Story First Podcast

The Story First PodcastFrom award-winning podcaster and filmmaker Brian McDonald (Invisible Ink, Land of the Dead), whose work has been embraced by Pixar, HBO, and Disney. Building on his acclaimed show You Are a Storyteller, this series features high-level conversations with writers, filmmakers, and creators—real exchanges between craftspeople on how and why stories work.

Story First Podcast is a arts podcast hosted by Story First Studio, with 44 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Story First Studio hosts Story First Podcast, a arts show with 44 episodes published.

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  Episode #44

  Derek Thompson: Finding Your People

  Aug 20, 20262h 7m

  Creative careers rarely begin with careers. They begin with enthusiasm. With discovering the work that excites you, meeting people who share that excitement, and making things together before anyone knows—or particularly cares—where any of it might lead. In this episode of the Story First Podcast, Brian McDonald talks with his longtime friend and collaborator Derek Thompson about the experiences that helped shape both of their creative lives. Their conversation moves through art school, comic books, Batman, Aliens, Comic-Con, Stan Winston's creature shop, and the early projects they created together. But underneath those memories is something larger: the importance of finding your people. The friends, mentors, collaborators, and creative communities we encounter along the way don't simply help us build careers. They help us discover who we are as artists. Sometimes the beginning of a creative life is as simple as finding someone else who loves the same things you do—and deciding to make something together.

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  Episode #43

  The Power of Story

  Aug 13, 20261h 33m

  Stories aren't just entertainment. They're one of the ways human beings make sense of the world. They carry the wisdom we need to survive. They give us hope when we're in despair, direction when we've lost our way, and inspiration when we're weary. Stories make the world—and they change the world. And that kind of power comes with responsibility. In this archive episode of You Are a Storyteller, Brian McDonald and Jesse Bryan explore the role stories have played throughout human history, why some of our truest stories are about princesses, pigs, dragons, and wolves, and what happens when storytellers use the power of story to manipulate rather than illuminate. A story can be medicine. It can also be poison. Understanding the difference is part of the responsibility of being a storyteller.

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  Episode #42

  Bruce Walters: Learning to See

  Aug 6, 20263h 33m

  Long before Bruce Walters helped change the visual effects industry, he changed the way I see the world. Bruce was my first mentor. Years before he became a department head at Industrial Light & Magic—leading animation, motion control, matte painting, and helping pioneer digital matte painting—he taught me one of the most important lessons a storyteller can learn: how to truly observe. His work helped bring films like The Goonies, the Back to the Future trilogy, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Jurassic Park to life. But this conversation isn’t about visual effects. It’s about learning to see. Together, Bruce and I explore mentorship, storytelling, the relationship between art and technology, and why the greatest artists, regardless of their medium, learn to look beyond technique to discover what really matters. Whether you’re a filmmaker, writer, artist, or simply someone who wants to become more creative, Bruce reminds us that every great story—and every great work of art—begins with careful observation.

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  Episode #41

  John Arcudi: A Life in Comics

  Jul 30, 20261h 16m

  Comic-book writer John Arcudi has spent decades telling stories across nearly every corner of the medium. John is perhaps best known for his influential work on The Mask and his long collaboration with Mike Mignola on B.P.R.D., where he became one of the principal writers responsible for expanding the world surrounding Hellboy. His remarkably varied career also includes licensed titles featuring Alien, Predator, RoboCop, and The Terminator, as well as original and creator-owned work including Major Bummer, The Creep, Rumble, and Two Moons. This archive episode is also personal for me. John isn’t simply an accomplished writer whose work I admire; he’s a good friend and one of the genuinely good people I’ve been fortunate enough to know. Join us for a conversation with a writer who has made a lasting contribution to comics while remaining thoughtful, unassuming, and deeply committed to the work.

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  Episode #39

  Alex Zepherin: Making Your Own Way

  Jul 23, 20261h 38m

  Every creative journey is different. Some people follow a well-worn path. Others discover there isn’t one—and have to build it themselves. In this episode of the Story First Podcast, I sit down with animator, filmmaker, and educator Alex Zepherin to talk about the choices that shaped his career, from developing his craft to creating opportunities where none seemed to exist. Our conversation explores far more than animation. We talk about finding your voice, taking creative risks, mentoring the next generation, and the challenge of building a meaningful career in an industry that’s constantly changing. Along the way, Alex shares lessons learned through years of experience, offering practical insights for anyone pursuing a creative life. Whether you’re an artist, filmmaker, writer, entrepreneur, or simply someone trying to find your own direction, this conversation is a reminder that there is no single roadmap to success. Sometimes the most rewarding path is the one you create yourself.

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