienced? 12:52 On the Origins of Culture 20:48 Pet Friendly 29:04 22nd Century Medicine Men 38:55 The Work of Art in the Age of Aquarius 49:40 To the Shaman of Tomorrow... Music: https://youtu.be/erpCTV_gGos?si=VjPAJHalgAlnHZBI https://youtu.be/TqgoPhQ2rCA?si=nI-2qJLE4r2XiUfd https://youtu.be/zIXjWIHcFk0?si=Nfn1kh_30KcO3Ikc https://youtu.be/oMG0qAG8aDo?si=KGKpGUUVF6_RIFs7 https://youtu.be/8ONivM0ij90?si=vd7KY2j9Wx6foG03 https://youtu.be/bPelyxgvTv8?si=ZCKcwEncA2728fF3 https://youtu.be/Uz7wcL1VbX0?si=IvGKOdLb9z_hzmeH The Terence McKenna lecture can be found here: https://youtu.be/JzIUNQ9HxzU?si=-ORWIN6W1kMwW76e Videos like this take a long time to research and edit. Consider supporting me on patreon to help me make videos more often. Thanks so much to everyone supporting me on there! I hope to make more exclusive content for you guys soon! https://www.patreon.com/c/Josh_from_xbolive ▶️⁠Find me on youtube⁠ 🌐⁠Request story notes⁠  ✍️Check out my writing 📹⁠Bonus videos here⁠  🎙️⁠My podcast⁠  ᯤ ⁠Spotify feed for my videos ⁠  📸 ⁠My Instagram⁠  🟠🟢🔵 ⁠My Letterboxd⁠ #videoessay #shaman #history #art Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1j 8m

  6. 22/08/2025

    What the Hell is Happening to Fantasy?

    Youtube is flooded with videos about Rings of Power and the Acolyte, but I think what we're seeing right now in Fantasy is part of a bigger trend. This video charts the history and ideology of "Elevated Fantasy" and how we can course-correct with "Enlightened Fantasy." As a writer of fantasy, this video is close to my heart. I didn't make this explicit in the video, but I consider this a kind of manifesto for my own creative efforts going forward. If you'd like to see more videos on fantasy, writing, outlining, etc, please let me know! Check out my podcast. We have an episode where we talk about the best of 80s "Sword and Sorcery" films! https://linktr.ee/haventseenpod Most of my videos are not monetized so check out my patreon, where you can find bonus content:   / josh_from_xbolive   Also check out the God of War creator ranting about something similar:    • God Of War Creator HATES NEW KRATOS   CHAPTERS 0:00 The Fantasy Itch 1:48 What is Elevated? 8:35 What is Fantasy? 12:46 The Mythospectrum 18:30 The Origin of Consciousness 24:43 Clashes of the Titans 28:37 Enlightened Fantasy 34:42 To the Fantasy Writer... ▶️⁠Find me on youtube⁠ 🌐Request story notes: https://www.jgscammell.com/ ✍️Check out my writing: https://yeshua.substack.com/ 📹 Bonus videos here:   / josh_from_xbolive   🎙️Here's my podcast: https://linktr.ee/haventseenpod #videoessay #theacolyte #ringsofpower #fantasy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  7. 22/08/2025

    IASOS AND I

    This is a departure from the normal content on this channel. This is a highly personal video--a video 7 years in the making. Please keep an open mind. Iasos was the herald of the rising sun. His logo (a silhouette of himself holding up his flute) resembles the Page of Swords. He was the forerunner of the Age of Aquarius. He came to tell us that a new day was dawning. Listen to his music to get a glimpse of what this new age has in store. 1975 is a very early time to be doing this. As a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and a composer, he is unbelievably talented. But what's more, he broke new spiritual territory. I claim this is the full realization of the hippy dream. The psychedelic movement wasn't simply about "sex, drugs, and rock and roll," it was (as Camille Paglia often points out) a ubiquitous search for a new, decentralized, spiritual paradigm. Iasos fulfilled this promise and pushed psychedelic music forward. He reminds me a lot of George Lucas. Their works are sincere and yet grandiose, emotionally honest, lacking one shred of irony. And they’re not even the “figure” responsible for it all. They are humble. George Lucas often hired other people to help; writers, directors, animators. And it’s “Inter-Dimensional Music” *through* Iasos, not *by* Iasos. This humility extends into the love both artists spread for the tradition they inherit. Both know, love, and understand their artistic forefathers. Iasos was given this music. He was entrusted with it, and he made it available for all of humanity. Some of his music is eternal, like the music of spheres. It’s a huge blessing that we live in a time when you can find this music for free here on youtube. Do yourself a favour and go listen to it. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Once Upon a Time... 0:47 The New Classicism 2:45 The Opposite of Killing 7:52 Making Meaning 11:52 A Parting Gift #newage #music #iasos #videoessay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min

  8. 22/08/2025

    Expressing Theme w/ the 180° Rule

    Breaking the 180-degree rule doesn't simply create an interesting cinematic affect, it also permits the filmmakers to express theme sublingually, using cinematic form itself. We need to learn rules--not to follow them blindly, nor to break them willy-nilly--but to understand exactly what these rules express. #filmmaking #filmstudies #cinematography #directing #editing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    6 min
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Lost the Plot is a mythic exploration of the narrative arts. Addressing writers and audiences alike, it is equal parts esoteric and academic, irreverent and intellectual. It critiques troubling trends while celebrating excellence wherever it can be found, at all times seeking to understand where the plot of our culture has gone.

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