DESIGNERS ON FILM

Jason Tselentis
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Design
  • Updated Weekly

Every episode, host Jason Tselentis speaks with a phenomenal guest, usually a designer, about their favorite movie. It might be worth watching over and over, and over again. Maybe it left them with more questions than answers, or a lingering feeling. Learn about art direction and set design, cinematography and performance, casting and screenwriting, acting and costume design, makeup and music, as well as advertising, marketing, media, technology, unforgettable quotes, and so much more. Whether or not you are a designer, you will enjoy every revealing conversation that explores creativity and strategy, perseverance and leadership, craft and style.

  1. 9h ago

    RE-RELEASE: One Crazy Summer (1986) with Mike Wirth

    Although our guest Mike Wirth didn't work on 1986's One Crazy Summer, he loves the movie for all the right reasons. Guilty pleasure? Not quite, according to Wirth who wonders, "Why couldn't John Cusack's Hoops McCann have been Hoops Leibowitz?" In addition to One Crazy Summer, we discuss whammy animations, world-in-world experiences, Better Off Dead, Grosse Pointe Blank, Singles, Chainsaw Date and Hemorrhoids from Hell, Bobcat Goldthwait, comic book icons Archie and Betty and Veronica, and The Goonies, plus silly sequel and prequel ideas for One Crazy Summer. This re-released episode originally appeared on Season 1 of the show. - As an educator and community builder, Wirth's work focuses on social justice and identity, fusing complex and personal issues and influences into his art. He's led projects with Jewish federations across the US, has had How Our Laws are Made featured on The Daily Show blog, is the author of Hiddur Olam, a Torah art book, and is the host of The Jewish futurism Lab podcast where Jewish tradition meets design, technology, and speculative imagination, with each episode blending story, studio practice, and future-thinking. Wirth is artist-in-residence with the Stan Greenspon Center for Holocaust and Social Justice Education, and full Professor of Graphic Design at Queens University of Charlotte. mikewirthart.com/ instagram.com/mikewirth/ mikewirthart.com/podcasts/the-jewish-futurism-lab/ - One Crazy Summer (1986) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091680/ - Other movies and shows discussed: Better Off Dead (1985) The Goonies (1985) Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) Singles (1992) - about the podcast https://www.designersonfilm.com/frequently-asked-questions - LETTERBOXD Season 3 https://boxd.it/UxwBk - LETTERBOXD Season 2 https://boxd.it/Kkuik - LETTERBOXD Season 1 https://boxd.it/xfW8K - contact us https://www.designersonfilm.com/hollaback

  2. Jul 23

    RE-RELEASE: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) with Noah Smith

    Noah Smith is a multidisciplinary visual storyteller specializing in UX design. With a background in film, Noah's also a big, big fan of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the 1986 comedy that's also full of action, drama, and sprawling musical numbers. Ferris, an extremely popular teenager, skips school and with his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane, they embark on a series of adventures. What about the possibility of Ferris being a figment of Cameron's imagination, the so-called Fight Club theory? And how does Ferris connect to Spider-Man? Plus, the movie's small but memorable baseball moments make it perfect for the month of March and Major League Baseball's season openers. - Noah Smith's true love for all things 80s includes some pretty rad engagement photos that made their way into People and Huffpost. An accomplished woodworker, he's designed tables, bowls, cutting boards, spoons, and everything in-between, a hobby he began in 2020. For a few years in college he produced music (under the name, Hard Mix) and eventually signed to a record label. https://www.noahdanielsmith.com/ https://www.instagram.com/noahdanielsmith/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/omg-these-80s-themed-engagement-pics_n_5978cffce4b0e201d57a8f96 https://people.com/human-interest/couple-80s-throwback-engagement-pics/ - Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098795/ https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/06/why-ferris-bueller-never-existed/327276/ https://www.businessinsider.com/the-ferris-bueller-fight-club-theory-and-other-fan-conspiracies-sending-people-on-reddit-into-a-tailspin-2015-6 https://www.slashfilm.com/503532/the-ferris-bueller-fight-club-theory/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiMuj85ngEo https://theweek.com/speedreads/540187/john-hughes-wrote-ferris-buellers-day-6-days-79-other-facts-about-80s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Rose_House - Pop culture discussed https://www.bustle.com/p/the-ferris-bueller-reference-in-spider-man-homecoming-you-mightve-missed-68654 https://typographica.org/on-typography/corbis-buys-veer-whither-the-fonts/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooney_(band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcazL5yNukw - Other movies and shows discussed: Alfie (1966) Deadpool (2016) Fight Club (1999) Hello Dolly! (1969) The Matrix (1999) Napoleon Dynamite (2004) Point Break (1991) Pretty in Pink (1986) Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Toy Story 5 (2026) WALL-E (2008) WarGames (1983) Weird Science (1985)

  3. Jul 15

    What's in store for our 3rd Season!

    Season 3 will have more great guests and more great discussions about movies, including Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, and Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, among others. See this episode's notes for links to our LETTERBOXD with each season's films collected season by season. Plus, you can contact us to recommend a movie, suggest a guest, or nominate yourself as a guest. Remember! Subscribe AND provide a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts! - about the podcast: https://www.designersonfilm.com/frequently-asked-questions - LETTERBOXD Season 3 https://boxd.it/UxwBk - LETTERBOXD Season 2 https://boxd.it/Kkuik - LETTERBOXD Season 1 https://boxd.it/xfW8K - contact us, online form: https://www.designersonfilm.com/hollaback - contact us, hotline, text or voicemail: 704-681-6880

  4. Jun 1 ·  Bonus

    That's a Wrap: Season 2

    We've done it again, made it through another season of DESIGNERS ON FILM. Having just finished Season 2, here are highlights and episodes of note. - Sam Beddoes, who developed a video game based on The Rocky Horror Show, talked about the movie, aka The Rocky Horror Picture Show. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-1975-w-sam Leading up to Halloween in 2025, we continued our Spooky Cinema theme with plenty of new additions, Season 1 and 2 are collected at… https://www.designersonfilm.com/scares/ Erik Wiese discussed the work that went into Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical, and how design played a role in this fun, heartwarming movie that honors Charles Schulz and Schulz's development as an artist. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/snoopy-presents-a-summer-musical-2025-with-erik-wiese Guests Scott Amyx and Cameron Tau analyzed David Fincher's The Social Network and critiqued the ways Facebook has caused disruptions impacting people at a very human level. But, the Uplifty app Scott and his team developed aims to do something very different, helping people build relationships. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/the-social-network-2010-with-scott-amyx-and-cameron-tau University of Washington's Professor Karen Cheng recalled seeing Working Girl for the first time, and explained what makes it such a fun, rewatchable movie. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/working-girl-1988-with-karen-cheng Christie Wu, who introduced me to the movie Clockwatchers, analyzed its well-composed cinematography. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/clockwatchers-1997-with-christie-wu Designer and filmmaker Sofia Cababa Wood, who has always loved Marie Antoinette, shared her own personal connections to Sofia Coppola's movie. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/marie-antoinette-2006-with-sofia-cababa-wood‍ ‍ DESIGNERS ON FILM is available on Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy podcasts. Do you have a question about the show? A guest to recommend? A movie or movies you'd like to learn more about? See this episode's notes and the link to our contact form. We'll be off for a few weeks. I hope you watch plenty of movies this summer!! I sure will! - CONTACT US https://www.designersonfilm.com/hollaback - We're on LETTERBOXD Season 3 https://boxd.it/UxwBk - Season 2 https://boxd.it/Kkuik‍ ‍ - Season 1 https://boxd.it/xfW8K

  5. May 25 ·  Bonus

    Marie Antoinette (2006) with Sofia Cababa Wood [more thoughts]

    In this bonus episode, you'll hear more from Sofia Cababa Wood who discusses Marie Antoinette, its themes, and movies that would pair well with it. Antoinette was ruled by her circumstances, but the 2006 movie shows us a more personal side, all while avoiding graphic imagery of her ultimate demise. We also talk about the funny, entertaining MTV Cribs parody that Jason Schwartzman did which appears on the DVD's special features. - Sofia Cababa Wood is a Seattle-based product designer at eBay. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Visual Communication Design from the University of Washington in 2020. She cut her teeth at various design studios, with a specialty in data visualization. Her experiences living in the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea have shaped her as a designer and helped her view her work through a systems-centered lens. These days, she also makes and sells pottery! https://www.sofiacababawood.com/ https://scwstoneware.com/‍ ‍ - Marie Antoinette (2006) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422720/ https://www.instagram.com/reels/DNY8hQuSOyU/ - Other movies and shows discussed: Barry Lyndon (1975) The Bear (2022-) The Beguiled (2017) The Bling Ring (2013) Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) Bottoms (2023) Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Bridgerton (2020-) The Great (2020-2023) Her (2013) Lost in Translation (2003) Pride and Prejudice (2005) Priscilla (2023) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Shiva Baby (2020) Somewhere (2010) The Virgin Suicides (1999)

  6. May 19

    Marie Antoinette (2006) with Sofia Cababa Wood

    Based on Lady Antonia Fraser's 2001 biography and directed by Sofia Coppola, the 2006 Oscar-winning movie Marie Antoinette portrays the queen in a way you might not expect, making her a relatable person, a teenager who becomes a leader, coping with life's ups and downs all while trying to have some fun too. The stylistic flair and visual embellishments (watch for a pair of Converse sneakers) make plenty of scenes feel like a dessert tray thanks to the friendly, sweet color choices and Milena Canonero's work which won a 2007 Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design. Designer Sofia Cababa Wood has always loved the movie and as a teenager reenacted moments while visiting France, it's a movie the Seattle-based product designer at eBay definitely watches once a year. - Sofia Cababa Wood is a Seattle-based product designer at eBay. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Visual Communication Design from the University of Washington in 2020. She cut her teeth at various design studios, with a specialty in data visualization. Her experiences living in the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea have shaped her as a designer and helped her view her work through a systems-centered lens. These days, she also makes and sells pottery! https://www.sofiacababawood.com/ https://scwstoneware.com/ - Marie Antoinette (2006) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422720/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DO8szHyCH91/ https://www.history.com/articles/marie-antoinette https://variety.com/2006/film/awards/marie-antoinette-4-1200515977/ https://letterboxd.com/journal/marie-antoinette-retrospective-deep-impact/‍ ‍ https://www.vulture.com/2013/06/defense-of-sofia-coppolas-marie-antoinette.html - Other movies and shows discussed: Barry Lyndon (1975) The Bear (2022-) The Beguiled (2017) The Bling Ring (2013) Bridgerton (2020-) The Favourite (2018) The Great (2020-2023) Lost in Translation (2003) Priscilla (2023) Somewhere (2010) The Virgin Suicides (1999)

  7. May 13 ·  Bonus

    Clockwatchers (1997) with Christie Wu [more thoughts]

    Designer Christie Wu shares more thoughts about Clockwatchers (1997), talking about iconic, memorable, and funny scenes. Starring Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, and Alanna Ubach, Clockwatchers tells the story of four female temp workers struggling to get through each day of their 9 to 5 job. - Christie Wu is a concept-driven designer working at the intersection of culture, design, and technology. Specializing in digital and interactive design, she crafts playful interactions and inventive visual stories that reverse expectations and bring joy to everyday experiences. At DEPT, she has designed for Twitch, eBay, Nordstrom, E*Trade, and Ariana Grande Fragrances. Her work has been recognized by PrintMag, Loadmo.re, and WeDirectory. Her personal project, Wandering Wombs, rebrands menstrual health visually, conceptually, and culturally. Launched in November 2024, it weaves together education, innovative design, and community engagement to empower individuals and spark meaningful conversations about the menstrual cycle. https://christiewu.design/ https://christiewu.fun/index.html - Clockwatchers (1997) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118866 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHACMZl4ud0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Taf5HhMAmOI

  8. May 8

    Clockwatchers (1997) with Christie Wu

    Starring Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, and Alanna Ubach, Clockwatchers tells the story of four female temp workers struggling through the challenges of their 9 to 5 job. But when a new, full-time permanent hire comes on board suspicion and competition set in, made worse by a patronizing boss and thievery that brings about a witch hunt. Designer Christie Wu talks about how Clockwatchers impacted her, and explains why its well-composed cinematography is so rewarding to watch. - Christie Wu is a concept-driven designer working at the intersection of culture, design, and technology. Specializing in digital and interactive design, she crafts playful interactions and inventive visual stories that reverse expectations and bring joy to everyday experiences. At DEPT, she has designed for Twitch, eBay, Nordstrom, E*Trade, and Ariana Grande Fragrances. Her work has been recognized by PrintMag, Loadmo.re, and WeDirectory. Her personal project, Wandering Wombs, rebrands menstrual health visually, conceptually, and culturally. Launched in November 2024, it weaves together education, innovative design, and community engagement to empower individuals and spark meaningful conversations about the menstrual cycle. https://christiewu.design/ https://christiewu.fun/index.html https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-wu-13031a181/ https://www.printmag.com/web-interactive-design/wandering-wombs-a-lifeline-for-reproductive-rights/ - Clockwatchers (1997) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118866 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHACMZl4ud0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Taf5HhMAmOI - Other movies and shows discussed: Big Love (2006-2011) The Office (2001-2003, UK) The Office (2005-2013, US) Office Space (1999) Playtime (1967)

See All (112)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Every episode, host Jason Tselentis speaks with a phenomenal guest, usually a designer, about their favorite movie. It might be worth watching over and over, and over again. Maybe it left them with more questions than answers, or a lingering feeling. Learn about art direction and set design, cinematography and performance, casting and screenwriting, acting and costume design, makeup and music, as well as advertising, marketing, media, technology, unforgettable quotes, and so much more. Whether or not you are a designer, you will enjoy every revealing conversation that explores creativity and strategy, perseverance and leadership, craft and style.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Tselentis
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    112
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    DESIGNERS ON FILM