Transcript
Curt Mega: And welcome back. So what are you in into? God bless you.
James Tolbert: That's you.
Curt Mega: Talk about what they're into.
James Tolbert: did
Curt Mega: That's what we do. That's what we do here on the podcast, James. James is dancing. I'm gonna give James a minute to just vibe. Um... James, how are you?
James Tolbert: I'm good. i have to okay I have to admit why I vibe at the top of every episode. It's because I know there's a slight...
Curt Mega: ah
James Tolbert: like delay between The audio. file playing. you speaking and me speaking. And so then it creates this cacophony of sound where like, we're like, Hey, how was it?
Curt Mega: Yes.
James Tolbert: Hey, how's you doing? And then the music. So I was like, if I just dance for 30 seconds. I can't speak over Kurt. And I can't disrupt the flow. And so then once it dies down.
James Tolbert: i can start speaking and that is my thought process at the beginning of every episode
Curt Mega: That is... i I am envious of this because I have... I have anxiety around. What if I've let the conversation die out? like This happens in real life too, by the way.
Curt Mega: in like at a party at a hangout. i I know I talk too much. and i know people probably leave conversations me going god that guy talks a lot But it's rooted in me being like, I hope you don't have a.
Curt Mega: I hope you're not bored. do You know what I mean?
James Tolbert: Yes.
Curt Mega: ah Like if it gets too slow, I'll be like yeah, so how is this thing? How are you doing? How's Because I'm worried if I leave blank space they're going to think that I'm uninterested.
James Tolbert: Okay, so what you're what you're saying...
Curt Mega: I gotta work on it. I gotta work on this.
James Tolbert: What you're saying is harkens back to a conversation we had a few episodes ago about us possibly both having ADHD. And that is a very common thing with people. that have ADHD is is that they have to either fill in silence.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: or or or or of one thing I'm really guilty of. I will try to to relate to whatever it is you're saying with some sort of personal anecdote.
Curt Mega: Dude. Dude.
James Tolbert: And it's not to one -up your story.
Curt Mega: Yep.
James Tolbert: It's not to diminish anything that you're saying. I'm just trying to basically prove I'm also human. And here's a thing that's similar to that that I experienced.
Curt Mega: I've had to.
James Tolbert: ah Yeah.
Curt Mega: Same thing when you go, oh, oh, that reminds me of this.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: And then I think to myself later, i go oh, they probably thought that I like to just make everything about me. But I'm like, no, I was. I saw myself and I was trying to validate. I totally.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: I should just say... I totally get it. But instead I go into a diatribe.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: This is fun to know about ourselves.
James Tolbert: Yeah, and I've been trying to actively, this this especially this past year, actively step back and let people just talk. And if I'm in group situations, I tend to fall back more.
Curt Mega: Hmm.
James Tolbert: um
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: partially because i mean i think i'm hilarious but a lot of times my jokes don't land. And so there's like a...
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: A polite laugh that I'll get.
Curt Mega: Same.
James Tolbert: And that'll so crush my soul.
Curt Mega: Same.
James Tolbert: But I mostly am just like, I'm going to stand here. I'll be silent. I'll chime in when I can. But I'm really trying not to seem overbearing. ah because I also can talk.
James Tolbert: for a very long time i think this is why we started this podcast is because we both Like talking.
Curt Mega: And you can tell this doesn't happen ah like amongst my actual like friends, you and people that we know. But like when i I and this is why I don't. By the way, I'm a really bad. like Hollywood networking person.
Curt Mega: Because people will, you know, I'll go to mixers. The last place I want to be is at a mixer.
James Tolbert: Ugh.
Curt Mega: I got to be honest because Because you go, I don't I need to be the most interesting person you've spoken to all night. to Because you have a bunch of other options of all these successful people milling about, and everyone is inherently here to try to make a connection.
James Tolbert: Mm -hmm.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: with ah with the person that moves their career forward. And I'm always like, I don't. So, so now I've kind of gone. I went to a mixer probably. a month or two ago and dude i just sat in the corner of my phone and then my friend showed up and i was like thank god i didn't talk to anybody and
James Tolbert: Hmm.
Curt Mega: Kim, this happened to her recently. She left an event. and and the person that she knew was lovely but like so hey did you connect with anybody and kim was like No, I didn't come to kid.
James Tolbert: now
Curt Mega: I came to. i i The older I get, the less I i want to. network And I just want to have a meaningful connection with a person.
James Tolbert: Mm -hmm.
Curt Mega: And I don't really care if that turns into a business relationship. And in fact, if it does, it's probably a bad thing. I don't want to be. i don't want to be business friends with everybody do you know what i'm saying
James Tolbert: Yeah, I do, because I'm i'm having this reckoning. I feel like I'm having a reckoning every episode, but that's just kind of where the industry is.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: And I'm i'm finding more and more every day that I'm like, yeah, I don't want to.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: involve myself with that. like we talked about like i don't want to be a content creator i don't want to go to these events and network because you feel how empty and soulless it is and i think those those images are the most pervasive of la so so anyone that doesn't live here
Curt Mega: I don't do that
Curt Mega: Yep.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: uh would think oh so anytime you go out you must be networking you must be talking to celebrities and influencers and those things do exist
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: But I'd much rather just like meet up with a friend and then we create a project that way or, you know, just see what like. some of my college friends are doing um Yeah, it's it's... The industry is just kind of taking it.
James Tolbert: It was already a business anyway. And now with social media being so ingrained into the industry, there's like two avenues with which. one can... gain their notoriety and for some reason I don't find any interest in either of them.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: to to get there. So I get it. um You know, listen, we've we've got the following that we have. We have some loyal, wonderful people that have even tuned into this podcast.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: And for that, we thank you. Because...
Curt Mega: We do thank you.
James Tolbert: Yeah, you could be anywhere on the internet.
Curt Mega: Wait.
James Tolbert: And you chose to be here with us.
Curt Mega: yeah And that's kind of I think our only goal with this podcast is to try to create what we like to do in real life, which is like.
James Tolbert: Hey.
Curt Mega: Find somebody that you're like, ooh, ooh, I want to talk to you about this cool thing and and make it your space.
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: so um If you're listening and you're watching. Thank you. Especially after a long hiatus. We had a nice, lovely. people came back thank you for still being here we're still here so thank you for still being here
James Tolbert: Yeah. Yes, thank you. um So without any real format, I just...
Curt Mega: Um...
James Tolbert: Bulls... We'll warn our readers, watchers, listeners, there's no words you can't read here. ah But basically, this is going to be a slightly different episode. We're not going to come in with ah some things that we've watched or a read or consumed. But more so, ah we're going to talk about some... personal opinions and some feelings.
James Tolbert: about uh some topics uh so kurt Why don't you start us off?
Curt Mega: I love it
Curt Mega: Well, and the reason that I'm not bringing an into this week is because there has been no in into is because all I have been doing. For. Ever since the show's closed, I think when we last spoke.
Curt Mega: We had just finished. Poe party, which, by the way, digital ticket drops today. If you're watching this, it's probably next week, so but it's still available.
James Tolbert: Yes.
Curt Mega: So go check out the digital ticket. to ah Shipwrecked Comedy's Poe Party, choreographed by James. Anyway, that had just closed. Tomb Quest had just closed. and so I had like a week. I had sort of a week crash out where all I did was play Elden Ring as we discussed.
Curt Mega: And then I went, oh, I have to finish this. project. I have this massive workload that I am. ah ah um I wasn't putting it off over the summer, but.
Curt Mega: I just could not. be in rehearsals and be doing this really. I had to kind of compartmentalize. So I dove head first into. final production Sort of.
Curt Mega: stages of this starkey project called miss halloween which is this like kind of extension of nightmare time which is something james and i both worked on it was something we did back in 2021, 2022?
James Tolbert: oh Something like that. Yeah, I think so.
Curt Mega: And. yeah 2021 2022 and we haven't done a one since And this is a very ambitious kind of special. episode. um i say special it's it's it's feature length so it's it's it's almost close to two hours and Um,
Curt Mega: I won't get into too many details here because it's not really my my my thoughts today really aren't about that. um I think the script is great and I'm really excited for people to see it. But. Sort of the the question I've been asking myself the last few weeks is.
Curt Mega: How far? How far do you push yourself? when you have and this is something that you and i i think you you will especially relate to this which Being asked to make magic when you often have a very.
Curt Mega: Just by definition, limited amount of resources and. time. um we have resources which is amazing and a lot of i i feel so privileged that we even have the Ability to like. have a space and a camera to film on so it's like There's already so much that we have.
Curt Mega: But then, of course, I look at that and I go. Well, if we even have the ah possibility of making it great, we need to make it The most awesome thing ever. and You have incredibly.
Curt Mega: I think a high sense of a high standard. for yourself. you have a you have Uh, cultivated taste as a as an artist. I hope I've done the same.
Curt Mega: And so it makes our ceiling for what we feel is possible. very high. But often what we are looking at as the benchmark. It's just a different reality, socioeconomic or time reality than what we are trying to.
Curt Mega: create and I find that tension to be Exciting? And incredibly stressful.
James Tolbert: yeah
Curt Mega: And I. And I don't know if I fully and this is not just about. this is not just about this project which by the way that's this is the set for that if you're like why is he in front of that's this is this is our little set for the diner.
James Tolbert: It's been Halloween in your office for like.
Curt Mega: All year.
James Tolbert: 10 months.
Curt Mega: We've never left.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Um... But with any project, like let's say that you are. tasked with directing something choreographing something you know being an actor and Like all these.
Curt Mega: All these things that we do. We know what the best version of that could be. And so trying to reach for something. That.
Curt Mega: ah how do you How do you reconcile that? I'll tell you some thoughts after I want to hear your thoughts. I'll tell you kind of. where I'm at with it mentally and emotionally. But I find that really stressful because I know what is possible. And and many, I had a teacher years ago say this to me. It's like.
Curt Mega: to a class was like, You guys are watching great films and. great theater, and so you know what is... You know what great acting is. but You're still but you're still.
Curt Mega: not on the path you're still on the path you haven't gotten there so you have this inherent tension of I know what it could be, but I'm not there yet. and there's something frustrating and also really lovely about that.
Curt Mega: that tension.
James Tolbert: Mm -hmm
Curt Mega: Any thoughts about this is What do I think makes any so make any sense?
James Tolbert: absolutely Absolutely. I mean, you're you're chasing this dragon, right? um
Curt Mega: Mm -hmm.
James Tolbert: With which. That tracking consists of. Possible notoriety, career advancement. Recognition. um about fulfillment of artistic desire you know there's something by making a pro any project exactly how you see it in your head.
James Tolbert: That makes you feel like I have worth. I have value in that. That's not solely why you do it, but they're I think any artist.
Curt Mega: It's part of it
James Tolbert: Bye. It's part of it.
Curt Mega: Absolutely.
James Tolbert: Any artist would would agree that there's some sort of validation that they get from accomplishing. whatever it is in their head. um But what you have to then deal with is the reality.
James Tolbert: and that's budget. time constraints. actor availability. the size of your crew, the space that you're doing this in. There are so many other elements that come into play. when you're making anything
Curt Mega: And. And even to some extent. experience And I say this about myself. Like with this project. There are some wildly ambitious visuals.
Curt Mega: That in my head being a long time. lover of ILM. I'm like, wow, here's how I would do it if I had $200 million dollars and I could sit down with the best VFX artists at ILM.
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: And then I go. could i pull it off and it's like no i can't i do i do not have these skills I am trying to cultivate some, but I do not have the skills to match my taste.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: Like.
James Tolbert: and that But it comes with time, right?
Curt Mega: like's It's time.
James Tolbert: Yet.
Curt Mega: I could, I could, I could be, there is every possibility in the world that I could become a visual artist if I dedicated.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: 20 years of my life to it and I have it.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: But I... But I won't. This is the thing with AI too that I think is so... i This is not an advocating for AI, but I understand. The temptation. Because AI.
Curt Mega: generative ai i'm not talking about ai broadly but specifically how it's being used in artistic circles and and sort of the The backlash. understandable backlash to it. I think generative AI.
Curt Mega: whispers in your ear, you don't need any of that experience. Just type it into a prompt. Of course, the experience was stolen from a bunch of other artists and then just mined.
Curt Mega: But I think I... in my head it's like i can understand why somebody might go Well, I have this vision. And you're telling me I and just need time and experience. Nah, I can just type it in a prompt and it'll get me there.
Curt Mega: Like I can understand why people feel like that's.
James Tolbert: hey
Curt Mega: That's this sort of magic lever. But my thesis is that. Struggling. Through it. actually is really important to the process.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: even if you don't ultimately get to. as cool and epic as you want. the struggle you go through i'm not trying to romanticize it and being like you have to be a starving artist But I think.
Curt Mega: Working through your work and having it be frustrating is actually a really important friction that you need. for the work to have something meaningful on the other end. am i Do you think that's right?
James Tolbert: i i well i here's what here's how i'll phrase that I have always said that. I need to fail first in order to get better.
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: And what I mean by that is... You can't just not let me do something and expect me to get it right the next time. I've been in several situations, and this is this goes actually beyond.
James Tolbert: artistic endeavors as well. i've often told people like i need you to just let me do it and even if i do it wrong At least I'll now know and I can put myself in the situation again and realize, okay, this is the mistake.
James Tolbert: I don't need to do this. I can fix this.
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: Whereas some people, they gatekeep. situations. And this has happened to me as well, where I'm just supposed to conceptually understand why I couldn't do this thing at this time and then hope maybe down the line I'll just know how to do it.
James Tolbert: And to me, that doesn't work.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: You know, ah you can't you can't just lock people out. And I think that's why. we're having this bottleneck that we have in the industry right now is that with work dwindling down,
James Tolbert: And we're having the same people do the same things over and over, which. kind of historically happened in the business anyway, but particularly right now. Everyone is trying.
Curt Mega: It's a safe bet. It's like, well.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: You know how to do it, so at least i'm um least I don't think it'll fail. and you you You don't even acknowledge the potential that another untapped potential because you don't give them an opportunity.
James Tolbert: Exactly. And so we're when we're not getting new voices, new stories, new ideas. We are stuck in this loop. And that's why I believe AI is its own loop. you know You are here getting the perfected version of whatever it is you typed, but there is no heart to that. There's no there's no risk. There's no failure. And so, sure, everyone can make an AI poster.
James Tolbert: with all the details that you put in the prompt. But... what about the person who draws this character a little bit differently now we get to see a new form of animation that we didn't see yesterday but we're losing that because Now, no one's special because everyone can just make some form of art.
James Tolbert: And that that is not what art should be.
Curt Mega: Mm -hmm.
James Tolbert: And I don't know why we have been speed running. the the death of art in that way.
Curt Mega: You know, we talked about Eldrin Ring last week, and I talked about you wanting to cultivate a practice of failing more often.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: because i think it's actually really helpful and meaningful and i and i feel this way in creative practice too where Everything about. the creative tools that have been offered to us in the last two or three years has been And this is true to some extent of every... and iteration of technology.
Curt Mega: Every time something innovates, the the promise is. it's You can do more and it's going to be easier. And it is true. It's like I think about editing a lot. And this is why i so I struggle sometimes talking about AI specifically because I'm like, what are we talking about? Are we talking about generative AI? Are we just talking about?
Curt Mega: machine tools because like think about editing used to you take a strip of film You have to go to a machine and you have to lay it out and you have to. and you have to glue it and. It was the most tedious process you could possibly imagine. and then somebody Many, many people. got together and said is there a way that we can Make this an intuitive thing in a digital space.
Curt Mega: And so they created editing in a virtual timeline. eliminating an entire practice and form of editing now several Some some rare Rare people continue to edit that way.
Curt Mega: But even still now. even if you do that initially you you end up having to to import input it digitally but You know.
James Tolbert: here
Curt Mega: It's cool that Chris Nolan does that, but you go. That's... it's not really practical for 99 .9 of people and it does offer people i can pick up my camera my iphone and i can shoot a video and i can go into cap cut
James Tolbert: okay
Curt Mega: And I can like start messing with video and I go, that is. I think that's pretty cool that. This piece of technology has made something more accessible. But the thing that I, the thing that. that. upgrades and iterations promises you don't you don't have to work as hard it'll just do it for you And I think the thing that I'm trying and this is the season I'm in is.
Curt Mega: I'm in a very... A frustrating season.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: But not because things are bad. It's just this is the part of the process where it's frustrating. and painful. But I know on the other side of that. I'm going to be like.
Curt Mega: Look at that Look at that cool. Oh, it's. so there's a if anybody's ever made anything there's a special kind of feeling whenever a thing that you worked really hard to achieve, but you didn't know if you could pull it off.
Curt Mega: And then when it comes together, maybe it's. a staging of a scene or maybe it's a shot that you're like this looks so stupid when you're doing it and then you put it together with music and you go That's the - That's the magic.
James Tolbert: he
Curt Mega: That is really. valuable and the reason it's meaningful is because you had to kind of drying You had to hit a brick wall. and go, okay.
Curt Mega: How do I get over this wall? And when you can flip a switch and the wall disappears. I do think something. so This is what the AI like. ah Art bros. I think, refuse to acknowledge is that.
Curt Mega: something is lost in the struggle. If I could flip a... I don't know. this is I'm going to say this as a question and then I immediately went, I don't know, maybe it's not true.
James Tolbert: mm -hmm Mhm.
Curt Mega: I was like, if I could if i could take a pill... And all of a sudden never have to go to the gym again. I guess like that's interesting. It's like, Oh, you you're completely have the physique and the muscles you want, but you go.
Curt Mega: Part of the practice of going to the gym is doing something difficult and challenging. and It always helps center me on, okay, I'm taking care of my health and then I'm going to. try to rest and I'm going to try to eat to honor that. I like it's this chain of events of doing something hard then allows me and forces me to.
Curt Mega: honor that hard work. And if I could just take a pill that just did it.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: I don't know, chasing, chasing the outcome without recognizing the. integral frustrations that lead to the ultimate outcome. It. Feels maybe not good.
James Tolbert: Yeah, yeah. Well, also and I want to bridge this back to something you brought up earlier, though, is that, you know. part of the good art. is doing it so well. that the seams can't be seen.
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: you know. But. In a way, you kind of want. to be Well, you kind of want that recognition, right? You want to say like, hey, do you see how long it took to get to it? Well, maybe you didn't see how long it took to get to it, but you see how great this turned out. And you personally, you have that satisfaction. You know it got there.
James Tolbert: But I can't tell you the amount of times I've worked on something, done something. produced it and No one even noticed a thing. It just ah just flies by. And in those moments...
James Tolbert: is it still satisfactory to you that you don't. Get. that recognition on the other end of this. What do you think?
Curt Mega: Yeah, that's I think that's really interesting. it's On one hand, the i agree like there are things where i have worked on a thing where you go you could not even fathom How much this one little moment.
Curt Mega: what it took to pull that off. And I think about this with tech, whenever we're in tech week for anything, I think about this all the time.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: where you'll spend...
James Tolbert: oh po Oh, wait.
Curt Mega: An hour.
James Tolbert: I don't think you were there, for but Poe Party, a perfect example, the tables and the opening number.
Curt Mega: Oh.
James Tolbert: Oh, that took so long.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: And not to mention, I had not physically seen those tables and stools and chairs until we got on stage two days before we opened.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: so
Curt Mega: Yep.
James Tolbert: coordinating how to move all of those furniture pieces. in the same and like And now when you look at it on the digital ticket, it looks... Easy. They got it done in 15 seconds. It took... hours to figure that out.
Curt Mega: Yeah, that, that. That I always, I remember. In tech week of both of the shows we did this summer, I had that thought. And I thought about this specific topic. which is...
Curt Mega: When you're in the middle of doing it, you're like, this sucks. Not the not the people, not the not the idea, but just the like.
James Tolbert: if you
Curt Mega: Oh my God. This is, is this even worth it? Like.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: We are spending so much time to get this moment. And then when it happens, it's It just... You fly through it and the audience goes, yay.
Curt Mega: And you go, do you know?
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: and we spent We spent three days.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Bye. what it reminds me of. So that that is sometimes frustrating when maybe people don't see all that.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: But then i'm I'm reminded of there's this wonderful quote. From I don't know if you know Penn and Teller the magicians But Penn Jillette has this quote. that I love. And i've I say it to myself often, which is the only secret of magic that I'm willing. The only secret of magic is that I'm willing to work harder on it than you think it's worth.
Curt Mega: And this idea that when a magic trick is magic. It's not because they did. They're done. They're not magic. and They're not just so brilliant. They went further In preparation to make this moment.
Curt Mega: Magic. then you could even fathom such that your brain goes, they well. It wouldn't possibly do something that crazy. They must they must actually have some other hacker. Ding ding. Nope.
Curt Mega: Chances are. whatever the The amount of insane preparation is so much more than you in the moment watching could even fathom. and that's why you're like wow that was so cool you have no idea you it is more than you would even ponder and i and i think about that a lot i think about the the The most incredible moments of.
Curt Mega: movies or theater that I'm like, wow. Wow, that was special. That was great, right?
James Tolbert: Mm -hmm
Curt Mega: Probably represents. thousands of hours that artists poured into going, can we get this one thing to work?
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: You know, I think about I wonder how long it took to make sure that like Alphaba flying looked cool. you know or or you know uh
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: even stuff in movies that i'll watch like the vfx breakdown and you think like you don't even know that you're looking at vfx and then you'll see the vfx breakdown and go That way.
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: Wait, that was what?
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: And so. The older I get, I think the more comfortable I get letting go of. the recognition. And I'm starting to find a lot of satisfaction in being like. You actually have no idea what that took to pull.
Curt Mega: It's kind of like a cool.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: Sometimes I feel that way, like you don't even know how we did that.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: And that's kind of special.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: I think that's kind of if the audience buys it, if they just go. Oh, I love that shot where this happened and you're like, oh, oh if you only. new somebody goes oh i love the tables that's so fun You go.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Oh, do you love the tables?
James Tolbert: Do you love those tables?
Curt Mega: You have no idea. You have no idea.
James Tolbert: Because I want to light them on fire. My God.
Curt Mega: It's yeah.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: So. i think i'm I think I'm embracing that more. And that's been really... helping me in this last few weeks as i've been in these sort of hellish tedium part of putting this project together is going i know I know no one's going to know that I spent.
Curt Mega: Three days on this one moment, but if the moment works and people buy it for what it is and people just. If somebody emotionally connects with this and takes it and believes it.
Curt Mega: It will all have been worth it. Um... But it's hard and I find I find it to be a mat. I felt like I'm going crazy So.
James Tolbert: I mean, ah going crazy and with the amount of work that you have been doing for a very long time now, I understand why you're going crazy. um as i was i said before we started the recording like you are doing for this project.
James Tolbert: what is usually assigned to multiple teams of people
Curt Mega: okay
James Tolbert: So the fact that you still have not. thrown yourself through a wall yet. is ah admirable. but also as your friend. I'm like, please take care of yourself, you know?
Curt Mega: Obviously, think you know. it It has been challenging because just because of the ambition of it. But like we had a moment last week and. This is when I think you know you're with good people, which is.
Curt Mega: We got to this shoot for this music video at this location in downtown LA. um where the the rental had said, make sure you turn off the air when you leave. and we're like of course.
Curt Mega: That would imply that there's air.
James Tolbert: Oh.
Curt Mega: So we showed up.
James Tolbert: Oh.
Curt Mega: walked in It was 102 that day. It was one of the hottest.
James Tolbert: Oh.
Curt Mega: It was one of those days of like 10 days ago. it was the Incredibly hot here. swelteringly hot so I called the people and I was like hey um not seeing the air like where do i and they're like Oh yeah, there's no air there. Thanks.
Curt Mega: And I was like, what? well because in the rental you said to turn the air off and they're like oh right well that space doesn't have air but there's fans and i was like well Can't use fans for the beginning because we have to do audio whatever And.
Curt Mega: I'm not gonna lie. It was one of the hardest. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life because we were there for like six hours and we just had to run and gun. And it was Kim and me and... and and our friend Becky.
Curt Mega: And we just. It's like it sucked so bad But everybody just went. Okay. Alright, well, this is the situation. So we just, and Kim.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: just pouring sweat you grab a towel and like dry yourself off And then like. You know, she in this particular number, she's supposed to look. She's supposed to be very like sensual and she always looks beautiful, but like, you know, she's trying to not look like she's in a hot box and a sauna.
James Tolbert: But... Exactly. It's hard to do that when you're sweating bullets just because you're breathing.
Curt Mega: Is she?
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Be like she'd be like Okay. Okay. Roll it. And then she'd be like.
James Tolbert: if
Curt Mega: And just...
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: incredible just And you'd be like, that's amazing.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: And then we'd cut and we'd be like. Okay. Oh my god! Okay, just let's open the window.
James Tolbert: Yes.
Curt Mega: We all just We all just did the thing.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: And.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: um You know, I when i when i showed it to a few people Nobody. I've asked, did you notice? Did you notice where else she's sweaty? And they're like, no, it looks great. She looks but but she looks beautiful.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: And I was like, wow. That is the magic. People have no idea how hard we were willing.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: to work to make it so that you don't even know how hard it was and so I think that's that's the silence. I do think there is a limit. I'm curious if you if you had this experience where you've hit a wall where.
Curt Mega: There are limits. and And also as a producer or director or something. I also have to be really careful. To not. Push people that I am lucky enough that have said yes
James Tolbert: hu
Curt Mega: to force them or expect them to go beyond the mandates of the job. just because I... I have this vision because that can become a very abusive or very toxic situation very quickly.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Where it's like, you know, you're an artist being employed in a project and then the producer or the director is like, don't you care? Don't you know what this has to be? And then you're forcing your. your talent to like.
Curt Mega: do things that are unhealthy or. work on. Without enough, red you know, like it's a it's a slippery slope of.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: We'll just make it work. Versus no, you're just. You're making it work by. uh taking advantage of people's willingness to say yes.
James Tolbert: Well, OK, so perfect example of that. I did a production of West Side Story with Carnegie Hall. um It was a – they were going to use the Knockdown Center in and Queens. And essentially they were – it was this like – Co -production, they were trying to have established New York City actors with high school students.
James Tolbert: um Not only that, but they were going to combine the original Robbins choreography with a new choreographer whose name I'm not going to mention at this at this moment.
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: but um he was more of a hip -hop style so they were going to try to merge Robbins and contemporary hip -hop. Uh, it It was very clear right away that this was an ambitious project to do that.
James Tolbert: um and let's let's just say that the end result was fantastic but yes again the process of getting there was very tumultuous because you're now uh pitting unexperienced high school dancers.
James Tolbert: partnering with established you know Broadway dancers, which should in theory be like a great teachable thing and ah a wonderful, you know. working relationship. But. If these kids don't know how to use their own weight, they shouldn't be lifting people that are, you know. our professional career performers. And so we we ended up, our Anita ended up getting hurt in one of the rehearsals because she was being overused by that.
James Tolbert: other choreographer. um And he just... didn't have the right mentality of dealing with um New York City performers who know like hey, this is my my body is my bread and butter. I can't You know risk this just because of a thing that we were only doing three performances for even though again same thing like producers is Like oh, but this is such a big deal.
Curt Mega: hu
James Tolbert: This is such a big thing and for this specific choreographer He had it in his mind that what he was doing was the most important vital part of this show and thus We needed to step up to his level, but what he was doing was creating this divide amongst cast Uh, and then also with the with the high school students, and then production eventually did have to get involved. There was like a whole...
James Tolbert: I don't want to get into it, but that guy ended up posting like some very scathing social media remarks about the show and so i had to get it i was the equity deputy of that show and this is part of the reason i think i've told you in the past where i never want to be equity deputy is because of this of that of that show um where i had i there's basically like the union was suing the choreographer and now all of a sudden i'm in the middle of it because i'm representing the cast so it was
Curt Mega: Yeah. Yep.
James Tolbert: you I think... Everyone wants to come into these things as an artist. wanting to put their stamp, wanting to put their mark on the project. But then, like we said, you kind of have to. Take.
James Tolbert: stock of what else is in the room.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: and how you can take care of your performers and but then appease production. It's a lot it's a lot to juggle. It is.
Curt Mega: Yeah, and and it you it's where you get to. this sort of auteur you know which often becomes shorthand for like Powerful.
Curt Mega: dude in the room who gets to tell people what to do and you know it's like there's a great documentary uh about the making of Apocalypse Now.
James Tolbert: Mm.
Curt Mega: And.
Curt Mega: you You look at what and listen, I'm a I'm a big fan of francis ford coppola like amazing filmmaker he's made amazing movies and Then you watch like what? He and the. he pushed his crew to do and being the jungles and and doing things that are not, or like, there's that great example of like, um I think like Uma Thurman on the side of Kill Bill.
Curt Mega: you know and and Tarantino was so so obsessed with this shot of like her driving in a car and the car didn't wasn't safe and then the car Went out the road and she hit it, I think. Got into an accident. And you go, things like that can happen very quickly if you're like, my vision, my vision. We just got to do it. And so there's a.
Curt Mega: that's what I want to keep in check is like, I love the idea of ambitiousness and.
James Tolbert: here
Curt Mega: Let's anything is possible if we just are willing. but there but But then the the...
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: You have to stop and go. Wait a second. What? is this worth it you know i remember i did i did a shot and i was doing a short film this is a big wake -up call for me probably five or six years ago.
Curt Mega: and I was working with these young actors and I and i had this vision of there's a scene where this car is supposed to hit somebody walking in the road. And I had this vision of like I'm going to drive.
Curt Mega: a car at a tripod on a camera And so I got that shot and then I was like, and then I'm going to. Then I'm going to do a shot of. Uh, this this young actor walking across the road and i'm gonna use a drone and i'm gonna fly it at them Um,
Curt Mega: And then it'll, you know, that way I'll have the effect where I couldn't possibly pull it off handheld or with the gimbal. And I remember right before I did this shot and I was scrambling and I was just obsessed with this shot. I thought.
Curt Mega: Maybe I... I don't know. Maybe I should check myself. And then I was like, no, no, no, no. I got it. I'm just going to. And so. um So I did. And then this this this drone flew at this young actor.
Curt Mega: And I thought the air brakes did not work and it, it didn't hit her face, but it, it kind of like, it kind of like got close to her. It's supposed to stop automatically and it just went around and then it ended up like hitting her arm and like.
Curt Mega: cutting her arm.
James Tolbert: o
Curt Mega: Um, thank god it wasn't a worse thing she was fine and and you know we stopped and was like oh my god are you okay and she was like that was cool and i was like But I just had this like.
James Tolbert: Yeah. That would be me.
Curt Mega: awareness of No shot that I had in my head was worth. Was worth that. And that could have been much worse. and And so i I try to keep myself in check when i my ambitions are like, if we could just all pull together and pull it off.
Curt Mega: There is a limit to what is feasible and sometimes knowing when to call it and to say, you know what? This is the best it can be. This is the limitation. This is how this is how we can do it to the greatest artistic payoff that also recognizes people's health.
Curt Mega: Well -being. the logistics of the scenario. Knowing when to to call that I think is actually really important.
James Tolbert: Yeah. It's ah ah a sidebar for a second.
Curt Mega: Hey.
James Tolbert: Isn't this?
Curt Mega: even in yourself as well. Yeah.
James Tolbert: Wasn't there a discourse about, um I believe it was Stanley Kubrick while directing. The shining. right wasn't there a whole thing about It was Shelley Duvall, correct? That was... ah And.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: Didn't.
Curt Mega: Yeah, it's like he he famously was pretty hard on her. Like, like.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: if you listen to the interview like listen to the transcripts and stuff you know, I think he was pushing her in a way where in his mind, it seemed he was like. This is what I need to get the performance out of her.
James Tolbert: Mm -hmm.
Curt Mega: And. It's true. You watch this movie and you go, she's undeniably great. Is that worth it? I don't know.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: i don't Maybe not, maybe, maybe not like maybe. pushing somebody to a point. this is i guess you know i think about this a lot with method acting too it's like
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: If you are doing something. that you need to make your art great and that it's making everybody else's experience toxic and terrible.
James Tolbert: huh
Curt Mega: No amount of how good your performance is or whatever is worth. making everybody else's lives miserable around you.
James Tolbert: Absolutely.
Curt Mega: And you should you should find a better way to work, actually.
James Tolbert: Yeah. um I mean, because because what what that... What it comes down to is just knowing. when to say no, setting up boundaries, not only for those that you're working with, but also for yourself. One of my humbling experiences. So when we did Black Friday, I choreographed that.
James Tolbert: And um that at the time was. the the most songs in a Star Kids show. I think it was like...
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: 18, 19, 20 something songs or whatever. Um, And there were a couple of things. I mean, we all got sick, but also, I don't know if you remember this, but I got. uh kidney stones during that and so then i ended up in the hospital for a second
Curt Mega: Yeah, I do. Yeah, I yeah i remember that.
James Tolbert: Yes, so um so I was already like missing rehearsals anyway when I was trying to choreograph the show, but then I got back. And. It's something people might not necessarily realize about Star Kids shows is that we don't often have the chance to workshop these things. So a lot of times when you're seeing it, it's really the first existing version of the show.
James Tolbert: um hindsight being 2020, if it was up to me, I would have. pared that show down and like restructured some things. as it was the way that the show was written. There was a lot of material. And the way that Nick decided to work with that particular show is that pretty much almost if there was a musical number, there needed to be choreography in it.
James Tolbert: And. I, for the first time was like, i'm overwhelmed because visually i don't i don't have a lot to play with i don't have a lot of props i don't have like ways to differentiate each number from itself And so I had to go up to him and was like, you've got to step in at some point. Because I i just, unfortunately, I can't make.
James Tolbert: and And also, just just to be very transparent, you know we're also dealing with people who aren't necessarily dancers. so the the, the
Curt Mega: ah Not nobody here, of course.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Everybody else, but.
James Tolbert: Everybody else.
Curt Mega: you know. james was giving me a lot of choreo and nobody else could keep up and james is like guys kurt you know what i'm gonna cut the whole thing because kurt's making you guys look bad so
James Tolbert: Because Kurt is ruining everything.
Curt Mega: You know.
James Tolbert: No, um but like so but but what I mean by that is that I can't get away with.
Curt Mega: Yes.
James Tolbert: my wide spectrum of choreography that I have because not everyone can do that stuff.
Curt Mega: Right.
James Tolbert: So you So the the vocabulary gets limited essentially. So all that to say with that much material, but like with... not as much to play with, I had to step in and say like, hey, we've we've got to.
James Tolbert: rework this and we did so you know There was more musical staging done for that show, but that would not have happened unless I said something.
Curt Mega: Yeah, and it's like you knew.
James Tolbert: And.
Curt Mega: what your limits were. You like, you recognized.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: This is a limitation and I have to call it out. And I... i That I think especially That's a really important thing to to be willing to admit because it can feel like Defeat like it. Oh, the project beat me. the
James Tolbert: is it
Curt Mega: But it's like, no, it's actually being able to say. I can't do this And in fact, if I try to do it. It's actually going to crush me. And then the entire thing crumbles because I'm not able to step up to the plate and do what I need to do. and That's a really tough call to make
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: But it takes a lot of guts to know when to say. not feasible, not feasible. And that's hard. That's a really hard thing. Cause you never, you never want to say no.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: You're like, no, no. I want to always say, yes, I can do that. Yes, I can do that.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: And he just and that's that's a conversation Kim and I have had to have with certain things where we're like. You know, we'd be like, whoa, it'd be so like when we were doing this music video shoot. We had wild, ambitious ideas. Like, oh, we'll do this and oh, it'll be so good. it And then on the day when when we realized what we were up against with the heat and then the the LED screen, also this this is another fun thing.
Curt Mega: We had this big LED screen we were shooting on. And. I had rented the space specifically because of that. LED screen. sucked It was not a good screen.
James Tolbert: oh
Curt Mega: and it had but it was really low quality in it so every time i was filming you could see these this flickering on it that's like banding And so we spent like an hour of our five hour day just trying to deal with it. So we're just losing time and we're sweating and I'm on the laptop and I'm like on Google being like, how do I fix this?
Curt Mega: there's no fix eventually i realized so ah all i could do was adjust the the shutter speed. crank it way way way way down which looks insane it looks weird it looks like this very like
James Tolbert: okay
Curt Mega: Fake slow -mo thing. And so we were like, oh, it looks terrible. And this is not what we wanted. We had this vision and it's our vision is. and and i kind of was like oh i was like it looks like a bad like 90s video and kim was like Is that?
Curt Mega: Could we rock with that? And I was like. I mean, it's nightmare a time. Okay.
James Tolbert: is
Curt Mega: She's a pop star. Okay. Okay. Okay. It's a, it's a night we're doing, we're doing the, and then I was like, okay, what if we did that thing where they would always do the weird zoom ins and zoom outs and.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: and we're like okay that'll work and then all of a sudden When you watch it, you go. It's such a fun, like, oh, you guys did like a 90s throwback. And you go. I didn't. Didn't want to.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: But you just learn to say, I can't do the thing I wanted to do. I'm gonna embrace the thing I can do.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: And that's where sometimes the best stuff comes from. That's like accidents that you never thought possible. Maybe it's a a limitation. but But you have to be willing to face those no's and then go, what does that mean now? How do how do I then pivot? and i It's a hard thing to do.
James Tolbert: Yeah. i um I had a teacher in college who told me adversity is the mother of creation. And that's a perfect example of that.
Curt Mega: Yes.
James Tolbert: And and and and that's why some of the great work we've been able to do, you and I, and then also with with our various groups, is because we were told, oh, you don't have enough money to to do this. You don't have enough time to do this.
Curt Mega: Mm -hmm.
James Tolbert: and All you can do in that moment is say, all right, pivot. Here we go. Now it becomes this. And sometimes it becomes the best version of itself. by nature of that limitation.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Yeah, absolutely. and and Anyway, yeah, that's... so I guess. I. You're really good at this too, where I feel like. as a director and a choreographer and somebody who was also an actor so you really see like you have a really good eye from all three of those sides i feel like you have always been very clear -headed about Being ambitious where?
Curt Mega: Ambition can be. We should take it.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: And then also being very quick to. find solutions. when When that doesn't quite make sense. I mean, i've i've been I've been in rehearsals with you where you've come in and been like. I want to change this. I watched it back. I didn't like what i didn't like it. I had a thought. and that And giving yourself the grace and the confidence to say, I can change things. I can pivot is.
Curt Mega: It's a hard thing to learn Because again, as i as I said at the beginning, I think when you... Decide you want to be creative. It's often because you've watched and engaged with great art that has shown you what's possible.
Curt Mega: and so then there's this feeling and this is i think why i say this and why i wanted to share this today and i hope anybody watching What you take from this is not just us complaining about.
James Tolbert: hey
Curt Mega: um creative frustrations but to To not put this pressure on yourself to. believe that creative success is this like inherent automatic thing.
Curt Mega: that like reject the auteur theory of like Some people just got it, baby. Because I think what happens is people have this. spark or desire to try something.
Curt Mega: And then they go and try it. And it's often not going to go the way they want. It's not going to be what they want. They're going to make. they're going to paint what they thought was going to be something red and they're going to Sit back and it's yellow, you know?
James Tolbert: here
Curt Mega: And then they go, well, I failed. It's a failure. And I see a lot of people that just go, you know what? I don't have it. I don't have it. And and my favorite artist. who i love that just seems effortless and you're like But but you don't see the effort. That's the magic. And so if.
Curt Mega: If you are at... interested remotely in ah in a creative endeavor. allowing yourself the flexibility and the freedom. to to try to make one thing and accepting when it becomes something else. I think that's a really important part that stops a lot of people from continuing.
James Tolbert: hey
Curt Mega: continuing the education and the pursuit because they're just like, I don't have it. I don't have it. i Kim sees this a lot. she She works a lot of... actors who sing a lot of people come to come here for vocal lessons and people just be like i can't i can't i you know i i
James Tolbert: it
Curt Mega: And then I'll listen to her work with them for months. And then you're like, you are a great singer. You are night and day from where you were. And yeah, that first session. You were struggling to like. Hear your pitch. And now you're.
Curt Mega: you needed to just You needed to just let sound come out of your throat and for it to sound terrible and then go, why does that sound bad?
James Tolbert: if
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: Okay, let me. Let me.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Let me. And I just, a lot of people, I don't think give themselves the grace, especially because of, I think the internet and and how. people put themselves online in a way that feels like so effortless and so Look how I do this.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: It's just, so it's also easy for me. it It makes it feel like when you struggle, and this is why, again, AI is so toxic, is it offers this shortcut of like. Look, you can just jump right to being.
Curt Mega: you can just jump right to perfection.
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: without failing with failing to realize that that that struggle is what makes. That stuff good ultimately
James Tolbert: The struggle is real. like it is And it's what makes it. Complete. you know like The struggle is necessary for that authenticity. And it's why you know we'll tell writers. do a vomit draft.
James Tolbert: Write the worst version of this so you can fix it. That's why I'm not precious about you know, my choreography or my direction. Like, I love setting it and then ruminate over it for a day and like, you know what? That doesn't make sense.
James Tolbert: Why did I tell you to do that? Go here. You know, I'm yeah.
Curt Mega: And I got to say. As somebody who's done your choreography, it. And it felt so much anxiety around. Doing. living up to a standard of uh as a dancer or a mover that i often feel like i don't live up to Your choreography, Lauren's too, like. It always feels so.
Curt Mega: I always feel safe being like, I can totally fail at this. a few times. And there's just not a lot of spaces where I've ever felt that way.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: where you're like. And you guys are like, yeah, it's fine. No, no, we'll get there. like And that is a...
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: cultivating a space where other people feel. a safety net to be like let me just try jumping off this building i know i'm gonna be fine
James Tolbert: Yeah. Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: and i'll figure out how to land eventually but i have to just like jump and i think you're really excellent at that and you make you make people in a space feel like oh i can just try this and not feel like a fool.
James Tolbert: Absolutely. because And I think it just it comes back to what I said earlier.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: It's like, I know I would have benefited from... that guidance. from my teachers or directors or whoever in those instances.
Curt Mega: Yeah.
James Tolbert: So I choose to. cultivate that when I'm in that position, because I want everyone to feel like, okay, I can get to this or feel comfortable enough to say to me.
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: oh, I don't know if I can. And it's like, okay, cool. Let's find a plan B. i I love doing that because it keeps me on my toes, keeps me fresh, keeps the ideas going.
Curt Mega: Mm hmm.
James Tolbert: um But AI doesn't do that, so don't fucking use AI.
Curt Mega: Yeah, it This is a topic for another conversation too, but. I. you know, as you outsource all sort of. all friction to autonomous services the question is like When do those things become so...
Curt Mega: proficient at doing the thinking for you that they stop including you in the loop. And I think that is the sort of existential crisis that we're at.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: which is... We've we've. empowered these things to be so connected and and trained. that at some point they may not even need humans to confirm.
Curt Mega: And so then all of a sudden it is a complete runaway. It's a complete runaway train where you're like, we are no longer on the train. We are not in control of it. Um,
James Tolbert: And depending on how much news you consume, ah You might have already learned that that's happened.
Curt Mega: Wow.
James Tolbert: so um
Curt Mega: Bro, it's happened
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: multiple times in ways that i have only recently begun to realize how insane and
James Tolbert: big
Curt Mega: upsetting it is um we should do a whole episode on that that would be
James Tolbert: Yeah. I want to, okay, if we do that, I want like full research. I'm going to make a PowerPoint presentation. I'm going to, because there's a lot.
Curt Mega: Dude. Dude, have you ever you ever heard of the paperclip? Maximizer. kind of game game thought thought experiment.
James Tolbert: No. What's that?
Curt Mega: It's something I had heard of years ago. years ago and i think about it all the time which is the it's a sort of theoretical because you know i think a lot of people will listen to the sort of ai doom and gloom and they're like okay all right all right like sure It's bad. I don't use it. But, i'm you know, don't don't let it bother you.
Curt Mega: Well, the paperclip. maximizer sort of theory is. Imagine you asked a computer. to make the most amount of paper clips possible. you go I am a paper clip owner, factory owner, and I want to make as many paper clips as possible.
Curt Mega: Execute. And so. within context ah you know a ah machine will go well within context within reason Let's make as many paperclips as make sense. for the situation But if it lacks context or it doesn't you don't have the ability to provide...
Curt Mega: parameters. That taken to its ultimate conclusion could be something catastrophic where a computer goes, well, you said to make as many. Make as many paperclips as possible. So that means.
Curt Mega: Get access to as many. Points of resources. get access to the power grid get access to whatever like and eventually you game it out over a long time and it's like everyone everything in the world everyone is dead but we have billions and billions of paper clips
James Tolbert: Mm -hmm.
James Tolbert: Mm.
Curt Mega: and the And the computer, the machine of it all is like, I am executing on the. the thing that you said to me. so when you When you enter into a prompt, you know. do this thing.
Curt Mega: You do not have the full capacity to understand what it might do to accomplish that. And if you lose control of it. It's a pretty like... I remember hearing that years ago and being like, well, thank God that'll probably never happen.
James Tolbert: she
Curt Mega: And now, genuinely,
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: That, I think, is the genuine risk. also there is a world too where people say these things to hype up the power of them so that you know They on IPO release can be like, oh, these machines are so powerful. You need to really give us more money.
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: But i I have been kind of compelled in the in the last few weeks to believe that actually some of this... Some of this concern is not just rooted in shareholders and like actually. It's pretty.
Curt Mega: it's pretty bad It's pretty bad.
James Tolbert: i i think i think it's I do think it's both.
Curt Mega: It's pretty bad.
James Tolbert: um i think they're still at the end of the day still concerned about money but i do think yes we we are
Curt Mega: Yes. 100%.
Curt Mega: Absolutely. Absolutely.
James Tolbert: Because, this and this is why I've said, I don't know why we're speed running the death of society, but they've been so hell bent.
Curt Mega: Okay.
James Tolbert: Well, okay. Actually, I watched just this morning. Someone described it as like the arms race, right?
Curt Mega: Yes.
James Tolbert: We have to do it first because we can't let we can't let the other guys get it before us.
Curt Mega: It's Oppenheimer.
James Tolbert: That's why they're moving so quickly. But now they're like, oh, well, maybe it's a little. too fast too soon. um But we're. far we've we've reached that point.
Curt Mega: Yeah, it's... it Mutually assured destruction where it's i having.
James Tolbert: Mm hmm.
Curt Mega: With Oppenheimer coming out a few years ago, I'm like, it's just that it's just being like, well, the other guys. They're building one, so we got to build our one. and And then you're like, what are we doing? We as humans are really good at that. We're like, let's speed run ourselves to build things that can absolutely destroy everything. And that will somehow keep us safe. it's
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: I don't get it, man. I don't get it. but
James Tolbert: ah
Curt Mega: On that bright note.
James Tolbert: ah Yeah, do let's let's plug some really fun artistic endeavors, right?
Curt Mega: Yay! That's so fun.
James Tolbert: ah Kurt, what you got going on?
Curt Mega: Oh, man. Well. Let's see. By the time this comes out, it actually may be too late, but the Tomb Quest digital rental expires on the 20th. So.
James Tolbert: Oh, okay.
Curt Mega: and but that already might be passed if it's not go check it out and if not forgot the pro shot Then we got the Poe Party digital ticket.
James Tolbert: and
James Tolbert: Mhm.
Curt Mega: That's out for, I think, a week only.
James Tolbert: I believe so Yeah.
Curt Mega: So you can go rent that at ah popartymusical .com. and support a bunch of artists you know and love two of them here but like a bunch of other incredible people worked on that project
James Tolbert: mm -hmm
Curt Mega: Um... And then this thing, but I. Once I have more info about that, I'll plug it, but I don't really know exactly what the details are on that yet.
James Tolbert: Yes. Um... and then uh on my end realm season one has officially launched as of recording today but um if you're listening to this next week it's on youtube uh so season zero already existed but season one just started
Curt Mega: Oh yeah, Rome!
James Tolbert: So you can dive right in. um There's also a Patreon now. And I believe Patreon members are able to watch the released episode the day before it hits YouTube. So there's some nice little perks there.
Curt Mega: If you want to be smug in the comments.
James Tolbert: and um Yes.
Curt Mega: and be like vaguely spoiling it for people before it happens no don't do that
James Tolbert: Yes. And then everyone's going to yell at you, no spoilers!
Curt Mega: You could. But you could have that power.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Did you enjoy the the trailer that I cut together?
James Tolbert: Uh, Yeah, Kurt cut this amazing trailer. That was so... dark and like Terrifying. That made me feel like all of our characters are gonna die in the first episode and I was there So I know what's going to happen.
Curt Mega: You're like. Why?
James Tolbert: Okay.
Curt Mega: i in this and No, no, I don't.
James Tolbert: Bye. Am I?
Curt Mega: Okay, I'm good. I'm good. I'm good.
James Tolbert: He's really good at that. yeah kt yeah When I found out you did that, first of all, I was like, wow, he did a great job. But second, I was like, you've Gotta stop saying yes to stuff.
Curt Mega: i Dude, I literally had the same thought. i was But I was having so much fun. I was like, this is so fun. And then I was like.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: I got to get back to editing this Halloween. But no, it turned out great.
James Tolbert: Yeah. um Awesome. All right. Well, i thanks for joining this special episode. Felt like a... What is it like? What are those old school ABC? um
Curt Mega: Right.
James Tolbert: After school special. That's what this was.
Curt Mega: After School Special, yeah.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: And the takeaway is, you know what? This week, go out and try something that you're. If you've ever had the penchant to try something, do it. And if if if it's bad or doesn't work the way you want, that's okay.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Go try it! Let us know.
James Tolbert: Go check.
Curt Mega: Let us know if you try anything or like if there's anything you're working on. We'd love to hear from you if you. if this is something you relate to at all on an emotional level or. Have a story or experience you could share. we'd love I'd love to love to hear from you.
Curt Mega: So, you know, send us an email or let us let us know what you're thinking about.
James Tolbert: Yes.
James Tolbert: Yeah. Oh, and go see Kurt in Nerdy Prudes in London.
Curt Mega: Oh, yeah, that's happening.
James Tolbert: they're they're goingnna They're going to be doing that.
Curt Mega: That's good. That's it.
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: That is a next year. Out.
James Tolbert: That's a different version of Kurt. He's going to.
Curt Mega: This week has been like, that's cool.
James Tolbert: Do that.
Curt Mega: okay like i literally was like i can't really think about this at all um
James Tolbert: Yeah.
Curt Mega: Nor have I had to. They've honestly taken care of everything. So I'm just over here chilling.
James Tolbert: That's great.
Curt Mega: But that'll be cool. I think general tickets. ah are on sale now.
James Tolbert: Amazing. All right folks.
Curt Mega: ah Where can people hit us up with? ah Info or emails or plugs?
James Tolbert: Yes. You can always find us first at email at. So where do you into. pod at gmail .com. You can find us on. YouTube, Instagram, and Tik TOK at. So what are you into pod?
James Tolbert: Once again, that's Kurt. I'm James. Thank you for listening. And as always. Stay curious.
Curt Mega: Stay curious.
