Can We Be Frank?

Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, and Ruby Dorkings

Can We Be Frank? is a weekly podcast where Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, and Ruby Dorkings get honest about entertainment, creativity, culture, relationships, and life. With years of experience behind the scenes in entertainment, the four friends bring real stories, opinions, plenty of humor, and conversations that rarely go where expected. No scripts. No pretending. Just four friends asking the questions everyone is thinking. New episodes every Monday!

  1. Sep 8

    They're Making That?!

    Can you tell from a trailer whether a movie is going to be great, terrible, or so ridiculous you have to see it? Mike, Robert, Derek, and Ruby watch upcoming movie and TV trailers together and give their completely unfiltered first reactions. Some trailers leave everyone confused. Some spark arguments about remakes, recycled ideas, gratuitous violence, tired comedy, and whether Hollywood has officially run out of things to make. And then one comes along that reminds everyone exactly why a great trailer can still make you want to buy a ticket immediately. From Ali G and strange horror discoveries to Wicker, Spa Weekend, another version of Carrie, and I Play Rocky, we rate what we would actually watch, what we would skip, and which trailers completely changed our expectations. What upcoming movie trailer has you excited, confused, or asking, "They're making THAT?" Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 On This Episode...1:55 Ali G Returns8:31 Horror, Action and Immediate Regret13:25 Wicker Changes the Mood20:55 Action Movies and Familiar Ideas24:39 Spa Weekend and Tired Comedy27:31 Remakes, Carrie and Hollywood Originality30:41 I Play Rocky Wins Everyone Over36:17 What Should We Watch Next?

  2. Aug 25

    Creativity on Demand!

    Can you actually be creative on demand, or do your best ideas show up when you stop forcing them? Derek, Ruby, Robert, and Mike compare how they get unstuck, find ideas, and do creative work when deadlines do not care whether inspiration has arrived. From blank pages, writers' rooms, editing, problem solving, and collaboration to showers, driving, music, dog walks, and simply starting before you feel ready, we explore why creativity looks completely different from one person to the next. Robert shares how he works through screenwriting blocks, imagines movie trailers to shape a story, and keeps moving when a deadline demands a draft. We also get into analysis paralysis, bad ideas that lead to better ones, using AI to organize the creative process, and whether people do their best thinking alone, together, at home, or in the office. What gets you into a creative headspace when the ideas are not coming? Watch, Listen and Follow: links.canwebefrankpodcast.com Credits Hosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby Dorkings Producer: Mike Axe Editor: Derek Kedell Theme: Paul Zappia Logo: Lee Wiley Chapters 0:00 On This Episode... 0:31 Theme Song and the Earbud Debate 7:33 Can You Be Creative on Demand? 11:38 Blank Pages, Focus and Collaboration 21:46 Where Great Ideas Come From 28:46 Writing Through Creative Blocks 34:15 AI and the Creative Process 38:49 When and Where Are You Most Creative? 49:27 Final Thoughts

  3. Aug 18

    How Did These Movies Flop?

    Why do some great movies flop at the box office, only to become cult classics years later? Mike, Robert, Derek, and Ruby debate underrated movies, box office failures, forgotten films, and the movies audiences eventually realized deserved a lot more love. Robert makes the case for Watcher, Derek defends The Prestige, and Mike goes to bat for Donnie Darko and Adventureland, including what it was actually like being an extra on the movie. We also get into Blade Runner, Fight Club, The Big Lebowski, The Shawshank Redemption, and other movies that struggled commercially or were overlooked before finding devoted audiences. Plus, reality TV rabbit holes, superhero fatigue, Spider-Man debates, and whether even a lifelong Star Wars fan can finally have too much Star Wars. What movie do you think everyone else got wrong? Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 Welcome to Can We Be Frank?10:40 Our Biggest "I Told You So" Moments16:04 Underrated Movies Everyone Got Wrong26:31 Donnie Darko, Adventureland and Mike's Movie Story32:14 Box Office Flops That Became Cult Classics40:20 Reality TV and Superhero Fatigue46:32 Has Star Wars Finally Gone Too Far?49:32 Final Recommendations

  4. Aug 11

    Does Sex, Violence and Gore Serve the Story?

    When do sex, nudity, violence, gore, and profanity make a story better, and when are they just there for shock value? Robert, Derek, Ruby, and Mike debate how far movies and TV should go, asking one question throughout: Does it serve the story? From the suspense of Halloween and Jaws to the violence of Saving Private Ryan and Pulp Fiction, we explore when showing more strengthens a story and when restraint can be far more effective. We also get into sex and nudity in Game of Thrones, Twilight, and Saltburn, censorship, sound design, personal limits, and whether "too much" ultimately depends on the viewer. Where is your line? Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 Welcome7:55 When Entertainment Goes Too Far16:42 When Violence Serves the Story24:06 Sex, Nudity and Shock Value34:41 The Power of Showing Less43:44 Saltburn and Personal Limits50:46 Final Thoughts

  5. Aug 4

    What Makes a Great Story Unforgettable?

    What makes a story unforgettable, and why do some movies, TV shows, and characters stay with us for decades? Mike, Derek, Ruby, and Robert break down what makes great storytelling work, from emotion, structure, surprise, performance, and world building to the deceptively simple question behind countless memorable ideas: What if? Using E.T., Star Wars, Breaking Bad, The Twilight Zone, and more, we explore why familiar stories can still feel original, why some ideas connect more deeply than others, and what makes a story stay with an audience long after it ends. Robert also takes us inside professional screenwriting, including pitching ideas, writing 19 drafts, receiving studio notes, deciding which feedback actually improves a story, and protecting the heart of an idea throughout the creative process. What story has stayed with you for years, and why? Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 Welcome to Can We Be Frank?12:09 What Makes a Great Story?17:16 Why Storytelling Tropes Work24:22 Fantasy, Escapism and Adventure29:54 The "What If?" Writing Process34:11 Inside Hollywood Pitch Meetings39:27 Writing 19 Drafts43:50 Scripts, Studio Notes and Feedback51:24 Taking Creative Criticism55:28 Final Thoughts

  6. Jul 29

    Why Do Great Shows Get Canceled?

    Why do great TV shows get canceled while others somehow survive forever? Mike, Derek, Ruby, and Robert dig into why beloved TV series disappear, what keeps others alive for years, and the business decisions that can matter just as much as whether a show is actually good. From Freaks and Geeks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Office to Breaking Bad and The Simpsons, we debate canceled-too-soon favorites, shows that ended at the right time, and the ones that may have stayed around too long. Robert shares what cancellation looked like from inside network sitcoms, while Derek breaks down animation, ratings, streaming, merchandise, production costs, and what really determines whether a TV show gets another season. What TV show do you wish had never been canceled? Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 Welcome to Can We Be Frank?12:57 Why Do Great TV Shows Get Canceled?21:39 Canceled Too Soon vs. Ending Well28:30 Why TV Shows Lose Another Season36:26 Which Shows Stayed Too Long?39:09 Reality TV and What Keeps Us Watching55:36 Final Thoughts

  7. Jul 21

    Can AI Music Be Real Art? with Dru of INDRUWORLD

    Can AI create real art, or does creativity still depend on the human behind the technology? Dru of INDRUWORLD joins Mike, Robert, Derek, and Ruby to debate AI music, human creativity, artist ethics, transparency, and what artificial intelligence means for the future of musicians. Dru explains how she combines original songwriting, production, AI tools, live performance, and community building as an "AI hybrid musician," while keeping the human story behind the music at the center of the work. We ask whether AI is replacing artists or expanding what they can create, whether AI-generated music can truly be art, when creators should disclose its use, and how independent artists can embrace new technology without losing authorship, emotion, or trust. Listen to Trucks Broke Down:dru.indruworld.com Follow Dru:TikTok: @indruworldInstagram: @indruworld Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsGuest: Dru of INDRUWORLDHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 Meet Dru and AI Music5:44 How Dru Makes Music With AI12:20 AI Ethics and Ownership25:04 Creativity and Community33:59 Can AI Music Be Real Art?54:52 Trucks Broke Down Live

  8. Jul 13

    Should You Turn Your Passion Into a Career?

    What happens when the thing you love becomes your job? Derek, Ruby, Robert, and Mike debate whether turning a passion into a career is really the dream we are told it is, or whether deadlines, clients, money, and pressure can slowly take the joy out of something you once loved. We get into creative burnout, side hustles, perfectionism, finding purpose in your work, and the complicated truth behind "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." Plus, what everyone is watching, Taylor Sheridan-style storytelling, reality TV, and The Pitt, including how sound, music, realism, and creative choices can completely change the way a story feels. Would you turn the thing you love most into your career? Watch, Listen and Follow:links.canwebefrankpodcast.com CreditsHosts: Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, Ruby DorkingsProducer: Mike AxeEditor: Derek KedellTheme: Paul ZappiaLogo: Lee Wiley Chapters0:00 What We're Watching8:45 The Pitt and Realistic Storytelling14:35 Passion, Creativity and Work22:32 Should You Turn Your Passion Into a Career?26:18 When Creative Work Stops Feeling Fun33:32 Why Simpler Can Be Better44:12 Final Thoughts

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About

Can We Be Frank? is a weekly podcast where Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, and Ruby Dorkings get honest about entertainment, creativity, culture, relationships, and life. With years of experience behind the scenes in entertainment, the four friends bring real stories, opinions, plenty of humor, and conversations that rarely go where expected. No scripts. No pretending. Just four friends asking the questions everyone is thinking. New episodes every Monday!

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, and Ruby Dorkings
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mike Axe, Robert Zappia, Derek Kedell, and Ruby Dorkings
  • Show Website
    Can We Be Frank?