The Artists: Arts, Culture, and Cinema with Suchita Bhhatia
Published by Metaphysical Lab
TV & Film
Film Interviews
The Artists is a podcast exploring the minds, methods, and inner lives of artists across cinema, culture, and ideas. Hosted by filmmaker Suchita, the show brings conversations with filmmakers, thinkers, cultural voices to ask one central question: How do Great Artists think? Through conversations spanning storytelling, cinema, design, psychology, technology, and the future of art, The Artists moves between process and philosophy—between how artists think and why they create.
Storytelling vs Storyliving. Can a story be so immersive that you no longer watch it—you live it? In this episode of The Artists Podcast , Vicki Dobbs Beck takes us behind one of the most groundbreaking immersive storytelling projects ever created: Alejandro G. Iñárritu's CARNE y ARENA (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible) . The experience became the first virtual reality work to receive a Special Academy Award (Oscar) , recognizing it as a visionary new form of storytelling. Created in collaboration with Iñárritu, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and ILMxLAB, it invited audiences to step into the lived experience of migrants crossing the U.S.–Mexico border, redefining what cinema could be. As the former Vice President of Immersive Content Innovation at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) , Vicki Dobbs Beck shares the story behind its creation—and how immersive storytelling is changing the language of cinema itself. If you're curious about where storytelling is headed, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Watch on Spotify & Apple Podcasts and You tube Follow @the.artistspodcast for more conversations on cinema, creativity, AI, and the future of storytelling. #StorytellingVsStoryliving #VickiDobbsBeck #TheArtistsPodcast #CarneYArena #AlejandroGonzalezInarritu #ILM #ImmersiveStorytelling #VirtualReality #XR #Cinema #FutureOfStorytelling #Filmmaking #AI #CreativeTechnology
What happens when storytelling moves beyond the screen?When does an audience stop watching a story—and start living inside it?In this episode of The Artists Podcast, we are joined by Vicki Dobbs Beck, one of the pioneers of immersive storytelling.As the former Vice President of Immersive Content Innovation at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Vicki has helped shape groundbreaking experiences across Disney, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and emerging technologies, while collaborating with leading technology companies including Meta. Recognized by Variety as a Digital Innovator to Watch, she has spent her career exploring the intersection of storytelling, technology, and human experience.Together, we explore one of the defining questions of our time:How do we move from storytelling to storyliving?What is the fundamental difference between the way Hollywood studios and technology companies think? How will AI, XR, spatial computing, and immersive media reshape the future of narrative? And what does it mean to build stories that audiences don't just watch—but inhabit?Whether you're a filmmaker, storyteller, technologist, creative entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future of entertainment, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into where storytelling is headed.⏱️ Chapters01:41 Storytelling vs Storyliving07:00 The fundamental difference between how a studio and a tech company approach storytelling09:30 How do technology companies think?10:20 Why finding original stories is becoming increasingly difficult11:20 Working with Alejandro G. Iñárritu 18:50 Why filmmakers must think like transmedia storytellers21:05 Vader Immortal: Experiencing Star Wars beyond the film24:11 What If...? and storytelling for Apple Vision Pro26:00 Building stories across multiple platforms 29:42 The evolution of immersive storytelling37:23 Leading from the front as a female leader🎥 Subscribe to The Artists Podcast for conversations with filmmakers, artists, authors, creators, and cultural thinkers exploring creativity, storytelling, cinema, technology, and the future of art.🎧 Also dropping on:• YouTube• Spotify• Apple Podcasts⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your support helps us continue bringing you more conversations, insights, and artists.Follow us:Instagram: @the.artistspodcast
How Do Studios & Tech Companies Think Differently? On this new episode of The Artists Podcast , we're joined by Vicki Dobbs Beck —one of the pioneers shaping the future of immersive storytelling. Formerly Vice President of Immersive Content Innovation at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) , Vicki has helped lead groundbreaking storytelling initiatives across Disney, Lucasfilm, Marvel , and collaborated with Meta to explore the future of immersive media. Variety recognized her as a "Digital Innovator to Watch" for her contributions at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Together, we explore one of the defining questions for the future of storytelling. YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts Follow: @the.artistspodcast #TheArtistsPodcast #VickiDobbsBeck #IndustrialLightMagic #ILM #Disney #Marvel #Meta #Storytelling #FutureOfStorytelling #ImmersiveStorytelling #ExtendedReality #XR #VirtualProduction #ArtificialIntelligence #CreativeTechnology #Filmmaking #Cinema #Innovation #Hollywood #Tech Dropping soon
In this episode of The Artists Podcast, we dive deep into the mind of David Lynch with acclaimed film scholar Todd McGowan — author of The Impossible David Lynch, a provocative exploration of Lynch’s cinematic language and the impossible, unconscious core of his films.Lynch occupies a rare space between mainstream visibility and independent cinema authenticity — blending the bizarre and the normal, the dreamlike and the narrative, to create films that defy conventional categorization. Whether you’re a filmmaker, cinephile, or lover of the strange, this episode reveals how Lynch thinks — and why his cinema continues to challenge and captivate global audiences.Subscribe @suchita_filmmaker_podcaster to stay tuned.#TheArtistsPodcast #DavidLynch #ToddMcGowan #TheImpossibleDavidLynch #FilmTheory #CinemaStudies #IndependentCinema #MainstreamCinema #SurrealCinema #PsychoanalyticFilm #AuteurCinema #FilmScholar #WatchEpisode #YouTubePodcast #FilmDiscussion #Cinephile #MovieTalk #FilmAnalysis
In Episode 156, we enter the unsettling, hypnotic world of David Lynch with acclaimed film scholar Todd McGowan, author of The Impossible David Lynch.Lynch is one of cinema’s greatest paradoxes. He worked within Hollywood systems and budgets, yet created films that feel radically independent. From Blue Velvet to Mulholland Drive, from Twin Peaks to Wild at Heart, his cinema resists easy interpretation while remaining deeply watchable.So how did Lynch stay between mainstream cinema and art-house radicality?Todd McGowan unpacks Lynch through Kant, Freud, fantasy theory, and the unconscious — revealing why Lynch’s films are not puzzles to solve, but experiences to undergo. We explore whether Lynch was more classical than we assume, how he erased the “wall” between fantasy and reality, and why feeling — not logic — structures his cinema.This episode is essential for filmmakers, theorists, and anyone fascinated by how cinema can disturb, seduce, and transform an audience.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:28 Kant, Freud & Lynch04:20 Erasing the wall (Blue Velvet)06:57 Staying between mainstream & art film (clip)08:15 His most “mainstream” film – Wild at Heart10:01 Godard & Lynch (clip)11:30 Cinema of feeling vs cinema of reason12:20 On Godard’s passing (clip)15:57 Lynch as a traditional Hollywood director? (clip)20:12 Dune — $42 million “disaster”?23:09 Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks, Lost Highway29:00 Returning to Kant — the philosophical LynchWatch on YoutubeListen on Spotify/ Apple#TheArtistsPodcast #DavidLynch #ToddMcGowan #TheImpossibleDavidLynch #FilmTheory #CinemaStudies #AuteurCinema #BlueVelvet #TwinPeaks #MulhollandDrive #WildAtHeart #Dune #PsychoanalyticTheory #ArtHouseCinema #FilmPodcast #Cinephile
Artists & Taste | Artistic Rants #14 Everyone is talking about AI. But perhaps the bigger question is... Can AI learn your taste? Watch till the end. And if you're an artist, filmmaker, writer, photographer, musician or creator—this one's for you. Follow @the.artistspodcast for conversations on arts, culture & cinema. #theartistspodcast #artists #tasts
There were, in many ways, two Kubricks: the pre- Spartacus Kubrick and the post- Spartacus Kubrick. The common belief is that once Kubrick became Stanley Kubrick, success followed effortlessly. The reality was very different. Despite becoming one of cinema's most celebrated directors, Kubrick spent much of his career battling rejection, financing challenges, unrealized projects, and the immense pressures of filmmaking. Great artists are often remembered for their successes. What we forget are the disappointments, failures, and resilience that shape the journey. Filmmaking is a high-stress profession. It demands conviction, persistence, and the ability to keep going when the odds are against you. Perhaps that's one of the most important lessons Kubrick leaves behind: talent matters, but resilience matters just as much. 🎧 Catch the full conversation with Professor Nathan Abrams on The Artists . Available now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. 🔗 Link in bio. #StanleyKubrick #TheKubrickMyth #TheArtistsPodcast #Filmmaking #Storytelling #CreativeProcess #Cinema #Creativity #Artists #FilmDirector #IndependentFilmmaking #Resilience #NathanAbrams
Was Stanley Kubrick simply a genius—or did he train himself to become one? In this episode of The Artists , filmmaker Suchita Bhhatia sits down with renowned Kubrick scholar Professor Nathan Abrams to explore the inner life, creative process, habits, struggles, and mindset of one of cinema's greatest storytellers. From photography and self-education to financing challenges and artistic obsession, this conversation uncovers what today's artists can learn from Kubrick's extraordinary journey. 01:55 – Kubrick before he became Kubrick 03:00 – The qualities of young Kubrick: curiosity, personality & childhood 06:17 – Photography and learning the art of seeing 09:22 – What does it take to become a self-taught filmmaker? 13:25 – How Kubrick developed his artistic taste 18:00 – When did the world begin taking Kubrick seriously? 21:14 – Why even Kubrick struggled to get financing 23:00 – Genres, intellectual trends, and cinematic trends 29:00 – Ideas, depth, and technological innovation 30:12 – Filmmaking as a high-stress profession: the hidden cost of creating 30:51 – Doubts, insecurities, and creative challenges 40:50 – An excellent director but a cheap producer? 41:27 – Three Stanley Kubrick films every Gen Z viewer should watch If you're an artist, filmmaker, writer, or simply curious about creativity, this episode is an invitation to understand not just Kubrick's films—but how he became Kubrick . #StanleyKubrick #Kubrick #NathanAbrams #TheArtistsPodcast #Storytelling #Filmmaking #CreativeProcess #Cinema #FilmTheory #Creativity #Screenwriting #Directing #IndependentFilmmaking #Artists #FilmPodcast #MovieLovers #Cinephile #ArtAndCulture #VisualStorytelling #FilmEducation
How did Stanley Kubrick become one of the greatest storytellers in cinema? It wasn't just talent. It was a lifetime of training his mind—through photography, reading, chess, music, relentless curiosity, and learning how to truly observe the world. Long before he made masterpieces, Kubrick was honing himself as an artist. In this conversation with renowned Kubrick scholar Professor Nathan Abrams , we explore the inner life and creative process behind one of cinema's greatest minds—and what today's artists can learn from it. 🎧 The full episode drops tomorrow on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts. Because understanding great artists isn't about admiring them—it's about learning how they became who they were. #StanleyKubrick #TheArtistsPodcast #Storytelling #Filmmaking #Creativity #Cinema #Artists
In celebration of the birth anniversary and enduring legacy of Agnès Varda , we are revisiting one of our favourite conversations on The Artists Podcast . Joining us is acclaimed film critic Carrie Rickey , former chief film critic of The Philadelphia Inquirer and author of the acclaimed biography A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda . Why did Martin Scorsese call Agnès Varda one of the "gods of cinema"? From photography to filmmaking to installation art, Varda continually reinvented herself and expanded the possibilities of cinema. Long before many of her contemporaries, she explored themes of feminism, memory, labour, aging, immigration, and identity while creating a cinematic language entirely her own. In this conversation, we explore: Varda's relationships with artists, filmmakers, and intellectuals Her transition from photography to cinema and installation art How she developed her own cinematic grammar The French New Wave and her place within it Her partnership with Jacques Demy Her friendships with Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag, Jim Morrison, and many others Why her work continues to inspire filmmakers across generations, including Martin Scorsese 04:15 Varda's relationships with people — Jim Morrison, Susan Sontag & others 14:02 Creating a new cinematic syntax 17:25 The challenges of financing films 21:00 "Jumping into the swimming pool" 23:00 The complicated relationship between Varda and Jacques Demy 27:00 Encounters with Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag & other cultural icons 29:00 What happens when both husband and wife are filmmakers? How Demy's career affected Varda's trajectory 32:00 How Varda bought back her films to own the copyright 33:00 Agnès Varda, Jim Morrison, and a funeral shorter than a Doors song 38:12 Martin Scorsese's admiration for Agnès Varda A conversation about cinema, creativity, artistic independence, and one of the most original artists of the twentieth century. 🎥 Watch on YouTube & Spotify 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate and review us on Apple or Spotify so we can continue bringing you more conversations, insights, and artists. Follow us: @the.artistspodcast #AgnesVarda #CarrieRickey #TheArtistsPodcast #MartinScorsese #FrenchNewWave #JacquesDemy #WorldCinema #CinemaStudies #FilmTheory #AuteurCinema #WomenInCinema #FilmPodcast
“Martin Scorsese called Agnès Varda one of the ‘gods of cinema.’ Why?”**As we celebrate the **birth anniversary and enduring legacy of Agnès Varda**, we are revisiting one of our favourite conversations on *The Artists Podcast* with acclaimed film critic and biographer **Carrie Rickey**, author of *A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda*.Beyond the awards and the French New Wave, we explore what made Varda’s way of seeing so original—and why her work continues to inspire generations of filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese.This clip is from **EP 151**, and I’m delighted that the **full watch episode is now dropping on YouTube & Spotify**.🎧 Also available on **Apple Podcasts**.Whether you're discovering Varda for the first time or rediscovering her remarkable cinema, I hope you'll join us.**Link in bio.****@the.artistspodcast**#AgnesVarda #MartinScorsese #TheArtistsPodcast #CarrieRickey #FrenchNewWave #WorldCinema #CinemaStudies #FilmTheory #AuteurCinema #Cinephile
OLD MODELS OF FILMMAKING HAVE CRASHED? From Kane Parsons and Backrooms to creators like Markiplier and Curry Barker, the path to becoming a filmmaker is changing. The question is no longer who will give you permission. The question is: what story are you going to tell? Follow @the.artistspodcast for #arts #culture #cinema #ArtisticRants13 #Filmmaking #CreatorEconomy #Backrooms #KaneParsons #TheArtistsPodcast
The haunting interiors of Devi . The iconic tracking shot in Charulata . The moving train interiors of Nayak . How do cinema and spaces work together? And what is the relationship between cinema and architecture in the world of Satyajit Ray? In this clip from The Artists Podcast , film scholar Ranjani Mazumdar helps us unpack how Ray used interiors, movement, space, and architecture to create psychological depth and emotional worlds—turning homes, trains, and corridors into living characters within his films. From the haunting stillness of Devi to the emotional architecture of Charulata and Nayak , we explore how Ray thought visually—and spatially. Watch on Spotify & YouTube — link in bio Listen on Apple Podcasts Rate and review us so we can continue bringing you more conversations, insights, and artists. #SatyajitRay #RanjaniMazumdar #TheArtistsPodcast #IndianCinema #Charulata #Nayak #Devi #CinemaStudies #FilmTheory #Architecture #WorldCinema #FilmPodcast
In the birth month of Satyajit Ray, we are dropping a very special episode. Where did Ray’s unforgettable characters emerge from? Was he fundamentally an Indian filmmaker—or deeply, profoundly a filmmaker of Bengal and Kolkata? How did one artist move so effortlessly between stories of women, loneliness, urban anxieties, politics, childhood, fantasy, detective fiction, and even horror? What shaped Ray’s gaze? Where did his extraordinary empathy, observation, and range of storytelling come from? In this expansive episode of The Artists Podcast , we explore the inner world of Ray with film scholar Ranjani Mazumdar —one of India’s most respected voices on cinema, urban modernity, and visual culture. From Charulata and Mahanagar to Devi , Nayak , Akira Kurosawa , and Ritwik Ghatak —this is a journey into Ray’s cinema, thinking, and world. 03:15 Environmental & spatial aesthetics in Ray’s cinema 04:40 Habits that made Ray deeply cinematic 07:16 Kolkata filmmaker or Indian filmmaker? 08:15 Devi , Nayak , Charulata 12:00 Cinema & architecture — Charulata and Mahanagar 15:00 Creating psychological states 21:00 Ray’s ability to understand women & inner life 28:00 Kurosawa & Ray 29:00 Ray & Ghatak 38:00 Rejecting the popular — B&W to colour 39:00 Three Ray films for Gen Z 🎥 Watch on YouTube & Spotify — link in bio 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate and review us so we can continue bringing you more conversations, insights, and artists #SatyajitRay #TheArtistsPodcast #RanjaniMazumdar #IndianCinema #RayAndHisWorld #CinemaStudies #WorldCinema #AuteurCinema #FilmPodcast #Cinephile
In the birth month of Satyajit Ray, we are dropping a very special episode — “Satyajit Ray & His World” . Where did Ray’s unforgettable characters emerge from? Was he fundamentally an Indian filmmaker — or deeply, profoundly a filmmaker of Bengal and Kolkata? How did one artist move so effortlessly between stories of women, loneliness, urban anxieties, politics, childhood, fantasy, detective fiction, and even horror? What shaped Ray’s gaze? Where did his empathy, observation, and extraordinary range of storytelling come from? Join us for an expansive conversation on all things Ray with film scholar Ranjani Mazumdar , as we journey into the mind, cinema, and inner world of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Full episode dropping on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts . #SatyajitRay #TheArtistsPodcast #RanjaniMazumdar #IndianCinema #CinemaStudies #RayAndHisWorld #FilmPodcast #WorldCinema #AuteurCinema
“The whole idea of the film business is based on a reactionary idea.” — Jonathan Rosenbaum 🎙️A Great Episode of THE ARTISTS is dropping our You Tube Channel!In this riveting conversation, we’re joined by legendary film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum—a long-time contributor to Cahiers du Cinéma, former lead critic of the Chicago Reader, and one of the world’s foremost authorities on Orson Welles.Rosenbaum—also the co-editor of the essential film book This Is Orson Welles—takes us deep into the cinematic and philosophical legacy of one of the most enigmatic auteurs in film history.A must-listen for cinephiles, dreamers, and anyone interested in the mystery behind the lens.🎥 Dropping on YouTube- Subscribe!Watch the full episode- link in comments below🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts (link in bio)#orsonwelles #citizenkane #jonathanrosenbaum #theartistspodcast #suchitabhhatia #spotify #applepodcasts
“The whole idea of the film business is based on a reactionary idea.” — Jonathan Rosenbaum"Orson Welles was considered a failed Hollywood Director"A Great Episode of THE ARTISTS has dropped on our you tube Watch 🎙️In this riveting conversation, we’re joined by legendary film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum—a long-time contributor to Cahiers du Cinéma, former lead critic of the Chicago Reader, and one of the world’s foremost authorities on Orson Welles.Rosenbaum—also the co-editor of the essential film book This Is Orson Welles—takes us deep into the cinematic and philosophical legacy of one of the most enigmatic auteurs in film history.🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts🎥 Watch the full episode right here on YouTube⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:40 The book — This Is Orson Welles 05:40 Meeting Orson Welles + the film he was making before Citizen Kane 07:10 Who was Orson Welles as a man 11:00 “Capable of being honest” 14:28 Making Citizen Kane 16:00 Woody Allen repeats it vs Welles who refused 17:14 “The whole idea of film business is reactionary” 18:40 Touch of Evil + The Other Side of the Wind 21:04 Films he wanted to make vs films he actually made 22:25 Orson Welles’ battles with the studios 25:41 Footage destroyed by the studio 26:00 “Failed Hollywood director” — #Welles 27:00 He had the right collaborators 31:00 Greatest quality as a director #orsonwelles #citizenkane #jonathanrosenbaum #theartistspodcast #filmmaking
THE CINEMA OF RAJ KHOSLA — Why Do We Talk Hitchcock But Not Khosla?New episode drops tomorrow on our YouTube channel — link in bio.Why does global film culture celebrate Hitchcock endlessly, yet rarely speak of Raj Khosla—one of Hindi cinema’s most versatile, inventive, and genre-defining directors? In this episode, we explore how an artist’s personhood and their cinema can be deeply interconnected… or not at all.From noir to masala, from his mentorship under Guru Dutt to shaping generations of filmmakers—including Mahesh Bhatt, who began his journey assisting Khosla—this conversation maps the evolution of Indian cinema through one remarkable filmmaker.A deep dive into a master filmmaker we don’t speak about nearly enough.Watch the full Episode: Subscribe and stay tuned. #rajkhosla #indiancinema #theartistspodcast #gurudutt #maheshbhatt
THE CINEMA OF RAJ KHOSLA — Why Do We Talk Hitchcock But Not Khosla?Why does global film culture endlessly celebrate Hitchcock, yet rarely speak of Raj Khosla—one of Hindi cinema’s most versatile, inventive, and genre-defining directors? In this episode, we explore whether a filmmaker’s personhood and the cinema they create are deeply intertwined—or deliberately separate.From noir to masala, from mentorship under Guru Dutt to shaping generations of filmmakers—including Mahesh Bhatt, who began his journey assisting Khosla—this conversation traces the evolution of Indian cinema through one remarkable yet under-discussed filmmaker.Joining us is **Amborish**, a **National Award–winning writer and journalist**, whose insights bring historical depth and critical clarity to the discussion. Find him on Linkedin/ Instagram. *Timestamps:* 00:00 — Introduction 01:45 — Why do we talk Hitchcock but not Khosla? 02:44 — Raj Khosla: the director vs the person 04:22 — Moving from noir to masala cinema 10:50 — Working with Guru Dutt: a mentor–disciple relationship 14:00 — The shape of Bollywood: then and now 17:00 — Mahesh Bhatt assisting Raj Khosla: a guru–shishya bond 19:40 — Film schools in America vs India’s apprenticeship tradition 20:21 — Cinema culture and understanding: India vs the West 29:10 — Khosla’s personal quest for love and his female protagonists 34:10 — Financing films and industry markers of the era 42:00 — Kaagaz Ke Phool 47:00 — Do we know our cinematic legacy enough?A necessary conversation on memory, mentorship, and the filmmakers we choose to remember. *Now streaming on our YouTube channel — link in bio.* #podcast #rajkhosla #gurudutt #maheshbhatt #indiancinema #theartistspodcast
New Episode — Full Watch Two masters. Two radically different ways of seeing cinema. In this episode of The Artists Podcast , we explore the worlds of Akira Kurosawa and Yasujirō Ozu with renowned film scholar David Desser —a leading voice in Japanese cinema studies. How do artists form a way of seeing the world? And what shapes their stories, styles, and cinematic language? From cultural influences and philosophy to audience, failure, and ambition—this conversation looks at what made Kurosawa and Ozu two of the most influential filmmakers in history. 🎥 Watch on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate and review us on Apple or Spotify so we can continue bringing you more conversations, insights, and artists
