Storybeat With Steve Cuden

David Paul Kirkpatrick is the former Walt Disney Studios production chief and also the former president of Paramount Pictures. He’s worked on more than 200 motion pictures and their screenplays, including such global franchises as Indiana Jones and Star Trek. David has guided countless adaptations of books and plays to movies including Forrest Gump, The Elephant Man, Ordinary People, and Terms of Endearment. He also won an Emmy and Golden Globe for his HBO production of Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny.David’s authored several books, including: The Address of Happiness, Breakfast in the Temple, and The Dog. I’ve read The Address of Happiness and can tell you it’s a deeply moving story of two souls who repeatedly find themselves through both time and space. I highly recommend The Address of Happiness to you.A believer in giving back, David wants to inspire and equip the writers of tomorrow. He believes fiction is an underutilized tool that can help build a better world.  As such, he founded Story Summit, whic

Theresa Griffin Kennedy is a longtime Portland, Oregon writer, author and occasional poet.  She works as a proofreader, developmental editor and is chief editor of Oregon Greystone Press. Theresa writes both creative nonfiction, including crime profiles, as well as literary fiction, specifically in the genre of domestic noir. Theresa sometimes writes essays about saving old buildings, and the environment, which includes a long essay on the health and challenges of the Mekong River. Theresa’s the author of the novel, Talionic Night in Portland: A Love Story, which was longlisted in the Clue and Somerset book awards for 2022. I’ve Read Talionic Night in Portland and can tell you it’s a mesmerizing take on the noir genre, full of an intense romance and workplace revenge. I highly recommend it to you. She’s also published Lost Restaurants of Portland, Oregon, delving into the history of shuttered Portland restaurants. And Theresa’s the editor of a great short story collection called Beyond Where the Buses Run, wh

         Ana Benitez is one of the founders of Storyrocket.com, a leading internet site where thousands of writers from around the world showcase their works to producers and agents.  Ana’s mission is to help educate writers on how to get their stories seen by producers and agents. As such, she’s an impassioned author’s advocate for the entertainment community. She also works hard at leading Storyrocket’s brand expansion and partnerships.For the record, I’ve had the privilege of working with Ana on Storyrocket seminars and workshops, which was very fulfilling for me to do.Of note, Ana is a 2-time Emmy Award-winning television producer with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Her TV career spans from broadcast news to “live” morning shows, to scripted and special events productions. She’s worked with Univision, Telemundo, Disney, Major League Baseball and many fortune 500 companies. She’s also been honored by the City of Los Angeles for her contribution to the expansion of culture and en

R.J. Stewart spent more than 20 years as a writer and producer in Hollywood. He got his first break writing for the NBC romantic-detective drama, Remington Steele that starred Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist.  He’s best known for developing, writing and producing Xena: Warrior Princess (starring Lucy Lawless), once the highest-rated television show in syndication.  Among his other Hollywood credits are movies like The Rundown, starring Duane “The Rock” Johnson, Major League 2, starring Charlie Sheen, and the TV series Cleopatra 2525. He’s also worked on projects with Kevin Costner, Rebecca De Mornay and James Garner.Recently, R.J. published the terrific post-apocalyptic thriller, Crazy Hawk, which I’ve read and can tell you is a fantastically action-packed dystopian western set in an inhospitable American future. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Crazy Hawk, and highly recommend it to you. For more information, please see www.hovartus.com

This is an encore of our episode with the great director, Rob Marshall. He has made numerous films that have been honored with a total of 30 Academy Award nominations — winning 9 in all, including Best Picture for “Chicago,” which alone won a total of 6 of those Oscars. Also, for “Chicago,” Rob received the Directors Guild Award, and nominations for Best Director for the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Additionally, he won Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Online, as well as the American Choreography Award.Most recently, Rob directed and produced the live-action feature, “The Little Mermaid” for Disney, starring Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem.Rob’s other directorial achievements include multiple nominations for award-winning features like: “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Nine,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” which went on to gross over 1 billion dollars worldwide, “Into the Woods,” and “Mary Poppins Returns.”Rob executive pro

Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author known for his nonfiction works and historical thrillers, among them Taking London, Taking Paris, Taking Berlin, the Killing series with Bill O’Reilly, Into Africa, and The Explorers. Recently, I read Martin’s excellent book, Taking London: Winston Churchill and the Fight to Save Civilization, and can tell you it’s a riveting, well-researched tale of truly fascinating people in London during World War II, who were both extremely famous, like Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, Edward R. Murrow, and others, as well as various less well-known fighter pilots who stood in the breach when dealing with harrowing life and death challenges. A seasoned adventurer and journalist, Martin has written books and articles that have been praised for their engaging narratives and meticulous research, such as the Tour de France, ancient civilizations, and adventure sports. In addition, Martin serves on the Board of Directors of the USA Track & Field Foundation, and coaches

Mark Arnold is a comic book, animation and pop culture historian. He’s published 10 books and numerous articles in various publications. His books include: "The Harveyville Fun Times!", "If You're Cracked, You're Happy: The Story of Cracked Magazine, Book 1 and Book 2", "Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles", "Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions: 1966-1985", "Think Pink! The DePatie-Freleng Story", as well as books on Total Television Productions, Dennis the Menace, The Monkees, and Alvin and the Chipmunks." Mark’s latest books are about the music group, The Turtles, and a 2-volume MAD Magazine history, all of which came out in 2024. I’ve read both “Unconditionally Mad, Part 1,” and “Unconditionally Mad, Part B,” and can tell you they’re deeply and thoroughly researched histories of the ongoing seven decades run of Mad Magazine. If you want to know all about the people behind some of the most hilarious writing and drawing ever, as we

Michael Buzzelli calls himself a stand-up comedian and sit-down author. Michael’s performed comedy nationwide, most notably at three legendary clubs, the Ice House, the Comedy Store, and the Improv in Los Angeles. As a writer, Michael has been published in various websites, magazines, and newspapers. He’s the theater & arts critic for ‘Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh’s online cultural talk magazine. He’s also a Moth Grand Slam storyteller and actor. As well, Michael has presented workshops on humor to the Romance Writers of America and the Pennwriters Conference. His short film, “Light’s Out,” is playing at film festivals worldwide.Michael’s books, “Below Average Genius,” a collection of essays culled from his weekly humor column in the Observer-Reporter, and his romantic comedy, “All I Want for Christmas,” are on sale at Amazon.com. His short story, “Study Buddy,” is in a collection of LGBTQ romance stories entitled “Winter Break.” I’ve read “All I Want for Christmas,” and “Below Average Genius,” and can tell y

Jeff Leisawitz burns with a mission— to inspire and teach Storytellers and Creatives of every flavor to open minds and connect hearts with their words and stories. Jeff is a Grand LIA, Cannes Lion Gold and Clio Gold award-winning Creative Consultant, critically acclaimed author, award winning music producer, internationally distributed screenwriter, and former college instructor. As a coach, keynote speaker and workshop facilitator based in Seattle, Jeff helps clients and students overcome internal blocks, tap into their creative potential, get published, land major sales and win awards. He has been featured in top podcasts, magazines and newspapers including: Script Magazine, Film Courage, The Guardian, Music Connection, Tiny Buddha, Huff Post, The Unmistakable Creative and more, including once before on StoryBeat.Jeff’s latest book is The Magical Impact of Storytelling, which I’ve read and can tell you is an easy-to-read, highly motivating compendium of encouraging advice for anyone hoping to become their b

Mark Jonathan Harris is a three-time Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, as well as an award-winning author of 10 books, a distinguished professor of film of four decades, and an acclaimed journalist. His newest book, Misfits, is a collection of wonderfully character-driven short stories.I’ve read Misfits and can tell you the book comprises 12 dynamic stories about offbeat characters grappling with personal encounters as they try to live their disconnected lives.  I highly recommend this insightful set of stories to you.Mark started his professional career covering crime for the famed City News Bureau of Chicago. He also reported national news for the Associated Press before making TV documentaries.For several years Mark was a contributing editor to New West magazine. He also wrote articles, essays, and reviews for national newspapers and magazines including: TV Guide, American Heritage, the New York Times, the L.A. Times and the Washington Post. He’s also published five award-winning novels for child

Richard Walter is making his second appearance on StoryBeat. Richard is an author of best-selling fiction and nonfiction, a celebrated storytelling educator, screenwriter, script consultant, lecturer and retired professor who led the legendary screenwriting program in UCLA’s highly regarded film school for several decades. He’s written scripts for the major studios and TV networks; lectured on screenwriting and storytelling, and conducted master classes throughout North America, as well as in London, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, Rio, Mexico City, Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney and Hong Kong.  His latest novel,Deadpan, follows the misadventures of a vaguely antisemitic West Virginia Buick dealer who wakes up one day transformed into the world’s most popular Jewish comedian.  I’ve read Deadpan and can tell you it is an exceptionally funny ride with very serious overtones. This is one of the most imaginative time and character-slipping stories I’ve read since Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five.Richard’s other books inc

Heavy metal rock legend, Carl Canedy, and writer Phillip “Doc” Harrington, recently published Carl’s autobiography, Tales of a Wild Dog, Memoirs of a Rock Warrior. Since the age of 5, after observing a striking red drum set at a wedding reception, Carl was determined to play the drums. He received his first drum set in his early teens, immediately immersed himself in practice, and eventually developed his now-famous signature style. He also taught himself how to play guitar and piano, which would later come in handy in his role as a songwriter. After spending his formative years touring with the band Kelakos, in 1979, Carl joined forces with David “Rock” Feinstein to start the legendary Upstate, NY power trio, The Rods. The band quickly became a sensation in the northeast, landing a major recording contract with Arista Records. The Rods toured and played shows with the likes of no less than: Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motörhead, Metallica, Richie Blackmore, Blue Oyster Cult, and many others. In the late 1980’s, Carl

Christopher Akerlind, has designed lighting, and occasionally scenery, for over 650 productions of theater, opera, and dance across the U.S. and around the world, including 24 shows on Broadway. Chris’s recent work includes Waiting for Godot at Theatre for a New Audience, Lynn Nottage’s play Clyde’s on Broadway and at the Mark Taper Forum, The Light in the Piazza, for which he won his first Tony, Paula Vogel’s play Indecent, winning him both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards, Rocky the Musical, which garnered him a Tony nomination, Sting’s musical The Last Ship, and The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, for which he was also Tony nominated. Among Chris’s other Broadway lighting designs are: August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and Seven Guitars, Talk Radio, and the musical, Waitress.Chris’s numerous shows not on Broadway include: Scene with Cranes for CalArts Center for New Performance; the premiere of M Butterfly for the Santa Fe Opera; and Martha Clarke’s devised pieces God’s Fool, Angel Reapers, and Cheri. Chris has als

Laura Pliskin is a talented art department coordinator who has contributed to some of the most visually stunning sets in film and television history.Laura has worked on projects like "Twisters," "Drive-Away Dolls,", and "Out of the Furnace." She's also been part of blockbuster hits like "The Dark Knight Rises" and the critically acclaimed TV series "Mindhunter." Laura's role involves managing logistics, coordinating art department schedules including between various departments, and ensuring that every detail aligns with the production designer's vision. Her meticulous attention to detail and ability to juggle multiple tasks make her an essential part of any production team. Beyond her on-set responsibilities, Laura brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role. She studied video game art at Carnegie Mellon University and used to co-own an event planning company, adding a diverse range of skills to her impressive portfolio. 

The writer, Jon Kremer, has lived in Bournemouth, a town on the south-coast of England, since he was a teenager, coinciding with the start of the 1960s.  That famous decade of cultural change allowed him to experience many aspects of the UK music industry via both the ownership of his town’s original vintage vinyl shop, Bus Stop Records, which opened during 1967’s Summer of Love, and a long-standing friendship with ‘Year of the Cat’ singer-songwriter, Al Stewart.  A 60’s music highlight was meeting the Beatles at the height of Britain’s Beatlemania.  The story of Jon and Al finding themselves in the backstage company of John Lennon moments after the Fabs had first performed “She Loves You” live for an audience, days before the record’s release, became known as ‘The Men from Rickenbacker’. The tale of two teenagers pretending to be representatives of Rickenbacker guitars and needing to talk with the Beatles, eventually was retold many times in books, magazines, newspapers, tour programs, and on TV and radio.  

            My guest today, the noted muralist, John Cerney, is a Salinas, California native whose artwork can best be described as ‘giant cut-out plywood art’ that’s ordinarily viewed from the comfort of your car. There’s a sense of Norman Rockwell to his work, with a dash of Christo.            After earning an art degree from Cal State Long Beach in 1984, John worked in Southern California as a portrait artist, rendering finely detailed pencil drawings. His patrons were television producers, actors, and writers, with such clients as the late comedian John Candy and baseball star Reggie Jackson.            Wanting to reach a larger audience, John would periodically relocate to Central California and convince a farmer to allow him to paint a mural on his barn, just for practice. This led to commissions from local businesses. A major shift happened when he added cutout plywood pieces to his barn murals. Eventually, he abandoned barns and walls altogether, concentrating on the cut-outs themselves.When the scal

Veteran theater and film actor James Sutorius has performed for the most prestigious regional and repertory theater companies including The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, and Pasadena Playhouse. He’s also performed at Lincoln Center, Yale Repertory, Long Wharf Theatre, Seattle Repertory, and many more. In 2007, he won two San Diego Theatre Critics Awards for his performance as George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and for his multiple supporting roles in John Strand's play "Lincolnesque." James made his Broadway debut in 1973 in "The Changing Room." In his very first entrance as a member of a rugby team, he had to walk downstage and strip off all his clothes! Instead of finding the experience terrifying, he actually found it liberating. And he played Laertes opposite Sam Waterston's Hamlet at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, alongside a cast of rising stars including Jane Alexander, Mandy Patinkin, George Hearn and Joh

Novelist John David Bethel was a speechwriter to Cabinet Secretaries at the Departments of Commerce and Education during the Bush 41 and 43 administrations. He also served as a press secretary and speechwriter to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Additionally, David worked as a communications strategist for a number of national and international public relations firms, including Burson Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe.He began his career in government and politics in 1972 as a speechwriter for the Legacy of Parks program in the Executive Office of the President in the Nixon Administration. He joined the staff of California Congressman Burt Talcott and later Nevada Senator Paul Laxalt as his Press Secretary and speechwriter.  He helped craft the speech Senator Laxalt gave nominating Ronald Reagan to be President. David also wrote the lead article celebrating the second inauguration of President Reagan called We the People, An American Celebration.David also spent many years in the world o

TV and movie editor, Tim Stepich, was captivated by the films and TV shows of his youth in the 1970s. By the time he was in high school, he set his sights on working in show business. Tim’s abiding interest in editing goes back to when, as a teen, he’d make music montages on his home stereo.  He studied television and film at Emerson College in Boston, where he worked in all aspects of film and video production but enjoyed editing the most.  A few years later, Tim made his move to Hollywood with the goal of turning editing into his specialty.   Within a year he got his first editing job and ever since has worked in various genres, including episodic TV, commercials, and music videos.  He edited his first short film, Hate *a Comedy, directed by Drew Daywalt and Dave Schneider, which was a huge success on the festival circuit.  Tim’s feature credits include the critically acclaimed Happy Holidays, and the multi-award-winning black comedy horror film, Lucky, directed by some guy named Steve Cuden.  For the recor

Okema T. Moore is an Emmy Nominated PGA producer and rising director. She’s created unscripted and branded content for Lifetime, Netflix, and Disney/Marvel, including: Beat Bobby Flay and The Kitchen on Food Network, Oprah’s Color of Care, Founding In Color on Peacock, and Nomad with Carlton McCoy on CNN. Most recently, she developed and produced Down in the Valley for STARZ, and was lead producer on Chocolate with Sprinkles for the AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, which won the HBO award at the American Black Film Festival.Okema was a Directing Fellow for Minorities In Film’s Branded Lab, a semi-finalist for The Blackhouse Producer’s Lab, a 2nd rounder for the Sundance Producer’s Track, and a fellow for both the Stowe Story and the Black Magic Creative Producers Labs. She was a finalist for the PANO production microgrant, received a writing fellowship to create her first TV Pilot with Writer’s Boot Camp & Women Going Places. And her short script had a live staged reading at the Essence Film Festival i