John Kelly and Tara Lawall on their Oscar nominated Retirement Plan

Laia Casanovas & the art of sound

Laia Casanovas is the Oscar-nominated Supervising Sound Designer and Editor behind SIRĀT, the daring film from director Oliver Laxe.  Together with Yasmina Praderas and Amanda Villavieja, Laia and her team made history this year as the first-ever all-female sound crew to snag an Oscar nod. Fresh off an incredible season, Laia joins me to talk about the art of creating sound for a living—and how she’s just getting started. Follow us on Instagram Open Studios [https://www.instagram.com/opnstudios/] Laia Casanovas [https://www.instagram.com/delpiino/] Mentioned on the show * Official trailer for Sirat [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_9OkHX8ZiA] * Oliver Laxe Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/laxe.oli/] * Yasmina Praderas Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yasminapraderas/] * Amanda Villavieja Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/amanda.villavieja/] * Kangding Ray Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kangding_ray/] Music provided by  Brothers Vanguard, Electriq [https://open.spotify.com/album/19mvvyDfww8TsOIL5zqEUc?si=4VsVTc8kTmOmwCZR4I0WRg]

Tomm Moore's quiet magic

Tomm Moore is a guardian and caretaker of stories and traditions. Together with Nora Twomey and Paul Young, Tomm co-founded the five-time Oscar nominated, Golden Globe nominated, and BAFTA winning studio Cartoon Saloon, headquartered in Kilkenny, Ireland.  Tomm directed three of those Oscar nominated films THE SECRET OF KELLS, SONG OF THE SEA, and WOLFWALKERS all instantly recognizable and deeply foraged in Irish art and lore. Tomm and I talk creative partnerships, timelessness as a sort of trademark, and his next project KINDRED SPIRITS. Follow Open Studios on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/opnstudios/] and Substack [https://substack.com/@houseofk] Follow Tomm Moore [https://www.instagram.com/tomm9769/]  and Cartoon Saloon  [https://www.instagram.com/cartoonsaloon/] and check out Kindred Spirits [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQn9TfXkzTk] teaser on YouTube Mentioned on the show Nora Twomey [https://www.instagram.com/twomey.nora/]  Paul Young [https://www.instagram.com/paulliewaggles/]  Choctaw Nation [https://www.choctawnation.com/] Shelley Dennis [https://www.instagram.com/shelleydennis/]  Waylon Whitedeer [https://www.monah.org/three-chords-and-the-truth/2021/2/2/artist-waylon-gary-white-deer-an-arrow-shot-through-time] Bird Runningwater [https://www.birdrunningwater.com/] Louise Bagnall [https://www.instagram.com/louise_bagnall/] Louise Bagnall’s Late Afternoon  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmYiBLZg0L0] Eddie Lenihan [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tell-me-a-story-with-eddie-lenihan/id1489656479]  Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love [https://www.candlewick.com/9780763690458/julian-is-a-mermaid/] Music provided by  Brothers Vanguard, Electriq [https://open.spotify.com/album/19mvvyDfww8TsOIL5zqEUc?si=4VsVTc8kTmOmwCZR4I0WRg] Follow John Dufilho [https://www.instagram.com/johnbuffalomusic/] (one half of Brothers Vanguard, Electriq & my cousin)

Claire Keane talks Who Are You?

Claire Keane is an acclaimed author, illustrator, and Emmy award-winning visual development artist known for her work on Disney’s Tangled and Frozen. Daughter of the legendary animator Glen Keane, Claire and I talk legacy, creative conviction and turning up the volume when the universe speaks. Claire’s latest book WHO ARE YOU? is out now. It’s beautiful and graceful and a bit wild…just like Claire. WHO ARE YOU? is available now Claire’s website [https://www.claireonacloud.com/], and here [https://www.shoponceuponatime.com/book/9798217029136a] (signed copies are available), and wherever books are sold. Follow us on Substack  Claire Keane [https://substack.com/@claireonacloud] House of K [https://substack.com/@houseofk]  Follow us on Instagram Claire Keane [https://www.instagram.com/claireonacloud/] Open Studios  [https://www.instagram.com/opnstudios/] Mentioned on the show Zinqué Cafe in Venice Beach [https://lezinque.com/] Creative Pep Talk podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-pep-talk/id929743897] Sofia Coppola Archive 1993-2023 [https://www.mackbooks.us/products/archive-br-sofia-coppola?srsltid=AfmBOorgvlTI_2BxuaC0i2VrcINK9QZyX4MNmGdi_qe8uEGdav1ATWPv] Duet [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Y35XLBY8A] - directed by Glen Keane Dear Basketball [https://glenkeaneproductions.com/dear-basketball#:~:text=Narrated%20by%20Kobe%20himself%2C%20the,of%20his%20fans%20and%20beyond.]- directed by Glen Keane and produced by Gennie Rim Google Spotlight Stories [https://www.youtube.com/c/spotlightstories] Play don’t practice: Stephen Franck’s work [https://www.stephanfranck.com/] Bay Lights by Leo Villareal [https://illuminate.org/2026/02/19/the-bay-lights-to-return-friday-march-20-2026/] ****Music provided by****  Brothers Vanguard, Electriq available on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/19mvvyDfww8TsOIL5zqEUc?si=4VsVTc8kTmOmwCZR4I0WRg] Follow John Dufilho [https://www.johndufilho.com/] (one half of Brothers Vanguard, Electriq & my cousin)

Michaël Dudok de Wit on gratitude and ox herding (Updated)

THE ULTIMATE AUTEUR Director and Artist Michaël Dudok de Wit | This is a dreamy chat with the renowned director of Oscar winning short film Father and Daughter and Oscar nom’d The Red Turtle, a collaboration with Studio Ghibli. Michaël creates visual capsules of awe and pathos and wonder, all with (mostly) ink and paper.  A legend. We talk about his decades of work, gratitude, phenomenon, nature, and what we can all learn from ox herding. There's so much noise these days, we’re pulled away from things that require time to understand, time to unearth. Things that make life wondrous. These films are a small antidote.  Watch Michaël’s OSCAR winning short Father and Daughter [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo4KXZVApsQ] Watch Michaël’s OSCAR nom’d short The Monk and the Fish [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUxTfFD4sJ0] Watch Michaël’s OSCAR nom’d feature The Red Turtle [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJK7gbPccrc] Follow Open Studios on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/opnstudios/] and me, house of k, on Substack [https://substack.com/@houseofk] Mentioned on the show –Studio Ghibli –The Ox Fable [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Bulls]  –The Work of Art by Adam Moss [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192723955-the-work-of-art] –It Was Just An Accident trailer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF04v-ze2Yc] from Jafar Panahi

John Kelly and Tara Lawall on their Oscar nominated Retirement Plan

Creator and Director of the Academy Award nominated film “Retirement Plan” John Kelly and Writer Tara Lawall discuss their work and collaboration, making lists, and sneaky simpleness.  Follow Open Studios here [https://www.instagram.com/opnstudios/] Watch Retirement Plan here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mqa4zfJdx4] Learn more about the film here [https://www.retirementplanfilm.com/welcome] Instagram Open Studios [https://www.instagram.com/opnstudios/] Retirement Plan [https://www.instagram.com/retirementplan_film/] Johnny Kelly [https://www.instagram.com/mrjohnnykelly/] Tara Lawall [https://www.instagram.com/taralawallwritessometimes/] Follow Open Studios on Substack @houseofk [https://substack.com/@houseofk]