Shows
Storytelling BreakdownSB Movie Share II: Almost Famous, Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself, Edge of Tomorrow & Howl’s Moving CastleAs we near the end of summer, the Storytelling Breakdown team decided it was time for Movie Share II: Electric Boogaloo. The rotation from last time has been reversed. Stephen has Ben, exploring more works of Hayao Miyazaki with Howl’s Moving Castle. Ben has Larissa, and the two opened the episode with a trip back to the 1970’s with Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. Larissa has Caleb, and she put Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself on his radar. Caleb has Stephen, who put on his headphones and sat down for Live, Die, Rep… wait, Edg...2023-08-251h 43
Storytelling BreakdownWhat Makes A Good Indy Film?Film goers of a certain age have grown up with Indiana Jones. For the Storytelling Breakdown team, that meant seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade on VHS, sharing the first viewings with parents and siblings, and probably seeing Temple of Doom a little later in the ol’ childhood. We got Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 and 15 years ago it looked unlikely that Indiana Jones would go out on top. Ben, Caleb, Larissa, and Stephen saw Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny together. Just a couple days later, they sat...2023-07-282h 04
Storytelling BreakdownTwo Cakes: A Deep Dive Into Spider-Man: Across The Spider-VerseWhen Storytelling Breakdown debuted in 2020, our first episode dedicated to a single movie was dedicated to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Our guest for that episode was Autumn Schultz. With a new Spider-Verse film capturing the imaginations of audiences worldwide, Caleb and Larissa have invited Autumn back to the podcast to discuss the Web-Head’s latest outing. She is joined by another guest bringing his own Spider-Man expertise to Storytelling Breakdown, Apollo Lymon. The four of them will explore the many elements that set Across the Spider-Verse apart from other animated works, even its predecessor. Thi...2023-06-301h 13
Storytelling BreakdownIt’s Never Sunny At The EmmysBefore the start of Storytelling Breakdown’s third season, our community update episode served as an official welcoming of Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker as co-hosts of the podcast. We went down the rabbit hole of everyone’s media histories and Larissa mentioned a show we will cover in depth in this June episode, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Despite sixteen seasons of staying power, Sunny has never received Emmy consideration for anything other than stunts, with three nominations and no wins. Larissa and Caleb come into this episode with a for your conside...2023-06-161h 48
Storytelling BreakdownAre You Summer Blockbuster Experienced?You pull into the drive-in for a double feature. Maybe you tilt your seat back and settle in for the latest entry in a franchise with decades of staying power. The floor is sticky. The popcorn is almost gone by the time the trailers finish. These thoughts could remind you of when you were a kid or maybe you're the one bringing the kids along. They could also remind you of a commercial featuring Vin Diesel or an SNL parody of the same. As the weather gets warmer and we look ahead to summer movie releases, Ben, Caleb, Larissa...2023-05-261h 11
Storytelling BreakdownFirefly Flashback: Out of GasTake my love, take my land, take me where I cannot stand… We are finally getting around to a Firefly episode. Ben, Caleb, and Larissa revisited the series for the first time in a while and started out with what currently sits as the highest rated episode in the series on IMDB, Out of Gas. To again paraphrase Robert McKee, “true character is revealed in the decisions human beings make under pressure,” and this episode puts the crew of Serenity in peril from the episode’s first moments. Out of Gas als...2023-04-281h 02
Storytelling BreakdownCinematic Icons: Pirates of the CaribbeanBefore this episode starts, we want to boost the signal for a GoFundMe to support the Hall of Heroes. Ben and Caleb visited the museum in 2019 for the finale episode of Storytelling Breakdown’s first season. The museum was broken into on March 19 and several valuable items in the museum were taken. Our team is heartbroken that some of this amazing history that the museum holds may be lost and we hope you will support the Hall of Heroes. If you love comics and are anywhere near the midwest, we also hope you take the opportunity to see the Ha...2023-03-311h 29
Storytelling BreakdownPlaying Out Internal Struggle, D&D Storytelling Through Stranger Things & The Legend of Vox MachinaWe cover a lot of movies on Storytelling Breakdown. This entertainment is bite-sized compared to the time you can spend getting to know a character through a TV show. And both of these are dwarfed by the time you can spend getting to know a character in a D&D game. Dungeons & Dragons has permeated the pop culture landscape in recent years, becoming even more popular through shows like Stranger Things and The Legend of Vox Machina from Critical Role. When the villains are fantastical, the stakes can be apocalyptic, and the emotional struggles c...2023-02-241h 17
Storytelling BreakdownThe Storytelling Breakdown Movie Share Of 2023“Wait, you haven’t seen…” We know how this interaction goes. On one end of the conversation you have someone who hasn’t seen a film and is about to get a recommendation that might be going on a list they have been working through at an somewhat uneven pace. The other person gets to share one of their favorite movies and looks forward to hearing what the other person has to say about it. We’re tackling four movies simultaneously. Each Storytelling Breakdown host was assigned another host with whom to s...2023-01-271h 42
Storytelling BreakdownThe Storytelling Breakdown Team Attempts The Tomb Of HorrorsBen said it during the introduction for this episode, but truly this felt inevitable. After many standard episodes and campaign diaries dedicated to Dungeons & Dragons, the Storytelling Breakdown team is attempting one of the most famous dungeon crawls of all time, the Tomb of Horrors. First released in 1978, our adventurers will be attempting the fifth edition version as Ben takes on the role of Dungeon Master. Caleb will step into the talons of Keeoth Krackerjack, the kenku rogue. Stephen will take up the hammer of Olfric Stormjaw, the northman fighter, and Larissa will channel w...2022-12-313h 06
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E10 - Smash Up: Aliens & Teddy Bears Vs. Changerbots & Killer PlantsIt all comes down to this. One game. Four factions. Two undefeated players trying to claim… bragging rights. While it isn’t always Smash Up, there’s not a pairing of players in this tournament who have played more games against one another than Lucas Gerke and Caleb. Each comes into this game with a win over the other three tournament participants. Lucas got by Ben with the power of game altering Madness effects. Caleb’s combo from game one stacked ridiculous action combos. Lucas’s most impressive win was arguably his game against Nicole in t...2022-12-2832 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E09 - Smash Up: Fairies & Pirates Vs. Luchadores & ShapeshiftersSometimes a pair of factions can allow Smash Up players to do very similar things. And if those combos go up against one another, they can lead to a very close game. Ben and Nicole Rudolph are each playing their final game of this tournament. If Ben wins, we’re set up to have everyone end this tournament with a different number of victories. Ben would be back at .500. Nicole is trying to avoid going 0-4 and while her first and third games were decided by six points, her battle with Lucas in the mid...2022-12-2632 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E08 - Smash Up: Bear Cavalry & Princesses Vs. Innsmouth & SteampunksWhen describing the game of Smash Up to someone who hasn’t played it, things are usually pretty clear as you describe the Ninjas, Pirates, or Zombies. Mentioning the Bear Cavalry is likely to get you a “wait, what?” response. The factions for this matchup between Lucas Gerke and Jacob Ganser feature four factions from relatively early on in Smash Up’s ten year history. Lucas is deploying the previously mentioned Bear Cavalry. Their combination of disruption and movement generated destruction makes them one of the game’s most iconic factions. Lucas will have way more ac...2022-12-2332 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E07 - Smash Up: Astroknights & Disco Dancers Vs. Dragons & Sumo WrestlersGame seven of our Smash Up tournament does have significant implications for who can win going forward. SPOILERS ahead! If you’ve stayed up to date with our last six battles, then you know that this battle could prove decisive. Caleb is battling our dear friend, Nicole Rudolph. If Caleb wins, only he and Lucas Gerke will remain undefeated in our tournament. This would also eliminate Ben, Jacob Ganser, and Nicole as none of them would be able to match Caleb’s 3-0 record. If Nicole wins, she notches her first win of the tourn...2022-12-2129 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E06 - Smash Up: Ghost & Zombies Vs. Superheroes & TrickstersOur midseason finale featured a Smash Up matchup between two players who had never faced each other before. We are resuming our season with a matchup that is quite the opposite. Ben and Jacob Ganser each come into this match looking to improve their win percentage. They are each also pulling at least one faction from the original base set for Smash Up. Ben is unleashing an army of the undead, with an old favorite in Smash Up lore, the Zombies. He’ll also keep up the undead theme by pairing them with a fac...2022-12-1928 min
Storytelling BreakdownThe Storytelling Of Deck BuildingYou find yourself cornered in an ancient castle that used to be your school as dark forces close in. Or maybe you find yourself being batted by gusts of wind as the shadow of an enormous red dragon appears overhead. Or wait, how about this? You are just trying to get rid of all of the artichokes. What’s the best way to deal with any of this? Draw a few cards and hope for the best. Our gaming focused episodes continue in November. After last month’s epic clash...2022-11-251h 08
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E05 - Smash Up: Dinosaurs & Itty Critters Vs. Penguins & Super SpiesWe’ve made it to our midseason finale episode, bringing back two fighters from previous battles. Today’s episode pits Lucas Gerke against Nicole Rudolph. If you haven’t listened to our other episodes thus far this season, spoilers ahead. Lucas defeated Ben in game three, winning convincingly with the help of Cthulhu factions. While his combination for this game will be different, old, giant creatures or just creatures in general is a good way to describe his combo. Lucas will be going back to the original Smash Up set to unleash the power of the...2022-11-2338 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E04 - Smash Up: Kitty Cats & Kung-Fu Fighters Vs. Rock Stars & VampiresThroughout this season of RPG Decades, Ben and Caleb have been comparing Smash Up to Magic: The Gathering. One possible comparison comes in the form of bases in Smash Up and lands in Magic: The Gathering. Now, bases in Smash Up are put in play at the start of the game and swapped out when they reach their break points. Lands are put in play by the players in Magic. At first, this might not seem like a good comparison, but think about how land cards can prevent you from winning a game of Magic. It might not matter...2022-11-2137 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E03 - Smash Up: Elder Things & Minions of Cthulhu Vs. Robots & Time TravelersWith two games played, there’s only one more competitor to add to the mix. Lucas Gerke returns to the podcast. You can see him represented on our logo in the likeness of the Bear Cavalry faction. Magic: The Gathering experience is helpful in playing Smash Up. Caleb and Lucas have been playing for years. That is the obstacle Ben will have to overcome as he and Lucas field their team. Lucas is unleashing eldritch horror, combining factions from the Obligatory Cthulhu Set, the Elder Things and the Minions of Cthulhu. Ben’s answer will...2022-11-1834 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E02 - Smash Up: Grannies & Mad Scientists Vs. Ninjas & SharksWe are one game in and already we are experiencing total chaos. Ben and Caleb have played Smash Up more times than they can count and this next episode will match up two common opponents. We are welcoming Jacob Ganser back to the podcast after his turn as Dr. Seward for our Halloween episode and his Spotlight on RWBY last year. Nicole Rudolph, another dear friend from our team’s college days (when many a Smash Up game was played), will be his opponent. The Ninja faction inspired Jacob’s look on the RPG Decad...2022-11-1636 min
Storytelling BreakdownRPG Decades S01E01 - Smash Up: Musketeers & Mythic Greeks Vs. Werewolves & WizardsWhile the first episode of Storytelling Breakdown debuted in September of 2020, the podcast’s origins go back to late winter of 2019. Ben and Caleb sat at the dining room table in Ben’s old apartment and as the first conversations about starting a podcast were happening, Ben and Caleb were playing Smash Up, the shuffle building game of total awesomeness! RPG Decades is a miniseries under the Storytelling Breakdown banner. Each season will consist of ten episodes centered around the same game and story. In the future, this could mean Dungeons & Dragons, Fate Core, Mutan...2022-11-1439 min
Storytelling BreakdownAdventurers Assemble CD Episode 005: Flight of the Predator/The Battle of Cold Forge CaveHow is fall damage calculated again? A question that passes through everyone’s minds when the party goes airborne, which is where our adventurers find themselves after last episode. Ada, Delilah, Gorg, Nerine, and Siv are about to board an airship bound for a major city. Unfortunately, saboteurs have other plans for the voyage. How did this play out? Ben welcomes Megan Bracker back to the podcast to discuss everything from striking fear into the party, to navigating surprising twists and turns, and finding a way to get a custom subclass into the ongoing nar...2022-10-3138 min
Storytelling BreakdownFury Of DraculaThe story of Dracula is an epic. It is with that in mind, the Storytelling Breakdown team is bringing you the biggest episode we’ve ever produced. Our four hosts stepped into the roles of Dracula and three of the hunters pursuing the vampire for this Halloween episode. The game is an ongoing tabletop cat and mouse dynamic. Stephen played Count Dracula, evading the hunters at every opportunity, while leaving destruction in his wake. Caleb played Lord Godalming or Arthur Holmwood, whose resources were used to their fullest potential taking the fight to the vam...2022-10-283h 07
Storytelling BreakdownCurse of Strahd CD Episode 004: Meet Jagger/I’m So HungryStrahd is the land. While Barovia is synonymous with the dread lord that rules it, this episode will provide an opportunity to get perspective from the characters of our party. We’ve gotten a bit of a sense of how Ben operates when playing Jagger, the half-elf rogue. He and Stephen talk about the character design, how and when a player’s kit can be modified over time, and how one key race ability can upend a potentially dangerous combat encounter. Assassins, especially half-elves, can excel at operating in the dark. “I’m so hungry!”...2022-09-3030 min
Storytelling BreakdownAdventurers Assemble CD Episode 004: Meet Ada/The Night of Mercy/The Dawn of WrerosThe Dungeon Master has the luxury of seeing how the world is connected, what plot threads intersect, and the different places the story could possibly go. We thought it was time to get a perspective from someone experiencing the world firsthand. Ben and Stephen are welcoming Megan Bracker back to the podcast. She plays Ada Ifindow, the half-elf artificer. The first several sessions were a whirlwind for Ada. Now, back on her feet and armed with a new gauntlet, we’ll hear how Megan built the character and how Ada saw the party’s path...2022-09-3034 min
Storytelling BreakdownThe 30th Anniversary Of Batman: The Animated SeriesC’mon, it’s episode #27. The first ever episode of Storytelling Breakdown was a dive into the world of Batman. We return to that well today to celebrate 30 years since Batman: The Animated Series first aired on this date in 1992. For this conversation we are joined by Todd Espeland, executive and artistic director at Fort Wayne Youtheatre. Batman: The Animated Series has a lasting legacy in part because of its unique art style, blending old and new to create a timeless feel set against backdrops drawn on black paper. The ch...2022-09-051h 28
Storytelling BreakdownCinematic Icons: There’s So Much Movie In This MovieHalf of the conversations amongst our team start with, “Hey, you should watch…” This was one of those times. Caleb encouraged our team to watch Nine, the 2009 musical starring Daniel Day-Lewis. With Nine putting so much focus on the production of a film and the cast, crew, and coordination necessary to pull it off, as well as the protagonist’s doomed relationship with a character played by Marion Cotillard, Ben struck up a familiar conversation, “Hey, you should watch Inception.” This episode is brought to you by compa...2022-08-261h 15
Storytelling BreakdownCurse of Strahd Campaign Diary Episode 003: The Village of BaroviaKnowledge of the past to aid the present: Look for a wizard's tower on a lake. Let the wizard's name and servant guide you to that which you seek. Holy symbol of great hope: Look to the west. Find a pool blessed by the light of the white sun. The Sunsword: I see a sleeping prince, a servant of light and the brother of Darkness. This treasure lies with him. An ally to aid you in your quest: A vistana wanders this land alone, searching for her mentor. She doesn't stay in one pla...2022-08-1930 min
Storytelling BreakdownAdventurers Assemble Campaign Diary Episode 003: Greed & DebtSometimes so go the dice, so goes the story. We pick back up with our quintet of adventurers in the city of Murktown. Ada, Delilah, Gorg, Nerine, and Siv have successfully defeated the Emperor of Bones. What comes next? When trying to bring flowers to someone recovering from injuries, you roll a 20 and get a bouquet bigger than you are. Sometimes when you are trying to investigate corrupt city guards while wearing a disguise, you roll a 1 and fall quite awkwardly. Our adventurers brave caverns they know to be dangerous, risk discovery even while i...2022-08-1225 min
Storytelling BreakdownLegacy Sequels: Afterlife Part II, The RevengeThere are four qualifications for a movie to be a legacy sequel. The movie takes place further down the timeline in an already established universe’s continuity. It focuses on new characters, but still has original characters present in the plot.Does this episode count? We talked about legacy sequels for the first time a few months ago. Now, we’re picking up in the same continuity and Stephen’s experience will drive a significant portion of the early part of this episode, while Caleb, Larissa, and Ben remain present in the conversation as well...2022-07-291h 05
Storytelling BreakdownCurse of Strahd Campaign Diary Episode 002: Into The MistsIt doesn’t get much more classic than Ravenloft and Barovia, two of D&D’s most beloved settings. Come along with Stephen and Ben as the former takes you further down the rabbit hole of his run of Curse of Strahd. Curse of Strahd is one of the most popular modules built for 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons and has roots going back to the beginnings of the game. Each run of the module is different, so even if you have played it before, you’ve never played it like this. In the first e...2022-07-2232 min
Storytelling BreakdownAdventurers Assemble Campaign Diary Episode 002: Shrine of the Emperor of BonesAdventurer down! We’re being vague here so we don’t spoil what happened in the first episode if you haven’t gotten to listen to it yet. SB Hosts Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky are bringing you campaign diaries, inviting you to hear the tales of their Dungeons & Dragons games as told by the Dungeon Masters. Welcome to the second session of Adventurers Assemble. When we last saw our heroes, they were exploring the Shrine of the Emperor of Bones, dangerous ground for any adventurers, but especially a group of level one characters. The clo...2022-07-1533 min
Storytelling BreakdownThe Storytelling Of Staged CombatThe idea of “show, don’t tell” allows creators to communicate ideas to those experiencing their stories through sensory details. You can learn a lot about a character and their world by watching how they interact in a given space. You’ll likely learn even more in watching them fight. Combat is an element of so many significant pieces of media we have and haven’t covered yet on Storytelling Breakdown. From Marvel to Star Wars or from The Witcher to The Princess Bride, we can learn so much about characters from watching them contend wit...2022-07-011h 42
Storytelling BreakdownCurse of Strahd Campaign Diary Episode 001: Death HouseThis was a long time coming. Dungeons & Dragons has surged in popularity so much in the last decade. All four of Storytelling Breakdown’s hosts currently actively play or DM in at least one campaign. After blogs and episodes dedicated to RPGs, SB Hosts Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky host a series of campaign diaries, inviting you to take a seat at their tables and experience the tales told by the Dungeon Masters. It doesn’t get much more classic than Ravenloft and Barovia, two of D&D’s most beloved settings. Come along with St...2022-06-2437 min
Storytelling BreakdownAdventurers Assemble Campaign Diary Episode 001: Welcome to MurktownThis was a long time coming. Dungeons & Dragons has surged in popularity so much in the last decade. All four of Storytelling Breakdown’s hosts currently actively play or DM in at least one campaign. After blogs and episodes dedicated to RPGs, SB Hosts Ben Clemmer and Stephen Stachofsky host a series of campaign diaries, inviting you to take a seat at their tables and experience the tales told by the Dungeon Masters. Our story begins in Murktown, a location Ben borrowed from a homebrew module. Murktown is an old village in the Fairknot Reg...2022-06-2442 min
Storytelling BreakdownOur Flag Means Death, A Swashbuckling DebutHow did it take us this long to get here? Pirates have had an up and down cinematic history. While classic pirate images come to mind from the earliest days of Hollywood filmmaking, the genre was considered cursed for several decades before a movie with “Curse” in the title brought the genre into a renaissance. And it is a genre we are finally discussing.Our Flag Means Death takes this genre to fascinating depths with the craft of one of the most creative directors working today *cough* Taika Waititi. Rhys...2022-05-271h 31
Storytelling BreakdownCinematic Icons: The Godfather 50 Years Later“I believe in America.” After Cinematic Icons: A Meeting of the Five Families and Boardwalk Blinders & The Roaring Twenties, our gangster episodes have become a trilogy. That said, this conversation stands alone, much as The Godfather does 50 years after its release. The Storytelling Breakdown team reflects on our first viewings of the film, the numerous production hurdles that could have made for a very different movie, and how this classic is viewed today.Fringe is the subject of this episode’s Spotlight. Our guest is Georgia Stachofsky and she is intr...2022-04-221h 20
Storytelling BreakdownLegacy Sequels: No Way Home… Or Is There?When we last saw our heroes, it was years, maybe even decades ago. Now they are back, older and wearier, but we are thrilled to see them again. They have new allies. Our story follows a new hero or several figuring out their place in a universe. If you’ve seen a story like this recently, it was probably a legacy sequel. The popularity of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Creed, and other films sets up this conversation between Ben, Caleb, and Larissa as we take our own journey into the world of con...2022-03-251h 23
Storytelling BreakdownThe James Gunn Love Bomb Spectacular“I’m Mary Poppins, y’all!” When we think of quotes that came out of the horribly beautiful mind of James Gunn, this one might be one of the most recognizable. That said, there’s a couple recent quotes from interviews with James Gunn that inform our conversation in our season three premier. “I love making movies and telling stories. But, there was part of it I was using to try to fill a whole in me that didn’t feel loved by other people… I felt like everything in my life had bee...2022-02-251h 18
Storytelling BreakdownThe Four Hosts Together In HarmonyIn an effort to avoid false advertising, our team does have to confess that this episode has almost nothing to do with Avatar: The Last Airbender. This month we are bringing you our annual community update. Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer were joined in the studio by Storytelling Breakdown’s newest hosts Stephen Stachofsky and Larissa Whitaker. We’ll reflect on our last season, look ahead to some of what’s coming up, and all four hosts discussed their year in media for 2021. We’ve got Babylon Berlin, Barbaren, Bo Burnham...2022-01-281h 27
Storytelling BreakdownBoardwalk Blinders & The Roaring Twenties“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” When Ben, Caleb, and Stephen joined the Deus Vult podcast for a crossover episode in November, this quote came up. It’s from Nucky Thompson, the main character in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. While recent dramas set in the roaring twenties, such as Boardwalk Empire and Peaky Blinders, have taken liberties with historical events, they tell really good stories and feature fascinating characters. Caleb and Ben welcome their friend Carolynn Stouder into the studio to talk about both of th...2021-12-311h 28
Storytelling BreakdownCinematic Icons: A Meeting of the Five FamiliesA tried and true pop culture staple is the top five list. Another tried and true pop culture staple is the gangster movie. In an attempt to reach the length of gangster epics of the past, Ben, Caleb, and Stephen have recorded our longest episode to date. If these movies, scenes, directors, actors, and characters are in themselves a meeting of the five families, who gets a seat at the table? Who’s in the room even if they just missed out on one of the five seats?This is the third and final en...2021-11-301h 45
EmpowerYou podcast#76 What you should know about Education - Ben ClemmerRecently, I sat down with a great radio & Podcast producer, communicator, and educator Ben Clemmer! Together we pulled back the curtain about how to properly utilize your educational experiences. How to decide what information to believe and what to resist as well as how to navigate the higher education system! This episode is incredible! You do NOT want to miss this!! Follow Bens Podcast Storytelling breakdown Schedule your Free Credit Consultation with Soar your Score! Check out the Music Technology program at the University of Sai...2021-11-1551 min
Storytelling BreakdownCinematic Icons: Halloween ErasMaybe it starts with a special delivery. Perhaps the first thing you see is the exterior of the New York Public Library. Or maybe we begin in the present with everything shrouded in black and white at an auction in an abandoned, old opera house, before the chandelier is lit and we go back in time. Halloween looks a little different for everyone and for this episode, Stephen, Ben, and Caleb discuss their go-to Halloween movies.Some of our early conversations about movies focused on more recent releases. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Zack Snyder’s...2021-10-291h 15
Storytelling BreakdownHow Do You Make That Sound?Storytelling Breakdown has now been around for a year! One topic that has always resonated with the Storytelling Breakdown team is voice acting, going all the way back to our first episode in September of 2020 when we highlighted Mark Hamil’s Joker. How do voice actors create such memorable performances so radically different from their own? What can be done to help these virtuosos of voice understand their instruments better? Dr. Colette Feehan is the first doctor to come on Storytelling Breakdown and voice acting is something of a *cue sassy Obi-Wan voice… speciality. We ta...2021-09-241h 05
Storytelling BreakdownCinematic Icons: Hitchcock & Spielberg, Vertigo & The Last CrusadeThis podcast exists because for all of us on our team, someone fueled our passion for movies. Connections can be drawn between actors, writers, and in the case of this episode, directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg. We have two guests in the studio for this episode. Ben Clemmer’s brother Don is a lifelong cinephile and provided an early influence for interests like comics, Star Wars, Batman, and The Lord of the Rings. Don is also the seventh guest to appear on Storytelling Breakdown who was once a student of Jane Martin. Jan...2021-08-271h 06
Storytelling BreakdownA Trip to the Aquarium, A Deep Dive into Modern American Mythology w/The OmniplexOur team has a great love of comic books. The stories include, but are not limited to superheroes. Some we couldn’t put down as children. Others enthrall us as adult readers. Plus, there is so much major media available today that is based on stories told in the pages of comic books. We’re continuing our series of crossover shows with a full Breakdown featuring Albert Wiltfong, Austin Shinn, and Zephyr Ostrowski from The Omniplex Podcast.Albert, Austin, and Zephyr are avid comic book fans who recently interviewed J.M. DeMatteis on their podc...2021-07-301h 27
Storytelling BreakdownBo Burnham BreakdownWelcome to this episode. Have a look around. Anything that brain of yours can think of can be found...We’re still processing the emotions we felt when watching Bo Burnham: Inside. The pandemic has been hard on our team’s mental health and Caleb and Ben watched the special for the fourth and second time before recording this month’s episode. From the songs, to the lighting, to the feelings, this is Bo Burnham Breakdown.The American anime-influenced, adult computer-animated web series, RWBY is the subject of this episod...2021-06-251h 29
Storytelling BreakdownMeyer Productions Presents: The Clemmer CutThe Marvel Cinematic Universe has been praised for its interconnected film and television spanning stories, which have remained largely consistent in tone and continuity since Iron Man came out in 2008. DC films have been… well, not that.After Caleb and Ben saw Zack Snyder’s Justice League, they invited Lucas Gerke to return to the podcast for a deep dive into how we got here. In addition to studying film and directing for years, Lucas has actively followed the events that led to the 2021 release of the “Snyder Cut” on HBO Max. The entire experien...2021-05-281h 31
The Deus Vult PodcastThe Jedi Code - Bonus MinisodeThis bonus episode is part of a collaborative effort with Storytelling Breakdown, another Podcast local to Fort Wayne, Indiana in which hosts Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer delve into good stories and the mark they leave on culture. Listen to us on their soon-to-come episode and check out their other content at https://storytellingbreakdown.com as well as your favorite podcast app.2021-04-2324 min
Storytelling BreakdownRogue Producers: A Star Wars StoryWhen Storytelling Breakdown Writer, Editor, and Producer Stephen Stachofsky wrote a blog for SB this week, he included this quote from George Lucas, "after Star Wars was released, it became apparent that my story—however many films it took to tell—was only one of thousands that could be told about the characters who inhabit its galaxy. But these were not stories that I was destined to tell. Instead, they would spring from the imagination of other writers, inspired by the glimpse of a galaxy that Star Wars provided.”Today on Storytelling Breakdown, we’ll hear...2021-04-231h 23
Storytelling BreakdownFake Doctors, Real DramediesYou can hear the choppers in the distance. A slight tilt of the head and looking off screen, and you’re in a fantasy. The realities of facing death every single day collide with some of the best comedy and writing of their eras. Storytelling Breakdown’s Caleb Meyer grew up watching M*A*S*H. Ben Clemmer grew up watching Scrubs. In this episode the pair discuss the connections and parallels between the two.The stories feature fake doctors, but real dramedy.Once you’ve done everything you can to...2021-03-261h 44
Storytelling BreakdownWe're On A Mission From GodMany movies are endlessly quotable. You can hear one quote, like the title of this episode, and images from the movie immediately appear inside your head. But they don’t all spawn from Saturday Night Live. They don’t all set a record for the most cars wrecked in a single film production. They don’t all feature cameos and performances from music icons. They don’t all feature bands assembled from diverse pockets of American music. They don’t all feature a musically inclined duo willing to break speed laws, take it to the nazies, and organize a sold out s...2021-02-2645 min
Storytelling BreakdownA Socially Distanced Party Of Adventurers, Starting An RPGYou find yourself in a frozen wasteland. You shield your face as chilled winds pull at your cloak. Your feet are numb in your worn boots that are no longer holding up in the elements you’ve been trudging through for... hours? Days? Against the whiteout surrounding you, you can barely perceive a structure ahead along with two, possibly three others approaching you. Are they friend or foe? Will the small holdfast on the horizon bring warmth or even greater danger? There’s only one way to find out.There’s nothing quite like the st...2021-01-291h 01
Storytelling BreakdownInside The Hall Of HeroesRoad Trip. Caleb Meyer and Ben Clemmer journeyed to Elkhart, Indiana to experience the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum. The largest collection of superhero memorabilia in the world is also home to over 65,000 comic books, including first appearances, alongside props, toys, costumes, and so many other permutations of super heroic history.Be dwarfed a lifesize statue of the Incredible Hulk. The Hall has many statues of iconic heroes. Be awed by the unusual legacies of superhero lore. The Incredible Hulk was also almost purple. Yeah, seriously. And place your b...2020-10-0928 min
Storytelling BreakdownDenny O’Neil: Legend Of The Dark KnightIf you were creating a Mount Rushmore of Batman comic book writers, Denny O’Neil’s face would be carved in stone. He’d arguably earn a spot in the pantheon of comic book writers in general. Writer and editor Dennis O’Neil passed away on June 11, 2020. He was 81 years old.Join us for an episode Caleb and Ben wrote to remember the writer who brought us Green Lantern John Stewart, Ra’s and Talia Al Ghul, Azrael, Bane, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, Lady Deathstrike, and so many more.Inside is the sub...2020-10-0230 min
Storytelling BreakdownEpisode IV: The Foresight To Retain International Merchandising Rights“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” Multiple generations have now had their lives impacted by the Star Wars saga. The cultural resonance of the franchise feels like a modern mythology and the characters and worlds have been explored in so many different mediums like toys, games, and other merchandise. For this episode, we’ll take a trip back to 1999 with John Kaufeld. The master gains two apprentices as Caleb and Ben are taught to play Young Jedi.Star Wars: Battlefront II (the 2005 version) is the subject o...2020-09-251h 29
Storytelling BreakdownHow To Make Movies The Marvel Comics WayWith great power, comes great responsibility. Yep, this is a Spider-Man episode. The big screen version of the character has gotten a lot of mileage with three lead actors taking on the role for ten films from Sony and Marvel so far, but it might be Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, a 2018 animated feature, that stands out as the most groundbreaking take on the character(s). There’s a lot of reasons for that. Many of them are because of the animation, so we invited Autumn Schultz, an animation expert and good friend, to help wit...2020-09-1859 min
Storytelling BreakdownPlanet Of The Hyper-Realistic CGI ApesWelcome to Storytelling Breakdown, a pop culture deep dive podcast leaving no story untold. Our lives are defined by the stories that are poured into us. That can be (comic) books we read, shows we binge, games we can spend hours playing, or movies we can’t stop talking about. There’s so much to storytelling in so many mediums and our exploration continues.Motion capture. Just those two words might cause a series of images to appear in your head. An actor, maybe a British one, wearing a skintight suit and standing up (or c...2020-09-1729 min
Storytelling BreakdownThe Clown Prince Of MediaWelcome to the first episode of Storytelling Breakdown. Without any further delay, our team would like to welcome you to our pop culture deep dive podcast leaving no story untold. Our lives are defined by the stories that are poured into us. That can be (comic) books we read, shows we binge, games we can spend hours playing, and movies we can’t stop talking about. There’s so much to storytelling in so many mediums and our exploration starts now.We’ll begin with one of fiction’s greatest villains, who often speaks to an audience like he’...2020-09-1638 min
Storytelling BreakdownStorytelling Breakdown, The Trailer!Here's what the world can expect from season 1 of Storytelling Breakdown, Ben Clemmer and Caleb Meyer's pop culture deep dive into their favorite movies, comics, gaming and books. Ben and Caleb take on the best of nerd culture and even invite special guests into their studio. Storytelling Breakdown is recorded in Fort Wayne Indiana in association with Wayneshout Productions.
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2020-09-1301 min
WBOI's Behind The MicWBOI Host Leads Audio Adventures Presenting All Things CoolBesides being evening news anchor for All Things Considered, WBOI's Ben Clemmer gets a creative workout each week as producer host of WBOI Presents and facilitates the station's growing number of podcast series. To implement these and other station projects, he has also established an Intern/Work study program for students enrolled in area colleges and universities. As part of her ongoing Behind the Mic series, WBOI's Julia Meek caught up with Clemmer by phone to learn how and why these projects fuel his passion for public radio. You can find other Behind the Mic conversations at wboi.org or...2020-06-0214 min
The Opinionated BroadscastEpisode 34 - Weeeee're BaaaackWe interrupt our summer hiatus to get back together and record an episode for the first time in a few weeks. As a result, all of Laura's saved up opinionated energy spills out and she spends much of the episode ranting at Ellen about her disdain for Omarosa Newman and Ben Shapiro. In between Laura's pontificating, Ellen discusses some thoughts about the EPA's new proposed rules relating to asbestos and encourages everyone to read about and comment on them. We also talked a little bit about the sad state of the NY Mets and Rudy Guiliani...2018-08-1500 min