Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt spends a lot of time thinking about creativity, technology, and how the two collide. In this episode, Joseph shares his thoughts on a not-too-distant future in which AI-generated content will be able to “make people laugh, make people cry, and win all the likes and awards”. He also talks about theater programs in school, why he used to worry that Hollywood would “infect” him, which of his characters he personally identifies with, and why his toughest day as an actor came on the set of a Pop Tarts commercial.

Joseph’s latest film is “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F”.

Links from the Show:

• TED Talk: How craving attention makes you less creative
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt breaks down his career (Vanity Fair)
• That Pop Tarts commercial from 1991
• Joseph’s filmography

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – scroll down in this feed or go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben Gibbard is the voice of the bands Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. He talks about Death Cab’s scrappy start, recording their classic album Transatlanticism, how the band learned to defuse internal tensions, and how he approaches songwriting in middle age. This episode was recorded in 2023.

Links from the Show:

• Ben's Tiny Desk Concert
• Ben breaks down his song "Black Sun"
• Death Cab for Cutie video for "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"
• Death Cab for Cutie video for "Soul Meets Body"
• The Postal Service video for "Such Great Heights"

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Lewis is one of the most successful authors in recent memory. And in this episode, he dives deep into exactly how he tells unforgettable stories… from “Moneyball”, “The Big Short”, and “The Blind Side” – all adopted into feature films – to his newest bestseller, “Going Infinite” (about Sam Bankman-Fried).

You’ll learn how to “surf the world” for ideas like Michael; how to bring stories to life; how Michael structures narratives using a notecard system; and how he blocks out distractions and conquers procrastination. Whether your goal is to become a better writer or a more persuasive communicator in general, this is an opportunity to learn from a master.

Want to go deeper? Michael has a new MasterClass on how to tell a great story. You can find it here: https://www.masterclass.com/series/tell-a-great-story

Links from the Show:

• Liar’s Poker
• The Blind Side
• The Big Short
• Moneyball
• Moneyball Player Value scene
• Going Infinite
• The Premonition
• Michael’s MasterClass: Tell a Great Story

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.