Connect The Dots with Justin Stillmaker

Episode 10: Twin Films & Burning Man (Ft. Ani Pandit)

Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a Hope For Us Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  First up in art & money: Burning Man. From its origins as an experimental haven for artists to desert Coachella to a libertarian paradise covered in sh*t. Justin shares how such an event can morph overtime due to something as unartistic as money. Justin is joined by recurring guest, longtime friend, & creative, Ani Pandit! Ani shares an update on his decision to commit to his creative side with his short film in progress. For the subgenre of the week: Twin Movies. Justin explores how films like Pinball (2022), Blackberry (2023), & Tetris (2023); and Armageddon (1998) & Deep Impact (1998) come about due to the lack of creativity behind the money. The winner of art this week? The Strike! After months of fighting back against studio greed, the SAG-AFTRA and WGA continue to put it all on the line. As the studios continue to show their true colors, it's the artists that will win out.

Episode 9: Hereditary Clones (Ft. Josh Schilling)

Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  First up in art & money: TikTok interviews. From groups like The Giggly Squad to Chicken Shop, TikTok has become a hub for brand deals & celebrity interviews. But why now? As the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, join Justin as he dives into these two very connected issues. Justin is joined by writer, producer, and his favorite A.D of all time, Josh Schilling! The two talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the film and tv scene, as well as how Josh became an Assitant Director and the challenges that come along with it. For the subgenre of the week: Hereditary Clones. Horror movies like The Night House (2020), Saint Maud (2019), and even Halloween Kills (2021) attempt to follow in Herediatry’s footsteps but fall short in their execution. The winner of art this week? The one and only, William Friedkin! In honor of this film giant, Justin highlights some of his greatest works including The Exorcist (1973), The French Connection (1971), and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). To end the episode, Justin shares a nostalgic recommendation for your film viewing pleasure. Connect The Dots airs every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

Episode 8: Movies are BACK! (ft. Carl Evans)

Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. Justin starts off by asking the important questions: what the hell is going on at Reddit? With most search engines now rendered useless by algorithm manipulation, how and why has Reddit secured its place as a reliable online source? Today, Justin is joined by pop culture aficionado and CEO of The Hope For Us Network, Carl Evans! The two talk about mental health, action films, and this week’s subgenre: Taken Knock-offs. Films like The Equalizer (2014), John Wick (2014), and You Were Never Really Here (2017).The winner of art this week? MOVIES! With the critical and box office successes of Barbie (2023), Oppenheimer (2023), and Talk To Me (2023), the film and creative industry seems alive and well! Could movies be the solution to our streaming rut?To end the episode, Justin shares some unique recommendations for your film and TV viewing pleasure.Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

Episode 7: The Best I.P. (ft. Victoria Vertuga)

Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more.  Justin kicks this episode off with the SAG-AFTRA strike and how we got to where we are now, then continues with a special guest: Victoria Vertuga! Victoria shares her unique perspective on the strike as an actor, producer, and writer. The pair also discuss her latest short film: Cold Blows The Wind (available later this year!) After the interview, Justin switches up the show and rolls right into who won art this week: Barbie (2023). From Barbieheimer to the Malibu Playhouse pop-ups, the marketing for Greta Gerwig’s latest film has taken on a life of its own. This rolls right into the subgenre of the week: The Best I.P., films like Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), Bumblebee (2018), Jumanji (2017), & Clue (1985) bring to life the intellectual properties we love. To end the episode, Justin shares  some unique recommendations for your film and TV viewing pleasure. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!

Episode 6: Rocky Clones (ft. Jen Bosworth Ramirez)

Join your host Justin Stillmaker for Connect The Dots, a brand new Network Podcast, as he talks about the love/hate relationship between art, money, and more. Justin starts this episode with the disaster that is The Flash (2023), then continues with a special guest: Jen Bosworth Ramirez! They discuss everything, from how she got to where she is today, to Jen’s time working for infamous Nic Cage. After the interview, Jen joins Justin for this week’s subgenre: Rocky Clones! To round out the episode, Justin shares who won art (hint: sometimes the sequel is better!), and gives some excellent recommendations for film and TV. Connect The Dots will air every other Thursday at 6 PM CST from The Network Twitch Channel: twitch.tv/hopeforusnetwork so be sure to follow and subscribe for more!