BRENDAN DAVIS | Big Finale in the Middle Kingdom
Okay! All good things must come to an end, and in this - the last episode of “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” - I say THANK YOU to many of the people who’ve helped me make it as good as it can be. The catalog of over 120 shows will stay live forever, but to hear me on NEW shows, please search and visit “If I Knew You Better” or “How China Works”.
Thanks for over 2 great years!
Brendan
SEARCH “If I Knew You Better” in all podcatchers OR listen / learn more below:
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-i-knew-you-better/id1457785319 / WEB PLAYER: http://ifiknewyoubetter.libsyn.com/website/ LINKS https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/knew-resources
“How China Works”: LISTEN - APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-china-works/id1440747395 / ALL PLATFORMS: http://howchinaworks.libsyn.com / WEB: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com
STEVEN D. KATZ | Writing A Classic, Teaching Michael Jackson, & More
Steve Katz has possibly the most eclectic background and resume of anyone I’ve ever spoken to. His early influences in the 1960s, like Ray Harryhausen and Famous Monsters magazine, mixed with watching rehearsals at the nearby Westport Country Playhouse with visiting directors like Woody Allen to the influence and support of his parents to propel him into an artistic life from the very beginning. That led him to, among other things: learning film cameras via a cousin in New York who worked on TV shows like “Car 54, Where Are You?”; putting together psychedelic light shows in NYC at places like the Fillmore East and working with bands like The Grateful Dead, The Doors, The Byrds, and Sly & The Family Stone starting at age 19; playing bluegrass banjo; working on John McTiernan’s first film; befriending “Saturday Night Live” writing legend Michael O’Donoghue and seeing a legendary short film he directed, “The Clams”, go on to open a season of “SNL” and catch a big break as a TV writer; he continued to work and grow and eventually established himself as a writer-director-producer in Hollywood; created the first digital previz on the feature Clear and Present Danger; and eventually, all his experience brought him to - yes - China, where he has been involved in many projects big and small. But of all the references I just name-checked, the one that originally cemented Steve’s name in my mind back in the day was that he wrote a truly legendary cinema book called Film Directing: Shot by Shot, published by the then-upstart Michael Weise Productions. It was released in 1992, which is when I was in film school, and it instantly became required reading in my Film Production courses! It’s familiar blue cover was updated a few years ago to announce the new, 25th anniversary edition, which was freshly and thoroughly revised for the digital age. It’s easily the film book I have gifted to more people than any other, and it was a real treat to get to hear some of Steve’s stories in-depth. Among the crazy but true tales already mentioned, we scratch the surface on Steve’s several engagements as Michael Jackson’s personal filmmaking tutor - a story he has NEVER told before! Steve was resident at the Neverland Ranch for months at a time, was flown into luxury hotels to work with the star, sometimes just watching movies late at night. He also saw things in his time around MJ that will likely merit another show entirely, but we will have much more on that topic another day. We even overlap on his interest in the intersection between art and neuroscience, among many other wonky and highly specific topics. To top it off, he’s also a good friend of one of my best friends, Kevin Geiger, so the “small world” meter is off the charts with this one for me. More on all that later. For now, though, you can visit the blog post at https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/knew-resources for links, contact information, and I hope you enjoy this epic conversation with Steven Katz!
STEVEN KATZ links:
BOOK - Film Directing: Shot by Shot - 25th Anniversary Edition: Visualizing from Concept to Screen by Steven D. Katz: https://mwp.com/product/film-directing-shot-shot-25th-anniversary-edition-visualizing-concept-screen/
WEB - https://www.shotbyshotbook.com
SEARCH “If I Knew You Better” in all podcatchers OR LISTEN here - APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-i-knew-you-better/id1457785319 / WEB PLAYER: http://ifiknewyoubetter.libsyn.com/website/ LINKS https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/knew-resources
KEVIN GEIGER | Revenge of the Fretful Laowai Radio Hour!
Returning champion Kevin Geiger (Magic Dumpling, Peewee Frog; ex-Disney) is back for another freewheeling China chat! We start with an outline and let it rip from there. Big fun, and a big reason I rebooted the podcast. We talk about returning home & expat ennui (hence the “Fretful Laowai” show handle), our new projects, how to (and how NOT to) package and produce a feature film (note: it really helps if you hire a rockstar cinematographer, and then he brings on partners who’ve worked on Green Book, the latest Star Wars, Interstellar, etc) and lastly: how to tell if you’ve been in China for too damn long. Enjoy!
KEVIN GEIGER links:
Peewee Frog books http://peeweefrog.com/news.html
Magic Dumpling Entertainment www.magicdumpling.com
Huhu Studios http://huhustudios.com
《神隐桃花源》“Shen Yin Tao Hua Yuan” / “Hidden in the Peach Blossom Garden” https://www.awn.com/blog/breaking-boundaries-beijing
SEARCH “If I Knew You Better” in all podcatchers OR listen / learn more below:
LISTEN - APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-i-knew-you-better/id1457785319 / WEB PLAYER: http://ifiknewyoubetter.libsyn.com/website/ LINKS https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/knew-resources
“How China Works”: LISTEN - APPLE: https://tinyurl.com/HowChinaWorks-iTunes / ANDROID: http://howchinaworks.libsyn.com / SOUNDCLOUD: https://tinyurl.com/HowChinaWorks-Soundcloud / STITCHER: https://tinyurl.com/hcw-stitcher / WEB PLAYER: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom”: APPLE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 / SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/brendan-davis-2 / STITCHER: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/brendan-davis/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom / WEB PLAYER: http://bigfishmiddlekingdom.libsyn.com
CARL KING | Creating Your Own Path (series finale)
CARL KING is a true polymath: someone who’s professionally good at many things. He’s a screenwriter, published book author, composer, engineer, director, producer, & more. Carl has worked with numerous legends in the progressive music and geek culture scenes, including Dweezil Zappa, Steve Vai, Kevin Smith, the late Jon Schnepp, Brendon Small, and many others. And among his massive credits list, Carl created our theme music! So since Carl’s work (with drums by Mike Stone!) is the FIRST thing you hear on this podcast, I thought it made sense to have him on as my LAST regular guest on the show, too. Wait - last show, you say? What!? More details in the show. Enjoy!
CARL KING links:
WEB: http://carlkingdom.com
MUSIC: https://shop.carlkingdom.com/collections/digital-downloads/products/sir-millard-mulch-how-to-sell-collection-2-failure-digital-download
MIKE STONE on Drums!
https://www.facebook.com/mike.stone1
BFMK Links:
APPLE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/brendan-davis-2
STITCHER: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/brendan-davis/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom
WEB PLAYER: http://bigfishmiddlekingdom.libsyn.com
BRENDAN DAVIS | 2019 Kickoff, aka My Birthday Show
Welcome to 2019! I'm in Los Angeles this week & for awhile in general, so I’m making some other changes & expanding the idea of what’s possible. Check out today’s show, which doubles as my January solocast, to hear all the latest. Cheers!
APPLE: https://tinyurl.com/BFMK-iTUNES / SOUNDCLOUD: https://tinyurl.com/BFMK-Soundcloud / STITCHER: https://tinyurl.com/BFMK-Stitcher / WEB: https://tinyurl.com/BFMK-Web
KEVIN GEIGER | “Return of The Fretful Laowai Radio Hour"
#088: KEVIN GEIGER | “Return of The Fretful Laowai Radio Hour"
On this special lucky Holiday Edition of the show (#88!), Kevin Geiger and I talk about: his wife Wen Feng’s recent award-winning VR project on the Dunhuang Caves, the value and necessity of offshore creative development, his new children’s book, my writing ambitions, upcoming LA and Paris trips, and the future of this show - including a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. Enjoy!
Kevin Geiger / Wen Feng LINKS:
Dunhuang VR project: https://www.awn.com/blog/three-keys-compelling-vr
BONNY BUNNY’S BABY BROTHER:
“Bonny Bunny’s world was PERFECT... until her baby brother BILLY came into it.”
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bonny-bunnys-baby-brother/id1444540255
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KXKMKKB
SPONSOR - SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER!
Get “The Complete Podcasting Course” or give it as a GIFT for only $12 US!
Visit the link here to use my couple code: https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/?couponCode=HOLIDAY_SPECIAL
FIND the “How China Works” podcast with Yingying Li & Brendan Davis at APPLE: https://tinyurl.com/HowChinaWorks-iTunes / STITCHER: https://tinyurl.com/hcw-stitcher / SOUNDCLOUD: https://tinyurl.com/HowChinaWorks-Soundcloud / ANDROID: http://howchinaworks.libsyn.com / WEB: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com
KEVIN GEIGER: "The 'Fretful Laowai' Radio Hour" on "Big Fish Side Dish"
#082: KEVIN GEIGER: "The 'Fretful Laowai' Radio Hour" on "Big Fish Side Dish"
Kevin Geiger makes another appearance on the ‘Fretful Laowai’ edition of "Big Fish Side Dish” to talk mobile cat cremation, “faux”ga, Stan Lee, VPN-less communications during my LA trip, speaking accidental Chinese, impending Thanksgiving fun, Kevin’s love for “How China Works”, and more.
Highlights (?) include:
0:01:09 - The Circle of Life (the Geiger family cat’s passing, Claire’s first experience with death, Beijing mobile pet cremation)
0:15:35 - The American Apocalypse (Brendan’s return to L.A., shootings, fires, midterms...)
0:24:27 - The Loss of a Legend (Stan Lee’s death & legacy)
0:30:25 - How China Works (American politics & violence, reverse culture shock, China’s changing game, Kevin’s China drinking & negotiating advice)
FIND the “How China Works” podcast with Yingying Li & Brendan Davis at APPLE: https://tinyurl.com/HowChinaWorks-iTunes / STITCHER: https://tinyurl.com/hcw-stitcher / SOUNDCLOUD: https://tinyurl.com/HowChinaWorks-Soundcloud / ANDROID: http://howchinaworks.libsyn.com / WEB: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com
BRENDAN DAVIS | October Solo Show
#69 - October Solo Show | BRENDAN DAVIS
While most of China is on vacation enjoying National Golden Week, a yearly holiday celebrating the founding of the PRC, I’ve been busier than usual. So I decided to do a short solo show to play catch-up on what’s happening, what’s going on, and what’s coming up. A regular show plus another “Big Fish Side Dish” are coming up next week!
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and rate / leave a nice REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-link
“Big Fish Side Dish”: Punk Rock | JONATHAN GARRISON
#068 - “Big Fish Side Dish”: Punk Rock | JONATHAN GARRISON
In this inaugural episode of “BIG FISH SIDE DISH”*, Jonathan Garrison and I riff on how punk rock and other hardcore music helped shape our childhoods and changed our life trajectories. A 12-pack of Harbin Beer might’ve been involved. In a related note, you get to hear how much I curse when I don’t pay attention and mind my manners. Enjoy.
*”Big Fish Side Dish” is a companion show to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” that invites a previous show guest to sit down for a more casual conversation focused on a specific topic - unedited and uncensored.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and rate / leave a nice REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
GUEST:
Jon Garrison / En Route: http://www.enroute-global.com/
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links
ERIC SELLEY | Comedy from Beijing to Toronto
Eric Selley has his degree in education from Toronto and works as a truly professional teacher here in Beijing, but these days he is becoming best-known as a comedian. Eric brings a great energy and a fresh perspective to the recent comedy-themed episodes of “BFMK” and shares his thoughts on joke writing, the differences between audiences in Toronto, NYC, Australia, and China, and much more. Enjoy!
This week’s show is sponsored by “The Complete Podcasting Course”, my new learning program on Udemy.com. Find it via the link in the show notes, and if you want a discount coupon to get the course for only $10 USD, contact me and I’ll hook you up.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and rate / leave a nice REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
GUEST Links:
Eric Selley on Instagram: ericjselley
Comedy Club China / WeChat Official Account: comedyclubchina
Website: www.comedyclubchina.com
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
ELLIOTT ZAAGMAN | Tech Writing & Leadership Training in China
To lift directly from his LinkedIn, which says it far better than I ever could: Elliott Zaagman is best known as an executive coach, corporate trainer, and writer who focuses on how Chinese leaders and organizations interact with their global employees and the public. He focuses on leadership development, HR, and PR and is both an enthusiastic evangelist for, and honest critic of, China's tech industry.
Elliott is wicked smart and insightful, very funny, and we have one of the most real conversations - ranging from the curious debt structures in many Chinese businesses to the notable underrepresentation of Asian faces at the Bilderberg Meetings - that I've had on the show. Great talk. Enjoy!
This week’s show is sponsored by “The Complete Podcasting Course”, my new learning program on Udemy.com. Find it via the link in the show notes, and if you want a discount coupon to get the course for only $10 USD, contact me and I’ll hook you up.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and rate / leave a nice REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
GUEST Links:
Elliott Zaagman on Twitter: @ElliottZaagman
Elliott Zaagman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliott-zaagman
Read: https://technode.com/2018/09/13/chinas-tech-is-addicted-to-debt/
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
DAVID JACOBS | Comedy Club China
David Jacobs grew up in an idyllic part of Virginia, began traveling on a fluke, and ended up in China - where he’s stayed far longer than he ever expected. Along the way, he became a key part of the Beijing comedy scene, where he currently manages Comedy Club China (CCC). CCC is responsible for hosting open mics and quality gigs many nights a week as well as bringing in ever-bigger names for special shows, helping to expand the scene and push the boundaries of what’s possible here.
This week’s show is sponsored by “The Complete Podcasting Course”, my new learning program on Udemy.com. Find it via the link in the show notes, and if you want a discount coupon to get the course for only $10 USD, contact me and I’ll hook you up.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and rate / leave a nice REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
GUEST Links:
David Jacobs / Comedy Club China
WeChat Official Account: comedyclubchina
Website: www.comedyclubchina.com
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
CHRISTIANA ZHU | Plant-Based Food in China
#064 - Plant-Based Food in China | Christiana Zhu
Christiana Zhu has taken an unusual path to becoming the creator of Yeyo, a plant-based coconut yogurt that is one of my new favorite things. She’s a Kiwi of Chinese ancestry who first moved to China to apply her unique perspectives in the marketing and tourism industry, but a major health scare and the lack of local food options to deal with her challenges steered her towards embarking on the cool journey she’s on today with her company Marvelous Foods. As an omnivore myself I especially respect that she promotes plant-based foods primarily as a healthy addition to ANY diet, and I’m eager to taste whatever new flavors of Yeyo's fro-yo variety that she whips up next. Enjoy!
This week’s show is sponsored by “The Complete Podcasting Course”, my new learning program on Udemy.com. Find it via the link below, and if you want a discount coupon to get the course for only $10 USD, contact me and I’ll hook you up.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and rate / leave a nice REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
GUEST Links:
Christiana Zhu on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christiana-zhu-4a2b9917
Yeyo - Official Account on WeChat: Yeyo-Yogurt
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
CHOZIE MA | The Master of Experience
#063 - The Master of Experience | Chozie Ma
Chozie Ma is a master of so many realms of experience - musical, audio-visual, VVIP travel, and more - that it was hard to know where to start with our interview, but his wonderful hospitality made it really fun to find our way through his narrative. Chozie - short for “Chinese Aussie”, which summaries his cultural heritage - spent a few weeks in India right after our interview and is on a sailboat somewhere between Spain and Italy as I type this, which gives some idea of the adventurous spirit that led him to make the amazing life he has created for himself. He first found success as a DJ, promoter and then club owner in China, but that is just the beginning. This was a really inspiring interview for me to do and I hope you enjoy it as well.
This week’s show is sponsored by “The Complete Podcasting Course”, my new learning program on Udemy.com. Find it via the link below, and if you want a discount coupon to get the course for only $10 USD, contact me and I’ll hook you up.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and leave a REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
SPONSOR:
“The Complete Podcasting Course” - https://www.udemy.com/complete-podcasting-course/learn/v4/overview
GUEST Links:
Chozie Ma online - www.oracleprojects.com
Facebook: Chozie Dj
Instagram: Chozie_ma
Chozie Ma MUSIC:
“Funky Disco Love” - https://music.163.com/m/song?id=76162&market=wechatsearch&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
“The Path” - https://music.163.com/m/song?id=76168&market=wechatsearch&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
“Walking Backwards” - https://music.163.com/m/song?id=76160&market=wechatsearch&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
“We Partyyy!” - https://music.163.com/m/song?id=76166&market=wechatsearch&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
“One Night in Beijing” - https://h.xiami.com/song.html?id=1770324556&ch=wechat&autoPlay=1&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
“Making Me Hight” - https://music.163.com/m/song?id=76157&market=wechatsearch&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
Chozie Ma VIDEO:
Making of “One Night in Beijing” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkEKO5q6W5I
First-Class Party Prep in Seoul - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch4bU9n6XJg
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
IGOR TORGESON | Comedy & Acting from D.C. to L.A.
Igor Torgeson is a writer, actor and filmmaker from Los Angeles. He is an old friend and we had a great time catching up and chatting here in China recently. Igor talks about his journey in the comedy world, shares his hot take on Beijing, and we even talk a little about what the shifting cultural dynamics back home mean for the entertainment business at large. We had a great time recording this one, and some of the outtakes were so funny that I left them in. Enjoy!
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and leave a REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
GUEST:
Igor Torgeson online: http://IgorTorgeson.com
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
GIANLUIGI PERRONE | International Filmmaking in China
This week’s guest has been on my wish list since I first had the idea for the show, and we finally made it happen. Italian writer-director-producer Gianluigi Perrone is something of a Renaissance man. He’s been an author, the screenwriter of cult film Morituris, a film critic and editor of Italian genre journal Nocturno, a director or producer of both occult projects like The 7th Night of Thelema as well as family films, and he’s now a pioneering director and creator of VR projects in China, who applies his passion for and training in neuroscience to his cinematic efforts. In his wide and varied career so far he’s worked with, been mentored by, or has significantly crossed paths with cinema legends like Argento, Bava, Jodorowsky, and Tarantino, among others, and he is a fascinating guy to chat with.
Gian is someone who I see too infrequently, and whenever we sit down, several hours pass and I don't even notice. When we met for this show, we talked for over an hour before we started, then we recorded for an hour and a half, and then we talked a good while afterwards. It’s always a blast to chat with him, and there are far more funny stories in this show than in a usual episode. Gian’s experiences and insights on the state of the film market in China - and on the real secrets of how to do business here in general, and on the shift to longer-term thinking that’s happening here and what that means for all of us in particular - are GOLD. Hint: read The Art Of War. Great show! Enjoy.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” and leave a REVIEW at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or search and subscribe wherever YOU get your podcasts!
GUEST -
GIANLUIGI PERRONE / PolyhedronVR:
https://www.polyhedronvrstudio.com/
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:“Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/
Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis
Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
DOMINIC JOHNSON-HILL: Building a Brand in Beijing
"And then suddenly, like 10 million people knew my telephone number, and it was a turning point for the brand, because when that show started to air China-wide, my phone didn’t stop ringing for two years.” - Dominic Johnson-Hill, Plastered 8
#007 - Building a Brand in Beijing | Dominic Johnson-Hill
Dominic Johnson-Hill is a British punk-rock Renaissance man. He’s famous in China for many things but he is probably best known as being the man who single-handedly began the transformation of an almost 800 year old (!) hutong called Nan Luo Gu Xiang - dating back to the days of Kubla Khan - into becoming one of the busiest and most popular tourist and shopping / nightlife destinations in Beijing around the world. If you have ever visited Beijing or looked into it on travel websites, you’ve seen the area featured as a must-see. Dominic was the very first person to open a store there, and the rest is history.
He did this as the founder of iconic street wear brand Plastered 8, a truly “only in China” success story that you have to hear for yourself. I am an unofficial brand ambassador for Plastered myself, being a huge fan of their crazy and cool t-shirts (owning about 20 as of now), so I was excited to hear the tale of how he built the brand straight from the horse’s mouth. The story quoted above starts at about the 10-minute mark of the interview, but the whole thing is a wild ride that you have to hear for yourself. Among Dominic's other innovations and “media moments”, he has gotten worldwide press as being the creator of canned “Beijing Air”, but that only scratches the surface of his innovation and creativity. He has created a 30 square meter mural in the high-end Beijing art hotel The Opposite House, has been a TV host and presenter as well as frequent guest on talk and game shows here, he's a filmmaker who directs his own commercials, and much more.
This one is full of inspired and occasionally raunchy, hilarious content; if you’re highly sensitive you might wince a few times, but I grew up on Monty Python, Benny Hill, and other English humor, so I laughed throughout the talk. One note is that we did have a few Skype issues. I edited around them as well as possible, and as always I strive to make those edits seamless, but this week there are a small handful that you will probably hear. There are also a couple of places where the audio quality gets weird in general for maybe 5-10 seconds, but I don’t think it detracts from the comprehension of the stories being told, so I hope you can bear with those brief moments when they pop up.
Lastly, I’m excited to announce that starting this week, we are a featured show on the Castbox.fm website and the Castbox podcast app! Castbox works in your web browser and they also have an iOS app, but they have an especially nice app for Android devices. Please check us out on Castbox, and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to us. Enjoy!
"BFMK" Website:
https://www.crazyinagoodway.com
Brendan Davis on Twitter:
@VeritasInLux
Plastered 8:
https://plasteredtshirts.com
about Dominic Johnson-Hill:
http://plasteredtshirts.com/category/dominic/
Castbox:
https://castbox.fm
"Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom" direct links -
on Apple Podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2
on Castbox:
https://castbox.fm/channel/Big-Fish-in-the-Middle-Kingdom-id571573
Carl King (composer):
http://carlkingdom.com