Story x Story
Story x Story Rewind: Rhapsody on the Outlaw Ocean (Story Club)
In this Rewind episode, we’re revisiting our Story Club livestream on Rhapsody on the Outlaw Ocean with Ian Urbina, director of The Outlaw Ocean Project and Will Segal, composer, educator and project’s co-executive producer. We unpack how the production came together, then dig into the project’s unique narrative approach — including the transformative creative decision to feature cast members from Hamilton. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Ian’s reporting has been transformed through Will’s musical direction, rooted in a deep love of hip hop, to tell a hard-hitting animated documentary story with emotional honesty. You can also watch the full livestream video on the mayamada YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/YnPpEwFhORE Tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more Studio77 content with our hosts and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night. Thank you to the team at London Breeze Festival. London Breeze was established in 2016 to showcase emerging filmmakers from across the UK and around the world. The organisation is committed to championing new, diverse, and underrepresented voices in film through festival events and screenings, both in cinemas and on its online film hub, Breeze Online. It is also committed to growing the next generation of filmmakers through children and youth showcases and a new 19–25 young adult competition launching in 2026, alongside its community programmes. Connect with Will online: Will wrote the music and lyrics of Rhapsody on the Outlaw Ocean. He recruited and led the project’s seventeen performers, animators, and musical producers. A classically trained musician with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stanford University, he has been working since 2006 at the intersection of rap and musical theatre. Website: https://rhapsody.theoutlawocean.com Connect with Ian online: The Outlaw Ocean Project is a non-profit journalism organization based in Washington D.C. that produces investigative stories about human rights, environment and labour concerns on the two thirds of the planet covered by water. Before founding The Outlaw Ocean Project, Urbina spent roughly 17 years as a staff reporter for The New York Times. He has received various journalism awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, two George Polk Awards and an Emmy. Several of his investigations have also been converted into major motion pictures. Website: https://theoutlawocean.com/ian-urbina Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ian_urbina Connect with mayamada mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation. Website: https://mayamada.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey: https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT
