NOLA Film Scene with Tj & Plaideau
A podcast about acting, filmmaking, and the improv scene in New Orleans.
Episodes
90 episodes
Ash Reese: Cajun Cartoon Worlds
Filmmaker Ashe Reese walks us through creating his own cartoon series from scratch. Ash’s Cajun roots fuel the voice of his shows, from food and festivals to the rhythms of Gulf Coast talk. He’s intentional about balancing local flavor with wid...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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32:16
Warren Mitchell: Chasing A Dream On Film
A guitar class, a choir stand, and a daydream: that’s where our conversation with filmmaker Warren Mitchell begins—and it quickly unfolds into the raw, unvarnished story behind his debut feature, Aspire. Warren opens up about discovering his au...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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31:53
Danielle Lanoux: Crafting Special Effects
Blood doesn’t just happen on camera; it’s engineered, tested, and coaxed into place under brutal lighting and tighter timelines. We bring SFX artist Danielle Lanoux into the studio to explore how a New Orleans special effects and makeup artist ...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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33:15
David Rabalais: Gumbo, Ghosts, And The Fois
A haunted gumbo, a bayou curse, and an indie crew determined to pull off the wildest horror-comedy to come out of South Louisiana—this conversation goes deep into how “The Fois” became a full-on feature. We sit down with writer-director David R...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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33:21
Bob Zany: Finding The Punchline
A nun with a net, a waffle iron payday, and a catchphrase that almost got cut—our time with Bob Zany is a masterclass in how comedy actually works. We trace his arc from a 15-year-old on The Gong Show to a weekly radio presence and a Las Vegas ...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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14:15
John Dylan Atkins: Two Super Bowl Spots And A Torn Achilles
What if your best shot at booking arrives the moment you stop trying to impress? We sit down with actor John Dylan Atkins to unpack how he booked two Super Bowl commercials in the same year, the surprising freedom of low‑pressure auditions, and...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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1:10:45
Matthew Carroll: Wet Paint And Open Wounds
Some stories are heavy because they’re true. Wet Paint, Matt Carroll’s new film, follows three 17-year-old girls whose friend dies by suicide—and their decision to push back when the adults and institutions around them default to silence. We in...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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45:40
CajunCon Bound With Jim Gleason
A con can be more than a weekend hang—it can be the spark for a local film movement. We sit down with actor Jim Gleason to gear up for CajunCon, swap Wonka and mall-theater memories, and dig into how fandom, policy, and smart planning can power...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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40:40
Gregg Berger: Finding the Voice Behind Grimlock
If you think voice acting starts with funny sounds, Gregg Berger will change your mind in five minutes. We dive into how he builds unforgettable performances by starting with character—motives, history, and choices—then lets the voice emerge as...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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35:51
Scott Innes: Inside Cajun Con
The voice of Scooby Doo is putting on the biggest pop culture fan convention of the year! He joins the guys to break down what it took to set up, what celebrities are attending, and how to get free tickets.
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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48:50
Billy Slaughter: Finding Community At Cajun Con
The best fandom moments aren’t about the merch—they’re about the spark between people. We sat down with actor Billy Slaughter to trade stories that bounce from a PBS deep dive as William Faulkner to the wild energy of Scary Movie 6, with a heal...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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44:37
Traditions, Movies, And A Thanksgiving Hello
Holiday weeks can feel chaotic, so we kept it simple: a warm check-in, real traditions, and a stack of movies that make the season sing. We open up about why Thanksgiving sets our cinematic tempo—kicking off with Home Alone after dinner, then w...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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10:13
Season Five, New Milestones, Big Plans
Season five kicks off with momentum and a bold plan: we’re celebrating roughly eighty episodes and taking the show to Cajun Con with a stacked slate of guests and a fan-first mission. We start by reflecting on the early grind—passing that fragi...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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28:16
Season Four Farewell, Season Five Ahead
Season four ends, and the runway lights up. We’re turning the page with a full-force push into CajunCon at the Lamar Dixon Center in Gonzales—over 80 celebrities, a packed show floor, and a weekend where nostalgia and fandom collide. We share o...
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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13:37
Ashley Landrieau: Part 2 From Stage To Stunts
The curtain rises on craft and courage as Ashley Landrew joins us to chart a life that moves from grade‑school plays to LSU’s performance program and straight into the calculated chaos of stunt training. We get honest about what changes when th...
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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19:32
Ashley Landrieau: Part 1 The Role Of An Intimacy Coordinator
The most unforgettable moments on screen often ask the most from performers. Ashley Landrieu—actor, writer, director, stunt-trained performer, and intimacy coordinator—pulls back the curtain on how intimate and emotionally heavy scenes are desi...
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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28:29
Dean West: Part 2 Truthful Acting
Dean unpacks the turning point that changed his work: an acting class with Aaron Speiser that replaced “how should this look?” with “what does this human believe right now?” We dig into the “moment before,” the trap of starting scenes in a pre-...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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46:36
Dean West: Part 1 Acting Without Acting
Ever notice how the best performances feel unforced, like the camera just wandered into a real moment? That’s the core of our time with actor and coach Dean West, who makes a compelling case that presence beats performance every time. We dig in...
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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24:27
Ann Mahoney: Rumors and Reality
A meme tried to tell our story for us—so we brought in the person at the center of it. Ann Mahoney sits down with us to unpack a viral rumor about a Walking Dead scene, why it’s completely false, and what gets lost when the internet mistakes co...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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56:39
Scott Nielsen: From 48-Hour Chaos to Cinematic Control
A 48-hour film sprint on a horse rescue ranch. Cowboy kung fu. Seven hours of beautiful footage left on the floor. That’s where our talk with New Orleans filmmaker Scott Nielsen kicks off—and it only gets wilder from there. Scott breaks down th...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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35:55
Eileen Grubba: Part 2
What if your greatest challenges became your greatest strengths? Actress, writer, and producer Eileen Gruba transforms this question from philosophical musing to lived reality in this powerful conversation about disability, resilience, and the ...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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30:01
Eileen Grubba: Part 1
Resilience takes center stage as actress, writer, and producer Eileen Gruba shares her extraordinary 30-year journey through the entertainment industry. From childhood tragedy to industry trailblazer and advocate for disabled actors, Eileen's s...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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31:04
Hick Cheramie: The Resilient Journey of a Cajun Actor
What does it mean to find success in the entertainment industry during slow times? Hick Cheramie returns to our show after two years to share the profound wisdom he's gained navigating the unpredictable waters of an acting career while maintain...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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55:25
Zac Cino: The Actor-Director's Lens
From childhood VHS movie-making to crafting indie films with a distinctive voice, actor-director Zac Cino takes us behind the scenes of his creative journey on this episode of NOLA Film Scene.Zac shares the story of how a prop gun press...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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32:50
NOLA Film Scene: Two Years in the Books
When we hit record on our very first NOLA Film Scene episode two years ago, we never imagined the incredible journey ahead. From upgrading our recording setup (goodbye, dark sound booth!) to forming meaningful connections with talented creators...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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45:15