PROX RECS 2025: Best Books, Films & Career Advice from Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson & More

Celebrate the holidays with IN PROXIMITY! Kicking off our series of holiday mini episodes, host Paola Mardo shares the best Prox Recs of 2025. Whether you’re looking for new books to read, films to watch, or advice to fuel your creative journey, this episode gathers this year’s pro recommendations on our podcast from Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sev Ohanian, Steve Gehrke, Dolly Li, Ammar Mohamed, and more.

Learn more and read the transcript at ProximityMedia.com
Shop our Prox Recs at Bookshop.org
Watch/Listen to IN PROXIMITY on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Follow Proximity Media on Instagram, TikTok, ProximityMedia.com

We earn a small commission when you shop through our links at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

(00:00) Happy holidays!
(03:04) Autumn Durald Arkapaw: Photographs by Eudora Welty
(04:28) Ryan Coogler: Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
(05:35) Sev Ohanian: Save the Cat by Blake Snyder and other screenwriting books
(06:28) Chinaka Hodge: The Elements of Style by E.B. White and William Strunk Jr.
(07:42) Justin Tipping: La Haine by Mathieu Kassovitz
(09:21) James Swoope: “Always remember what got us to these places.”
(12:02) Dolly Li: The Wager by David Grann
(14:07) Warner Bailey: “Don’t wait for permission.”
(15:42) Ammar Mohamed: Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore
(16:52) Steve Gehrke: “Learn your craft before getting too deep into it.”
(17:35) Angelica Nwandu: Leadership Pain by Samuel Chand
(19:01) Azie Tesfai: UCLA Extension classes
(20:33) Jeff Staple: Obsessing over something outside your field (sourdough bread!)
(22:56) Todd Harris: Constructive Anatomy by George Bridgman, Tuesday Tips by GRIZandNORM, Kill the Dog by Paul Guyot
(23:59) Courtney Storer: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
(25:41) Mary Karaoghlanian: The Mel Robbins Podcast
(26:15) Armen Karaoghlanian: The Color of Pomegranates by Sergei Parajanov
(27:52) Ludwig Göransson: Working with incredible musicians, getting new instruments
(28:55) Ryan Coogler: Deep Blues by Robert Palmer

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA
Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian
Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson
Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino
Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana
Editors: Patrick Epino, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza, A.J. Calomay, Andrea Walter
Production Sound Mixer: Mark Patino
Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz
Sound Recordist: Isabella Miller
Production Assistant: Isabella Miller, Devin Saddler, Joshua Flores, Collin Gaja
Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola
Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana
Production Intern: Ben Caloza, Jun Sawada