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Some of the most interesting and inspiring stories I’ve heard are about people’s creative journeys and what they’ve learned along the way. The world needs to hear more of those stories, and now you can hear them on the Follow Your Curiosity podcast. Twice a month, you’ll hear a new interview where we delve into one person’s creative journey. Some of these folks will be better known than others, but they’ll all hold up a mirror to the importance of creative endeavor in every life. In the alternating weeks, you’ll hear short Creative Pep Talk episodes where I feature a creativity tool or tip to help you keep your creative energy flowing. You’ll find something you can use in every episode of Follow Your Curiosity!
Episodes
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Wednesday May 07, 2025
My guest today is Josh Mendoza, an award-winning filmmaker known for his post-apocalyptic feature film, What Still Remains. His debut novel, Shadow of the Eternal Watcher, which combines sci-if and film noir, was released in January. Josh joins me to talk about his start in creative writing and his move into film, the similarities and differences in writing fiction and film, the necessity of learning through failure, the democratization of creative pursuits like filmmaking, and more.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
04:42 Family support fuels persistence in creative pursuits.
08:51 Emphasizing positivity over negativity in sharing creative feedback.
13:40 Unexpected audience reactions highlight creators' limited control.
16:25 Importance of not focusing on negative reviews or criticism.
20:14 Film structure rules help shape and tighten storytelling in novels.
24:05 Editing and trimming elevate both novels and screenplays significantly.
28:14 Books become lasting physical achievements compared to shelved scripts.
32:07 Movie-making demands flexibility and compromise with real-world constraints.
36:02 Intellectual property’s role in getting projects greenlighted discussed.
39:56 Technology enables democratization, but creates challenges in standing out.
44:02 Bad creative work is necessary learning for improved future art.
48:13 Letting characters shape the story often leads to authenticity.
52:10 Duster Raines, Josh's protagonist, is both flawed and compelling.
55:38 Genre mashups and series building.
Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
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