Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri

Vedant Akhauri
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

Let's Talk Media is an interview podcast hosted by media professional and award-winning podcaster, Vedant Akhauri. Learn from unfiltered conversations with creators and analysts across film, TV, and media about their craft, careers, and the chaos that follows. New episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Follow @letstalkmediava on Instagram. Podcast Main Thumbnail and Style Guide by Brontë Cook.

  1. 1d ago

    Reinventing Your Craft: Navigating the Career Jungle Gym, Silencing Imposter Syndrome, and Building Identity from the Inside Out (ft. Christian Hurst)

    How do you rebuild your entire sense of self when the structures you grew up with completely fall away? As a creative, how do you stop white-knuckling your way through life to meet other people’s expectations, and instead learn to construct your identity from the inside out? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Christian Hurst, the Executive Creative Director at AARP, brand strategist behind major initiatives for companies like Marriott International, and the author of the acclaimed young adult space opera saga, the Lily Starling series. In a deeply moving and vulnerable conversation, Christian shares his personal journey of leaving the Latter-Day Saints church (Disclaimer: To find his own identity rather than due to the religion itself), navigating the volatile millennial jungle gym design career during the 2008 financial crisis, and finding his true artistic voice. In this episode, we discuss: The Harrisburg Web Design Summer Internship: Christian reflects on growing up poor in Harrisburg, PA, and credits his parents - his creative educator mother and writer/journalist father - for actively supporting his early artistic curiosities. He shares how they secured drawing lessons for him and set up a life-changing summer internship with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, giving him his first hands-on experience with professional design software.The Gift of the Outsider Mindset: Christian shares how growing up as the "weird kid" and feeling like an outsider trained him to observe human behavior from the outside looking in, a perspective he considers an invaluable gift for any storyteller or artist.Constructing Identity: Inside-Out vs. Outside-In: A brilliant breakdown of how people build their self-worth on external structures and societal expectations with those who actively build their sense of self from the inside out.The Millennial "Jungle Gym" Career & The 2008 Recession: Why the linear "career ladder" is a thing of the past for modern creatives. Christian recounts entering the workforce during the 2008 financial crash.Conquering Imposter Syndrome in an Uber: Christian describes the moment he realized he was finally "legit" and stopped worrying about where his next creative idea would come from.The 10-Second Art Teacher Lesson:  Christian shares a game-changing lesson from an old art teacher who had students draw 10-second gestural drawings. He explains why over-erasing and redrawing ultimately warps the entire perspective of a piece, and why creators must learn to get the idea on the page, trust their instincts, and move on.The Science Fiction of Lily Starling: The origin of Christian’s YA space opera series.Reconciling the Mask & Releasing Bitter Resentment: Christian's powerful reflections on "masking" to please others, the healing power of letting go of past resentment, and why you should only compare your current self to who you were last year. You can find Christian's book series at lilystarlingbook.com and connect with him on Instagram @seahurstpublishing. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on Instagram ⁠@letstalkmediava.

    Reinventing Your Craft: Navigating the Career Jungle Gym, Silencing Imposter Syndrome, and Building Identity from the Inside Out (ft. Christian Hurst)

  2. 6d ago

    Tubefreeks: Fusing '70s Sabbath Riffs with ’90s Grunge (ft. Frontman, Paul Van Valkenburgh)

    What happens when you fuse the heavy, riff-forward power of ’70s classic rock with the raw, aggressive urgency of ’90s alt-metal and grunge? And how does an independent band manage to write, record, and regional-tour while balancing full-time lives without burning out? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Paul Van Valkenburgh, the lead vocalist of the hard rock powerhouse TubeFreeks. They dive deep into the band's unique genre-bending chemistry, their creative philosophies, and the reality of the independent music grind. In this episode, we discuss: The Family Blueprint: Why sheer musical talent is only half the battle, and the #1 foundation a band needs to survive years of writing and touring together.Unlocking Live Stage Presence: The clever, strategic lineup shift that transformed Paul from a tethered performer into a dynamic frontman, completely revitalizing their live show.The Clint Lowery Masterclass: A look inside their year-and-a-half-long collaboration with the Sevendust legend, and the three specific songwriting upgrades he introduced to elevate their new music from good to great.Who Does Your Song Belong To?: Paul's fascinating philosophy on abstract lyrics, and the wild, Rambo-style animated inspiration behind their fan-favorite "Dirty Rabbit" music video.The Weekend Warrior Grind: How the band manages to practice three nights a week and coordinate regional tours while balancing marriages, kids, and day jobs - and the key to doing it all without losing their minds. When searching for their music, make sure to look up TubeFreaks as one word, spelled with two E's (F-R-E-E-K-S), or the algorithms won't find them! You can stream their music on Spotify, Apple Music, or head over to their YouTube channel to watch their music videos. If you like this episode, please subscribe and rate the show. Follow the show on Instagram @letstalkmediava to stay updated on all future episodes!

    Tubefreeks: Fusing '70s Sabbath Riffs with ’90s Grunge (ft. Frontman, Paul Van Valkenburgh)

  3. Aug 11

    Devil by My Side: From Underground Heavy Metal to Sparse Acoustic Americana (ft. Wayward Sparrow)

    How does an artist transition from the aggressive, distorted walls of underground heavy metal to the quiet, fragile vulnerability of a single acoustic guitar? And when you decide to handle every single step of your music’s creation yourself, how do you conquer self-doubt and find the discipline to actually finish what you start? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, the podcast exploring the craft, careers, and chaos of the creative world, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with singer-songwriter Rich Clark, performing under the evocative moniker Wayward Sparrow. Rich discusses the release of his debut album, Devil by My Side, a beautifully self-constrained work rooted in Americana and bluegrass storytelling. He lifts the lid on his fascinating transition from fronting a heavy metal band to embracing a deliberately sparse acoustic atmosphere, shares his hard-learned business advice for DIY artists, and explains why true creative success lies in rigorous self-discipline rather than chasing overnight stardom. In this episode, we discuss: The Metal to Americana Pivot: Rich breaks down his unique musical trajectory, from playing fast-tempo underground heavy metal with his band Among These Ashes and southern rock with Clark Country Drifter, to discovering a deep appreciation for the narrative-driven, poetic songwriting of folk and bluegrass as he matured.The Power of Silence and Bleak Space: Why Rich deliberately crafts an atmosphere of minimal instrumentation: focusing purely on the intimate, highly vulnerable pairing of a single voice and an acoustic guitar to let the raw songwriting and lyrical storytelling truly breathe.Inside the Devil by My Side Album & An Exclusive Scoop: Rich shares the core themes of self-struggle, personal demons, and finding hope in hopeless situations that tie his eight-track album together.Writing Like a College Paper: Unpacking Rich's highly structured creative process, where he refuses to touch a microphone until he has a complete album's worth of songs written. He explains why he outlines his tracks just like an academic essay to maintain focus and dodge the trap of endless editing.The 100% DIY Business Blueprint: A candid discussion on the realities of self-recording, self-producing, and self-funding an album. Rich explains why independent creators must treat their art like a business.The Gritty Truth of Promotion and PR: Why completing the record is only half the battle. Rich warns that marketing is a grueling full-time job and shares his #1 piece of advice for indie artists trying to stick out in a massive daily sea of new musicDiscipline Over Stardom & The Songwriting Battle: Why the ultimate creative victory is simply having the personal bandwidth and self-discipline to finish what you start. You can stream Wayward Sparrow's music and grab merchandise on Bandcamp, watch his latest video releases on YouTube, and find his debut album on all major streaming platforms. You can follow the podcast on Instagram @letstalkmediava. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

    Devil by My Side: From Underground Heavy Metal to Sparse Acoustic Americana (ft. Wayward Sparrow)

  4. Aug 5

    Multi-Hyphenated: How Paul Carganilla Thrives as an Actor, Screenwriter, Director, and Podcaster

    How do you keep your creative fire burning when balancing a day job, a family, and your own artistic ambitions? Is specialization really the only path to success in Hollywood, or is the modern multi-hyphenate actually holding the master key to creative freedom? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, the podcast exploring the craft, careers, and chaos of the creative world, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with actor, director, writer, podcaster, and ultimate multi-hyphenate, Paul Carganilla. With a career that spans 15 years as a professional live performer at Disneyland Resort to writing, directing, editing, and starring in his own crowdfunded feature films and hosting five distinct podcasts, Paul is the living embodiment of the adaptable modern artist. He shares his fascinating journey through the entertainment industry, his heart's fire creative philosophy, and the incredible joy of watching his children build their own Hollywood careers alongside legends like Susan Sarandon, Matthew McConaughey, and Robert Rodriguez. In this episode, we cover: The Disney Breakroom Incubator: Paul shares memories from his 15 years performing at Disneyland - from playing the Genie in Aladdin and the Sheriff of Frontierland, to doing atmospheric improv as a pirate tied to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.110 Pages in 6 Days: How Paul transitioned from theater school to the screen, teaching himself to write, edit, and direct through sheer hands-on experience. He breaks down the chaotic, high-intensity shoot of his independent feature film The Haunted Man, which involved filming nearly 94 pages of a 110-page script in a single hotel location across just six days with two camera crews running simultaneously.Somewhere a Second Time & Fan Fiction: The origin of his romantic sci-fi mystery screenplay that gives Hollywood icon Natalie Wood a magical second chance after her tragic 1981 disappearance. Paul explains why he wrote this 102-page script purely for the joy of creation, knowing he would never make a dime off of it, and why he chose to release it as a free download.Juggling the Multi-Podcast Plate: How Paul manages to host five incredibly diverse podcasts, including Titanic Legacy, Cove Pod, and an upcoming scene-by-scene breakdown of The Adjustment Bureau, by setting his own schedule, prioritizing time management, and treating creative work as his personal equivalent to "Netflix binging."The "Heart's Fire" Philosophy vs. Burnout: Paul breaks down why you must protect your creative energy, avoid the trap of constant hustle, and let your internal passion guide you through the industry's inevitable dark period.Raising the Next Generation of Hollywood: What it's like living in a household with two generations of performers, including his wife (who toured as young Cosette in Les Misérables) and his children, Everly and his son, who are already starring in major projects alongside Susan Sarandon, Aubrey Plaza, Matthew McConaughey, and Woody Harrelson. You can check out Paul's feature film The Haunted Man and his web series Winners on YouTube. Download his screenplay Somewhere a Second Time for free at somewherestory.com. Keep up with Paul's latest updates and podcasts on Instagram @paulcarganilla. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show on Instagram @letstalkmediava

    Multi-Hyphenated: How Paul Carganilla Thrives as an Actor, Screenwriter, Director, and Podcaster

  5. Aug 4

    SOULM8TE: First Impressions Review

    What happens when our deepest psychological craving for human connection is outsourced to a highly advanced, beautifully deceptive piece of coding? Why does the timeless story of a monster turning on its creator feel so much more terrifying when the monster looks exactly like us - and is designed to love us? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, the podcast exploring the craft, careers, and chaos of the creative world, host Vedant Akhauri delivers a raw, unfiltered, solo review of SOULM8TE, the highly anticipated sci-fi thriller spin-off to M3GAN and M3GAN 2.0 Recorded immediately after the film's midnight drop on Amazon Prime Video, Vedant breaks down why this fantasy satire serves as a chilling, Black Mirror-esque mirror to our growing AI-companion landscape (MILD SPOILERS!). In this episode, we discuss: The Schrödinger’s Cat of Modern Tech: How the film's premise of AI companions and parasocial relationships acts as a highly topical, near-future warning about the deep psychological dangers of seeking emotional, financial, or mental health support from early-stage chatbots.Debunking the "Clone" Controversy: Vedant does the industry math to explain why Soulm8te isn't a copy of the film,Obsession. He compares the robot with feelings trope back to the 2010 South Indian blockbuster Enthiran (Robot) and connects the movie's central horror directly to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.Claustrophobic Visual Grammar & Color Theory: A close look at the film's stunning cinematography and lighting.That, and more! You can keep up with all show updates on Instagram @letstalkmediava. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

    SOULM8TE: First Impressions Review

  6. Jul 28

    StarScript: The Self-Publishing Creator Network (ft. Co-Founder, Zack James)

    Why do so many incredibly talented independent artists fail to build sustainable careers? How does the modern digital landscape quietly turn passionate writers, musicians, and filmmakers into full-time project managers and part-time accountants? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, the podcast exploring the craft, careers, and chaos of the creative world, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with writer, coder, entrepreneur, and StarScript co-founder, Zack James. Zack co-founded StarScript with his brother after hitting his own creative roadblocks while writing the sprawling fantasy-sci-fi novel Arclight Destiny. He shares how StarScript is consolidating fragmented creative tools - including publishing, community, streaming players, and a native job board - into a single sovereign ecosystem. In this episode, we discuss: Dismantling the Algorithmic Jail: Why modern social networks actively "punish" creators who don't post on a grueling, frequent schedule, and how an algorithm-free feed allows artists to retain 100% ownership of their audience lists.The Three-Layer IP Franchise Architecture: A deep dive into StarScript's database hierarchy - Productions, Media, and Assets - and how it forces independent artists to transition from a single-upload mindset to thinking like the CEO of an expandable intellectual property universe.The Stardust Coin Micro-Monetization Play: How credit card networks levy predatory 30-cent flat transaction fees (as of 2026) that make $1.00 patronage tiers mathematically unviable, and how Zack's bulk pre-purchase token system elegantly bypasses banking friction.Automated Revenue Splits and Built-In Hiring: How StarScript's integrated job board allows creators to hire editors, cover designers, and audiobook narrators natively, with smart contracts executing perpetual, automatic royalty splits at the moment of sale.Decentralized Intellectual Property & The Sovereignty Paradox: A fascinating look into their Phase V roadmap, exploring whether giving fans voting power over a franchise's story direction is true creative liberation or merely a chaotic new form of decentralized middle management. You can find more information about the platform's multi-media self-publishing tools and sign up to publish your own work at starscript.com. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show on Instagram @letstalkmediava

    StarScript: The Self-Publishing Creator Network (ft. Co-Founder, Zack James)

  7. Jul 23

    Playing Hogwood in Sinners (ft. Actor, Dave Maldonado)

    Why does a character we absolutely love to hate on screen bring us so much collective joy? How does an actor step into the shoes of a detestable historical antagonist to make a story of good versus evil truly land? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, the podcast exploring the craft, careers, and chaos of the creative world, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with 15-year industry veteran, dedicated character actor, and SAG Award-winning ensemble member Dave Maldonado. Dave's extensive television and film credits include Deepwater Horizon, The Tomorrow War, The Devil All the Time, Greyhound, Free State of Jones, The 5th Wave, Trumbo with Bryan Cranston, Caddo Lake,The Burial, True Detective, Treme, NCIS: New Orleans, Dynasty, Homeland, From Dusk Till Dawn, Queen Sugar, Queen of the South, American Crime, Sleepy Hollow, Revolution, Your Honor, Tulsa King, Reservation Dogs, Will Trent, Love & Death, and Netflix's His & Hers. His recent experience also includes Hogwood, the local K*K leader and Bert's uncle, in Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan's cultural and box-office juggernaut, the movie Sinners. In this episode, we discuss: Auditioning Blind & The Vampire Twist: How Dave read for casting director Megan Lewis without knowing the plot, director, or stars, only to find out three-quarters of the way through the table read that he was starring in a 1930s Southern vampire movie.The Unplanned Musical Audition: Dave's nerve-wracking experience of having to awkwardly sing Irish-folk vampire melodies directly to co-star Hailee Steinfeld at the table read to fill in for absent cast members.The Duality of the Antagonist: How Dave approached playing the folksy yet deeply detestable K*K-affiliated character Hogwood, and why he believes character actors must step up to play evil so that good can triumph on screen.Riddled with Bullet Squibs on Day One: The intense adrenaline of filming his character's violent sawmill shootout on his very first day on set, taking a personal-record number of explosive squibs, and how Michael B. Jordan broke character between takes to help lower his anxiety.The Anatomy of an Unscripted Spit: How Dave pitched a viral, unscripted floor-spit to Ryan Coogler, and why he had to swap the crew's burning beef jerky substitute for a real can of Skull tobacco to make it look authentic.The Red Carpet Red Tape: The hilarious mishap at the New York premiere where red carpet security refused to let Dave in, forcing him to pull up his own IMDb page on his phone to prove he was in the movie. You can check out Dave's custom black-and-white Sinners fan art on his Instagram @dave.maldonado. You can find all of Dave's credits on his IMDb. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show on Instagram @letstalkmediava.

    Playing Hogwood in Sinners (ft. Actor, Dave Maldonado)

  8. Jul 21

    From Being Bedbound to #1 Best-Selling Poet (ft. Author, Autumn Williams)

    What happens when life forces you to slow down? How do you translate the physical confinement of a severe, bedbound chronic illness into a universal work of art that heals both the creator and the reader? In this episode of Let’s Talk Media, the podcast exploring the craft, careers, and chaos of the creative world, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Kirkus-praised, #1 Best-selling poet and author, Autumn Williams. Autumn shares her deeply moving journey of turning her struggle with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) into her chart-topping poetry collection, Clouds on the Ground. She opens up about the therapeutic power of "painting with words", the strange ways time bends when you are physically still, and her brilliant self-publishing blueprint—including the $1.00 launch strategy that propelled her to the top of Amazon's bestseller lists. In this episode, we discuss: Painting with Words: How Autumn turned to poetry during her first year of being bedbound, finding healing, escape, and a renewed sense of purpose through free verse.The Origin of "Clouds on the Ground": The beautiful night-time visualization that began as a sleep aid and evolved into a powerful metaphor for pulling heaven's peace and earth's simple joys closer.The $1.00 Bestseller Playbook: Autumn's self-publishing and marketing secrets, including how she leveraged print-on-demand and a tactical $1 eBook release to hit #1 across multiple Amazon poetry categories.Assembling the Creative Dream Team: How Autumn collaborated with top-tier talent, including celebrated poet-editor Shelby Leigh and illustrator Drew Clark, to bring her visual book to life.The "Anti-Hustle" Flow: Why Autumn rejects modern hyper-productive hustle culture, choosing instead to write only when her body and energy allow.Waves of Healing: A sneak peek into her free promotional chapbook, Waves, and how she uses the metaphor of the ocean to process loss and hold on to hope.Live Reading: Autumn reads a short, evocative untitled poem from page 150 of Clouds on the Ground. Grab a free copy of Autumn’s promotional, ocean-themed chapbook, Waves, at freechapbook.com. You can find all of Autumn’s books, newsletter updates, and social links at her website, autumnwilliams.com, as well as on Instagram @autumnwilliamspoetry. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes! You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show on Instagram @letstalkmediava

    From Being Bedbound to #1 Best-Selling Poet (ft. Author, Autumn Williams)
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About

Let's Talk Media is an interview podcast hosted by media professional and award-winning podcaster, Vedant Akhauri. Learn from unfiltered conversations with creators and analysts across film, TV, and media about their craft, careers, and the chaos that follows. New episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Follow @letstalkmediava on Instagram. Podcast Main Thumbnail and Style Guide by Brontë Cook.

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