From Suarez's Basement - A Communication, Media, and the Arts Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with the dynamic Kat Coiro, the TV and film director behind the hit film Marry Me , starring Jennifer Lopez, and the upcoming Matlock series featuring Kathy Bates. We explore Kat's journey as a female director in Hollywood and discuss the importance of personal connections in shaping her projects. Kat shares her creative process when she first reads a new script, her u...

In the latest episode of "From Suarez's Basement," we sit down with Will Hughes-Jones, the brilliant production designer behind the opulent worlds of Bridgerton and My Lady Jane. From creating the lavish sets of Regency-era London to reimagining historical spaces with a fresh, modern twist, Will takes us behind the scenes of two of the most visually stunning period dramas on television. Discover t...

Dive into the world of fashion and storytelling in this episode featuring the talented costume designer Molly Rogers. From the vibrant streets of the hit TV show "Sex and the City" to the high fashion wardrobe of the iconic film, "The Devil Wears Prada," Molly reveals the secrets behind crafting unforgettable looks that define characters and shape narratives. Join us as we explore her creative pro...

In this captivating episode we sit down with the multi-talented Tom Verica, an actor, director, producer, and head of Creative Production for Shondaland/Netflix. He is known for his remarkable work on beloved series like Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte, and Inventing Anna, among many other successful TV shows. Join us as Tom shares his unique insights into the world of TV production, revealing what it...

Prepare to dive deep into the world of modern poetry in this episode of From Suarez's Basement. Join us as we embark on a lyrical journey, exploring the transformative power of verse in today's cultural landscape. Ricardo Nazario y Colon is a celebrated poet whose work has been described as "a vivid tapestry of emotion and insight." He shares their creative process, discusses the influences shapin...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to create the stunning sets that bring your favorite TV shows to life? In this episode, we dive deep into the world of TV Production Design, where imagination meets reality. Join Professor Suarez as he chats with top TV and Film designer Michael Wylie, who transforms blank canvases into iconic worlds. Michael is responsible for the words of Netflix's hit TV sho...

The Basement’s guest this week is the award winning actor, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee! Professor Suarez and Lee discussed Lee’s early acting years as a main character in the well known show, Kim’s Convenience. Lee goes in-depth about the struggles he had with embracing his character, Appa; as well as the difficulties the show had with getting on air. Later on, Lee talks about his most recent work on the h...

This week, the very talented film producer Sarah Dowland visited the Basement! In the episode, Professor Suarez discusses Dowland’s career transition from visual effects to her work as a film producer, as well as her definition of visual effects and the effect she thinks AI will have on the film industry. Later on, they discuss the documentary she has been producing which was released earlier this...

Don Winslow, a one-of-a-kind author, was this week’s guest in the Basement! Throughout the episode, Professor Suarez and Winslow talk about his life as a private investigator before becoming a well-known author, as well as the concept of “writer’s block” and how he suggests writers overcome it. Later on, Winslow discusses the last book in his most recent book series, The Danny Ryan Trilogy. The fi...

Emmy Award-winning Songwriter, Music Producer, and Non-profit Leader, Hughie Stone Fish, and his equally talented brother, Avery Stone Fish, visited the basement! These two gifted brothers funded Stone Fish Studios to create more than just visual storytelling, they are both true artists who use their talent and video production company to innovate through music, painting, screenplay writing, and m...

The incredible Daniel Goldfarb, a two-time Emmy nominee, was this week’s guest in the Basement! In this episode, Professor Suarez and Goldfarb talk about the intricate work behind writing for a television show, as well as what makes a good script. As he talks about this, he also gives fantastic advice to anyone looking to become a screenwriter, regardless of where you are in the process of learnin...

The Basement’s esteemed guest this week is the fabulous actor, Noah J. Ricketts! In the episode, Professor Suarez and Ricketts have an in-depth discussion about what acting means to Ricketts and how he goes about getting into the characters he plays. Later on, Ricketts’ discusses his most recent work in his role as Frankie Hines in the new television miniseries Fellow Travelers . He also takes the...

Patrick Howe, a five-time Emmy award winning production designer, is FSB’s extraordinary guest for this week. In this episode, Professor Suarez and Howe have an in-depth discussion about the intricacies of the work Howe does as an on-set designer, as well as the time management skills that are a must-have while working in both the theater and film industries. Howe details all these aspects while t...

Paul Leary, a talented electronic musician and a professor at SUNY Oswego, is our special guest this week on FSB. Professor Suarez had the opportunity to ask Leary about what music means to him and the ways in which students can be successful in any industry they choose in the future. Later they discuss electronic music and the process he undergoes, as well as Leary’s first-ever album. Be sure to...

Diego Vicentini, talented Venezuelan filmmaker, is our special guest to kick off FSB's newest season. Professor Suarez had the opportunity to talk with Vicentini about his debut and overnight success of his first feature film, Simón. The film has been chosen to represent Venezuela at the 38th Goya Awards. In this conversation, Suarez and Vicentini also discuss film-making cost and distribution, fi...

British actor Marcus Rutherford visited the basement! On this occasion, we had the pleasure of talking with the actor who brings to life the character of Perrin Aybara in the acclaimed Amazon Prime miniseries The Wheel of Time. Not only is Marcus a first-class actor who has built his career thanks to his talent and hard work, but he is a lovely human being and worthy of the success coming his way....

In this new episode of From Suarez’s Basement, I had the unique opportunity to pick the brain of Dennis Lehane who is the writer behind the acclaimed limited series on Apple TV “Black Bird.” In our conversation we explore Dennis’ impressive career as a novelist with more than twelve novels successfully published and four of them adapted for film and television. We spoke about creative writing and...

Imagine graduating at the top of your class from the Psychology school at the prestigious Harvard University and deciding, right after, to move careers to become a stand-up comedian. It sounds like a joke, but it isn’t. Our special guest for this episode, the successful stand-up comedian and comedy writer Harrison Greenbaum, did this, and it has paid off big time for him. Harrison has his own stan...

Emmy-Award Winner for her talented work as a costume designer on the television series "The West Wing," Lyn Paola visited us in the basement. We spoke to the designer about her latest Netflix project, Queen Charlotte, and what it means to work on such a large-scale project. She explained the intimate relationship between character development, acting, and her work as a costume designer. "Only when...

Professional actor and fine artist Joseph Lee visits Suarez’s Basement to narrate his journey from being a young, creative child in school plays to landing a lead role on a top Netflix show. Acting can be one of the most challenging things to learn, and Joseph Lee reassures everyone that it is not only a natural talent, but a craft to be mastered. Lee goes on to discuss the importance of creativit...

Professional cinematographer John Sorapure visits Suarez’s basement to discuss his start in the film industry as a technology geek, all the way to working on projects that are projected to be some of the highest grossing films of 2023. Cinematography is a very complex artform, yet Sorapure doesn’t hold back to describe his unique perspective and experiences as a practicing cinematographer and how...

Professional cinematographer Andrei Bowden-Schwartz visits Suarez’s basement to cover a plethora of topics such as his gritty start in the arts and film as an intern, his definition of cinematography, and all of the factors to the successful projects he has helped produce. Bowden-Schwartz shares valuable insights and information on the film industry and how to get a foot in the door!

Grammy winning singer and songwriter, Gloria Estefan, visited Suarez’s basement to chat about the powers of music and how she was able to harness her talents and become a multidimensional, successful artist and public figure. From her start in the music industry, all the way to her efforts to inspire people of all walks of life, Estefan lets it all out and spreads her valuable wisdom in this episo...

Emmy award winning director from the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso, Declan Lowney, visited Suarez’s basement to speak about his journey as a film enthusiast, filmmaker, and director. Lowney and Suarez cover many topics from Lowney’s introduction to film since his childhood, the revolutionary and inspiring creative process behind Ted Lasso, and how young, ambitious film enthusiasts can get their fo...

For the 13th episode of F.S.B, Professor Suarez hosts Sebastian Grey, a profound fashion designer who took the crown of the seventeenth season of Project Runway! Fashionista’s tuning in will adore listening to Grey discuss topics like being a fashion designer in the middle of a pandemic, how clothes stores are becoming electronic, and even what he would teach if he was a professor! Project Runway...