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
JEFF TOWSON: Finance, Healthcare, and Investing in China
#051 - Finance, Healthcare, and Investing in China | Jeff Towson
This week’s guest is Jeff Towson. Jeff has a very eclectic career, ranging from finance to healthcare and media. He is a professor of finance at Peking University, an investor, and a popular blogger and influencer online on topics most often related to business in China. I’ve enjoyed and have learned a lot from reading his articles and watching his videos, which you can find at his website linked below. Enjoy!
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” 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:
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Use the offer code BIGFISH at the checkout, and save 10% off your first shipment!
BD’s “My Stackry Unboxing Video": https://youtu.be/FvEWXxzZm3I
GUEST:
Jeff Towson online: http://jefftowson.com
Articles: http://jefftowson.com/my-writing/
Videos: http://jefftowson.com/resources/
Books: http://jefftowson.com/one-hour-china/
BDC (Brendan Davis Consulting): https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/brendan-davis-consulting/
LITTLE FISH IN THE BIGGEST POND e-book PREORDER page: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/book/
“BFMK" HOST / SHOW:
“BigFish 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/
NIGULA BABAYEVA: From A(zerbaijan) to B(eijing)
#043 - From A(zerbaijan) to B(eijing) | Nigula Babayeva
Nigula Babayeva has quite a tale. She was working as an auditor at a Big 4 accounting firm in her native Azerbaijan, but she wanted more adventure in her life. She applied for a scholarship to an international MBA program in Beijing, and while she waiting for a decision from the school, she had a near-death experience, nearly drowning in the Caspian Sea. The very next day Nigula found out she was accepted, so she bought a one-way ticket, moved, and THEN told everyone back home she was leaving. She’s been here two years now, and along the way - from her former job running social media at restaurant / crossfit gym mashup GLO, to her current day job as, again, an auditor, Nigula has also applied her lifelong love of athletics to become a serious martial arts practitioner. She won 3rd place in her very first international wushu competition and hasn’t looked back. Nigula trains jiu-jitsu with world-renowned competitor and coach Paulo Tavares, among her other pursuits. Good talk, great story. Enjoy!
Paolo Tavares
But first, let me give you a quick update from our sponsor, Stackry. As you may know by now, Stackry is the global leader in international parcel forwarding from the US to anywhere in the world. The way it works is that you shop at any US retailer, have your packages shipped to your Stackry address, and once everything has arrived, Stackry consolidates your stuff and ships it to you anywhere in the world, even China, saving you up to 80% of the shipping costs versus shipping things directly from the store. Stackry provides free storage, same day consolidation of your packages, and a tax-free US address for you to use. This week’s update on my own Stackry story is that Stackry has done their packing consolidation magic, and my streamlined package is beginning it’s journey all the way over here to me in Beijing. I’ll update you as my Stackry story continues, and it’s really easy to use their site and get yours started, too. Sign up TODAY via the link below, and use the offer code BIGFISH at the checkout to save 10% off your first shipment.
Please SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” at Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 or wherever YOU get your podcasts
Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/
SPONSOR:
Stackry “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” sign-up link: http://bit.ly/BigFish2018
Use the offer code BIGFISH at the checkout, and save 10% off your first shipment!
GUEST:
Nigula Babayeva on Instagram:
nigulababayeva
On moving to Beijing:
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YT0uA1KNcCXCybxWY0J2tA
Kyle Mullin / The Beijinger article:
http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2017/06/20/beijing-expats-shaolin-kung-fu-odyssey-nigula-babayeva
HOST / SHOW:
please LIKE “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/