Podcast
Story and Craft with Marc Preston
Hosted by Marc Preston Productions, LLC · EN
Story & Craft is Marc Preston’s venue for offering up entertaining, insightful and inspiring conversations. Marc has spent over three decades as a successful actor, voiceover talent, and nationally syndicated radio host. He’s endlessly curious and enjoys great conversations that inspire. Each episode, Marc welcomes film, television and voiceover actors, storytellers, influencers and creative personalities that have intriguing points of view to offer. Marc’s unique interview style provides insight into the origins of what made his guests successful, as well as how they stay at the top of their game. Whether you work in the industry, or simply enjoy great conversation, you’re invited to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a sit down with Marc and his guests as they talk story, share a moment and inspire.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
David Berry | Stories from Starz's "Outlander" | Presto & Bezza
1w ago00:26:00Tap to summarizeMarc Preston sits down with Actor David Berry from "Starz"'s "Outlander" to discuss his new project, career, and personal stories.David shares the bittersweet reality of saying goodbye to a character he has inhabited for eight years as the series concludes. He breaks down the unique logistical gymnastics required to commute from his home in Sydney to the moody highlands of Scotland, including the nature of 25-hour flights. The conversation touches on the "larrikin" spirit of Australian culture and why Aussies feel a natural compulsion to shorten every name and word they encounter.We also get a glimpse into David’s life off-camera, from his former studies in politics to his very specific post-scene ritual involving a perfect burger. Whether discussing the "reverse colonialism" of an Australian actor playing a British officer or the challenge of finding healthy food in the land of fried Mars bars, David brings a thoughtful and witty perspective to the actor's life. He reflects on the importance of spontaneity and the advice he would give his younger, more anxious self about simply learning to relax.00:01:02 | The origin of Marc’s new Aussie nickname00:03:16 | Exploring the cultural habit of Australian "shortenings"00:04:28 | Defining the "larrikin" attitude toward authority00:06:12 | The challenges of transitioning out of a long-running series00:09:48 | The logistical hurdle of auditioning for global shows from Australia00:11:32 | Navigating the 25-hour commute between Sydney and Scotland00:12:13 | How the Scottish landscape becomes its own character on screen00:14:10 | Comparing the healthy Sydney lifestyle to Scottish comfort food00:15:00 | The reward of a perfect burger after a difficult scene00:18:00 | The Seven Questions
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Danay Garcia | From "Fear the Walking Dead" to NBC / Peacock's "M.I.A." | Food for the Soul
2w ago01:04:36Tap to summarizeMarc Preston sits down with Actor Danay Garcia from AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead" and NBC / Peacock's "M.I.A." to discuss her new project, career, and personal stories.We talk about her journey arriving in Los Angeles from Havana, Cuba, and the reality of navigating the industry while tackling a profound language barrier. Danay shares memories from her early days, including the thrill of getting her first major break shooting Super Bowl commercials alongside Snoop Dogg and Guy Ritchie. She also opens up about surviving the apocalypse for seven seasons on AMC's hit series, and the incredible, set-blessing presence of Edward James Olmos on her newest project.Plus, Danay gives us a glimpse into her passion for food and community, sharing how cooking traditional Cuban dishes live on Instagram kept her connected to her fans during the pandemic. We also explore the intense, one-hour-and-45-minute in-person audition that landed her the role in NBC / Peacock's crime thriller, "M.I.A.", and why she always says "yes" to stepping into the unknown.[00:01:43] - Settling into Texas[00:09:25] - Why an apocalypse led by a female character made the prequel to The Walking Dead so enticing [00:11:01] - Having lunch at the exact spot where they filmed the "Titanic" infinity pool [00:13:08] - Arriving in Los Angeles from Havana and realizing the true challenge of the language barrier [00:18:04] - Breaking into the American industry shooting Super Bowl commercials with Guy Ritchie and Snoop Dogg [00:20:19] - Growing up in Cuba with a father who poured drinks at Ernest Hemingway's favorite bars [00:27:00] - Nurturing connection by teaching her fans how to cook traditional Cuban food live during the pandemic [00:43:07] - Enduring a grueling one-hour-and-45-minute in-person audition to land her role in "M.I.A." [00:46:50] - Working alongside the iconic Edward James Olmos and feeling his presence bless the set [00:49:00] - The Seven Questions
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Thom Harp | From "The Donor Party" to "Home Delivery" | Embracing the Ridiculous
3w ago01:03:30Tap to summarizeMarc Preston sits down with Writer and Director Thom Harp from "The Donor Party" and "Home Delivery" to discuss his new project, career, and personal stories.Thom brings a fantastic energy to the conversation, sharing how his background as a cinematographer in Seattle eventually shaped his approach to humane comedy. We talk about the importance of giving actors the space to just play and trust their instincts on set. It’s always fun getting to hear about the process behind creating those incredibly messy, yet hilariously relatable human moments that define his style.We also get into some great stories about his unique writing methods and the undeniable influence of an "explosive diaper" moment changed the trajectory of his creative choices. Thom reminds us that life is pretty ridiculous, and sometimes the best way to deal with the madness is just to point a camera at it and embrace the laughs.[00:02:19] - Guitars, The Cars, and safely navigating a midlife crisis.[00:09:31] - How Monty Python's Flying Circus completely rewired his creative brain.[00:21:28] - Cultivating a safe, playful environment on set for actors.[00:23:48] - The strategic genius of casting dramatic actors in comedic roles.[00:30:10] - Thom’s unique "magnet" method for developing script ideas.[00:34:35] - Why the best comedy requires putting your hero in the absolute worst situation.[00:38:57] - Casting Joe Pantoliano against type to find the moral heart of the film.[00:46:24] - The "explosive diaper" moment that forever changed his view on comedy.[00:55:33] - The Seven Questions.
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Meaghan Rath | Un voyage de La Métropole à l'Audace
4w ago01:04:38Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Story & Craft, Marc sits down with actor Meaghan Rath. We take a moment to discuss the Zen of all things Hawaii, as Meaghan looks back on living on Oahu for “Hawaii Five-0,” sharing favorite beaches, island food takes, and the unique experience of filming with locations shut down just for the crew. She also talks about landing AMC’s “The Audacity,” playing Anushka Bhattachera-Phister, a chief ethicist in a corrupt tech world, and what the show taught her about privacy and data. Along the way, they cover her Montreal upbringing, mixed Jewish/Indian-Catholic heritage, early discovery as a teen actor, creative interests, a haunted childhood home, and her go-to comforts like ramen, the ocean, and a great TV binge.03:36 Hawaii Five-0 Memories05:55 Beaches and Island Food09:30 How She Got Cast11:56 Canada Roots and Family16:25 Finding Acting Early19:59 Meeting Her Husband23:43 The New Series “Audacity”28:50 Tech Culture and Social Media34:14 Privacy Wake Up Call35:29 Haunted House Memories37:48 Drama Comedy Balance39:14 Dense Scripts And Accent42:50 The Seven Questions
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Johnny Ray Gill | Tale of a Prospective Gent
4w ago01:11:20Tap to summarizeOn this episode of “Story and Craft”, Marc sits down with actor and writer Johnny Ray Gill (“Cross” Season 2 on Prime Video) for a wide-ranging conversation about Gill’s Portland roots in an all-Black Northeast community, his working-class family, and early artistic start in spoken-word poetry inspired by the film “Slam.” Gill shares how a rites-of-passage program shaped his cultural awareness, how an internship with writer Mike Rich opened doors, and how his path led from USC film school to Temple and then UC San Diego’s theater program. He recounts booking “Harry’s Law,” reflects on hip hop’s shift as commerce overtakes art, and explains why he feels artists owe audiences truth. Gill discusses his climate-focused script “Laying Pipe,” his love of animals and nature, learning Spanish, and the serendipitous way he was offered his role in “Cross.”02:24 From Portland to LA03:23 Working Class Roots04:48 Choosing the Arts08:09 Spoken Word Origin Story11:28 College Path and Drama School15:10 Hip Hop and Early Influences17:10 Art Versus Commerce20:25 Screenwriting and Truth22:03 Pitching Laying Pipe29:45 How Cross Came Together34:31 Persistence and Knowing Your Vocation36:31 New Passions Nature and Animals40:03 Plants Pets Travel41:40 Indigenous Symbiosis44:26 Cross Writing Process45:17 Bobby Trey’s Capitalism48:34 Shreveport Food Authenticity51:06 The Seven Questions
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Rob Corddry | Normal From Across the Street
Apr 1601:07:51Tap to summarizeOn this episode of “Story and Craft,” Marc sits down with actor, producer and comedian, Rob Corddry to talk about his new AMC show “The Audacity”. We explore a career that spans projects such as “The Daily Show,” “Children’s Hospital,” “Ballers,” “Top Gear America,” and films like “Old School,” “The Heartbreak Kid,” and “Hot Tub Time Machine.” We learn about Rob’s story, such as moving from moving from Massachusetts to L.A., what it was like acting alongside Ben and Jerry Stiller, the pace of working on “The Daily Show”, and some of his favorite projects. He also discusses early ambition to be a Shakespearean actor, to working in clown makeup on “Children’s Hospital”, and everything in between! 03:39 East Coast to LA Move04:05 Seth MacFarlane The Winner05:40 Ben Stiller Family Scene09:51 Cedar Rapids and Dark Horses11:45 Daily Show Era Origins16:06 Daily Show Grind Today18:47 Playing Ari Fleischer20:41 Shakespeare Dreams New York24:37 Parents Support and Naivete28:39 Kids and Clown Makeup31:26 Top Gear America Cars34:04 First Car Gen X Nostalgia35:33 Brat Pack Inspirations36:30 Cusack and Chevy Stories38:15 Why “Arthur” Hits Hard40:08 Grounded Absurd Comedy41:57 Choosing Roles and Auditions43:29 Writing Mysteries and Spies44:35 Lynch and Weird Worlds45:53 Children's Hospital Logic47:31 Indie Film Comeback Hopes52:48 The Seven Questions
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D.B. Sweeney | Crafting His Recipe
Apr 100:44:44Tap to summarizeOn this episode of “Story and Craft,” Marc sits down with actor and voiceover veteran DB Sweeney (“The Cutting Edge,” “Eight Men Out,” “Memphis Belle”) to talk career pivots, creative choices, and the long game of working in entertainment. DB shares what it was like training for “Memphis Belle” with retired SAS guys, flying in real B-17s. He opens up about growing up on Long Island, chasing baseball dreams at Tulane, discovering acting through theater, and getting launched by Francis Ford Coppola in “Gardens of Stone.” They also dig into DB’s work in voiceover run (Bud Light, Lincoln, Oprah’s network, and “Mountain Men”), his love of cooking, directing projects like “Two Tickets to Paradise,” and what he’s working on now, including “Red Ink,” and his current film, “Protector.”03:20 Memphis Belle Bootcamp05:13 B17 Death Star Tactics10:03 Voiceover Career Highlights12:34 Origin Story Long Island13:21 Tulane Baseball And New Orleans15:39 Cooking Signature Dishes19:54 Broadway Breakthrough21:10 Coppola Casting Break22:44 Baseball Roles and Heroes26:15 The Cutting Edge28:30 Movies Then and Now31:33 Directing and Next Projects33:52 The Seven Questions
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Olivia Taylor Dudley | Aliens & Nerdy Magic
Mar 2400:53:56Tap to summarizeOn this episode of “Story and Craft,” Marc sits down with actor and producer Olivia Taylor Dudley to talk sci-fi, horror, and why aliens have been a lifelong fascination — so much so that all three of her rescue dogs are named after extraterrestrial-inspired references, including SETI. Olivia breaks down how she “fell into” producing through early YouTube-era work on “Five Second Films.” She shares her unconventional path into acting, dropping out of school due to anxiety, moving to LA at 17, and finding structure and comfort on set. They dive into her new film “Touch Me,” a weird sci-fi/horror/comedy about an alien, and mental health themes, plus her time on “The Magicians,” voiceover/audiobook work, and why horror can feel comforting.02:53 Rescue Dogs and Hairless Breeds04:12 Producing and Wearing Many Hats05:43 ADHD and Loving the Edit07:45 Five Second Films Origins10:35 Patton Oswalt Connection11:32 Dropping Out and Moving to LA12:59 The Exorcist and Finding Acting15:29 Horror Sci Fi Upbringing17:52 SETI Aliens and Disclosure Talk21:12 Touch Me Alien Horror Comedy24:42 Family Background Horses and Ranch25:43 Grandma the Space Nerd26:03 Ranch Stargazing Mysteries27:46 Touch Me Origins32:33 Inside The Magicians35:24 Why Horror Works37:06 Theatrical Versus Streaming41:20 Upcoming Projects Update42:07 The Seven Questions
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Joel Church-Cooper | Home Runs & Dutch Treats
Mar 1601:25:39Tap to summarizeOn this episode of The Story & Craft Podcast, Marc Preston goes behind the curtain with producer/writer Joel Church-Cooper (“Going Dutch”, “Brockmire”, “Future Man”, “Undateable”) to talk about how TV comedy really gets made and how the business has changed. Joel shares his Northern California upbringing, film-nerd roots in the video store era, and the comedy influences that shaped him (“Kids in the Hall”, “Mr. Show”). They dig into big studio comedies, as well as how algorithms and “second-screen” viewing are reshaping storytelling. Joel breaks down the origins of “Going Dutch” (including the real Army base that inspired it), the evolution of “Brockmire”, working with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. It’s an engaging chat about what it takes to create great TV!03:29 Film Nerd Origins04:56 Video Store Era Stories13:21 Comedy Influences and Sketch Classics17:24 Public Access and Media Power26:02 Going Dutch and Algorithm Notes28:54 What He Watches Now33:15 Kids Movies and YouTube Brain Rot41:57 Chasing Authenticity42:33 Brockmeyer Origins49:05 Baseball as Existential Comedy51:07 Future Man Writers Room57:39 Why “Going Dutch” was set in The Netherlands01:01:36 Culture Clash Comedy01:03:13 The Seven Questions
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Kevin Kane | Shy Man’s Revenge
Feb 2300:51:12Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Story & Craft, we sit down with actor/director/writer/producer Kevin Kane. Kevin talks about growing up around Philly (and a stint in Myrtle Beach), catching the acting bug early thanks to a school report on Jimmy Cagney, and eventually moving to New York to chase theater and serious training. He breaks down studying Meisner at the William Esper Studio, how that tight-knit class bond turned into real creative momentum, and how he and Amy Schumer started working together - eventually leading to a long collaboration on projects like ”Inside Amy Schumer” and “Trainwreck.” Kevin also shares how he first got into the Dick Wolf universe, what it was like booking “Law & Order” early on (with Jerry Orbach encouraging him), and how guest spots on “SVU” ultimately helped lead to his role as Terry Bruno. Along the way they get into Philly’s Mummers Parade, comedy vs. drama, shy-kid-to-actor life, cops’ reactions to SVU, and working on ”The Irishman.”03:23 From Philly to Myrtle Beach: Growing Up in Seasonal Towns04:45 College Breakthrough: Acting Electives & Realizing It’s Possible06:17 Philly Traditions Explained: The Wild Mummers Parade09:41 Catching the Acting Bug: Jimmy Cagney, Old Movies & Film Obsessions11:41 ’80s/’90s Pop Culture, Music, and the Ice-T Connection14:43 Shy Kid to Performer: Barroom Stages, Fear, and Moving to New York16:23 Why New York (Not LA): Theater Dreams & Acting Heroes18:01 Comedy vs Drama: Versatility, SNL Era Influences & Finding Your Lane19:58 Family Reactions + “Acting Is a Shy Man’s Revenge”21:42 Training at William Esper Studio: Meisner Technique & Finding Your Tribe24:16 Meeting Amy Schumer: Showcase to Theater Company & Making Your Own Work26:10 Breaking into the Dick Wolf Universe: First Law & Order Audition27:17 SVU Guest Roles to Series Regular: Bonding with Mariska Hargitay28:18 Comedy Fundraisers to Inside Amy Schumer: Getting Pulled Into Sketch TV29:46 On the Trainwreck Set: Writing Alt Jokes with Judd Apatow33:27 Life on SVU in NYC: How Real Cops React to the Show34:15 Scorsese’s The Irishman: Fittings, De Niro, and Feeling Old in a ’90s Suit36:14 Actor vs. Multi-Hyphenate: Where the Work Feels Most Grueling37:41 The “Seven Questions”
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