Best Sundance Institute Podcasts (2025)

1
Exploring Trauma, Healing & the Creative Process with Author LIZ MOORE - Highlights 12:13

8d ago12:13

12:13

“I think income inequality really greatly contributes to the rage that people might feel, even as some Americans won't. What don't recognize that a more communal society might benefit them. What they see instead is, why don't I have what that person has? Something's getting in my way. And it's not a lack of, of community, it's: somebody else is kee…

1
The Visual Strategy 13:26

8d ago13:26

13:26

What happens when a perfectly planned shot list collides with the unexpected reality of actors on a set? In this episode of Visium, we explore a common yet critical moment filmmakers face: when reality challenges preparation—and improvisation becomes essential. Starting with a story every director and cinematographer can relate to, we dive deep int…

1
Family, Addiction & Overcoming Trauma - LIZ MOORE on Long Bright River starring AMANDA SEYFRIED 49:08

9d ago49:08

49:08

“ I've lived in Philadelphia for about 16 years. The book itself was inspired by my time spent in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia interviewing a lot of the people that I met there, both longtime residents of the neighborhood and also people who were transient, a lot of people struggling with addiction and a lot of women doing sex work…

1
PAUL LYNCH discusses Prophet Song, Beyond the Sea & his Creative Process - Highlights 18:19

14d ago18:19

18:19

"The country spoke Irish largely before it spoke English. Grammatically, the structure of Irish is different from English. As Ireland adopted the English language, this sort of hybridization started to occur, where the English language was placed on top of Irish grammatical constructions. You get this slipperiness, this ability to move sentences, t…

1
On Storytelling, Film & The Human Condition w/ Booker Prize Winner, Fmr. Film Journalist PAUL LYNCH 48:39

15d ago48:39

48:39

“We narrate the story of our lives to ourselves. We narrate it in linear fashion. And I know many writers have played with time in all sorts of amazing ways, but we're storytellers. This is what we do. And if you give the brain a story, a prepackaged story, you're giving a cheesecake. That's what it wants. That's why it loves stories. That's why o…

1
Threats against TABOR are also threats to our democracy. 5:50

16d ago5:50

5:50

Threats against TABOR are also threats to our democracy. By Jon Caldara TABOR simply means voter consent. TABOR is democracy. Weakening TABOR is weakening democracy. Every couple of years the spending lobby orchestrates an assault on our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. They are testing another onslaught likely for next year. I was around for the fights …

1
From Words to Images 17:44

22d ago17:44

17:44

There’s one question that never fails to make filmmakers squirm: What’s your story? It sounds simple, but the answer isn’t always obvious. In this episode of Visium, we unpack why that question is so hard to answer—and why it might be the most important one a filmmaker can ask. We also explore why the screenplay doesn’t hand you the story outright.…

1
Sundancing on Colorado taxpayers with ‘economic development’ 5:51

23d ago5:51

5:51

Sundancing on Colorado taxpayers with ‘economic development’. By Jon Caldara Hollywood is coming to my hometown. By now you’ve heard the Sundance Film Festival is moving to Boulder. What a relief! Finally, some common folk are coming to town. As you know, Boulder is home to the state’s most smug elite, those who know how the rest of us should live,…

1
ADAM MOSS - Fmr. Editor of New York Magazine, Author, Artist on Creativity as a Process - Highlights 14:23

25d ago14:23

14:23

“When I was working at the Times and the Times Magazine, on one Tuesday morning, the towers fell. September 11, 2001. The magazine had a 10-day lead time, so it was a weekly that was essentially 10 days old by the time it came out. We came to work and realized the world had changed, and the entire process, the magazine had been made for over a hund…

1
Progressives stifle free speech with Colorado ‘deadnaming’ bill 6:16

30d ago6:16

6:16

Progressives stifle free speech with Colorado ‘deadnaming’ bill By Jon Caldara With apologies to Pete Seeger, and the 5,000 acts who covered his song. Where have all the liberals gone? Long time passing. Where have all the liberals gone? Long time ago. Where have all the liberals gone? Young progressives canceled them, every one. When will they eve…

1
Turnabout is fair play for government ‘acknowledgement’ propaganda 6:02

1M ago6:02

6:02

Turnabout is fair play for government ‘acknowledgement’ propaganda By Jon Caldara You can file this under “and this is the kind of crap that got Donald Trump elected.” The job of government is to serve the citizens, not to indoctrinate them into victim identity ideology. We have choices of where to worship, to read politically persuasive literature…

1
The Visual Story 12:16

1M ago12:16

12:16

Would you walk onto a stage in front of 500 people without knowing exactly what you want to say? Probably not. Yet, many filmmakers do something similar when they step onto set without a clear vision for their images. In this episode of Visium, we dive into what makes images in film truly work—not just as pretty pictures, but as powerful storytelli…

1
Leftist language police: Coerced speech can backfire 6:09

2M ago6:09

6:09

Leftist language police: Coerced speech can backfire By Jon Caldara Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” is obnoxious, needless and, well, just kinda stupid. And I love it. It’s just freakin’ awesome! After a decadeslong leftist renaming orgy, like changing our beloved Mount Evans into Mount Blue Sky, Gulf of America gives them a ta…

1
Unforgettable Images 10:42

2M ago10:42

10:42

What makes an image truly unforgettable? Think of the Afghan Girl’s piercing stare, Muhammad Ali towering over his opponent, or Neo stopping bullets in The Matrix. These images don’t just capture a moment—they tell a story that sticks with us. But what’s the secret behind them? In this first episode of Visium, Tal Lazar dives into the hidden langua…

1
Government secrecy all the rage under Colorado’s gold dome 5:56

2M ago5:56

5:56

Government secrecy all the rage under Colorado’s gold dome By Jon Caldara Last year, majority Democrats in the legislature voted to exempt themselves from large portions of our beloved Open Meetings Law because, as Mel Brooks famously said, “It’s good to be the king.” It took them no time to exploit this new power to operate in the dark. For the fi…

1
Feminism in the 21st Century 17:10

2M ago17:10

17:10

How has feminism changed in light of the way we live now? DEAN SPADE (Author of Love in a F*cked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up & Raise Hell Together) on recognizing political conditions in personal relationships. MARILYN MINTER (Artist, Feminist) on sexual agency, beauty & her creative process. TEY MEADOW (Author of Trans Kids: Bein…

1
Parents should police their kids’ social media, not the government. 5:36

2M ago5:36

5:36

Parents should police their kids’ social media, not the government By Jon Caldara Yes, social media sucks. Government tracking won’t make it better. As regular readers can attest, I am barely literate. If you find my work hard to read, be comforted by the fact I find, well, everything hard to read. It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I underst…

1
Trump’s out of the gate barrage sends Democrats flailing 5:48

2M ago5:48

5:48

Trump’s out of the gate barrage sends Democrats flailing By Mike Rosen Early in the 2024 Republican presidential nominating process I wasn’t enthused about Donald Trump. While I approved of his accomplishments as president and his public policy agenda, I thought his brash style and the clumsy way he ended his presidency would be a drawback, and tha…

1
Inside the Mind of PETER WELLER, Actor, Art Historian, Director, Musician, Author - Highlights 13:57

2M ago13:57

13:57

Peter Weller is a renowned theater and Hollywood actor. His performances in films such as RoboCop and Naked Lunch garnered him much critical and commercial success over the years. His television acting and directing credits include Sons of Anarchy, Dexter, and 24. Unbeknownst to most, Weller has spent decades honing his appreciation for the visual …

1
From RoboCop to the Renaissance w/ Actor, Art Historian, Director, Musician, Author PETER WELLER 1:11:27

2M ago1:11:27

1:11:27

“I met Miles backstage at the Hollywood Bowl—the last gig he ever played. Miles asked, “Who’s that white boy?” I introduced him to Bob Thiele Jr., whose father produced Coltrane. When Miles discovered this, he said, “Well, you can hang,” following this friendly gesture with me walking Miles to his car. I did not know he was dying. I kissed him on b…

1
Female teachers targeting girls new plot twist in grooming students 5:26

2M ago5:26

5:26

Female teachers targeting girls new plot twist in grooming students By Jon Caldara I was born in the wrong time. For instance, I completely missed the sexual revolution of the 1970s when people were having casual sex like it was shaking hands. As an eager young man with hopeful bad judgment and a rupturing libido, I couldn’t wait till I was old eno…

1
Nuclear the obvious answer to Colorado’s energy math problem 5:39

3M ago5:39

5:39

Nuclear the obvious answer to Colorado’s energy math problem By Jon Caldara Slowly, very slowly, Colorado environmentalists are learning basic math. Simple math is a wickedly dangerous thing. I strongly recommend you never learn it. Those fool enough to play around with basic math realize our lawmakers have painted us into an energy-starved corner …

1
The Creative Process w/ JULIE ANDREWS, PAUL SCHRADER, JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY, ETGAR KERET, JOY GORMAN WETTELS, CHAYSE IRVIN, MANUEL BILLETER 14:03

3M ago14:03

14:03

JULIE ANDREWS (Oscar, Tony & Pulitzer Prize-winning Actress & Singer · The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins) Andrews shares her experience working on Mary Poppins, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets about the character. She reminisces about her collaboration with Walt Disney and Tony Walton. ETGAR KERET (Cannes Film Festival Award-winning Director & A…

1
Trump executive order tees up birthright citizenship for SCOTUS 5:43

3M ago5:43

5:43

Trump executive order tees up birthright citizenship for SCOTUS By Mike Rosen As expected, President Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship was immediately challenged by attorneys from four Democrat-controlled states, and a Seattle judge promptly blocked it with a temporary restraining order. This isn’t a setback for Trump, it’s an…

1
RTD’s institutional racism on display with subsidized transit ‘equity’ 5:39

3M ago5:39

5:39

RTD’s institutional racism on display with subsidized transit ‘equity’ By Jon Caldara I assume you felt the magic in the air a couple Tuesdays ago. We all did. There’s only one day of the year children get more excited than Christmas morning. And that, of course, is Transit Equity Day! As in most American homes, we hung up Transit Equity decoration…

1
CU Boulder’s institutionalized racism infests football program 5:39

3M ago5:39

5:39

CU Boulder’s institutionalized racism infests football program By Jon Caldara Racial discrimination is repugnant. Period. Our nation has made great strides during our nearly 250 years. And for that we should be proud, not ashamed. Too bad we’ve gone backward with government-sanctioned racial discrimination. I was born the same year of the Civil Rig…

1
Obama’s third term as president ends with a gasp and wheeze 6:04

3M ago6:04

6:04

Obama’s third term as president ends with a gasp and wheeze By Mike Rosen The final month of the Biden presidency was the political left’s last gasp, punctuated with an unprecedented and shameful avalanche of pardons, commutations of brutal murderers from federal death row, spiteful executive orders, and public statements overflowing with bald-face…

1
Relationships, Writing, Dyselxia & The Creative Process w/ Director SOPHIE BROOKS 10:20

3M ago10:20

10:20

“In reality, we're all complex people with feelings and our own sets of baggage. I do think we are very good at self-sabotage, all of us. It's a very easy road to go down. It's safe because it's comfortable, and we know it. When you can find the ways you self-sabotage and try to stop that, it will hopefully lead to a happier life and things that ar…

1
Modern Love - Writer, Director SOPHIE BROOKS on her new film OH, HI! 49:12

3M ago49:12

49:12

What is love? How do the relationships we have early in our lives affect us for years to come? How can we break free from cycles of damage to form relationships of mutual understanding, respect, and love? Sophie Brooks is a London-born, Brooklyn-based writer and director. Her sophomore feature Oh, Hi! premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.…

1
FDA spoils Denver’s “My body my choice” Zyn ban 5:36

3M ago5:36

5:36

FDA spoils Denver’s “My body my choice” Zyn ban By Jon Caldara I quit smoking decades ago. I committed to smoking only after sex. The Food and Drug Administration has officially declared the Denver City Council is working to kill people. This counters the council’s stated fib they want to help people stop smoking. I know we’ve been over this before…

1
From Spy Thrillers to Police Dramas w/ Writer, Creator, Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY 13:08

3M ago13:08

13:08

“There used to be a time when leading men were okay with falling down as a character. Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones is a prime example of that. Even going back to the fifties, they understood that failure and falling down, but getting back up, is an endearing quality. It's a universal human quality. We have gotten to a point in the last 10 or 15 y…

1
Behind the Scenes of The Rookie & The Recruit w/ Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY 40:43

3M ago40:43

40:43

How can we improve the way we train and recruit police officers? Can TV dramas serve as positive models for policing and help foster community? Alexi Hawley is the creator of ABC’s The Rookie, starring Nathan Fillion, and Netflix's The Recruit, an espionage drama starring Noah Centineo that, in season two, explores the legal defense tactic 'graymai…

1
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s virtue signaling backfires 5:35

4M ago5:35

5:35

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s virtue signaling backfires By Jon Caldara A warning to the left: obnoxious virtue signaling can be a two-way street. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has a nice warm office. So why instead hold a press conference out in the cold on the violence-ridden 16th Street Mall? Well, for image management, of course. What better way to…

1
How Art Helps Us Understand the World - Filmmakers, Writers & Artists Share their Stories 11:52

4M ago11:52

11:52

How do our personal lives influence the art we make? JIM SHEPARD (Author of The Book of Aron, Project X, & The World to Come starring Casey Affleck, Vanessa Kirby, Katherine Waterston · Winner of the PEN New England Award, The Story Prize) explores historical human dilemmas, the emotional imagination and literature's role in extending empathetic un…

1
A conservative’s case for getting rid of the debt ceiling 5:31

4M ago5:31

5:31

A conservative’s case for getting rid of the debt ceiling By Mike Rosen In late December, Congress passed stopgap legislation to avert a government shutdown. Of course this is hyperbole, the government doesn’t really shut down. The vast majority of government spending continues to flow, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, interest on the…

1
Capitol committee hearings need a dose of sunshine 5:33

4M ago5:33

5:33

Capitol committee hearings need a dose of sunshine By Jon Caldara Why won’t leadership in the Capitol livestream the entire legislature? In a previous life I was on the Regional Transportation District (RTD) board of directors. This elected position paid a whopping $250 a month, but it did include a free bus pass. And let me tell you, the ladies di…

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