Origin Story
Phillip Russell, Ben Thorp
Origin Story is a conversational podcast that interviews creators about their lives, their work, and what's fueling their creations. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp.
Study Hall 8: Killers of the Flower Moon
In this episode of Study Hall, returning guest Joe Ostrander (of The Joeys fame) helps unpack the Killers of the Flower Moon. Does Scorsese still have the juice? When is the best time to pee during this movie? Should Joe be tried at the Hague for his current top ten 2023 movies list? These questions and so much more on the latest episode of Study Hall.Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpVisit our website: Originstory.showFollow us on Twitter @originstory_Find Joe's (mid) Letterboxd here. Do y
Nov 7, 2023 • 1:19:26
Jacob Geller on the Evolution of Video Essays and Games Criticism
Jacob Geller is a YouTube video-essayist whose work grapples with video games, history, politics, empathy, and more. Recently his criticism has engaged with the politics of climate change and art in the pre-apocalypse as well as media preservation in the digital age.We talked with him about video essays as an art form and what it means that they are the most popular form of criticism. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpYou can learn more about Jacob Geller here.Visit our website: Originstory
Oct 24, 2023 • 1:17:54
Christine Lai (Landscapes) on How Art Endures Even After Apocalypse
Christine Lai grew up in Canada and lived in England for six years during graduate studies. She holds a PhD in English Literature from University College London. Landscapes was shortlisted for the inaugural Novel Prize. Christine currently lives in Vancouver.We talk to Christine about Landscapes and our enduring relationship to art - even at the end of the world. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpYou can learn more about Christine Lai here.Visit our website: Originstory.showFollow us on Twi
Oct 3, 2023 • 1:18:25
Jamel Brinkley (Witness) on Bearing Witness and How to Write a Good Ending
Jamel Brinkley is the author of a new short story collection called Witness and previously published the short story collection A Lucky Man which was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Story Prize, the John Leonard Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; and winner of a PEN Oakland Award and the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. His writing has appeared in A Public Space, Ploughshares, The Paris Review, American Short Fiction, Guernica
Aug 1, 2023 • 1:26:54
Study Hall 7: Across the Spiderverse
In this episode of Study Hall, returning guest Joe Ostrander (of The Joeys fame) helps unpack the Spiderverse. Can two lit majors finally make peace with the canon? Will Miles Morales be forced into a flesh-and-blood body? What was Pter Ptarker's canon event, anyway? Find the answers to these questions and more on the latest episode of Study Hall. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp Visit our website: Originstory.show Follow us on Twitter @originstory_ Do you have feedback or questions for
Jun 29, 2023 • 1:00:52
Hannah Nicklin (Salt Sea Chronicles) on Ensemble Storytelling and Building Equitable Workplaces
Hannah Nicklin is the creative director at Die Gute Fabrik, an award-winning game studio based in Denmark. Their latest game, Salt Sea Chronicles, was recently announced to release later this year. Hannah previously worked on the narrative design, writing, and production of the game Mutazione.Outside of making games, Hannah is an artist and performer, her book Writing for Games: Theory & Practices released through CRC Press in 2022 and she also holds a PhD in interactive practices as anti-capita
Jun 27, 2023 • 1:35:09
Victor LaValle (Lone Women) on the Power of Monsters, and Writing a Different Kind of Historical Fiction Novel
Victor LaValle is the author of a short story collection, five novels, and is also the creator and writer of two comic books. His novel, The Changeling, will soon be airing on Apple TV+ starring LaKeith Stanfield.He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the World Fantasy Award, British Fantasy Award, Bram Stoker Award, Whiting Writers' Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship,and many more.We talk with Victor LaValle about his newest novel, Lone Women, a historical fiction novel about a Blac
Jun 13, 2023 • 1:33:57
Josh Sawyer (Pentiment) on Art, History and What Will Be Remembered
Josh Sawyer is a studio design director for Obsidian Entertainment. He has worked as the director on Pentiment, Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, and Fallout: New Vegas. His most recent title, Pentiment, has won numerous awards including the Nebula for best game writing and best narrative and game of the year at the Game Developers Choice Awards. Pentiment is a historical narrative-driven game focusing on character development, heavily stylized art, and choice-driven storytelling in early 16th centu
May 31, 2023 • 1:22:37
Austin Walker (Possibility Space) On What Makes Good Criticism
Austin Walker is the IP Director at the game studio Possibility Space. He has an extensive background in gaming journalism and criticism. He holds a Masters in Aesthetics and Politics from CalArts and also served as the Editor in Chief for Waypoint and Host of Waypoint Radio. Since 2014, Austin has hosted the popular tabletop roleplaying podcast Friends at the Table, and co-host the Star Wars podcast A More Civilized Age.We talked with Austin about his approach to criticism, his move to game dev
May 9, 2023 • 2:12:40
Study Hall 6: Where'd Everyone Go? Bingo?
In this episode of Study Hall, Ben and Phil talk about Resident Evil. Specifically, the new release of Resident Evil 4 Remake, how it holds up compared to the original and how Ben is getting a little scared while playing Resident Evil 2 Remake. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp Visit our website: Originstory.show Follow us on Twitter @originstory_ Do you have feedback or questions for us? Email us theoriginstorypod@gmail.com Cover art and website design by Melody Hirsch Original Study Hall
Apr 18, 2023 • 30:44
Study Hall 5: The End of Englishgelion
We're back to shoot the shit about what we're reading, playing, and watching. Why The Black Count by Tom Reiss rules and a long discussion of The End of the English Major. Come listen. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp Visit our website: Originstory.show Follow us on Twitter @originstory_ Do you have feedback or questions for us? Email us theoriginstorypod@gmail.com Cover art and website design by Melody Hirsch Original Study Hall Art by J. Dylan Denison Origin Story original score by Ryan
Apr 5, 2023 • 1:02:24
Natalie Watson (Immortality) on the State of Games Criticism and Transitioning into Games Development
Natalie Watson is a producer at Half Mermaid Productions where she worked on Immortality. Previously she was a games critic for Vice’s games outlet Waypoint. She also co-owns the successful Star Wars podcast "A More Civilized Age” alongside former editor-in-chief Austin Walker, Rob Zacnay, and Ali Acampora.We talked to Natalie about her work on Immortality, the games journalist to game dev pipeline, and the absolute state of games criticism in 2023. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpEpisode
Mar 9, 2023 • 1:26:11
Xalavier Nelson Jr. (Strange Scaffold) on Creating a More Sustainable Games Industry
Xalavier Nelson Jr. is a writer and narrative designer who also founded the game studio Strange Scaffold. He is most well known for titles such as Hypnospace Outlaw, Can Androids Pray, An Airport For Aliens Currently Run By Dogs, and more. He’s currently working on titles such as Sunshine Shuffle, and the neo-noir shooter El Paso, Elsewhere.We talked to Xalavier about trying to create sustainability in the games industry, why games are the best way to explore how systems work, and why he says "f
Feb 7, 2023 • 1:07:23
Study Hall 4: Some of us are very happy now
It's a new year and Phil has a new job and a new lease on life. We give a general life update and see whether the new job offers any new insights into game dev. Plus a look back on some of our fave things of 2022 and one of the games we're both enjoying right now: Chained Echoes. Come listen. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp Visit our website: Originstory.show Follow us on Twitter @originstory_ Do you have feedback or questions for us? Email us theoriginstorypod@gmail.com Cover art and we
Jan 26, 2023 • 37:26
Welcome to the Joeys: "let Batman be a weird little freak"
Come one, come all to an episode where we introduce and announce the Joey awards. Named after special guest Joe Ostrander, who represents the entire voting body of the Joeys, we discuss his picks for best movies, performances, and directors of the year. It may *seem* a lot like the Oscars but no, it's absolutely not, it's the Joeys. You can follow Joe Ostrander on Letterboxd @ostyghosty Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp Visit our website: Originstory.show Follow us on Twitter @originstory_
Dec 29, 2022 • 1:35:09
Study Hall 3: Witches, Robots, and Mercenaries
"Study Hall," a series of short conversations between Ben, Phil, and people they admire about a particular work or what's fueling their creative lives right now. Expect informal conversations with new and familiar names in the games, film, music, and writing world. Think of it like an audio newsletter, a taste of what we're up to off the air, now recorded. This week we talk about a new Senegalese revenge thriller called Saloum, and then the new Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from M
Oct 18, 2022 • 23:13
Sam Barlow (Immortality) On Games As Imperfect Immortality Machines
Sam Barlow is the writer and director of Immortality, Telling Lies, and Her Story and the founder of the Half Mermaid production company. His most recent games are interactive fiction experiences that allow players to search through archives of footage such as police interrogations and video calls. Sam’s latest game, Immortality, asks players to comb through footage from three unreleased movies to uncover what happened to actress named Marissa Marcel.We spoke with Sam about the untapped possibil
Oct 11, 2022 • 1:26:31
Graham Parkes (Before Your Eyes) On Turning Blinks into a Game Mechanic
Graham Parkes is the Writer and Creative Director of Before Your Eyes, a game about the fleeting nature of life that garnered attention because of its eye-tracking technology and the integration of blinks into the narrative of the gameplay.We talk to Graham about trying to capture the fleeting nature of life in a video game. We also discuss how Graham felt he and his friends working on the project needed to grow up before they could tell the story they wanted to in the game. Plus, an OS classic:
Sep 21, 2022 • 1:10:26
Study Hall 2: How to get Xenoblade brainworms with Autumn Wright
In the second episode of Study Hall, we're diving into the Xenoblade series with writer Autumn Wright. Autumn has written extensively about the Xenoblade games, including with their coverage of Xenoblade 3 for Polygon. We talk with Autumn about what drew them into the series, why you have to go all in on the games, and how to know if you're susceptible to Xenoblade brain worms. Follow Autumn on Twitter @TheAutumnWright Visit our website: Originstory.show Follow us on Twitter @originstory_ Do you
Sep 13, 2022 • 39:20
Gareth Damian Martin (Citizen Sleeper) On Creating More Meaningful Choices in RPGs
Episode DescriptionGareth Damien Martin (They/Them) is an award-winning writer, designer and artist. Their first game, In Other Waters won the Jury Prix at IndieCade Europe.Most recently, they’ve released the critically acclaimed role playing game Citizen Sleeper which places players in the role of an escape worker on a lawless space station on the edge of interstellar society and explores themes around capitalism, gig work, precarity, and more.We talk to Gareth about the genesis of Citizen Slee
Sep 6, 2022 • 1:24:00
Neil Jones (Never Yield) on Listening to Fan Feedback and the State of Indie Game Development
Episode DescriptionNeil Jones is a game artist currently working out of Detroit, MI. Jones is an artist and game designer who worked on indie titles like Clique and Aerial Knight’s Never Yield.Neil garnered a lot of attention after his game was featured as part of Nintendo's 2021 indie world showcase.We talk with him about creating new DLC for Never Yield through listening to fan feedback, and the trials and tribulations of indie game development today.Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpEpis
Aug 23, 2022 • 52:28
Study Hall 1: Dark Souls, Dragon's Dogma, and Berserk
We present you our new side show "Study Hall," a series of short conversations between Ben, Phil, and people they admire about a particular work or what's fueling their creative lives right now. Expect informal conversations with new and familiar names in the games, film, music, and writing world. Think of it like an audio newsletter, a taste of what we're up to off the air, now recorded.Visit our website: Originstory.showFollow us on Twitter @originstory_Do you have feedback or questions for us
Aug 17, 2022 • 46:33
Eric Obenauf and Eliza Wood-Obenauf (Two Dollar Radio) on Defining the Voice of an Indie Press
After years of working in the service industry, Eric Obenauf had an idea for an indie press that opened up space to publish bold, edgy, new voices he admired in the literature he loved. With the help of his wife Eliza the couple created Two Dollar Radio.Two Dollar Radio is an indie press founded in 2005 with the mission to reaffirm the cultural and artistic spirit of the publishing industry.With an aim to publish bold works of literary merit, each book, individually and collectively, provides a
Aug 10, 2022 • 1:06:42
Devin McKnight (Maneka) on Creating More Than Just "Sad Boy" Music
Devin McKnight is a musician and songwriter currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Previously hes played guitar in rock projects such as Speedy Ortiz, Grass is Green, and Philadelphia Collins. At the moment, his main focus is the rock band he fronts, Maneka(Monica), which fuses elements of jazz, improvisation, math rock and shoegaze. Under this project he’s released three records Is This You, Devin, and most recently Dark Matters.We talk to Devin about creating his new record "Dark Matters," the chall
Jul 26, 2022 • 59:21
Abhi (Venba) on How Food Brings Family Together and Going All in On Game Development
Abhi is a Game Designer and Programmer working on his new narrative cooking game, Venba. Together with his Sam Elkana, the Art Director for the game, the two head Visai Studios, based in Toronto-based.Venba is a narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian immigrant mom, who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Players will cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations and explore in this story about family, love, loss and more.We talked with Abh
Jul 12, 2022 • 1:01:00
Chandana Ekanayake (Falcon Age) on Creating a More Diverse and Inclusive Games Studio and Industry
Chandana Ekanayake is the Co-Founder and Studio Director at Outerloop Games and has over twenty years of experience as a video game designer and art director. Outerloop's first game Falcon Age is a sci-fi VR action adventure about raising a baby falcon and reclaiming a cultural legacy from a force of automated colonizers. Outerloop’s second game, Thirsty Suitors, is a stylish, story-driven adventure that unfolds through turn-based battles, skateboarding, and cooking and is slated for release thi
Jun 28, 2022 • 1:12:39
John Elizabeth Stintzi (My Volcano) On Writing A Doomscroll Novel And Finding Humanity In The Absurd
JES (John Elizabeth Stintz)i is a non-binary and trans writer, educator, and visual artist who grew up on a cattle farm in northwestern Ontario. Their work has been awarded the 2019 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers, and The Malahat Review’s 2019 Long Poem Prize. Their writing has appeared in Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, Fiddlehead, The Malahat Review, Best Canadian Poetry, and many others. JES is the author of the novels My Volcano and Vanishing Monuments, as well as the poetry col
Jun 14, 2022 • 1:18:04
Allegra Hyde (Eleutheria) On Writing a Different Kind of Climate Change Novel and the Power of Utopian Thinking
Allegra Hyde is the author of Eleutheria" as well as the short story collection, Of This New World which won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award through the Iowa Short Fiction Award Series. In her debut novel, Eleutheria, is a story of idealism, activism, and systemic corruption, centered on a naïve young woman's quest for agency in a world ravaged by climate change.We talked with Hyde about writing her debut novel, the power in utopian thinking in both fiction and real life, the promise and fa
May 31, 2022 • 1:17:15
Matthew Milia (Frontier Ruckus) On Calibrating His Music and Creativity Through New Phases of Life
Matthew Milia is a critically acclaimed songwriter, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for Frontier Ruckus. He is also a poet and visual artist.He’s released three solo records as well as five records with his band Frontier Ruckus. His music explores themes of suburbia, nostalgia, mundanity , and his lyrics paint a sprawling landscape of a Michigan that is both here and elsewhere.We talked with Milia about where he’s at creatively these days, how getting a desk job wasn’t about compromi
May 17, 2022 • 1:13:17
Origin Story XV Remix (A Momentary Interlude)
Podcastings most handsome duo is back to try and convince you that they're still relevant and have good things to say. But do they? Find out on this, our intermission episode.Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpVisit our website: Originstory.showFollow us on Twitter @originstory_Do you have feedback or questions for us? Email us theoriginstorypod@gmail.comCover art and website design by Melody HirschOrigin Story original score by Ryan Hopper
Dec 30, 2021 • 30:29
Cautious Clay (Deadpan Love) On Having A Public Identity And Staying Authentic
Joshua Karpeh, more widely known as Cautious Clay, is a producer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter from Cleveland, OH, and currently based in Brooklyn, NY. His music mixes hip-hop and r&b, and blends organic and electronic instrumentation to create a unique sound.He’s collaborated with musicians like Taylor Swift, John Mayer, Billie Eillish, and more and has released three EPs, Bloodtype, Resonance, and Table of Context. Most recently he released his debut album, Deadpan Love.We talk
Oct 7, 2021 • 1:16:16
Lydia Millet (A Children's Bible) On Facing Down The Creative Process And The Climate Apocalypse
Lydia Millet has written more than a dozen novels and story collections which have both won and been nominated for numerous awards - including her story collection Love In Infant Monkeys which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Her latest novel, A Children’s Bible, was a finalist for the national book award and shows children grappling with climate disaster - and their parents - in the wake of n apocalyptic storm. When not writing novels Millet works for the Center for Biological Diversity in Arizon
Sep 30, 2021 • 1:16:13
Greg Lobanov and Alexis Dean-Jones (Chicory) On The Anxieties Of Making Art and the Importance of Finishing Things
Greg Lobanov is a game designer from Philadelphia currently living in Canada. He is the director of Chicory: A Colorful Tale and has previously created Wandersong, and Coin Crypt, and a number of other projects.Alexis Dean-Jones Storyboarder, illustrator, animator, and character designer originally from Brisbane, Australia, and currently based in Canada. She’s worked on projects for the Australia Post, as well as Slap Happy Cartoons where she worked on Tom & Jerry and the Hollow. Most recently s
Sep 23, 2021 • 1:33:27
Jeff Pianki (Remember It Now) on Being Present and Living a More Intentional Creative Life
Jeff Pianki is a singer-songwriter based in LA. He's released two full-length albums, Paper Window, and most recently, Remember It Now, after a 10-year hiatus from releasing music.We sat down with Jeff to talk about what he's been up to for all these years, the creation of his new album Remember It Now, and his new determination for forging a path in music as his full-time profession.Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpYou can listen to Remember It Now here.Visit our website: Originstory.show
Sep 16, 2021 • 1:18:30
Steven James Aguilar (Heatmaps) On The Power of Storytelling and Brevity In Music
Steven James Aguilar is a producer, songwriter, sound engineer, and musician based in Seattle, WA. He has worked with artists including The Head and The Heart, Billie Eilish, Macklemore, Dave Matthews Band, and many more.He also releases his own music under the name Heatmaps and most recently put out his new record, Kissing Teeth.We talk to Steven about the power of brevity in music, and his working theory that there are no good band names. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpYou can follow S
Sep 9, 2021 • 1:41:44
Naphtali Faulkner (Umurangi Generation) On Politics, Game Design, And The End Of The World
Tali Faulkner is a Maori game developer behind Umurangi Generation, a semi-realistic photography game set in an apocalyptic future with mechs, an occupational United Nations, and the looming threat of the end of the world. The game recently won the top prize at the Freeplay Independent Games Festival.We talk to Tali about making politics explicit in games, and what it means to be part of the last generation.Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpYou can follow Tali Faulkner here.Visit our websit
Sep 2, 2021 • 1:09:33
Neil Jones (Never Yield) On His Fight To Stay In Gaming
Neil Jones is a game artist currently working out of Detroit, MI. Jones is an artist and game designer who worked on indie titles like Clique and Aerial Knight’s Never Yield.Neil garnered a lot of attention after his game was featured as part of Nintendo's 2021 indie world showcase. We talk with him about how Never Yield was his last-ditch effort to see if he could stay in an industry that is unwelcoming to black creators and his complicated feelings around the attention the showcase gave him.Ho
Aug 26, 2021 • 1:12:27
Brooke Maggs (Control) On New Kinds Of Story in Video Games
Brooke Maggs is a Senior Narrative Designer for Remedy Games in Helsinki - although she originally hails from Austrailia. She’s worked on a host of award winning games including Control, Florence, Paperbark, and The Gardens Between.In 2017 she won the MCV Pacific Xbox Women in Games Creative Impact award for her role in the game industry.We talk about how Brooke got into gaming and what "narrative design" really means. Hosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpYou can find Brooke Maggs here. Visit
Aug 19, 2021 • 1:20:31
Steve Pardo (Signs of the Sojourner) on the Sounds of Home
Steve Pardo is a composer and interactive audio designer in the video game industry. He’s the co-founder of audio production house SkewSound, a game developer at The Pardo Brothers, and an audio director at Authentic Artists.Pardo has a background in jazz, and his professional career began at legendary music-game studio Harmonix Music Systems where he led the audio team for games such as Rock Band VR, Dance Central, and Super Beat Sports.In addition to collaborating on some of the world’s most r
Aug 12, 2021 • 58:29
Matthew Seiji Burns (Eliza) on Our Connection to Technolgy and the Allure of Interactive Fiction
Matthew Seiji Burns is a writer, director, composer, and game designer. With the help of Zachtronics game studio, he created Eliza a visual novel about an AI counseling program, the people who develop it, and the people who use it.Prior to Eliza, Burns worked on a variety of games. He’s the creator of the interactive fiction projects Apology Simulator, The Writer Will Do Something, and The Arboretum. He’s also worked with Zachtronics to write and compose for titles such as EXAPunks, Opus Magnum,
Aug 5, 2021 • 1:03:30
Owen Dennis (Infinity Train) on Making Cartoons for Everyone
Owen Dennis is a writer, producer, voice actor, and storyboard artist who has worked on animated series like the Regular Show, Infinity Train, and Close Enough and movies including The Greatest Ape and Regular Show: The Movie.We talk about Dennis' frustration over the idea that cartoons are only for kids and pitching complicated shows to studio executives. Watch Infinity Train streaming on HBO MaxHosted by Phillip Russell and Ben ThorpFollow Owen on Twitter here.Visit our website: Originstory.sh
Jul 29, 2021 • 1:18:44
Gina Nutt (Night Rooms) on Horror and the Power of What Goes Unsaid
Gina Nutt is the author of the essay collection Night Rooms (Two Dollar Radio) and the poetry collection Wilderness Champion (Gold Wake Press). She earned her MFA from Syracuse University. Her writing has appeared in Cosmonauts Avenue, Joyland, Ninth Letter, and other publications.We talk about her relationship to horror movies and how that's informed her approach to writing. Gina's writing is constantly finding a way to make real what goes unsaid - and to make essays that, not unlike a horror m
Jul 22, 2021 • 1:08:28
Greg Kasavin (Hades) on Writing as a Form of Exorcism and the Role of Narrative in Games
Greg Kasavin is the creative director and writer at Supergiant games where he’s helped create critically acclaimed titles such as Bastion, Pyre, Transistor, and Hades.Prior to working at SuperGiant Games, Greg worked as a games journalist for Gamespot where he rose the ranks from being an intern all the way to executive editor (editor in chief) of the publication. He’s also worked in various producer roles for games in the Command & Conquer franchise, and as a publishing producer on Spec Ops: Th
Jul 15, 2021 • 1:32:43
Nick Guérin (Spiritfarer) on Death Positivity and Making Care into a Game Mechanic
Nick Guérin is the creative director at Thunder Lotus Games where he directed and wrote Spiritfarer, which has been described as a “cozy management sim about dying.” Nick’s other work includes design work on several Assassin’s Creed games including Origins and Syndicate as well as design for Watch Dogs 2.In this episode, we interview Nick Guérin about how he translated the experience of caring for someone who is dying into a video game and why it is important to demystify and talk about death op
Jul 8, 2021 • 1:13:41