The Zack Arnold Podcast

Let's face it: Working in intensely competitive and exhausting creative jobs is hard. Just getting by is often all that's possible, so the mere thought of trying to eat healthy while on a budget, follow the proper career path when all you need right now is a paycheck, and (God forbid) have a personal life outside of your job is downright terrifying. In the latest installment of the Q&A...

"How are you?" is a phrase you most likely ask dozens a time per day, but let's be honest: Most of the time it's just a formality. When is the last time you really asked this question of others, and even more importantly, when is the last time you asked this question to yourself? Rather than celebrate the 100th episode of this podcast with fanfare or a fancy celebrity guest, I chos...

If you think your deadlines are tight, think again. Imagine waking up Wednesday morning knowing you have a 2-3 minute piece airing on national television in 3 days...and it hasn't even been shot yet. This is the life of SNL editor Adam Epstein who routinely turns around amazing trailers, spoof commercials, music videos, and parodies for SNL week after week under insane deadlines. In this episo...

A common question I get from listeners and readers is, "How can I survive the graveyard shift, and what strategies can I use to maintain my fitness and health working late at night?" We answer this question and more in the latest edition of the Q&A podcast, as well as sharing why if you are working a late night shift you should quit your job as soon as humanly possible because of how i...

Academy Award nominated film editor Carol Littleton has edited such legendary films as E.T., The Big Chill, Silverado, The Accidental Tourist, Grand Canyon, Benny & Joon, and The Manchurian Candidate...just to name a very select few. She has watched the Hollywood post-production industry evolve from the days of film editing until today's reliance on 100% digital technology. Not only has Ca...

By now it's no secret that sitting is bad for you, but after listening to today's episode you may get a clearer picture of how dangerous it really can be. More importantly, you might learn some really cool new ways to do something about it if you live a dominantly sedentary lifestyle. In this episode I chat with Ryan Fiorenzi, a black belt in Kung Fu and a 4th degree black belt in Brazilia...

If you haven't already heard, I'm a big fan of using Trello . My entire life basically lives in this one program, and if they went out of business I would walk in circles all day long staring at my untied shoes. In this episode my assistant editor Natalie Boschan and I do a deep-dive Q&A into the many features and benefits of using Trello for your Post-Production workflow. Go 100% digi...

I’m going to be honest with you: Email is killing your productivity. I know it’s tempting to believe that you’re important because your inbox is overflowing, and even better you get to look busy as you run around the office frantically responding to other people’s requests. But there is a huge difference between being “busy” and being “productive,” and in this episode Asian Efficiency expert Zack...

For those of you old enough to remember when Seinfeld was on the air live, it was very sad to see it end. I'll admit it...I cried during "The Clip Show." (Admit it, you did to). In this episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Emmy Winning Editor, Director, and Producer David Rogers, the editor behind the magic of that episode, as well as the main editor (as well as director and prod...

Just weeks ago 20th Century Fox released a trailer for the upcoming horror film "Morgan," and frankly it's not the best trailer. So then why is it worth talking about? The reason it has made such an impact on our industry is that the trailer was edited partially with the assistance of artificial intelligence, namely the IBM system 'Watson.' What does this mean for our future in...

"How can I create a demo reel without any work, and how can I get work without a demo reel?" is a question almost as timeless as the chicken/egg argument. Until recently this was an incredibly difficult problem to solve, but with the advent of so much new technology as well as the ability to download videos from online sites, this process has become much easier. In this episode I have an i...

In this month's Q&A podcast we answer a wide range of questions: What are some good tools to use to hack your standing workstation to avoid bad posture and fatigue? How can you deal with micromanaging producers & directors who never allow you to take even short bathroom breaks during an edit session? How can you overcome the fear that you haven't progressed enough in your editing c...

We all know what it's like to sit on the mix stage at 4pm on a Friday and try to resist the plate of warm chocolate chip cookies. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence. But if find yourself constantly exhausted by the barrage of unhealthy food options in the post-industry, you need a better strategy. In this episode I have an in-depth conversation wit...

How much time do you spend every day in your email and your various other inboxes? How about running errands, paying bills, posting messages to social media, or any one of fifty other repetitive tasks that never seem to end? It can often seem nearly impossible to manage the amount of things that have to be done on a regular basis, but the good news is there is a better way. In this episode I have...

In today's 24/7 always connected society, it's so easy to get caught up in the noise and distractions of everyday life. The constant barrage of emails, Facebook notifications, and Twitter posts may keep you occupied in the moment (and more importantly make you look "busy"), but they're also keeping you from doing the important work you should be doing to advance yourselves. Lea...

Sometimes to get noticed in the creative world you have to bite the bullet and take spec work (pitching or producing work that you may or may not get paid for). 50 years ago that meant pitching ideas to a large corporation (e.g. General Motors), and if they liked your ideas you won a multi-million dollar account. In today's world doing spec work is infinitely more complicated with crowdsourcin...

In this episode Zack and Natalie answer questions submitted by listeners just like you: Learn how we use Trello   in our scripted television post workflow Learn what the most effective time blocking method is to stay productive while still maintaining your creative energy Learn how to approach your supervisor for a height-adjustable workstation Learn how to deal with people in your office that don...

Balancing any kind of personal life outside your demanding career in post-production is difficult, but when that personal life includes children, it can feel nearly impossible. Having two young kids myself (a 6 year old son and a 4 year old daughter), I know how impossible it can seem to be present as a parent while being equally focused on your job for 12+ hours every day. But there are ways to f...

Blake Calhoun isn't a celebrity director, he's not a health & wellness expert, and he's not going to drop any giant knowledge-bombs on you in this episode. He's just a hard-working filmmaker and editor doing his best to raise two kids and create cool stuff in the process. Through virtually no effort whatsoever, Blake has lost over 30 pounds (and kept it off in the last year), e...

For many in the post-production industry, traveling to conventions & events is just part of the business. Whether it's NAB in Las Vegas , Editor's Retreat , or any of the multitude of educational conferences worldwide, those conventions can be treated like paid vacations which means leaving your healthy habits at home. And if this is your choice, fantastic! More power to you. Enjoy you...

It's so easy to get distracted by the latest "shiny object," and the latest tips & tactics for how to get healthy or even to get ahead in your career. But sometimes you have to take a step back from all the noise and start thinking about your strategies, whether you're dealing with your health, your career, or your whole life. In this episode I have an in-depth conversation wit...

"Eat less and exercise more" is the diet advice we've all been following for the last 50 years, but I have bad news for you...science has proven that calorie counting doesn't work 95.4% of the time. Our bodies have evolved for thousands of years to naturally balance energy input (eating) and expenditure (activity). So then why is that only AFTER discovering the concept of the calor...

Anyone working long hours in a creative industry craves mental stamina and focus. We'd all give anything for the drug Bradley Cooper used to transform himself in the film 'Limitless.' With the recent surge in popularity of smart drugs and nootropics, has the 'Limitless' era finally arrived? In this episode I have an in-depth conversation with Dr. Andrew Hill, a PhD in neuroscie...

Colorist Marc Wielage exercised 3-4 days a week, had a 32" waist, and was told by all his colleagues and friends that he was "the healthiest person I know" for being age 60. Yet one day he suddenly endured 3 heart attacks in the period of 24 hours. How could this have happened to someone so seemingly healthy? At first glance it appeared to be a fluke, but after further investigation, t...

Training for and successfully running a marathon is an accomplishment few will ever achieve. Running a marathon in under 4 hours? Fewer people still. But training for a marathon, running it in under 4 hours, and ALSO working as an assistant editor on the TV series  Empire?  That's downright insanity! Or is it? In this episode I have a candid in-person conversation with Natalie Boschan , my ass...