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Lights! Microphone! Podcast -- Episode 2

What goes into creating a piece of music that defines a cultural moment? Nick Thorburn, the composer behind Serial's unforgettable theme, sits down with host Shana to tell the story. Spoiler: it all happened in a weekend, and he had no idea the show would become a global phenomenon.

Nick walks through his creative process: how he approached the project as a straightforward freelance job, why he drew inspiration from Twin Peaks, and what it means to work as a "live wire" where the unconscious mind does the heavy lifting. He also gets into the business side of things, explaining why podcasters need to stop treating music like something you slap on at the end. Sound design matters. It shapes how people experience your show.

Whether you're launching a podcast or just curious about what happens behind the scenes in audio storytelling, this episode offers a rare look at the intersection of creativity, business, and cultural impact.

Created inside a podcasting special topics course (DG 8010: MDM Podcast Lab) within the Master of Digital Media program at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, this six-part series explores what it really takes to start and grow a podcast.

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Lights! Microphone! Podcast -- Episode 1

Ever wondered what goes wrong behind the scenes of a podcast? The production team from "Ctrl Alt Narrate" is here to tell you everything. Sneesha (creative lead), Alisha (logistics and marketing), and Victoria (design) join host Alex to talk about the reality of collaborative podcasting: the good, the messy, and the lessons that came from nearly derailing the whole thing.

This episode is packed with practical advice for anyone making content with a team. You'll learn why written contracts are non-negotiable (even with friends), how to avoid a post-production nightmare when syncing audio and video, and why you absolutely need a clear leader instead of running things like a college group project. The team also shares how they found their voice as hosts, evolved their brand identity, and managed the mountain of unedited episodes piling up. If you're a new podcaster, creative team member, or media student, this is required listening.

Created inside a podcasting special topics course (DG 8010: MDM Podcast Lab) within the Master of Digital Media program at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, this six-part series explores what it really takes to start and grow a podcast.

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Introducing: Lights Microphone Podcast

In Fall 2025, a group of graduate students set out to learn about podcasting from the ground up and Lights Microphone Podcast is the result. Created inside a podcasting special topics course within the Master of Digital Media program at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, this six-part series explores what it really takes to start and grow a podcast.

The series features conversations with composers, producers, video podcasters, multilingual creators, and student makers — all sharing how they brought their shows to life. Part inspiration, part practical roadmap, Lights Microphone Podcast is about creative momentum, where big ideas meet bold action. The first of the 6 part series drops tomorrow.

Hosted by Alex Sein and Shana Wu

Audio Engineering by Tom Vu

Produced + Visuals by Mili Bhatt

Written content by Shrey Patel

Guest Outreach Support by Lindsay Buckingham

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Down the rabbit hole we go! Each conversation in this series connects in unexpected ways. Every new episode spurring a new line of inquiry, like tunnels turning off in different directions, each with an origin that’s traced back to episodes 273, 276, and 280.

This episode features net.art pioneer, Olia Lialina. She is credited with founding one of the earliest web galleries, Art Teleportacia. She is cofounder and keeper of One Terabyte of Kilobyte Age archive and a professor at Merz Akademie in Stuttgart, Germany. In this conversation, you’ll hear Olia’s origin story as a net artist, cross-pollinating film and Internet technology to tell interactive stories. You’ll hear her approach to capturing and cataloging the early web and how it’s evolved over time, including her long-standing GeoCities project. You’ll hear the surprising connections between interface design and stage design, how AI is changing the Internet and those who shape it, and how we can all reclaim our corners of the web.

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Happy Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina 2026!

Graphic designer and illustrator, Paul Twa, is here and he’s full of insights and passion for Olympic design joy!

In this conversation, we talk all things design systems at Milano Cortina 2026. Paul shares the importance of human gesture, energy, and motion to this system, the unique public vote that took place for the games’ emblem, as well as AI use and its implications. Paul helps us understand what works beautifully and what works less beautifully in this system, as he helps us understand the understory of “the look of the games”.

This podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Olympic Committee.

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This is the third episode in a 3-part guest lecture series, speaking with a diverse range of design and typography pros from across North America!

This episode features the owner of foundry Type Du Nord, Libbie Bischoff.

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Libbie got started in type professionally and what a typical day looks like as a foundry of one. You’ll hear about the way Libbie’s signature may actually be your signature, now or in the future and the storytelling power of type. We talk revival fonts, what success looks like beyond measurable metrics, advice for making type for a living, and how advancing technology is changing (or not changing) Libbie’s approach to her work.

This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in fall 2025 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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This is the second episode in a 3-part guest lecture series, speaking with a diverse range of design and typography pros from across North America!

This episode features a Creative Director dedicated to social change and inclusive city building, Jay Wall.

In this conversation you’ll hear about Jay’s origin story as a designer and the evolution of his path towards designing for social change. You’ll hear about the Design Justice Network (DJN) and learn a less naïve way to frame the question “can design save the world?” You’ll hear concrete examples over the last 70 years that have challenged the status quo and helped catalyze change in a variety of contexts, both on the streets and on the screen. Lastly, you’ll hear what Jay’s currently up to regarding inclusive city building; a project called ‘Yonge Tomorrow’, a project with the City of Toronto to redesign downtown Yonge Street, nodding to the past, embracing present needs, and planning for a more accessible future.

This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in fall 2025 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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This is the first episode in a 3-part guest lecture series in GCM 230 Typography, speaking with design typography pros from across North America!

This episode features type designer and educator at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, Leo Vicenti.

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Leo believes typography can support Indigenous language and culture, the ways in which typography isn’t always necessary, Indigenization of digital spaces, and why fixed systems don’t necessarily work (Unicode, for example).

This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in fall 2025 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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Let's Connect on the web or via Instagram. :)