Podcast · Film & TV

How Did They Get There

by Penn Media Group · English · Film & TV

"For a decade, How Did They Get There has been a space where artists and filmmakers reflect on their work, their relationships, and their search for meaning. Hosted by Dr. Penn (Jon Penn Junejo, DNP-BC), a Columbia-trained psychiatry provider, the show brings together creativity and mental health

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 1 hr 8 min
Latest: 9 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

9 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

Ep. 71 – Marques Johnson on The Crenshaw Chronicles, Ice-T and Don Nelson

2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame finalist, author, actor, and Emmy-winning broadcaster Marques Johnson is a five-time NBA All-Star, First Team All-NBA selection, and one of the greatest players in Milwaukee Bucks history. In The Crenshaw Chronicles, Marques turns his attention to the formative institution that helped shape his own trajectory: Crenshaw High School in South Central Los Angeles. Under legendary basketball coach Willie West—who compiled more than 800 victories at Crenshaw while winning eight state titles, 16 Los Angeles City Section titles, and 28 league…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E70 · 27 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Ep. 70 – Katie McQuerrey on De Gaulle: Résistance, Inside Llewyn Davis and Jessica Chastain
Editor Katie McQuerrey has collaborated with Joel and Ethan Coen on several significant films over the past 25 years, including Intolerable Cruelty, No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man, True Grit, and Inside Llewyn Davis. Their partnership began during the Coens' transition from film to digital – a period that also saw major changes to their editing process and suite. Katie’s work transcends a unique range of genres and styles. Her credits include Matthew Barney's six-hour opera film River of Fundament; the road films Driveways and Wanderland; Roger Waters' concert documentaries Roger…
E69 · 21 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 38 min
Ep. 69 – John Stewart Muller on Fling, Mira Sorvino and Trent Reznor
John Stewart Muller directs films that explore themes of commitment, abandonment, unrequited love, obsession, and emotional emptiness through psychologically complex characters. The son of the noted creative and graphic designer of the same name, John moved to Los Angeles following his upbringing in Kansas City to pursue writing, directing, and producing after studying at Loyola Marymount University. He co-wrote his debut feature, Fling, with his partner, Laura Boersma. Starring Brandon Routh, Courtney Ford, and Steve Sandvoss, the film explores the expectations and fragility of commitment…
E68 · 13 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Ep. 68 – Basic Vocab on Power Book III: Raising Kanan, The General Dynamic and Thundercat
Hip hop group Basic Vocab's trajectory shifted rapidly when their signature track, "Come Get With It," was discovered by HBO and featured during the closing credits of Season 5 of Entourage. In doing so, they joined artists such as Saigon, Gang Starr, Alice Smith, Outkast, Radiohead, and Jay-Z, whose music was also featured during the series' end credits. The track appeared on their debut album, The General Dynamic, featuring JL Sorell, MG, and Square, with production from Tony Galvin, whose work with artists including T.I., Mystikal, and Trick Daddy brought a classically trained sensibility…
E67 · 22 May 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
Ep. 67 - Jared Isaac on An Autumn Summer, Spike Lee and Joe Swanberg
Filmmaker Jared Isaac’s debut feature, An Autumn Summer, is currently in theatrical release in select cities ahead of its digital release on June 9 on Apple TV and all major VOD platforms, including Vudu and Fandango at Home. Recently featured in Deadline, the coming-of-age romance stars Sing Street and Wayne actor Mark McKenna alongside Shrinking breakout Lukita Maxwell, who also stars in A24’s upcoming Backrooms. The film follows Kevin (McKenna) and Cody (Maxwell), a young couple spending their final summer before college in a magical Northern Michigan lake town, chasing the feeling of an…
E66 · 12 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Ep. 66 - Laura Veirs on Temple Songs, Flying into Darkness and Sufjan Stevens
Laura Veirs crafts musical portraits shaped by daily life, family, and the broader dynamics she encounters through international touring, the record business, and motherhood. Her 15th studio album, Temple Songs, arrives August 14 and features the single “Flying Into Darkness,” which she describes as joyous, “but also dark.” Veirs’ musical path has been marked by constant evolution: while studying at Carleton College, she formed the all-female group Rair Kx, and her 1999 self-titled debut leaned heavily into punk. By the time she recorded The Triumphs and Travails of Orphan Mae (2001)—one of…
E65 · 27 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
Ep. 65 - Cara Ronzetti on Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, Alexis Lloyd and Emotional Vulnerability
Actor and filmmaker Cara Ronzetti brings a striking sense of human intensity to her performance in Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, now in theatrical release, continuing her work from seasons 1 and 2 of the web series. Her portrayal of Tilda carries a raw authenticity that continually shifts the group dynamic, blurring the line between fiction and reality and sparking curiosity about what her character is truly experiencing, while her deeply immersive character work leaves a lasting impression with the result of elevating the material. The Miami native and Carnegie Mellon alum has appeared in…
E64 · 22 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Ep. 64 - Alexis Lloyd on Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, 30 Beats and Thomas Sadoski
Filmmaker Alexis Lloyd has made a distinctive impact on contemporary cinema with Group: The Schopenhauer Effect, currently in its theatrical run at The Quad Cinema in Greenwich Village, NYC. The film draws deeply from his upbringing immersed in psychiatry and psychoanalysis, blending that foundation with his passion for storytelling. Conceived as a prequel to his acclaimed, eponymous YouTube web series, the project offers a poignant exploration of the conflicts, epiphanies, and catharses that emerge within group therapy. Released five years after the first season, the film reunites much of…
E63 · 21 Sep 2025 · 2 hr
Ep. 63 - Tom Epperson on Baby Hawk, A Family Thing and The Gift
Trying to pigeonhole Tom Epperson into a single category is impossible—and that’s part of what makes his career so compelling. His path as a novelist and screenwriter has been anything but linear, weaving through genres and mediums with equal parts grit and curiosity. He knew early on that writing would be his life’s work, and meeting lifelong friend and collaborator Billy Bob Thornton during boyhood only strengthened that conviction, leading to a six-decade partnership that produced tremendously profound films like One False Move, The Gift, and A Family Thing. Their work has earned…
E62 · 9 Feb 2025 · 1 hr
Ep. 62 - Philip Andelman on Khruangbin, Lenny Kravitz and Waiting on the World to Change
Philip Andelman’s inspired take on the language and rhythm of music videos has impacted the medium in countless ways. The results are evident in his collaborations with contemporary artists, including Usher, Melissa Etheridge, Ludacris, Maxwell, d4vd, James Bay and Taylor Swift. Formative experiences with Annie Leibowitz launched his entry-point into photography. After NYU, continued experiential education under the guidance of Joseph Kahn, the legend, exposed Philip to the world of music videos with an ethos to help keep head above water. He worked as a second unit director on some of the…
E61 · 2 Feb 2025 · 1 hr
Ep. 61 - Nabil Elderkin on Gully, The People and Kendrick Lamar
Director Nabil Elderkin shoots music videos and films governed by vision, collaboration and diversity. While thematic similarities connect the dots between his projects, each video is different and a product of the stellar combination of the right artist, the right lighting, and maybe most importantly - the right feel. Growing up in a multi-cultural sphere, dictated by several international moves, led to an open-mindedness and an adaptability which did not hurt his transition into film. Surfing was the context which facilitated his portal in, and although he spent more time on the beach than…
E60 · 23 Jan 2025 · 1 hr 52 min
Ep. 60 - Onur Tukel on Poundcake, Richard's Wedding and Anne Heche
As an actor and filmmaker, Onur Tukel challenges the audience to delve into the frightening parts of who they are by, at times, leading them to live vicariously through his protagonists’ colorful experiences. From exploring the joy of mortality in Drawing Blood, to the perils of masculinity in 2001’s Ding-a-ling-Less, to a platonic theme of friendship amidst a romantic undertone in Richard’s Wedding, the loss of one’s identity among the backdrop of a physical manifestation of revenge in Catfight, and apathy transforming into adventure after an encounter with a vampire in Summer of Blood,…
E59 · 24 Dec 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
Ep. 59 - Joe Boyd on And the Roots of Rhythm Remain, Salamat Ali and Nick Drake
Joe Boyd’s revered productions of artists ranging from Pink Floyd, The Incredible String Band and Nick Drake had been widely-circulated and universally-acclaimed. He had worked with Stanley Kubrick at Warner Bros to assemble the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange. He founded the UFO Club which featured avant-garde artists like Soft Machine — which became his house band — and Yoko Ono. Productions of R.E.M., Billy Bragg, 10,000 Maniacs, Fairport Convention and Richard and Linda Thompson followed. He directed Jimi Hendrix, the eponymous documentary. But if you were paying attention, you would…
E58 · 16 Dec 2024 · 54 min
Ep. 58 - Arizona O'Neill on CBC's Creator Network, Organ Donation and Patrick Watson
Arizona O’Neill’s art delves into topics derived from her Montreal upbringing and French-Quebec culture, and include the ramifications of gentrification, the vibrancy of music, and the origins of revolt. She has contributed several pieces to The CBC Creator Network, which include Hockey Riots, Period Pieces, and History of Jazz. Her novel, Est-ce qu’un artiste peut être heureux? (or “Can an Artist be Happy?”) was published in November 2022. And her impressive catalogue of illustrations, for publications like National Geographic Canada, includes the 2024 edition of "L'enfant dans le miroir"…
E57 · 17 Nov 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
Ep. 57 - Bernardo Cubria on Acapulco, The Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote and Gene Wilder
Cultural incongruence and its consequences is a theme which has shaped Bernardo Cubria’s work in several different ways. As an actor, in television shows like Group, his work explores what it means to be misunderstood, and delves into the epiphany which often arises when one realizes his peers’ criticisms and insights, which they initially may have dismissed, may, in fact, lead to realizations about self that may significantly affect their perspective. As a playwright, it has laid the backdrop that surrounds his stories about typecasting, politics, cultural appropriation, and the…
E56 · 10 Nov 2024 · 49 min
Ep. 56 - Matt Williams on Glimpses, Roseanne and Tim Allen
Matt Williams utilizes a character-centric approach in creating and developing iconic television series, including Roseanne and Home Improvement. The Humanitas Prize and 6-time Emmy nominated Evansville native received graduate degrees in directing and acting, and embarked on a host of television commercials, as an actor, before realizing his talent and bliss as the driving force behind impactful, relatable film and television projects. After cutting his teeth as an actor (and de facto writer and re-writer) on the CBN soap, Another Life, Matt produced and joined the writing staff of The…
E55 · 20 Oct 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
Ep. 55 - Stephen Suettinger on A Year and Change, Waiting and James Cameron
Stephen Suettinger directs and writes projects which address complicated themes, such as substance use, depression and unrequited love. His unique portrayals have a tendency to delve deeper into their most intimate desires, which occasionally blur the line between fiction and reality and makes for interesting storytelling. Following his debut short film, Writing Wrongs, the Maryland native attended the film MFA program at USC and cut his teeth in experiences surrounding the world of film on projects like Contact, Avatar and Beowulf. At USC, Steve directed his next short, Wentworth, which PBS…
E54 · 6 Aug 2024 · 54 min
Ep. 54 - Wade Allain-Marcus on Eric, French Dirty and Insecure
Actor and filmmaker Wade Allain-Marcus has a unique approach toward his involvement in a variety of films and television projects. It derives from factors like his mixed background, training in the Experimental Theatre Wing (ETW) at NYU, and growing up with parents in the business. The approach is one thing, but the result speaks for itself and is shaped by the ensembles he finds himself immersed into, such as the regular casts of HBO’s Insecure or Netflix’s Eric, the latter opposite Benedict Cumberbatch. From Lucy Forbes to Antoine Fuqua to John Singleton, Wade has worked with a variety of…
E53 · 12 May 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
Ep. 53 - Idan Ravin on Winning Time, The Hoops Whisperer and Kevin Hart
Idan Ravin is the elite NBA trainer who has individually worked with over 100 NBA players, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant. When an NBA player realizes a flaw in their game is keeping them from being able to operate at their full potential, they call Idan for assistance. He is known for his unorthodox (no pun intended) training sessions, which tend to prioritize dynamic movement over traditional, stationary drills. Idan’s thumbprint on the league can be seen in so many players, and has affected the culture and style of the league. He describes his notable…
E52 · 3 Apr 2024 · 58 min
Ep. 52 - Max Azulay on 5 Doctors, Carmen and Moony, and Mel Brooks
Actor, writer and director Max Azulay leveraged his obsession with filmmaking to create unique, irreverent films armed with his comedic sensibility. The influence of the legendary Mel Brooks seeped in early on in his Suburban upbringing, which happened to take place 40 minutes from New York City, and helped inspire his young creativity. Finding his community of like-minded comedic cinephiles led to several short films which channelled his interests. He moved to Los Angeles to attend Occidental College, after transferring from Sarah Lawrence, his parents’ alma mater, and made a number of…
E51 · 27 Mar 2024 · 1 hr 31 min
Ep. 51 - Elisha Lawson on Syncing Ink, Chicago Improv and Marlon Brando
Elisha Lawson has acted in a number of projects through the years, including Boardwalk Empire, Shades of Blue, NCIS: New Orleans, and Group. In addition to his work on television, he has worked on several plays such as productions of A Raisin in the Sun and To Kill A Mockingbird, where he first met fellow Group cast-member, Ezra Barnes. His latest play, Syncing Ink, was created by playwright NSangou Njikam and will begin performances May 7, with an official opening set for May 19, at the Apollo Theater in New York City. In our conversation, we discussed his German upbringing; the importance…
E50 · 9 Mar 2024 · 1 hr 8 min
Ep. 50 - Andromeda Turre on From the Earth, Growing up Jazz and Charlie Parker
Jazz is not only a second language for vocalist, composer and SiriusXM radio personality, Andromeda Turre — it’s her mother tongue. She grew up in a world raised by two of the finest Jazz OGs, world-renowned cellist Akua Dixon and legendary trombonist Steve Turre, and formed formative relationships with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach and Wynton Marsalis (a.k.a. the Jazz Pilgrims). Formal piano instruction with the phenomenal Sonelius Smith began at age four. Next emerged Andromeda’s training as a dancer in the cultural renaissance of Harlem (or Washington Heights), before she shifted to the…
E49 · 14 Nov 2023 · 1 hr 23 min
Ep. 49 - Todd Louiso on Hello I Must Be Going, Love Liza and High Fidelity
Todd Louiso has acted in several notable projects over the years, such as films which include Scent of a Woman, Apollo 13, The Rock, Jerry Maguire, and Thank You for Smoking. He has made guest appearances on television shows like Fraiser, Silicon Valley, House, Angie Tribeca and Married. While his presence on-screen has always made sense, Todd’s freedom of expression behind the camera can be felt through his palpable, strong character-driven films. Love Liza, starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is among them — a gripping, subtle portrait of grief through the eyes of an emotionally vulnerable…
E48 · 28 Oct 2023 · 1 hr 13 min
Ep. 48 - Mark Pellington on The Severing, I Melt with You and Nada Surf
Mark Pellington’s pioneering influence on music videos as a modality to convey emotion, story and feeling will never be forgotten. From Leonard Cohen to Linkin Park, Michael Jackson to Public Enemy, Foo Fighters and Alice in Chains to Chelsea Wolfe and Bruce Springsteen, MP had penultimate foresight in constructing some of the most memorable portraits of love, war, loss, spirit and activism. His feature films each brought a tenet to the medium of storytelling. From 1997’s Going All The Way (Ben Affleck, Jeremy Davies, Rachel Weisz, Rose McGowan), to the Grand Prix/Saturn Award-nominated…
E47 · 10 Sep 2023 · 58 min
Ep. 47 - Jonathan Parker on Carol Doda Topless at the Condor, (Untitled) and The Architect
Jonathan Parker writes, directs and produces films which blend together the aspects of art he gravitates toward, including architecture, music, storytelling and intricate attention to detail. The Northern California native grew up in an artistic family, and studied English at Stanford. It was when he joined a New Wave band, and directed their first music video that he discovered film’s nature of acting as a matrix for his artistic interests. After directing several short films, Jonathan wrote and directed his first feature film — Bartleby —an adaptation of Herman Melville’s short story:…
E46 · 14 Aug 2023 · 1 hr 23 min
Ep. 46 - Dito Montiel on A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Son of No One and Reagan Youth
Dito Montiel’s upbringing in Astoria was filled with so many unique characters which affected him on a lot of different levels. His memoir, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, is a collage of these visceral experiences and how they shaped how he sees the world through music, writing and film. He wrote and directed the seminal film adaptation of his novel which won the Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance and received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay. Since then, his directorial efforts and ensuing filmography have expanded to include a number of interesting…
E45 · 6 Aug 2023 · 1 hr 18 min
Ep. 45 - Ezra Barnes on Group, Jessica Jones and Count Basie
Film, television and theatre are each modalities in the performing arts Ezra Barnes has been directly immersed into, both as an actor and director. Using performance as a curiosity valve for the preservation of ideals, such as imagination and spirited curiosity, are an important element of Ezra’s foundational goals as an actor. Since joining a secret film club in fourth grade, Ezra instinctively knew he was going to be an artist. And going to the theatre starting from an early age, with encouragement from both of his parents, who were heavily invested in the arts, helped lay some of the…
E44 · 26 Jul 2023 · 1 hr 1 min
Ep. 44 - Dana Kuznetzkoff on Omara, Forrest Gump and The Wire
As a versatile producer and assistant director, Dana Kuznetzkoff has worked on legendary projects which include Forrest Gump, 2 Days in the Valley and The Wire. Dana wears several hats in the film industry, and her approach toward selecting projects has a lot to do with the value of the collaboration to take place. The Bronx native was in the midst of taking a significant role in the world of advertising when a chance encounter, one that didn’t go so well, veered her off onto a different path in a different industry — Film and Television. And through the years, Dana moved up the ranks from…
E43 · 6 Jul 2023 · 1 hr 8 min
Ep. 43 - Janet Grillo on The Warm Season, Spanking the Monkey and Hip Hop Culture
Janet Grillo’s latest directorial effort — The Warm Season — is a testament to being conscious in a changing time. It is true the landscape of film has evolved over the years; however, it’s the consistency of Janet’s track record as a multifaceted filmmaker which exudes the contrast between black and white; open or closed; and aware vs. uncertain. After graduating from Wesleyan and NYU-Tisch, the New Jersey native joined the Playwright’s Workshop Lab at the Circle Repertory Company, where she continued to develop her eye for taste as Assistant Literary Manager. She joined New Line Cinema in…
E42 · 30 Jun 2023 · 1 hr 51 min
Ep. 42 - Alfredo de Villa on Nothing Like the Holidays, Adrift in Manhattan and Mulholland Drive
Alfredo de Villa directs films which layer complex characters onto the backdrop of vibrant emotions; irreverent humor and interweaving narrative themes which take the lead. They carry the weight of strong characters as they brace themselves for the reality they’re immersed in after not realizing the fact until someone, or something or their own voice rises to the surface and informs who they really are. His first film, Washington Heights, is a testament to that reality. Alfredo accompanied the juxtaposition of art, comics, familial love and respect with the culturally-diverse eponymous New…

About How Did They Get There

How Did They Get There is a English film & tv podcast from Penn Media Group. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Penn Media Group
Language: English
Category: Film & TV
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 1 hr 8 min
Latest episode: 9 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1099500604

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