Small Beans

This episode examines the extremely lean production of It Follows (2014) and how choosing specific directorial tactics can both keep the budget reasonable and make for satisfying artistic choices. Director David Robert Mitchell takes advantage of his lens package, camera support, editorial strategy, and musical arrangements in order to make a consistent vision that speaks to the themes of the film. What results is a gratifying story that feels stylistically and tonally centered. Abe walks us through it! If you’re an artist yourself, you won’t want to miss this one. Features: Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Teresa Lee returns to Frame Rate! In this episode, the gang discusses the philosophical and symbolic efforts of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. Why is Jareth doing this? What are the goblins? What does the Bog of Eternal Stench represent? It couldn’t be as simple as buttholes, right? I mean, it really seems like it philosophically represents somebody’s butthole, but we should go deeper. Teresa’s there to take us on the journey of how Labyrinth can still influence and impact adults, as it was her first viewing! Abe and Michael, to no one’s surprise, wore out VHS players with this tape. Features: Teresa Lee: https://twitter.com/leresatee Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

A very special 2-hour episode for our Show Me Patrons! In this one, Maggie talks about building a Catio for her cats and declares war on YouTube commenters of this show. Adam dubs himself America’s Dad and America agrees. Also today, we’re teaching you a game that Adam and his brother created to curb indecision and the rules are as follows: Each player introduces six songs. Each player eliminates (or vetoes) two songs. Each player introduces a new song to be the final entries in the playlist (***CATAPULT ROUND***) By the end of this process, you will have a joint playlist that will absolutely pump you up. Like, you won’t be able to pump any higher, you’ll be so pumped. After listening to this, you will not be able to pump. Enjoy the playlist while you listen: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1SkLGxmaG1uVcBqL3m6l3r?si=S4WMMIIQRsymlHmeTCimnw If you patronize us, feel free to email us suggestions for episodes at any time at magsandganz@gmail.com. Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Maggie Mae Fish: https://twitter.com/MaggieMaeFish Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Some episodes of Kings of King are very different from our typical approach to unearthing the symbolism and meaning of Stephen King’s adaptations. This is one of those episodes. The movie is Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile (1999). It has a star-studded cast, a competent director, and a critically-acclaimed photographer. Thomas Newman writes another amazing score. Michael hates this movie. Let’s all listen to him rip it a new one. Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

BOLD is a podcast about race and justice in America, and a collaboration between Small Beans and Showing Up For Racial Justice, produced by White People 4 Black Lives. In this episode, co-hosts Dahlia Ferlito and Ivette Alé sit down live with Hamid Khan, an activist, speaker, organizer, and outspoken advocate for maintaining YOUR rights in the face of invasive state surveillance programs.

Actor and sketch writer/producer Gretchen Dawson jumps on the mic for this episode! Gretchen tells us tales of her childhood with her accidentally woke bullies and her split lives at home and school. In this episode, we examine how older siblings define what is cool for the younger siblings, like, let’s say marionette puppets. Like the coolest thing in the world are marionette puppets. And now you’re into marionette puppets and doing marionette puppet shows. We’re all fine here. Features: Sarah Griffith: https://twitter.com/sk_griffith Bridgett Greenberg: https://twitter.com/BridgettTweets Gretchen Dawson: https://www.gretchendawson.com/ Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Adam tells us the history and classic use of the Steadicam so we can better understand how Christopher Nolan uses it. Not only is he unique in his deployment of the tool but Nolan’s signature speed and momentum exaggerate both the power and flaws of his films. Not only should you be able to identify his approach to camera movement but you’ll more deeply understand why he makes these choices as a director. Also, our new MC seems to have been killed? I don’t know what’s going on with that whole situation. Features: Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Two of the warmest hosts to bless this podcast network take a moment to reflect on some of their coldest days. Both Michael Swaim and Cristian Ramirez have gone through divorces. Cristian, the more recent single, tells Michael about the hardships and eventual self-betterment involved in his experience. Michael in-kind reflects on his own behavior and past circumstances that made him the man he is today. It’s just two divorced guys, everyone. Features: Cristian Ramirez: https://twitter.com/FanboyCristian Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Max Scoville, another friend/host/podcaster from IGN, joins Michael and Adam to discuss the hopeful hit of 2020, Cyberpunk 2077. Months after the game’s launch, which was sensationalized by its bugs and recalls, can we look at the game with more objective eyes or will it never recover, kid? Well, Samurai, eavesdrop on whether or not this game was worth its decade-long development. Max Scoville: https://twitter.com/MaxScoville Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Seanbaby joins the beans to discuss their collective disdain for the recent Wonder Woman movie! They pick apart its many plot holes, discuss the state of the union of DC and Marvel universes, but end up determining maybe they’re not the best people to determine the future of the Wonder Woman franchise. Though, we all agree that we need more and better female superhero movies. And it’s not all hate. Michael cried! Features: Seanbaby: https://twitter.com/Seanbabydotcom Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Daniel O’Brien, writer for Last Week Tonight and original gangster, joins Bridgett and Sarah for a candid discussion of how teenagers fall for the allure of playing the role of a protagonist in a tragic romance. Daniel starts with a tale where a teenage crush overheard his undying love via speakerphone and the punishment only endures for the next several years. Don’t worry, Daniel, you all have us fooled, we think you’re a real catch. Maybe leave your love sonnets in the box of notebooks you keep in the darkest corner of your closet, though. Features: Sarah Griffith: https://twitter.com/sk_griffith Bridgett Greenberg: https://twitter.com/BridgettTweets Daniel O’Brien: https://twitter.com/dob_inc Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

In this musical episode, the hosts each select the album in their lives that changed them. So we have two albums here. The artists are Dashboard Confessional and Bob Dylan. Close your eyes and guess who! Maggie and Adam get pretty in-depth about how music and lyrics can peer into your youthful soul and spit out a new fully-formed human. Witness the sonic metamorphosis. Also, the hosts discuss their lifelong problems with long hair and their recent texts to each other. Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Maggie Mae Fish: https://twitter.com/MaggieMaeFish Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Abe walks us through the plethora of editorial, post-production, and camera tricks used by Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of the Japanese horror comedy, House. From cutting out mattes and placing them directly on the frame, to rotoscoping, to practical effects, to editorial pacing, Obayashi is able to command a tone and humor entirely of his own creation. Abe talks about how the film influenced western directors and how technique and style define every filmmakers’ “voice.” Adam surprisingly did not hate the film, dashing Abe’s hopes for a combative podcast. Features: Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

The horror! The horror! Stephen King himself helms another cars-gone-mad sci-fi/action/horror narrative and the results are disastrous. The boys discuss the lazy filmmaking, slapped together scene work, inconceivable choices, and inexplicable acting of King’s only attempted feature. Oh, and the cocaine. Out of the white dust settles a picture that might be the worst Stephen King adaptation yet. Strap in and brace yourself for the wild ride that is Maximum Overdrive. Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

Vanessa Gritton joins the co-hosts for the recent remastering of the OG and sequel of the classic Tony Hawk Pro Skater franchise. The gang reminiscences on the changes from the original releases and how brands change over time. Though, they all agree it’s worth letting the nostalgia do a sweet pop shove-it over your face. I know you wish you could choose Rodney Mullen, but you’re left with Michael, Adam, and Vanessa. Sorry. Also, Vanessa explains why she’s a wiener. Adam explains what being rad is. Vanessa Gritton: https://twitter.com/nesgritton Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans