BECOME A CO-PRODUCER:
Visit our indiegogo page to find out how you can help us send Branan to a remote desert island where he will try to survive for one week with nothing but a knife!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-branan-not-die-on-a-tropical-island#/
Episode 46: Melissa McCracken
Episode 45: Melissa McCracken – “Dancing About Architecture
Episode 38 – Ethan Peck, Part 2 – “Touching Death”
Episode 37: Ethan Peck, Part 1 – “Spock”
Episode 34: Illeana Douglas, “I Blame Dennis Hopper”
Episode 33: Mac Barnett, Part 2 – “What Is Water”
Episode 32: Mac Barnett, Part 1 – “The Golden Ticket”
You can find Mac’s personal website, along with additional information about his books and schedule here.
Episode 31: “The Great Eagle God”
In describing a story from his childhood, Branan talked a bit about our childhood habit of appropriating animistic mysticism as seen in Native American tradition. We did a little digging to find out the real importance of eagles to Native culture.
https://www.theclassroom.com/eagles-native-american-symbolism-12080063.html
Episodes 29-30: Xzibit
Episodes 26 – 28: Todd Komarnicki
Branan’s leg after sustaining an injury this holiday season.
Episode #9 – Eva Longoria – “No Sabían Que Eramos Semillas”
Eva and Anson’s movie “Visions” may have gone straight to DVD, but they had a hell of a good time making it.
Trailer for Eva’s 2011 documentary “The Harvest”. Watch on Amazon Prime today!
Trailer for Eva’s 2014 documentary “Food Chains”. Watch on Amazon Prime today!
Episode #8 – Leon Ingulsrud – “The Martini Samurai”
Leon Ingulsrud is well known for having played the role of Major Bendix on “Hell on Wheels”, but most people don’t know that he is also a celebrated avant garde theater director and actor. Further, even fewer people know that Leon, despite his nordic appearance actually grew up in Japan and is not only fluent, but a respected translator.
A promotional video for Leon’s most recent directorial project “Hanjo”.
Bonus Episode – Reggie Watts – “What We Focus On”
Reggie and Anson spoke briefly about Charlottesville the day of Heather Heyer’s murder.
Reggie Watts playing PopTech in 2011.
Another PopTech appearance by Reggie Watts, also in 2011
Episode #7 – Reggie Watts – “The Dampfnudel Zone”
Anson talks with Reggie about the importance of being in the room with the audience, as well as his newest endeavors into culinary machine design.
Music video for Reggie Watts, directed by Duncan & Ben. Choreography by Amy O’Neal. Check out Reggie’s Live Special on DVD — “Why Shit So Crazy?!” — directed by Duncan Skiles of Waverly Films and produced by Looseworld.
Reggie Watts performing at TED 2012.
Reggie’s performance at the TEDxBerlin later in 2012.
Episode #6 – Dr. David Haskell – “Life Is Connection”
Anson and Branan travel with Pulitzer Prize nominee and biologist Dr. David Haskell to look at two very different trees in order to look at them in a different light: as the hubs of myriad networks. And it is those networks, he claims, that are the stuff of life itself.
A video of Dr. David Haskell speaking at the Odum Environmental Ethics Lecture in 2016.
“The Forest Unseen” by David Haskell book trailer. Includes footage of Shakerag Hollow.
Episode #5 – June Jones – “Love is the Difference”
While filming in Hawaii Anson told his old friend, Sportswriter John McClain, that he was looking for people with good stories about creativity. John’s immediate response was, “The most incredible Hawaii story you could hear will be told by coach June Jones.” He was right.
For more information about June Jones’ ongoing charitable work in Samoa please visit the June Jones Foundation.
This video originally aired as a local news piece explaining the origins of the Haka and how it found it’s place within the University of Hawaii football program.
University of Hawaii defensive hits promo, 2007.
Episode #4: Iwan Rheon – “Moment in Time”
This spring, Anson played Iwan’s big brother in Marvel’s “The Inhumans”. He also brow-beat the multi-talented Welshman until he agreed to sit down and play some songs for The Well.
Episode #3: Jonathan Meiburg – “Restless and Relaxed”
Jonathan Meiburg is a bonafide rock star. But for the past twenty years, when he isn’t touring or cutting a new album, Jonathan has been routinely drawn to the Falkland Islands and the striated caracara, a rare falcon whose brain has been found to be strangely human. He’s also one of the most creatively generous people we know. Which is why we asked him to be the composer for The Well. We hope you enjoy this in-house interview as much as we enjoyed making it.
An excerpt of Branan Edgens’ “Time Indefinite” featuring Anson and Jonathan.
Jonathan holding a striated caracara. To the left is falconer Geoff Pearson.
Photo credit: Sean McCann.
For more information on Jonathan’s band Shearwater, visit http://shearwatermusic.com
BONUS EPISODE: “Who’s Your Superhero?”
Ellen Woglom with her mother Sarah Barnes.
Mike and Richelle Moh.
Eme Ikwuakor and his father Killian.
Sonya Balmores’ husband Kanoa had a hero of his own: his father Terry, pictured here.
Episode #2: “Don’t Mess With Rocky”
Actor Ken Leung shared with us the story of his brother’s untimely death and how that experience led him toward true presence and the realization that “there will be a next thing.”
Ken Leung (right) puts a protective arm around his little brother Kevin, circa 1981.
The Leung family.
Episode #1: “The Two Brothers”
Dr. Kelly Gleason Keogh shared with us the harrowing story of Captain George Pollard, the man behind the inspiration for Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, as well as her own story of uncovering the last chapter of the his life: the wreckage of The Two Brothers.
The photo (left) depicts Dr. Gleason holding a rare find: a whaling harpoon belonging to The Two Brothers whaling vessel. French Frigate Shoals, northwest Hawaiian Islands.
Dr. Kelly Gleason Keogh inspecting her first piece of evidence: the absolutely massive anchor of The Two Brothers.
For an absolutely stunning underwater tour of The Two Brothers wreck site, it is hosted at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument website: https://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/maritime/videos/two_brothers_short/two_brothers_short.html
THE TEASER
We’ve been friends a long time. The thing that binds us the most is a shared curiosity about the world and the people around us. We’re constantly finding ourselves caught up in fascinating conversations with interesting people, so we decided to make a podcast; one that could explore personalities differently. Instead of focusing on what people do, we want to know what drives them to do what they do, how they excel, and how they think outside the box. So The Well was born.
In creating this podcast, we’ve had conversations with celebrities, musicians, a biologist, a maritime historian, a football coach, a clothing designer, a professional wrestler and more. Each of them provides a different facet on the subject of creative thinking, and each has a story about what inspires them. We hope you’ll join us.