The 5AM StoryTalk Podcast is back!
Well, starting next week, it is. I couldn’t be more excited about what I’ve cooked up for you with this third season, too. There are so many brilliant guests coming you way. Plus, some exciting changes to this podcast — like video!
I’ve recorded a trailer telling you all about it. For my money, it’s the best way to appreciate what I’m doing here. But if you prefer to read about it, scroll on down for more.
Remember, feature episodes of the 5AM StoryTalk Podcast are free. But if you want to listen to my bonus episodes, in which my amazing guests break down seminal pieces of art from their lives, you’ll have to become a paid supporter. In doing so, you’ll also gain exclusive access to almost 200 more articles, essays, and podcast episodes about art and our culture - ideal for both artists and art fanatics. But if you’re pursuing a life as a storyteller, you’re definitely going to get the most out of what I’m doing here.
The 5AM StoryTalk Podcast is hosted, written, and produced by Cole Haddon.
It’s recorded on Djarra Country. I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of that land and pay respects to Elders past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded.
Cary Brothers provides soundtrack. Learn more about his music here.
What’s coming your way in Season 3 of the 5AM StoryTalk Podcast…
I know, I know! You’re asking yourself, why should I give another writing podcast or screenwriting podcast or arts & culture – whatever kind of podcast 5AM StoryTalk is – why should I give it a chance?
There are a lot of other great podcasts out there, so I don’t blame you.
It’s not like I’m Stephen King or Charlie Kaufman or – you know – a writer you actually give a shit about.
But what I do have going for me is 20 years of experience as a screenwriter, published novelist, and author of graphic novels. I was a journalist once upon a time, too, which informs my approach.
Maybe most importantly, I have a bulky metaphorical Rolodex of brilliant friends – some of the world’s biggest artists and intellectuals. Every week – or at least almost every week – I’ll be joined by some of them to try to make sense of what’s going on in our culture.
Because, guys, I don’t know if you’ve checked out the news lately, the world’s gone crazy.
We need art more than ever, and that’s what 5AM StoryTalk is here for — to talk about where we’ve been, where we’ve ended up, and where we’re going – all through the lens of art and storytelling.
The secret sauce, so to say, of this podcast— besides my deep interest in the arts and my sparkling personality— is I ask every one of my guests to pick a seminal piece of art from their lives for us to talk about in the bonus episode. A foundational artwork that somehow shaped them and explains them.
We’ll interrogate it together in what I consider mini-masterclasses — though what they teach you isn’t always as obvious as what the subject matter might suggest.
Season 3’s line-up of guests is still taking shape, but I can tell you now the conversations I’ve already had are blowing my mind – and I hope they will yours, too. Amongst other names I’m still finalizing, you can look forward to hearing from:
Meg LeFauve (screenwriter, both ‘Inside Out’ films)
Riki Lindhome (actress, musician, comedian, and TV creator)
Senator Fatima Payman (Australian politician)
Dr. Dacher Keltner (psychologist specializing in the benefits of awe on our mental health)
Zoe Gardner (UK immigration and asylum researcher and campaigner)
Tim Rogers (Aussie rock legend; front man of You Am I)
And, next week, in Season 3’s debut episode, my old friend Independent Spirit Award-winning screenwriter and director Justin Simien — whose debut film Dear White People is a masterpiece and whose documentary series “Hollywood Black” should be essential viewing for any cinephile.
I debated for a while which chat to start this new season with, but Justin’s just felt right. Filmmaking, culture wars, fascism. This is what 5AM StoryTalk is about, the transformative power of art to explain and change our world.
Here’s what else you can look forward to in Season 3…
If you’ve listened to previous seasons, then you might recall my epic four-part series about my nightmarish experiences creating the TV series “Dracula” for NBC and Sky — a cautionary tale for screenwriters about what can happen when all your dreams come true in Hollywood.
I have a lot more stories in me like that, but also pieces to come about what’s happening to pop-culture in a broader sense as fascists become emboldened, free speech is compromised, and media outlets merge and monopolize and change what stories we get access to.
Every other week, you’ll also get to enjoy a new episode of 5AM RealTalk, which is a plog I share here. It’s a more off-the-cuff conversation about what I’m dealing with or even just enjoying as an artist from notes to projects I’m struggling with, to films, TV, books, albums, and more that I’ve loved and think maybe you will too. These will be shortish episodes about, I think, what it’s like to be an artist trying to create something meaningful in the 21st century.
Lastly, if you prefer video podcasts to audio podcasts, well, I’ve given up hiding my face from you. You can now watch these podcast episodes wherever video is available – YouTube, Spotify, Substack, you get it.
I struggled with the best way to present these, but in the end, I’ve opted for something a little basic and less polished. In a world where AI is now making everything feel increasingly unreal, I wanted to embrace a more authentic experience you can trust.
Clips from these video chats will also show up on YouTube and Instagram, if you subscribe to 5AM StoryTalk at either.
5AM StoryTalk is recorded on Djaara Country, and I’d like to acknowledge them as the traditional owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, and pay respects to elders past and present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.
This podcast’s music is provided by my friend Cary Brothers, whose work you should be listening to if you’re not already.
All of this is made possible by the paid supporters of 5AM StoryTalk, which helps me avoid taking on sponsorships that might result in things like commercials interrupting the episodes you listen to.
Okay, I think that’s it except to say: 5AM StoryTalk is a community, thanks for being part of it, and I hope you enjoy its third season.
