Connect The Dots with Justin Stillmaker

The Hope For Us Network

Connect The Dots is a show about the love/hate relationship between art and money. Every week Justin will talk about the intersection of art and money with a guest who finds themselves there.

Episodes

  1. 09/21/2023

    Episode 10: Twin Films & Burning Man (Ft. Ani Pandit)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a Hope For Us Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  First up in art & money: Burning Man. From its origins as an experimental haven for artists to desert Coachella to a libertarian paradise covered in sh*t. Justin shares how such an event can morph overtime due to something as unartistic as money. Justin is joined by recurring guest, longtime friend, & creative, Ani Pandit! Ani shares an update on his decision to commit to his creative side with his short film in progress. For the subgenre of the week: Twin Movies. Justin explores how films like Pinball (2022), Blackberry (2023), & Tetris (2023); and Armageddon (1998) & Deep Impact (1998) come about due to the lack of creativity behind the money. The winner of art this week? The Strike! After months of fighting back against studio greed, the SAG-AFTRA and WGA continue to put it all on the line. As the studios continue to show their true colors, it's the artists that will win out.

    1h 7m

  2. 08/21/2023

    Episode 9: Hereditary Clones (Ft. Josh Schilling)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  First up in art & money: TikTok interviews. From groups like The Giggly Squad to Chicken Shop, TikTok has become a hub for brand deals & celebrity interviews. But why now? As the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, join Justin as he dives into these two very connected issues. Justin is joined by writer, producer, and his favorite A.D of all time, Josh Schilling! The two talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the film and tv scene, as well as how Josh became an Assitant Director and the challenges that come along with it. For the subgenre of the week: Hereditary Clones. Horror movies like The Night House (2020), Saint Maud (2019), and even Halloween Kills (2021) attempt to follow in Herediatry’s footsteps but fall short in their execution. The winner of art this week? The one and only, William Friedkin! In honor of this film giant, Justin highlights some of his greatest works including The Exorcist (1973), The French Connection (1971), and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). To end the episode, Justin shares a nostalgic recommendation for your film viewing pleasure. Connect The Dots airs every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    51 min

  3. 08/07/2023

    Episode 8: Movies are BACK! (ft. Carl Evans)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. Justin starts off by asking the important questions: what the hell is going on at Reddit? With most search engines now rendered useless by algorithm manipulation, how and why has Reddit secured its place as a reliable online source? Today, Justin is joined by pop culture aficionado and CEO of The Hope For Us Network, Carl Evans! The two talk about mental health, action films, and this week’s subgenre: Taken Knock-offs. Films like The Equalizer (2014), John Wick (2014), and You Were Never Really Here (2017).The winner of art this week? MOVIES! With the critical and box office successes of Barbie (2023), Oppenheimer (2023), and Talk To Me (2023), the film and creative industry seems alive and well! Could movies be the solution to our streaming rut?To end the episode, Justin shares some unique recommendations for your film and TV viewing pleasure.Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    1h 10m

  4. 07/24/2023

    Episode 7: The Best I.P. (ft. Victoria Vertuga)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  Justin kicks this episode off with the SAG-AFTRA strike and how we got to where we are now, then continues with a special guest: Victoria Vertuga! Victoria shares her unique perspective on the strike as an actor, producer, and writer. The pair also discuss her latest short film: Cold Blows The Wind (available later this year!) After the interview, Justin switches up the show and rolls right into who won art this week: Barbie (2023). From Barbieheimer to the Malibu Playhouse pop-ups, the marketing for Greta Gerwig’s latest film has taken on a life of its own. This rolls right into the subgenre of the week: The Best I.P., films like Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), Bumblebee (2018), Jumanji (2017), & Clue (1985) bring to life the intellectual properties we love. To end the episode, Justin shares  some unique recommendations for your film and TV viewing pleasure. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    1h 1m

  5. 06/26/2023

    Episode 6: Rocky Clones (ft. Jen Bosworth Ramirez)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. Justin starts this episode with the disaster that is The Flash (2023), then continues with a special guest: Jen Bosworth Ramirez! They discuss everything, from how she got to where she is today, to Jen’s time working for infamous Nic Cage. After the interview, Jen joins Justin for this week’s subgenre: Rocky Clones! To round out the episode, Justin shares who won art (hint: sometimes the sequel is better!), and gives some excellent recommendations for film and TV. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    57 min

  6. 06/12/2023

    Episode 5: 90s Teen Literary Adaptations (ft. Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. Today’s episode starts off with perhaps the most obvious intersection of art & money: The WGA strike. After just over a month of striking, the Writers Guild of America has shown no signs of slowing down, in fact garnering more and more popular support, including that of the Teamsters and SAG-AFTRA members. Justin shares how studio greed, the failing streaming model, and their attempted scapegoating of writers led us to where we are now and what’s potentially next! Our guest for the week is Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith: Award Winning Film Festival Strategist & Founder of The Film Festival Doctor! Justin and Rebekah share how they met, the importance of the film festival industry, as well as what inspired Rebekah’s career as The Film Doctor. The two also share some practical advice for new filmmakers looking to break into the festival scene. The subgenre of the week: 90s Teen Literary Adaptations: Films like Clueless (1995) that adapted Jane Austen’s Emma, one of the best 90s movies ever made, with an excellent costume department and standout performance by Alica Silverstone. Then you have an over-the-top remake of Shakespeare with Romeo + Juliet (1996) which gave us Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio and perfectly captured the imagined adulthood for teens of the time. Last but not least, a modern Taming of The Shrew with Ten Things I Hate About You (1999) which features phenomenal performances from Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the rest of this future star-studded cast. Who won art? Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse! As one of the few IPs granted such creative freedom, the latest Spider-Verse movie innovates the multiverse genre and pushes the boundaries of animation! Finally, Justin starts a new segment with two excellent entertainment recommendations: Dead Ringers (2023) and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    57 min

  7. 05/01/2023

    Episode 4: Does Music Even Matter? (ft. Patrick Ward Perkins)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  With the rise of mega-music festivals and elaborate brand activations, Justin asks the question: does the music even matter? From Coachella, to Burning Man, how has the shift towards marketing and money changed how we engage with artists and musicians? True to form, we have a real art vs money situation. So, who wins? Our guest for the week is Patrick Ward-Perkins: Director, Editor, and Screenwriter! Justin and Patrick share how they met, what inspired them to pursue the art of filmmaking, and some of their favorite stories from the industry You can check out Patrick’s work by visiting: ward-perkins.com! The subgenre of the week: Last Person On Earth movies!  Films such as the seemingly prescient 2007 blockbuster I Am Legend, as well as its inspiration for, The Omega Man (1971), 28 Days Later (2002) with a young Cillian Murphy, the incredibly cruel-ending of A Boy And His Dog (1975), a more comedic, yet still serious rendition of the genre with Night Of The Comet (1984), and rounding out the genre with a TV rendition: HBO’s The Last Of Us (2023). Who won art? The NBA Playoffs! Yes, you read that right. These games are what inspire all sports media, so it’s important to recognize the Art in the NBA. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    1h 1m

  8. 04/19/2023

    Episode 3: Have We Reached Peak Content? (ft. Caullen Hudson)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. This week, Justin asks the question: have we reached Peak Content? With so many streaming services options, is there such a thing as too many choices?  Justin is also joined by filmmaker, activist, & creator, Caullen Hudson! The two share how they met, politics and creativity, stories from the filmmaking industry, and… the Batman litmus test? The subgenre of the week: Time Loop movies!  Movies like the iconic Groundhog Day (1993) that started it all, Edge of Tomorrow (2014) with a sci-fi twist, Palm Springs (2020) for your Rom-Com tastes, Happy Death Day (2017) with a revamped slasher, and Russian Doll (2019) to round out the genre with a TV show. Who won art? Stuntmen! Their roles are crucial to the filmmaking industry, and with such recent blockbusters like John Wick: Chapter 4, Creed 3, it’s impossible to not recognize their talent and hardwork.  Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more! Support Caullen: https://www.caullenhudson.com

    57 min

  9. 04/04/2023

    Episode 2: Is TikTok The New TV? (ft. Red Gaskell)

    Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. This week, Justin talks about his unique connection to the social media giant, and what the Restrict Act might mean for art itself. Justin is also joined by friend, artist, & director, Red Gaskell. The two discuss their winding paths to becoming the creatives that they are today and how they balance creating art and paying the bills. After, Justin talks about an iconic movie sub-genre: When Cars Attack. Films like Duel (1971), Christine (1983), The Car (1977), and Maximum Overdrive (1983) helped shape the medium with Directors and writers like Spielberg, Carpenter, Stephen King making some of the best (and maybe worst) films of their respective decades. And this week, Justin shares how HorrorHound Film Festival changed his perspective on the importance of Film Festivals for creatives. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    50 min

  10. 03/20/2023

    Episode 1: Art VS A.I. (ft. Ani Pandit)

    This week, Justin shares his thoughts on art and A.I.; is it friend or foe? Will A.I. come for the arts, or is it just another over-promised and underwhelming technological achievement? Justin is also joined by longtime friend, film director, and amateur ufologist, Ani Pandit as they discuss the leap from money to art. Check out Ani's website: https://www.anipandit.com After, Justin shares one of his favorite subgenres: killer with a kid. Films like Logan, Léon, and Lone Wolf and Cub that are built around well… a killer and a kid. To round out this inaugural episode, Justin shares when art wins over money, with the sweeping win of Everything, Everywhere, All At Once during this year’s Oscar awards. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

    1 hr
  • 10 Episodes

About

Connect The Dots is a show about the love/hate relationship between art and money. Every week Justin will talk about the intersection of art and money with a guest who finds themselves there.

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