The Perception Podcast

On this episode of the Perception Podcast, two worlds collide as our very own Danny Gonzalez chats with YouTube sensation, Danny Gonzalez. Hailing from Chicago, Danny Gonzalez began his rise to comedy and fame on Vine in 2014. Since then, Danny has established several successful YouTube channels, amassing over 6 million subscribers and 1.5 billion views on his main channel. Danny has won awards, toured the country, and now, he’s sitting down with us to see what parallels these Danny’s share in the Danny Gonzalez universe. Check out Danny Gonzalez on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Danny-Gonzalez

Today on the Perception Podcast is David Kirby, Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of the Science, Technology & Society Program at Cal Poly University. David Kirby was a practicing evolutionary geneticist before leaving bench science to explore science communication through entertainment media. His experiences as a member of the scientific community have informed his internationally recognized studies into the interactions between science, technology and fiction. His book, “Lab Coats in Hollywood: Science, Scientists and Cinema” examines the historic collaborations between science consultants and the entertainment industry. He is currently writing a book titled, “Indecent Science: Religion, Science and Movie Censorship”, which will explore how movies served as a battle ground over science’s role in influencing morality. So let’s take a deep dive into the science of sci-fi cinema with David Kirby!

On this episode of the Perception Podcast, we're joined by Frankly Built, a connoisseur of 3D model printing and YouTube sensation. Frankly Built has almost 900,000 YouTube subscribers and he has built a community full of 3D printing enthusiasts looking to create their own incredible models and cosplays. Best known for his life size, wearable and self-created Iron Man suits, Frankly Built has 3D printed functional suits, props and costume pieces for superheroes, villains and video game characters from franchises worldwide. Power up your arc reactors, it’s time to learn what it takes to make the creations of Frankly Built.

Today on the Perception Podcast, we're chatting with Vince LaViolette, Vice President of Operations at Shelby American! Since joining Shelby American in 1999, Vince has been a staple in the process of automotive development, including research and development, product line management, and even vehicle development with longtime partner Carroll Shelby. From owning a racecar shop and racing in the Winston West NASCAR series, to customizing cars and test driving for Shelby, Vince is a mastermind when it comes to all things on the road. So, let’s get ready to take a deep dive into the automotive industry with Vince LaViolette.

This week on the Perception podcast, we're chatting with technology influencer, YouTuber and content creator, Austin Evans! Austin Evans has been a tech content creator since 2009 covering the latest news in technology and gaming on both his main channel, "Austin Evans", and secondary channel "This Is". Known for his friendly and approachable style, Austin excels at making the latest tech news exciting to both the layman and the hardcore enthusiast. Whether you’re wondering if that new gadget is worth it, looking for the coolest of retro and cutting edge tech, or shopping for the latest smartphone, you can find it on Austin’s channel. Let's get ready to take a deep dive into the worlds of technology, gaming, YouTube and even F1 racing with Austin!

This week on the Perception podcast, finally, after a lifetime of anticipation, Jeremy Lasky of Perception meets THE Jeremy Lasky of Pixar Animation Studios. Lasky began his film career at Pixar in 1997 as a layout artist on “A Bug’s Life.” He then worked in the layout department on “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.” Lasky served as director of photography on the Academy Award®-winning films “Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E” and “Toy Story 3,” Golden Globe®-winning feature, “Cars” as well as “Cars 2,” “Finding Dory,” and “Cars 3.” Currently, Lasky is working as director of photography on Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Lightyear,” set to release June 17, 2022. That film is going to be HUGE! SO teleport with us now, on the ultimate Perception mind trip, as we step into the Jeremy Lasky Multiverse ...

Today on the Perception Podcast we have an awesome treat for all our listeners. Our special guest is Matt Farah from The Smoking Tire, which holds the ranking of the best automotive podcast on the planet that he Co hosts with his long time confidant Zack Klapman. Matt is also well known on Youtube for his reviews and thrill rides of hundreds of cars through the canyons on the West Coast, tracks across the globe and other exciting venues . He’s driven everything from Electric vehicles to the mighty gas guzzlers. He also founded Westside Collector Car Storage and has a beautiful personal collection of vehicles including his childhood favorite - the 1988 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV. So lets get ready to hear some straight talk about a variety of automotive topics with Matt Farah.

Today on The Perception Podcast our special guest is James Hobson - better known as the youtube sensation The Hacksmith! James is a 29 year old inventor-turned-YouTube star who has built an engineering R&D company from the ground up by taking fictional ideas from comic book movies and video games, and making real working prototypes. His videos of building these real, Science Fiction prototypes are watched by his 7 million plus subscriber audience base on YouTube! With over a dozen employees and a new 13,000 square foot facility, he's taking the first steps to building a real life Stark Industries. So lets get ready to talk shop with The Hacksmith and see what he’s got cooking in the hacksmith lair.

Our conversation with David McCall. David is a senior designer at Audi working on some of the most cutting edge projects. He studied Industrial design at both Savannah college of art & design and North Carolina State University. After graduating he took his skills to Husqvarna were he was tasked with making lawn mowers look cool. He spent most of his time at Ford where he quickly moved up the ranks to Lead Interior designer. His most cherished project at Ford was being selected as part of an elite unit that was very small and super top secret to build the 2017 Ford GT. The GT program took the automotive industry by storm because of its raw power and beautiful design! It graced car magazine covers and websites across the globe. Dave moved on from Ford to a start up called Faraday Future where he met a colleague that later asked him to join a secret division at Audi in Malibu, California. We got to work with Dave and the elite team at Ford on the GT. Not only was it a dream project but the Ford team were an awesome group of people! Lets get the scoop from interior designer David McCall!

Professor Ben Saunders believes that reading comics makes you smarter. He founded and directs the Undergraduate Minor in Comics Studies at the University of Oregon, the first undergraduate minor of its kind in the world. He is the author of Desiring Donne: Poetry, Sexuality, Interpretation (Harvard, 2006)—and Do The Gods Wear Capes: Spirituality, Fantasy, and Superheroes (Continuum, 2011)—described as “the best critical work on the meaning and impact of super-heroes that has ever been written.” He is also co-editor (with Charles Hatfield) of Comic Book Apocalypse: The Graphic World of Jack Kirby (IDW, 2015). Professor Saunders has spoken on comics-related topics at universities and conventions across the United States and internationally, and appears as an academic expert in the History Channel documentary, Superheroes Decoded. He has also curated several exhibitions of original comic art, and recently served as Chief Curator for “Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes”—the largest and most comprehensive museum exhibition ever devoted to Marvel Comics. The show opened to record-breaking numbers at The Museum of Pop-Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle in 2018, and is currently touring throughout North America. So put on your cape, grab your shield, and suit up - let's geek out with Professor Ben Saunders… You can reach Professor Saunders at ben@uoregon.edu https://english.uoregon.edu/profile/ben Get his books here: https://www.amazon.com/Ben-Saunders/e/B001JSFE5I/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 And check out the incredible exhibit Marvel Universe of Super Heroes at a city near you! Next stop, Detroit! https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/marvel-universe-of-super-heroes/

This week on the Perception podcast we welcome Bruce Walker. He is a Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, in the Schools of Psychology and Interactive Computing. His Sonification Lab studies the human-computer interaction (HCI) issues in non-traditional interfaces, ranging from mobile devices, cockpits and vehicle displays, multimodal interfaces in education and in complex task environments. Particular research interests include sonification and auditory displays. Professor Walker teaches HCI, Sensation & Perception, Auditory Interfaces, and Assistive Technology. In addition to academic research leading to over 150 publications, he has worked and consulted on projects for NASA, state and federal governments, the military, and private companies. So raise up your volume and enjoy this podcast with Professor Walker!

This week on The Perception Podcast is special guest Dr. Richard Wiseman. Richard has a Ph.D. in Psychology, and he’s a professor in the UK. In fact he holds Britain’s only professorship in the public understanding of psychology. He’s also s a bestselling author of some of our favorite books: Quirkology, Paranormality, The Luck Factor, 59 Seconds, How to Remember Everything and the forthcoming Shoot for the Moon He has 2 massive YouTube Channels. His main one is called Quirkology with over 2 million subscribers, and the other is ‘In 59 Seconds,’ with over half a million subscribers. Richard actually began his career as a magician and is still very well known and active in the magic community. That’s how we first discovered his work many years ago. As a psychologist, he has spent much of his career exploring the many connections between magic and psychology, the psychology of deception and the study of human Perception. We couldn’t imagine a more perfect guest for our podcast. *** As always please send any comments or questions to ask@experienceperception.com And please go to ITunes and leave us a nice review!

This week on The Perception Podcast is Charlie Fink. Charlie is an AR/VR Consultant, Columnist, Speaker and the Author of "Charlie Fink's Metaverse, An AR Enabled Guide to VR & AR." He is a former Disney, AOL and AG Interactive executive who notably came up with the idea for "The Lion King" while a junior executive in 1987. In the 90s, Fink was EVP & COO of VR pioneer Virtual World Entertainment. He is a sought-after professional speaker whose numerous appearances include SXSW, CES, and AWE. Fink is the contributing editor of Virtual Reality Pop, a Medium publication for whom he writes a popular weekly column. In addition to his work as head of story development for Disney Feature Animation during the second golden age of Disney animation (‘85-’92), Fink was SVP & CCO of AOL Studios (‘95-’99). His past experience also features successful exits from several startups, including eAgents, which sold to AG Interactive, where he then served as President for three years, and Charlie Company, an SEO/SEM affiliate marketer and consultancy that most notably created "The Other 98%" for client Moveon.org in 2009, which now has over 6M followers on Facebook. Charlie Company was sold in a private transaction in 2014. Charlie Fink is also a producer of live theater in NYC. He is the Producing Artistic Director of the New Musical Foundation, a non-profit that supports the development of new musicals and has won over 15 awards for its productions. From 2007-2017 Fink was Chairman of the Drama Desk Award-winning NY Musical Festival So lets your imagination run wild and lets jump into the Metaverse with Charlie Fink! *** As always please send any comments or questions to ask@experienceperception.com And please go to ITunes and leave us a nice review!

This week on The Perception Podcast is Alida Draudt. Alida is a Futurist, as well as a nation-wide speaker and author on strategic foresight. Through her work with Capital One, the Threatcasting Lab – a collaboration between the Army Cyber Institute and Arizona State University – and numerous independent works, Alida has looked at futures and implications that span societal, political, environmental, economic, and technological implications. Recognized as an advocate for including greater diversity in futurism, as well as one of the first futurists in the Financial Services realm, she is a proponent of using foresight to create actionable next steps in the present. Her co-authored book What the Foresight promotes accessible ways for everyone to think better about their futures. This was a fascinating conversation, that spanned a wide range of topics including her recommended process for strategic foresight, the futures toolkit and much more. Let's head back to the future with Alida Draudt... *** As always please send any comments or questions to ask@experienceperception.com And please go to ITunes and leave us a nice review!

Dan Novy is a dream guest for us on the Perception podcast. He combines many of the ingredients that make up the secret recipe of Perception. He is a PhD student at the MIT Media Lab, an Emmy- and Visual Effects Society Award-winning VFX technical supervisor, a transmedia experience designer, and former chair of the Visual Effects Society Technology Committee. What fascinates me most, are the two classes he teaches at the Media Lab "Science Fiction-Inspired Prototyping" and "Indistinguishable From Magic" classes. Let’s take a journey into the mind of Dan Novy! As always please send any comments or questions to ask@experienceperception.com And please go to ITunes and leave us a nice review!

Perception Co-founder Danny Gonzalez is interviewed for The Agency Summit by Andrey Polston. Topics include how to attract top talent, creating a culture at your design studio and more. You can watch the video here: https://bit.ly/2uurt2Z

We've been getting so many great questions from our listeners lately we'll be doing these Q&A's more frequently. This episodes features questions about how we both got interested in this field, celebrities we've met, where we go for inspiration and more. Please keep your questions coming by sending them to ask@experienceperception.com and don't forget to leave us a good review on Apple ITunes!

Todays guest is the legendary custom car builder Gene Winfield. He’s best known for his custom cars like the Ford Custom Car Caravan, the front wheel drive Strip Star and many others. He has also designed cars for film an tv like the Star Trek Galileo ship, Blade Runner, Man From Uncle, Bewitched and Robocop. He started customizing cars at the young age of 15 and from there he became a legend for his paint blending techniques and super human abilities to bend metal into forms that only he can imagine! He recently celebrated his 91st birthday and hasn’t slowed down a bit! So get ready for a mind bending conversation with the legendary custom car king Gene Winfield! Send questions to ask@experienceperception.com

Today’s guest is Amko Leenarts. He is the Director of Design for FORD Europe where he is responsible for the exterior and interior design of all models for global markets. Amko leads a team of more than 275 Ford employees at Ford Design Studios in Germany and the Dunton Technical Centre in the U.K. Previously he was the director of Global Interior Design at Ford leading interior design strategy and implementation for both the Ford and Lincoln brands worldwide. Leenarts graduated from the Academy of Arts in the Netherlands, with a degree in interior architecture. With a passion for car design, he then went on to study at the Royal College of Art in London, graduating with a Master’s degree in Vehicle Design. Given our long creative partnership with FORD we’re very excited to have him join us today on the Perception Podcast. So put your seatbelts on and lets get going with Amko Leenarts… As always please send any comments or questions to ask@experienceperception.com

On this episode of the Perception Podcast, our very own Chief Creative Officer John LePore speaks with Paul Babb. Paul is President and CEO of Maxon - the creators of Cinema 4D. We've known Paul for a very long time and have been using C4D for a very long time. In the famous words of Ed McMahon - "Heeere's Johnny!"