The Stories We Tell Ourselves | Yoshinocast #16

Shuchi Talati is a filmmaker from India whose work challenges dominant narratives around gender, sexuality, and South Asian identity. Her feature film, Girls Will Be Girls, premiered at Sundance where it won an Audience Award and a Special Jury Award. Shuchi was a Gotham Awards Breakthrough Director nominee and a John Cassavetes Award nominee at the Spirit Awards. During development, Girls was supported by the Aide Aux Cinémas du Monde and Sørfond grants, Gotham Week, Berlinale Project Market and Script Station, and Cine Qua Non Script Lab. Shuchi’s short film, A Period Piece, was selected for SXSW and her film Mae and Ash won numerous awards before becoming a Vimeo Staff Pick. Shuchi’s documentary credits include story producing the Emmy-nominated film Being Mary Tyler Moore which premiered at SXSW. Shuchi also story produced the vérité series, We Are: The Brooklyn Saints, directed by Rudy Valdez for Netflix, and Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas for HBO, where one of her episodes was nominated for a GLAAD Award. She is a graduate of the American Film Institute and an alum of Berlinale Talents. She lives in NYC and is a member of the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective, the Bitchitra Collective, and the Freelance Solidarity Project. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Shuchi shares her childhood love for books, her exposure to Bollywood and Hollywood films, and her introduction to cinema in university (00:03:45) Making her first documentary (00:11:40) The influence of observation in storytelling (00:14:55) Interrogating values to harness a unique point of view (00:20:49) Learning then unlearning techniques in film school and her project “Me and Ash” (00:25:29) Capitalism vs. creative expression (00:27:50) Shuchi’s writing/directing process for “Girls Will Be Girls,” and giving oneself space to mature with the process (00:30:43) Discussing alternative ways of living (00:38:47) A discussion on relationships, vulnerability, and the complexity of human behavior (00:55:06) Shuchi’s daily habits, teaching screenwriting, creative accountability, and the importance of a creative community (01:08:47) Shuchi’s decision to quit using social media (01:20:43) artistdecoded.com shuchitalati.com  

Landon Van Soest is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Fulbright Scholar, and two-time Sundance Fellow. His work presents social commentary through rich characters and immersive narratives. Landon recently directed the Hulu Original Documentary The Jewel Thief, which was the #1 most viewed movie on Hulu worldwide in the summer of 2023. His previous documentary, For Ahkeem, premiered at the 2017 Berlinale and Tribeca Film Festivals, won seven Best Documentary awards, opened theatrically in ten cities, and is being distributed by The Orchard and Amazon. His first documentary, Good Fortune, was broadcast on the award-winning PBS series POV, where it received an Emmy Award, the Witness Award for Human Rights and the Overseas Press Club’s Carl Spielvogel Award. Landon is a founder of the not-for-profit Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective and co-founder of Transient Pictures, where he has collaborated with non-profits and brands including Toyota, UNICEF, eBay, Facebook, 23andMe, Lincoln Center, ABC, National Geographic and PBS. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Landon’s introduction to filmmaking (00:02:06) Skateboarding’s influence on culture and creative expression (00:04:31)  Landon describes his mindset on approaching his creative projects (00:11:49)  Discussion about Landon’s film Light, Darkness, Light and its conceptual roots (00:13:30)  How Landon chooses which projects he wants to work on (00:38:30)  Yoshino and Landon speak about the process of letting go (00:46:48)  Landon recounts the making of The Jewel Thief on Hulu, the story of master criminal Gerald Blanchard (00:49:15)  Yoshino and Landon discuss the importance of starting projects, evolving through them, and staying authentic to one’s interests (01:00:51) artistdecoded.com transientpictures.com/ instagram.com/landonvansoest  

Growing up in Northern California, Jacob Rosenberg developed his passion for video and film as a skateboarder in the early 1990s, making acclaimed videos for Plan B Skateboards under the mentorship of the late founder Mike Ternasky. Upon his graduation from Emerson College, Rosenberg began his professional career directing music videos, short films, and commercials where he has directed and produced talent names such as LeBron James, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg, and Latto. Rosenberg served for a decade as a partner at the independent studio Bandito Brothers, spearheading forward-thinking digital workflows as their CTO and in-house director. He contributed expertise to productions such as Avatar and Act of Valor as well as numerous documentaries including Shine A Light and S.O.P.. In 2012, Rosenberg’s directorial debut, Waiting for Lightning, premiered at SXSW, going on to be released by Samuel Goldwyn Films. The documentary feature painted an intimate portrait of childhood friend and skateboard legend Danny Way, who in 2005 attempted to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard. With a penchant for telling deeply human stories, Rosenberg’s documentaries range on subjects from land speed racing to skateboarding, photography, technology, and the world of magician Franco Pascali. His award-winning broadcast work has included campaigns for Ford, INFINITI, HUMMER, NBA, MLB, Royal Caribbean, Burger King, Beats, Advil, Intel, and countless others. Rosenberg’s latest works include co-curating a first-of-its-kind museum exhibit on the emergence of skateboard videos in the 1990s at The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, as well as his first photo book RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES, documenting a decade of Bay Area hip-hop and skate culture. The book focuses on Jacob’s story, coming up as a filmmaker for Plan B and then a photographer for the rap collective Hieroglyphics—which culminated in filming, editing, and directing their first group music video “You Never Knew” in 1998. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Jacob speaks about his new book, Right Before My Eyes (00:09:32) Magic, childlike curiosity, and the film “The Red Balloon” (00:13:19) Jacob shares his experience creating “Waiting For Lightning,” a documentary about skateboarder Danny Way (00:18:51) Jacob reflects on how creative pursuits helped him navigate childhood trauma (00:22:08) Finding acceptance through skateboarding (00:29:52) Jacob opens up about childhood trauma and how it fostered his ability to empathize with others (00:38:14) Yoshino shares how teaching boxing to kids highlights their natural embrace of diversity, connecting it to skateboarding’s cultural inclusivity (00:40:42) Jacob reflects on how childhood influences like Star Wars and Public Enemy shaped his creativity (00:52:09) Jacob recounts meeting his mentor, Mike Ternasky (Co-Founder of Plan B and H Street Skateboards), at a skate camp in 1988 (00:58:04) How authenticity and small acts of kindness create meaningful connections (01:04:56) The conversation explores empathy as a counter to divisiveness in politics and mass media (01:07:46) Yoshino reflects on experiencing racism while traveling (01:18:15) Jacob discusses creating Plan B’s iconic skate videos: Questionable, Virtual Reality, and Secondhand Smoke (01:21:54) Jacob highlights a museum exhibit celebrating 1990s skateboarding videos as cultural and documentary art (01:32:10) Joan Scheckel and her embodied storytelling technique (01:35:36) The importance of open-hearted living and artists staying fearlessly present during turbulent times (01:41:53) Yoshino and Jacob admire the subtle storytelling in Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days (01:51:07) Jacob discusses his book Right Before My Eyes, chronicling his growth as a filmmaker and skateboarding’s evolution from 1988 to 1998 (01:58:28) Yoshino and Jacob explore how modern technology overwhelms and disconnects, emphasizing slowing down and finding grounding in nature and analog experiences (02:03:57) artistdecoded.com jacobrosenberg.tv/shop instagram.com/jacobrosenberg    

Joshua Hagler (b. 1979, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho) is a first-generation graduate with a graphic design degree from The University of Arizona. A 2018 grant recipient of the Roswell Artist in Residence Program, Hagler has since made New Mexico his permanent home. Currently, he lives with his wife and daughter in the high desert village of Placitas at the foot of the Sandia Mountains. In recent years, his practice has been guided by an approach he calls Nihil, a set of nine self-imposed principles that have grown out of solitary excursions throughout the state. These principles determine all aspects of the work from its imagery and process to the media and objects comprising it. Concept and meaning, as such, naturally unfold out of synchronistic experiences occurring over time. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Romanticizing solitude and isolation (00:05:53) Joshua describes his meditative practice (00:09:06) Yoshino reflects on how names and labels impact our perception of reality (00:14:15) Joshua discusses his project “Nihil” (00:17:24) How Joshua’s personal grief has shaped his work (00:23:28) Joshua and Yoshino share personal anecdotes and experiences with encountering spiritual signs (00:29:41) Yoshino discusses the challenge of describing spiritual experiences. Joshua adds that people often exist in a projected reality, shaped by narratives and labels, which sometimes diverge from actual reality (00:46:21) Exploring ideas around purpose (00:51:23) The danger of equating success with self-worth (00:58:39) Joshua shares his experiences about how his project “Nihil” began and ended (01:17:45) Yoshino uses the metaphor of the “Easter egg” in video games to explain an artist’s desire for others to understand the depth of their work (01:25:41) The benefits of living in simplicity and not being attached to outcomes (01:30:47) Joshua shares a recent interaction with a younger artist, offering advice on handling the pressures of age and expected timelines (01:37:59) artistdecoded.com joshuahagler.com instagram.com/aemenededeen

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino’s Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios x.com/yoshinostudios

“As an artist, I am interested in observing the transmutation process of unconscious material moving into conscious awareness. I work in painting, photography, writing, performance and video. My paintings utilize inner visions and depth psychology to form works layered with symbolism and metaphor. In photography, I employ an experimental process on film that focuses on Jungian Intuitive and Feeling typology. By blurring, altering or disrupting the straight forward information in a photograph, the image moves from analysis to an abstraction - allowing the viewer’s point of focus to relax, moving closer to the body and the Self. This subtle shift of perception is why I describe my photographs as Portals of Feeling.” Nouel Riel is a Los Angeles based Artist. Following many years performing as a competitive gymnast she earned a full athletic scholarship to The University of Minnesota. There she studied Apparel Design, continuing that focus at The Art Institute of Portland. Since receiving her BFA from Santa Fe University of Art and Design in 2014, she has shown in solo and group exhibitions in Santa Fe, NM, Los Angeles, New York, and London. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Yoshino and Nouel reconnect after not seeing each other for over four years (00:06:30)  Nouel reads The Layers by Stanley Kunitz, and the conversation explores the poem’s meaning and personal resonance for her (00:08:23)  How Yoshino and Nouel met (00:13:05)  Archetypes and Jungian psychology (00:18:56)  Nouel talks about her background in competitive gymnastics (00:24:24)  Finding art as a tool for self-discovery and healing (00:38:52)  Giving a voice for our dark energy and integrating with our shadow-self (00:48:38)  Embracing different types of intelligences and trying to not take things personally (00:56:23)  Exploring loneliness and how it could relate to the missing connection with the Devine feminine and masculine (01:08:20) Nostalgia, popular culture, and the perception of self (01:25:21) The importance of representation in mass media and Yoshino’s personal experiences dealing with racism (01:32:12) artistdecoded.com nouelriel.com instagram.com/nouelriel

Sah D'Simone is a dynamic spiritual leader and global humanitarian who has made profound contributions to mental health, spirituality, and social welfare. As the founder of the Somatic Dance Institute and creator of the Somatic Activated Healing (SAH) Method, he has empowered millions to heal from trauma and foster spiritual growth. Sah's work extends across multiple fields, from his role as a spiritual teacher to his achievements as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, published author, and host of the podcast Solving the Riddle of Being Human. Blending Buddhist practices, contemplative psychotherapy, kinesthetic learning, and clinical spiritual care training from Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Sah’s trauma-informed approach has earned worldwide acclaim. His holistic perspective informs his humanitarian efforts, which have garnered recognition like the City of Los Angeles CARE Award. A prominent figure in media, Sah has been featured in major publications and has spoken at esteemed institutions such as Columbia University and the United Nations. Through his innovative healing methods, bestselling books, and transformative retreats, Sah continues to bridge the gap between spirituality, mental health, and social consciousness, impacting lives globally. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Sah’s early life in Brazil (00:04:00)  Immigrating to the U.S. at 16 and the cultural transition (00:06:57)  Grief, loss, and the impact of losing his mother (00:12:16)  The Camino de Santiago (00:20:03)  Traveling, becoming nomadic, and understanding personal values (00:36:36)  Trusting ourselves and listening to intuition (00:42:12)  Training in martial arts to overcome inner demons (00:43:23) Co-founding Bullett Magazine and working in fashion (00:53:22)  His newest book, Spiritually We (01:06:28)  Advice for seeking connection and dealing with loneliness (01:14:37) artistdecoded.com sahdsimone.com instagram.com/sahdsimone tiktok.com/@sahdsimone

When I was a child, I was repulsed by my father’s smoking addiction. I can still smell the acrid scent of his clothes, laden with a residual stench that never quite went away. He used to carry an old handkerchief in his front shirt pocket. Even at a young age, I thought it was odd when he would blow his nose into it and then stuff it back. I found it even more disgusting when he would spit on it and then subsequently wipe my face with the same putrid handkerchief. I felt a sense of betrayal enter my body whenever he would do this. Maybe he thought of me as some sort of sick puppy, like how a dog licks the fur of it’s young as an act of compassion. Perhaps his dad did the same thing to him too? I guess I’ll never know. Around the age of six or seven, I asked my father if he would quit smoking. He replied, “I will quit when you turn nine.” Can you guess what happened when my ninth birthday came around? This cycle of broken promises continued for the next few years until he and my mother divorced when I was 14. That same year he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. When I was 16, I visited him at my grandmother's house. I opened the front door and locked eyes with him. He was ecstatic to tell me a story about where he had recently traveled. I was confused because he wasn't allowed to go anywhere unsupervised by this point. “Son... I have to take you to this place! We... we were traveling in a helicopter to this beautiful remote island. There were all types of dinosaurs there. From brontosaurus to pterodactyl... I even saw a T-Rex!!!” It was such an absurd thing to say; it took me a while to process what he was telling me. “Dad... are you talking about Jurassic Park??”  “You've been there already!” he replied with a sense of disappointment on his face. After this instance, I rarely visited him. My mother had custody over me, so I watched him from afar as he slowly began to deteriorate. It was a confusing emotional time for me back then. Looking back now, I know I distanced myself as a defense mechanism. I was ashamed of what my father was going through. While other fathers seemed to be present in their children’s lives, mine was dwindling away, becoming a fragment of his former self. I didn't understand what he was going through then. How could I have? I remember a few family members telling me I would regret not visiting him more before he passed away. But to be honest, I don't regret distancing myself. After his death, I learned about my father's checkered past. I'm still processing the things I found out about him—how he was a gambler, a womanizer, and a failed businessman. He lived his life in ways I disagree with. In many ways, I have tried to be the exact opposite of him. The photos you see here were taken for several reasons. First, I find the graphics on these cigarette packages to be disturbing, hilarious, and problematic at the same time. The disclaimers are, for lack of a better term, utter bullshit. The cigarette companies don't care about the health of the people who purchase them. But I guess that's a symptom of living in a society that values predatory capitalism. Finally, these photos are for you, Dad. May you rest in peace. I'll see you in the next life so we can reconcile our differences. Hopefully. _ Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded.  Yoshino’s essay “Cancer Sticks” can be read at Yoshino’s Diary on Substack. Yoshino’s Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Jia Sung is a Singaporean Chinese artist and educator whose practice spans painting, artist books, textiles, printmaking, writing, and translation. Drawing on motifs from Chinese mythology and Buddhist iconography, Sung uses the familiar visual language of folklore to examine and subvert conventional archetypes of femininity, queerness and otherness. Her recent work explores threads of ecofeminism, ethnoecology, the ecological capacities of the body, invasive species as family, and the potentials of collective and constant human transformation through interspecies dynamics. Her approach draws from that of the Chinese zhiguai tradition, that genre of ‘strange tales’ cannot be translated directly through the lens of horror. The supernatural, the monstrous, the spiritual, seep into the tidy confines of ordinary existence, often humorous, arbitrary, smearing at the boundaries of our reality and then slinking away just as rapidly. Here is shapeshifter, here is trickster, things that inhabit liminal space and refuse to be held in place or form; the profane invades the interior, wilderness enters the domestic space, phenomena defy causation and morality, creature refutes taxonomy. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Jia’s childhood, early influences, and why she chose to dedicate her life to the arts (00:06:14) Formative books, films, and mythologies for Jia, Jennifer, and Yoshino (00:08:05) Art as a lifestyle and sketching/journaling as a form of expression (00:15:52) Jia explains her experiences going to RISD (00:17:03) Teaching art and guiding students – Jia shares her approach to teaching, focusing on personal expression over technique (00:18:46) Returning to unfinished work (00:22:42) Balancing chaos and creativity – reflections on how emotional turmoil can fuel or take away from creative work (00:28:11) Identity, ego, and output in art – how artists' identities are tied to their creative output and the challenges that brings (00:33:32) Discussing various levels of consciousness (00:40:44) Challenges of art school and institutional expectations – Jia reflects on the pressures and baggage that come from a formal art education (00:43:48) Breaking away from art jargon and structured critique to find a personal voice (00:54:27)  Lightheartedly discussing astrology (01:04:04) The Artist Decoded Tarot and Jia’s “The Trickster’s Journey” tarot (01:10:27) Discussing the potential future of AI (01:18:17)  Jia’s advice to her younger self (01:30:41) Episode co-host: Jennifer Sodini artistdecoded.com jia-sung.com instagram.com/jiazilla

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino’s Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios