Re-Creative: A podcast about inspiration and creativity

Mark and Joe welcome back Timothy S. Johnston , who’s quickly becoming Re-Creative's resident monster movie expert. But not just any monster movie — only the best. Having previously dissected John Carpenter’s The Thing for Re-Creative, Timothy returns to remind the boys of the brilliance of Canadian director David Cronenberg’s 1986 masterpiece The Fly on the occasion of its 40th-anniversary. Timot...

In this episode of Re-Creative , Mark and Joe talk to Trevor Strong—writer, educator, and long-standing member of the musical comedy troupe The Arrogant Worms . Trevor introduces the lads to the musical comedy gem “ Poisoning Pigeons in the Park ” by Tom Lehrer , a huge influence on Trevor’s own work. Trevor points out the song’s “gleeful” subversion of innocence as a template for his own (occasio...

In this episode of Re-Creative , it’s all about acting. Mark and Joe talk to Judy  Cormier, an actor based in London, Ontario where she can often be found onstage at the Palace Theatre acting with the London Community Players. She’s also dabbled in directing, having recently co-directed The Wicked Witches of Oz for the Kettle Creek Players. She’s also known for her film work, notably in Black...

In this episode of Re-Creative , Mark and Joe talk to animator/filmmaker Tess Martin about Yuri Norstein’s Tale of Tales (1979) , a complex, surreal masterpiece. As Tess explains, Tale of Tales is less a classical narrative than a tapestry of memories, providing just enough clues to allow viewers to unlock its meaning and hidden depths, though a familiarity with the culture from which it emerged h...

In this episode of Re-Creative , Mark and Joe talk to singer-songwriter Jenn Grant about coffee, smoothies, and a whole lot more, including Jenn’s upcoming tour Cradled by the Waves , described as “a groundbreaking live tour that transforms her forthcoming album, Queen of the Strait , into a stunning multimedia performance blending music, film, theatre, and dance.” Drawing inspiration from Sarah H...

In this episode of Re-Creative , Mark and Joe talk to Diane Walton, a founding member and long-time managing editor of On Spec : The Canadian magazine of the Fantastic . On Spec is well known in Canadian speculative fiction circles (and beyond!) for publishing quality fiction and art from (largely but not exclusively) Canadian writers and artists. Diane tells the lads how the highly regarded Canad...

In this episode of Re-Creative , Joe and Mark dive into a fascinating conversation with author and publisher Lynda Williams, the "obscure Canadian Tolkien." Joining the lads from Prince George, B.C., Lynda shares how she balances her academic background in Artificial Intelligence with her sprawling, ten-novel epic, the Okal Rel saga. They explore Lynda’s unique approach to collaboration, where she...

Christopher Sweet is an author from New Brunswick. Christopher has been, in his words, “…a freelance writer, manager, waiter, bartender, event DJ, actor, children’s entertainer, truck driver, shopkeeper, call centre operator, concierge, office assistant, barista, supply teacher, and—most recently—a campground manager.” He’s a cinephile, a bibliophile, a lover of nature, and currently resides on a...

Joe and Mark welcome back writer and editor Ira Nayman, returning to Re-Creative for a third time — we like him that much! Ira has returned to the podcast to discuss the work of actor, comedian and filmmaker Buster Keaton, in particular his stunning 1924 action/comedy Sherlock Jr. , which Ira describes as “an amazing exploration of the nature of film itself” and “astonishingly smart.” A film of “m...

Author and critic Michael Antman joins Joe and Mark for Michael's second appearance on Re-Creative. After discussing Michael's novel, Cherry Whip : the Twentieth Anniversary Edition, recently released by Donovan Street Press , which features a Japanese protagonist, Michael explains the origin of his love for Japanese culture. According to Michael, it all happened because he didn't know what a "por...

This is a special re-broadcast of an episode of Re-Creative as a part of Podcasthon : "T he world’s largest podcast charity initiative, bringing together podcasters globally to raise awareness for charitable causes." The charity we wish to support is Meals on Wheels. Ruth Abernethy, sculptor of some of the most iconic public art in Canada, joins the podcast to discuss her work. Ruth has been a scu...

The lads are joined by writer, director, comic book artist and creator Christian Gossett. Christian is on the show to champion the groundbreaking Akira Kurosawa  film, Seven Samurai (1954). But first, because it's near the holidays, they discuss their favorite Christmas movies.  Christian got an early chance to design for the Star Wars universe Old Republic, and, as part of that process,...

Spencer Evans is a working musician in Kingston, Ontario. He joins Mark and Joe to discuss the influence that Ray Charles had on him as piano player and entertainer, as well as the impact that Charles had on the history of music in America and the world. Spencer is an old pal of Mark’s, back from their days at Queen’s University (in Kingston, ON), when they were both members of the cabaret group,...

Singer, podcaster and producer Lauren LoGrasso drops by to talk about one of her favorite pieces of music, Vienna, by Billy Joel. The song is having a bit of a renaissance for its age-positive message and it's had a huge influence on Lauren's own work in music. The Michigan State grad is a creative best known for her work as a singer/songwriter, public speaker, actor, and Webby Award Winning podca...

Joe and Mark are joined by Cathi Bond, Canadian writer, broadcaster and novelist. Joe and Cathi used to work together at the CBC, where Cathi was the “Video Diva.” She had a great gig, watching movies and talking about them on air. Music is another huge passion in Cathi's life, and informs her choice of art. It’s also an integral part of her writing process. She says her writing sessions often sta...

Ruth Abernethy, sculptor of some of the most iconic public art in Canada, joins the podcast to discuss her work. Ruth has been a sculptor for more than thirty years, documenting in bronze many quintessential Canadian figures, such as Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, and Margaret Atwood. Her connection to the theatre world goes quite deep. She began her career at Stratford, creating the sets and decora...

Independent filmmaker Jen Prince joins Mark and Joe to discuss one of her favorite shows, Veronica Mars. As an indie filmmaker, Jen has had to wear a lot of different hats, including producer and director. She did acting in her undergrad, but soon discovered a talent for producing theatre. She then went to USC for film school, where she did a graduate degree. She’s worked in television, including...

Author Peter Darbyshire joins the lads to champion the classic Roger Zelazny fantasy series, The Chronicles of Amber. A writer of fantasy and literary fiction himself, Peter encountered the series when he was in elementary school. This is the second time that Zelazny has come up on the podcast. “For me, Roger Zelazny is one of the reasons I wanted to become a writer,” says Peter. “It was coming ac...

Joe and Mark are joined by Christopher Guerin, poet and music aficionado, who is on the podcast to champion the work of classical Indian musician Ravi Shankar. Christopher spent twenty-six years in the symphony orchestra business, including twenty as President of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. After that he went on to work for Sweetwater ("the world's leading music technology and instrument retailer...

Joe and Mark are joined by Evan Gary Hirsch and Kip Baldwin, who make up the duo Soul Twin Messiah (STM). Evan Gary Hirsch, AKA The Blue Rocker, gets his aesthetic from his blue eyes and glitzy clothes. A California boy, he's into many different forms of music -- classic rock, new wave, punk and psychedelic rock. Kip Baldwin, AKA Oshalla, is a farm kid from Washington State, where his family raise...

Editor and writer Robert Runte joins Mark and Joe on the podcast to encourage everyone to read R. F. Kuang’s satire of the publishing industry, Yellowface . Before they get into Yellowface , the lads discuss the nature of editing. “Most publishing houses work off the Chicago Manual of Style,” Robert says, “mainly because it was the first style guide for books.” Robert outlines how he approaches th...

Joe and Mark invite Tony Schwartz, a veteran freelance first assistant director and line producer for film and television, to make the case for why everyone should watch The Wire . Tony worked on two of Joe and Mark's favorite shows: Freaks and Geeks and the cult favorite, Firefly , and talks about the heartbreak of working on such fabulous shows only to have them succumb to the whims of how the i...

Mark and Joe are joined by writer and broadcaster Lisa Brandt to discuss a massive environmental art installation by Bulgarian artist Christo Yavacheff and French artist Jeanne-Claude, the artists known jointly as Christo and Jeanne-Claude . Lisa started in radio and has since moved into voice-over work and writing for hire as a freelancer, which she loves. She’s also written several books. The th...

Canadian science fiction writer Hugh A. D. Spencer joins the lads to talk about one of his favorite bits of audio – the original radio play of The War of the Worlds. The novel by H. G. Wells was written in the 1890s, and adapted by Orson Welles for his Mercury Theatre in 1938. Howard Koch adapted the story for the radio. Koch used the trope of the news flash to tell the story, and this led many li...

Joe and Mark are joined by the wonderfully original writer Tom Bradley. 3:AM Magazine describes Tom as "... one of the most criminally underrated authors on the planet." Tom explains what it was like to be a six foot, eight-inch tall red-haired American, living in China and Japan and teaching at a number of English-language universities in both countries. The peripatetic lifestyle allowed Tom to d...