Ben Blohm and Susan Swarner who both live and work in Northwest Indiana have recently started a podcast called Life in the Credits.
”Each episode, we interview guests who work in the entertainment industry about their jobs, how they got there, and some entertaining stories. We also review movies that the guest picks or that we’ve wanted to watch. Finally, we play a movie-themed game with the guest at the end of each episode. We talk to actors, producers, writers as well as folks who don’t get interviewed as often like costumers, camera operators, and stunt actors,” they said.
Blohm and Swarner took their passion for movies and turned it into a production they are quite proud of.
“We have always loved movies and been fascinated with filmmaking. We are fortunate to have some friends who work in the film industry, and when we talk to them about it, they said they could have gotten to their dream job quicker if they knew about it sooner," they said.
The idea for Life in the Credits has been around for quite some time, as it began in a Region high school.
"Our show, Life in the Credits, started as a radio show on WDSO broadcast out of Chesterton High School. As we grew, we really enjoyed learning about the industry and wanted to make it available to everyone, so we launched as a podcast.”
The duo wants their podcast to be used for entertainment as well as a tool for those who are interested in stepping into the world of filmmaking opportunities. A friend of Blohm and Swarner said she had no idea her current career existed, but if she would have learned about it sooner, she would have had a better idea of the path she needed to get there.
"This gave us the idea of interviewing people with careers that people might not know exist in the movie industry,” they said.
“We want to use this platform to highlight all the ways you can work in the entertainment industry as well as give some advice, such as how to join a union. We hope to appeal to anyone who is interested in working in movies and TV but might not be sure where they might fit as well as regular cinephiles.”
This is the first podcast they have done although they have been guests on podcasts.
“All of the guests we’ve had have been really interesting. Everyone has had great advice for people looking to work in the industry as well as some really interesting stories from their careers.”
Blohm and Swarner are looking forward to their next guest, giving us a sneak peak.
“Coming up, we have an Oscar-winning screenwriter, a stunt woman, and a story supervisor who worked on a recent animated feature film.”
Guests on Life in the Credits are from, but not limited to, Northwest Indiana. Both hosts say this proves that you do not have to move out of your way to get started on your career.
“We have interviewed guests who still live in Northwest Indiana and guests who grew up here and have since moved. One of the common themes that we hear from our guests is that you don’t need to live in LA, New York, or Atlanta or start your career. Especially now with so much of the process of making entertainment moving online, you can create content and learn skills wherever you are – just like us.”
To find the podcast Life in the Credits is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more. Connect with Blohm and Swarner on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and at https://www.lifeinthecredits.com/.