Episode Details

What does Hollywood actually look like behind the scenes?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, Blessed sits down with Alan Katz — veteran television writer, producer, and host of The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast — for a hilarious and deeply insightful conversation about storytelling, creative disasters, Hollywood chaos, failure, reinvention, and the strange psychology behind making art.

Alan’s career spans decades in entertainment, including work on Tales from the Crypt, film projects, television production, and now podcasting — where his brutally honest stories about the entertainment industry earned The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast recognition as one of the best film podcasts of the year.

Together, they explore:

• why Hollywood productions become chaotic

• creativity vs problem-solving

• storytelling and emotional truth

• ego, insecurity, and ambition in entertainment

• rejection and resilience in creative careers

• podcasting and long-form conversation

• why audiences connect with vulnerability

• comedy, failure, and human psychology

• how stories shape culture

• what makes a story unforgettable

This is a conversation about storytelling, entertainment, human behavior, creativity, identity, reinvention, and the deeply human chaos behind trying to make meaningful art.

🎧 Thought Atlas explores psychology, creativity, philosophy, technology, culture, entrepreneurship, and the deeper ideas shaping modern life.

🎙️ Listen to Alan Katz’s work:

The Donor Podcast Official Website