Mischief and Mastery

Mishu Hilmy

Creativity isn’t tidy—it’s risky, chaotic, and full of surprises. It’s full of breakthroughs and breakdowns, moments of flow and moments of doubt. Join Mishu Hilmy for unfiltered conversations with artists, filmmakers, musicians, and fearless makers who thrive in the unknown, embrace imperfection, and create at the edge of possibility. This is your front row seat to the self-doubt, unexpected wins, and messy emotional work of making something real. But craft isn’t just about feeling—it’s about problem-solving, process, and the devotion behind mastery. Subscribe now for weekly episodes that celebrate the unpredictable, the playful, and the deeply human side of making things. Join the mailing list at mischiefpod.com Email anytime at podcast@ohhmaybe.com and follow us @mischiefpod

  1. 6D AGO

    Letting the Work Stay Playful | Victoria Salazar on Sound, Curiosity, and Crossing Mediums

    In this episode, Mishu talks with Victoria Salazar, a sound designer and re-recording mixer at Noisefloor LTD, about developing taste over time and following curiosity across formats without locking yourself into a single lane too early. Victoria reflects on moving between film, commercials, and games, and how each medium asks for a different kind of attention. Rather than treating sound as something precious or mystical, she talks plainly about listening, making choices, and staying open to surprise. Games, in particular, come up as a place where sound gets to be playful again — less precious, more iterative, and closer to instinct. The conversation also touches on learning by watching and listening closely, how short-form projects fit naturally into her way of working, and why enjoying the process matters if you’re going to keep doing this for the long haul. 🎧 Victoria Salazar is a Chicago-based sound designer and re-recording mixer whose work spans independent films (Kombucha, Room Six, Ghost of the Void), commercial campaigns for Jeep and Checkers Rally’s, and games including Destiny 2 and SpongeBob Idle Adventures. We talk about:  → Developing taste by listening, not theorizing → Letting curiosity — not career strategy — guide medium shifts → What feels different about working in games versus film → Making sound choices without over-intellectualizing them → Keeping the work playful instead of precious Connect with Victoria: Website: victoriaudio.com Instagram: @vict.wav Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    58 min

  2. 12/23/2025

    Staying With the Work | Kyle Anne Grendys on Responsibility, Process, and Letting a Film Grow

    In this episode, Mishu sits down with filmmaker and editor Kyle Anne Grendys to talk about making a documentary from the inside of an experience most people will never encounter. They get into what it means to work inside communities often flattened by the word “disability,” how responsibility can shape creative decisions, and why Kyle has chosen patience while expanding her short documentary into a feature. They talk about what it means to tell a story when you are also one of its subjects, how rarity changes the stakes of representation, and why expanding the film into a feature isn’t a matter of ambition so much as responsibility. Kyle reflects on living with the film over time — screening it widely, hearing from other people with the condition, and sitting with the knowledge that for some viewers, this film may be the only time they see themselves reflected on screen. 🎬 Kyle Anne Grendys is a Chicago-based filmmaker and editor whose award-winning short bio-documentary Fraser Syndrome & Me has screened at over 80 festivals across 15 countries. She’s currently developing the project into a feature-length documentary and recently earned her MFA in Film & Television Directing from DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts. More from Kyle: Website: kyleannegrendys.com Instagram: @kyleanne Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    55 min

  3. 12/16/2025

    Color Is a Language | Xanthe Brown on Taste, Translation, and Creative Authority

    In this episode, Mishu sits down with editor, colorist, writer, and producer Xanthe Brown to talk about what happens after a year of saying yes to everything — the growth, the at-times exhaustion, and the challenging balancing act of sustainability through practicing boundaries. They dig into the emotional and technical labor of post-production, why color is one of the hardest creative languages to translate, and how learning to articulate visual feeling is as much about empathy as it is about skill. Xanthe shares what it’s been like building a post-production career straight out of film school, navigating friend-based collaborations, and balancing generosity with self-preservation. From unsupervised color notes and budget-driven workflows to the discomfort of asking for limits, this conversation is about maturing creatively without hardening — and learning when “yes” can become “not right now.” Xanthe Brown is a Chicago-based editor, colorist, writer, and producer whose work spans independent features, documentary series, and branded content. She was a producer and editor on the feature mockumentary Line Cooks (premiering 2026), is currently coloring the documentary series One Million Experiments in the Field, and served as post-producer on Adam Present’s American Dendrite, which screened at the Chicago Underground Film Festival. We talk about: → Why color notes are emotional translations, not technical instructions → The hidden cost of being “the only colorist people know” → Supervised vs. unsupervised post workflows (and what budget really dictates) → Using lessons from producing and post production to inform a writing practice Learn more about Xanthe at xanthemoon.com and follow her on Instagram: @xanthe_does_film Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    1 hr

  4. 12/09/2025

    A Practice Beyond Permission | Brynley Halverson on Writing, Identity, and Creating Without Being Chosen

    In this episode, Mishu sits down with actor and writer Brynley Halverson to talk about the strange, liberating year where acting work slowed down and the writing door swung wide open. They get into what it means to build a creative life that isn’t dependent on being chosen, why co-writing has become an unexpected artistic home, and how having a permissionless outlet can quiet the old scarcity mindset. Brynley is a Chicago-based nonbinary transfemme performer, writer and theatre maker whose work spans Shakespeare, immersive theatre, and new-play development. They’re a founding member of Astral Stage Collective, where they co-wrote and performed in the world premieres Stardog and The Space Between. A decade into their acting career, they’re now exploring the pull of writing with a collaborative approach that feels equal parts craft and lightning-in-a-bottle. This conversation is about creativity as companionship — not competition — and how claiming one artistic lane can free up another. We talk about: → When acting slows down — and why it doesn’t have to break you → The peace that comes from having a creative outlet no one has to “grant” you → Co-writing immersive plays where four stories run at once → Navigating identity, agency, and artistic longevity in a city like Chicago Learn more about Brynley on Instagram: @bralversonListen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    56 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    Let the Music Lead | Yuxin Lu on Emotional Scores, Instinct, and Writing What Feels True

    In this episode, Mishu sits down with Chicago-based composer and sound designer Yuxin Lu to talk about slowing down, trusting your musical instincts, and finding your voice between two sonic worlds. They get into what happens when the work goes quiet for a while, how spotting a feature film changes the way you see structure, and why Yuxin refuses to fake a genre they can’t stand behind. Yuxin blends intimate piano work, synth-forward energy, and a cross-cultural musical language shaped by both Chinese and Western traditions. Their work spans film scoring, sound design, sync production, and solo releases like the 2021 EP Pink Area. They also bring experience from Paramount/MTV’s First Time Composers initiative and collaborations with 5 Alarm Music and Jingle Punks. This conversation dives into process, honesty, restraint, and how to write music that actually fits the picture — not just the temp track. We talk about: → What a spotting session really looks like, and how it shapes the entire score → Why it matters to admit the genres you can’t do (and how that builds trust) → Writing emotional piano vs. high-energy synth beats — and living in both worlds → The difference between a score that supports a scene and one that performs over it More from Yuxin: Website: sourlyx.com Instagram: @sourlyx Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    49 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Mischief and Mastery Minisode | When In Doubt, Read: 13 Books to Build Your Creative Compass

    In this short post-holiday episode, Mishu quickly walks through thirteen books that have shaped their artistic life. These are the ones they reread, return to, steal from, and lean on when the world feels loud or the industry feels shaky. Creative Practice & Inner Life Nonviolent Communication — Marshall RosenbergThe War of Art — Steven PressfieldThe Artist’s Way — Julia CameronThe Art of Living — Epictetus (interpreted by Sharon Lebell)Tao Te Ching — translated by Stephen MitchellShowbiz, Film History & Industry Reality Checks 6. The Great Moviemakers: Conversations with the Masters — George Stevens Jr. 7. Down and Dirty Pictures — Peter Biskind 8. Hollywood Economics — Arthur De Vany 9. Blink of an Eye — Walter Murch10. Film/TV Director's Field Manual — Rob Spera Writing & Craft 11. How to Build a Great Screenplay — David Howard 12. The Screenwriter’s Bible — David Trottier 13. Dialogue (and Story) — Robert McKee A simple gratitude practice can steady the creative life more than any productivity system — and these books are the ones that helped Mishu keep going. Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    8 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    Leave Before You Break | Dashawna Wright on Burnout, Reinvention, and Starting Over in LA

    In this episode, Mishu sits down with filmmaker and producer Dashawna Wright, founder of Choppe Productions, to talk about the quiet heartbreaks and necessary resets that come with a creative life. From the burnout that pushed her to leave Chicago to the disorienting honesty of starting over in LA, Dashawna opens up about momentum crashes, the pressure to make film your everything, and the relief of finally giving herself permission to have a life outside the grind.  Dashawna is an award-winning filmmaker whose bold indie work includes producing Daughters and directing shorts like Store-Run. She’s currently producing the feature Art of Alchemy with Space Cave Productions as part of the Chicago International Film Festival’s Film Exchange Lab. This conversation digs into the emotional mechanics of sustaining a career when the industry slows down, when a low-budget set breaks your heart, when the rejections pile up, and when the thing you love threatens to swallow your entire identity. We talk about:→ Why she moved to LA even as everyone else said, “I’m moving back to Chicago” → The emotional toll of low-budget productions and why questioning yourself is part of the job → The difference between wanting community and grinding yourself into social exhaustion → Figuring out who you are when film is no longer your only hobby → Starting over in an industry town without letting the industry devour you More from Dashawna Official website: choppeproductions.com Instagram: @Producedbychoppe Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    57 min

  8. 11/18/2025

    When the Room Comes Alive | Jordan Gleaves on Craft, Courage, and the Charge of Live Performance

    In this episode, Mishu sits down with actor and playwright Jordan Gleaves to talk about the jolt of performing in front of a live audience, the  intimacy of forgetting a line onstage, and the focus behind keeping a theater career alive in a city that will happily eat your free time. They get into Jordan’s balancing act between stage work, new play development, and sharpening his on-camera instincts—while staying anchored in why he returns to the theater again and again. Jordan’s stage credits span Court Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Goodman, TimeLine, and touring with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and has appeared in the feature film BAM! He holds an MFA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA from Morehouse College.  We talk about: → The presence and meditation of live performance→ The adrenaline spike of going up on a line—and finding your way back→ How theater instincts translate (and don’t translate) to on-camera auditions→ Navigating feast-or-famine seasons in Chicago’s creative ecosystem→ Why he seeks out rooms where collaboration feels like oxygen Catch Jordan in The Unseen by Craig WrightTin Drum Theatre at Bramble Arts Loft (through Nov 23)Tickets: https://tindrumtheatre.com/the-unseen/ Follow Jordan on Instagram: @justjordan93 Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpodProduced by @ohhmaybemedia

    57 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Creativity isn’t tidy—it’s risky, chaotic, and full of surprises. It’s full of breakthroughs and breakdowns, moments of flow and moments of doubt. Join Mishu Hilmy for unfiltered conversations with artists, filmmakers, musicians, and fearless makers who thrive in the unknown, embrace imperfection, and create at the edge of possibility. This is your front row seat to the self-doubt, unexpected wins, and messy emotional work of making something real. But craft isn’t just about feeling—it’s about problem-solving, process, and the devotion behind mastery. Subscribe now for weekly episodes that celebrate the unpredictable, the playful, and the deeply human side of making things. Join the mailing list at mischiefpod.com Email anytime at podcast@ohhmaybe.com and follow us @mischiefpod

Information

  • Creator
    Mishu Hilmy
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © OHH MAYBE INC.
  • Show Website
    Mischief and Mastery