Brendan Davis 6/23/19 Brendan Davis 6/23/19

MICHAEL NAKAN | Strengthening the China-UK Creative Connection

Michael Nakan is the founder of Clipper Media Capital, a London-based production and consulting company. He cut his Hollywood teeth on the US version of "House of Cards" and then in NYC at HBO before returning home to the UK. He's also established a China office of his UK firm and is successfully bridging the gap between the two markets.

Michael Nakan is the founder of Clipper Media Capital, a London-based production and packaging company. He cut his Hollywood teeth on the US version of “House of Cards” and then in NYC at HBO before returning home to the UK to work in development for DARKEST HOUR director Joe Wright. He's also established a China office of his UK firm and is successfully bridging the gap between the two markets. A great talk!

MICHAEL NAKAN / Clipper Media Capital: https://www.clippermedia.co.uk

SEARCH “If I Knew You Better” in all podcatchers OR listen / learn more 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

Brendan Davis 5/7/19 Brendan Davis 5/7/19

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

Brendan Davis 10/5/18 Brendan Davis 10/5/18

BRENDAN DAVIS | October Solo Show

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.

#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

Brendan Davis 9/28/18 Brendan Davis 9/28/18

“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.

#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

Brendan Davis 9/26/18 Brendan Davis 9/26/18

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.

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/

Brendan Davis 9/19/18 Brendan Davis 9/19/18

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!

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/

Brendan Davis 9/12/18 Brendan Davis 9/12/18

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).

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.

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/

Brendan Davis 9/5/18 Brendan Davis 9/5/18

CHRISTIANA ZHU | Plant-Based Food in China

Christiana Zhu has taken an unusual path to becoming the creator of YeYo, a plant-based non-dairy fro-yo that is one of my new favorite things.

#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/

Brendan Davis 8/29/18 Brendan Davis 8/29/18

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/

Brendan Davis 8/21/18 Brendan Davis 8/21/18

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.

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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

Brendan Davis 8/17/18 Brendan Davis 8/17/18

GIANLUIGI PERRONE | International Filmmaking in China

This week's guest is Italian writer-director-producer Gianluigi Perone. Gian 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 in general.

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/

Brendan Davis 6/23/17 Brendan Davis 6/23/17

STEVE BARR: Screenwriting and Producing in L.A., New Zealand, and Beijing

#006 - Screenwriting and Producing in L.A., New Zealand, and Beijing | Steve Barr

“Over the last 30 years, they (China) have raised more people out of poverty than ever before in the history of the human race, which is amazing. (Most of) the young people in China have such an optimistic view of the future because their life has gotten better every single year.” - Steve Barr

This week’s episode was recorded on location from the 2017 Shanghai Film Festival, but the guest is one of my best friends from L.A. Steve Barr is a writer, producer, and occasional actor who has worked and traveled extensively throughout and between the very different film industries in Los Angeles, China, and New Zealand. His recent credits in one or more of those capacities include Born to Dance, Chronesthesia, Hang Time, and the remake of Pete’s Dragon, in which he had a small but memorable supporting role.

In this interview, Steve discusses the unique challenges and opportunities inherent to the various filmmaking systems, and he explains his working process with a level of detail and candor that will be especially useful to anyone working in a creative industry such as film. He also shares lessons and thoughts that will particularly resonate with anyone who’s spent significant time in China, but which are applicable to travelers in foreign lands regardless.

We cover a lot of ground in this one. As we say in the interview, I want to give full disclosure upfront that Steve and I are not only long time friends, but that we are and have been business colleagues in all three countries, too. Steve was a part of my previous company based in L.A., we are currently partners in a film production company in New Zealand with our friend Andy Conlan, and the partners in my Beijing film company hired him to write the screenplay for an upcoming historical epic film of ours. Steve is now part of that company too, so there are a lot of interrelationships here. Still, we make a serious effort to not be overly self-serving, as the goal of discussing some of our projects past and present is not promotional, but educational and practical. Because we have lots of shared real-world examples to draw from in our discussion, it helps us to be much more real than if we stayed strictly theoretical.

The episode is now available on Apple Podcasts, on most of the popular Android / Google apps, on the Chinese service Ximalaya - please search it in your favorite of those places - and of course on the Podcast player here. Of course I’m biased, but I do think it’s a fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy it! Please tell a friend, subscribe, or send me feedback below as you like.

"BFMK" Website:
https://www.crazyinagoodway.com

Brendan Davis on Twitter:
@VeritasInLux

Steve Barr on Twitter:
@BarrSteve

Steve Barr writing website (with Casey Zilbert):
http://www.scwheelbarrow.com

Carl King (composer):
http://carlkingdom.com