5AM StoryTalk

How do you survive 35 years in rock 'n' roll when the music industry's definition of success is a trap that can destroy you?Musician TIM ROGERS—front man of iconic Aussie band You Am I—looks back with an unvarnished eye at a career that includes hit albums, acting for stage and screen, a memoir, and, most recently, getting inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. He breaks down his early days in the trenches of the 90s music scene, the heavy toll of chasing other people's measure of success, and discovering that the greatest, most enduring joy for an artist is still writing a song just for yourself.Learn more about Tim here: https://tim-rogers.com.au/JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: BULL DURHAM (1988)Tim returns to break down a seminal piece of art from his own life. What would make an Aussie fall so in love with a film about America’s Favorite Past Time?UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/tim-rogers-breaks-down-bull-durhamUNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE:TIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tin Rogers cover photo by Jason Rosewarne.

What happens when a screenwriter finally catches a break? In this personal check-in, I discuss the sudden return of creative momentum after some major life changes, the hidden costs of building a life around storytelling, career volatility in film/TV today, what I’ve been watching that’s blown me away (like ‘Digger’), and much more.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: ⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠LINKS:▪︎ Learn more about Cole Haddon's 1-on-1 Mentorship Opportunities for Screenwriters, Authors, and Substack Creators (and book your own!): https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/1-on-1-story-mentorship-5am-storytalk▪︎ Read "'Digger': How to Make a Film About How Terrible Your Audience Is": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/digger-how-to-make-a-film-about-how-terrible-your-audience-is▪︎ Read "How ‘Digger’ Controls the Narrative (And What Screenwriters Can Learn From It)": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/how-digger-controls-the-narrativeTIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing): https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]⁠CREDITS:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by Cary Brothers: ⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠

Hollywood and critics alike want you to believe Alejandro González Iñárritu’s DIGGER, starring Tom Cruise, is a failure in every respect—a satire with nothing to say that audiences were right to ignore.They’re completely missing the point.Beneath its glossy Hollywood exterior lies a relentless Russian nesting doll of a film designed to challenge the very role of cinema in our corporate-fascist state. It isn't just taking aim at billionaires; it’s setting a deliberate trap for the exact culture-goers sitting in the theater seats.In today's episode, we unpack why 'Digger' may be one of the most important and dangerous films of the 21st century, why film critics were so quick to bury it, and what its structure reveals about our relationship to modern art.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: ⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: "How ‘Digger’ Controls the Narrative (And What Screenwriters Can Learn From It)"I break down 'Digger’s' unique, six-layer Russian nesting doll structure to show how Digger weaponizes narrative control and stages a dangerous conversation between artists, corporate gatekeepers, and the audience about "who controls the narrative".UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/how-digger-controls-the-narrativeUNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-digger-controls-the-narrative-and-what/id1807437928?i=1000796609345LINKS:▪︎ Read "Cinema of Denial: Arrested Development in 21st-Century Film": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/the-tension-of-becoming-at-the-endTIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing): https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]⁠CREDITS:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by Cary Brothers: ⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠

How do you forge a successful Hollywood career when every project you write or direct takes chances that could blow it up?Filmmaker PAUL WEITZ looks back across a 30-year 'distressingly diverse' career that has gone from generation-defining sex comedy ('American Pie'), to Oscar-nominated drama ('About a Boy'), to creating genre-defying sci-fi TV ('Murderbot'). He’ll break down his secret origin, kamikaze approach to storytelling, and the creative machinery behind the upcoming 'Murderbot' Season 2 – all while pulling back the curtain on the actual mechanics of the screenwriting and directing crafts, navigating the unpredictable business of the studio system, and sustaining a fearless, long-haul career that actually pays off.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: "THE HEFTY NEIL STORY" from 'SCTV" (1977)Paul returns to break down a seminal piece of art from his life — an iconic episode-long sketch from “SCTV” called “The Hefty Neil Story”, starring John Candy, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, and many others. Hefty Neil helped define his sense of comedy!UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/paul-weitz-john-candy-sctv-hefty-neil-storyUNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-weitz-breaks-down-the-hefty-neil-story-from-sctv/id1807437928?i=1000791050799TIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

AI, climate change, fascism, and forever wars are changing how we think, decimating our mental health, and warping our imaginations and art. The day-to-day struggle to create meaningful work during what feels like—and very likely could be—the end of the world is relentless. But it's also more necessary than ever. Today's episode marks the start of 5AM StoryTalk's ongoing attempt to help us reckon with this existential nightmare as artists and human beings.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: ⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠TIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing):⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]⁠CREDITS:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by Cary Brothers: ⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠

Hollywood spent two decades turning the movie theater into a safe, predictable experience, and it's finally backfiring.Young adults are actively ditching algorithmic feeds and the inauthenticity of AI for weird, deeply personal, non-IP films, turning a simple night out into a frontline skirmish against digital conformity. From David Lynch retrospectives to indie cinema that prioritizes reality over comforting corporate fantasy, a genuine counter-culture is brewing in the dark and, thankfully, Hollywood is unequipped to stop it.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: ⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠LINKS:▪︎ Learn more about my novel 'Psalms for the End of the World': https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/read-the-first-chapter-of-my-debutTIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing):⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]⁠CREDITS:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by Cary Brothers: ⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠

What happens when you're told to believe you can fly, only to be brought crashing back to Earth by the box office?On the 20th anniversary of SUPERMAN RETURNS, BRANDON ROUTH takes a nostalgic and honest look back at the Man of Steel. He opens up about the surreal reality of landing his dream role, the struggle and depression that followed being recast, and the closure he found through fans and getting to play Superman one last time during the CW's Arrowverse crossover 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982)Brandon returns to break down Jim Henson and Frank Oz's 'The Dark Crystal'...a seminal film from his life that reprogrammed his creative imagination, ignited a lifelong passion for fantasy, and even helps explain the importance of Superman to him — and the world — today.UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/brandon-routh-dark-crystal-jim-hensonUNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brandon-routh-breaks-down-the-dark-crystal/id1807437928?i=1000784006899TIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

When did going to the movies become a digital holy war?A look at the tribalistic fallout over Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey', Emily Wilson's review and my viral response to it, and why staking our identities on artists and artworks like 'Star Wars' and Nolan is ruining the way we talk about culture. JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,600+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/LINKS:Read "Emily Wilson's Christopher Nolan Hit Piece Is Painfully Transparent": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/emily-wilson-christopher-nolan-odyssey-hit-pieceRead "'The Odyssey': How Christopher Nolan Adapted a 2,700-Year-Old Epic": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/the-odyssey-christopher-nolan-screenplay-breakdownTIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing):https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddonSOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/Cole Haddon @ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.com/ColehaddonwashereEMAIL:[email protected]:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by Cary Brothers: https://www.carybrothers.com/

Genre filmmaking is all about taking simple premises and turning them into high-impact scares.GREG MCLEAN (writer-director of 'Wolf Creek' and 'Rogue') breaks down how to build relentless tension, develop iconic horror characters, and turn tight premises into unforgettable feature scripts.JOIN THE COMMUNITY!Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: ALIEN (1979)Greg returns to break down a seminal piece of art from his own life that still informs every cinematic decision he makes today. A masterclass in horror.UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/director-greg-mclean-alien-horror-masterclassUNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/director-greg-mclean-on-alien-subscriber-exclusive/id1807437928?i=1000777663617IN THIS EPISODE: Greg McLean ('The Belko Experiment', 'Territory') breaks down genre filmmaking, building relentless tension, crafting iconic horror characters, discussing the film he wishes he could erase from his filmography, and turning tight premises into unforgettable scripts by manipulating audience psychology.TIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription? You can also “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Taking a vacation from the desk can be a recipe for disaster for a workaholic writer like me. Here’s why taking two weeks off triggered a massive 5:30 AM anxiety attack!Fresh off a family holiday that forced me to confront my need for daily writing to stay sane, I'm breaking down my panic spiral over my career backlog, an update on my new feature spec notes and TV pilot commission, plus my thoughts on finally watching the first season of "Shrinking".JOIN THE COMMUNITY! Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/ON THE ITINERARY:MY VACATION PANIC SPIRAL: Why stepping away from the desk for two weeks triggered a 5:30 AM anxiety attack about my career.WRITING AS MY MEDICINE: Daily pages aren't a choice for me — they're a requirement to keep me sane.SPEC & COMMISSION UPDATES: Where things stand with my new feature spec and the status of my TV pilot rewrite.DIVING INTO 'SHRINKING': My reaction to finally catching up on Apple TV's comedy-drama.BUKOWSKI’S BRUTAL TRUTH: A quote from the great poet to help you on your creative journey.TIP JAR:Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:Follow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EMAIL:⁠[email protected]:5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠