"This is the conclusion of a successful semester, where concept, creation, and distribution plans came together. Professor Diana welcomes the class for a final reflection and listening party, handing hosting duties over to Shana and Alex. This episode is a celebration of the creative energy poured into the course, covering everything from the development of a central concept to planning final distribution strategies. The discussion explores the powerful concept of "class citi

"On this episode of Lights Microphone Podcast, we sit down with Winnie Liao, a multilingual creator navigating the world of podcasting outside the default English-speaking bubble. Winnie brings us inside the reality of building content in a different language, carving out space for cultural identity, and pushing back against the idea that creativity only counts when it fits the dominant market. She shares the story of starting her show in Mandarin in Taiwan, the unexpected de

"If you're stuck in the planning phase, you're losing the game. The secret to success in any venture, especially podcasting, is fast feedback and radical adaptation. This is 100 Ways to Make 100K, and this week, host Javon Martin is going behind the scenes of his own show. For over 70 episodes, Javon has been on a relentless hunt to find 100 different paths to generating $100,000 per month. In this special session, Javon reveals the brutal, yet necessary, truth about what it

Quick Summary - Show Notes Nick Thorburn (the musician behind The Unicorns and Islands ) talks with host Shana about creating one of the most recognizable pieces of podcast music ever: the theme song for Serial. The whole thing happened almost by accident. A friend made a connection, and Nick treated it like any other freelance gig. He listened to the pilot episode, got inspired by the dark, true-crime vibe, and cranked out a library of music in one weekend. He had zero clue

“ Welcome to Ctrl+Alt+Narrate , the show that explores the diverse journeys behind digital media creation. But what happens when the creators become the story? In this episode, host Alex flips the camera around to interview the brilliant team that brings the show to life: Sneesha, Alisha, and Victoria. Together, they dive deep into the production process of " Ctrl+Alt+Narrate ," covering everything from managing a massive post-production backlog to the learning curve of hosti

Hello Everybody! The next 6 weeks of this podcast, we’re doing something a little different. I can’t wait for you to hear what’s to come. In the Fall 2025 semester, I had the great fortune of teaching my first for-credit course in podcasting. Since I started Talk Paper Scissors  in 2019, I’ve informally helped and consulted on a number of projects in the space, but I had never (until now!) planned a full curriculum, thinking through what I would’ve loved to know when I was fi

Welcome back - I’m so glad you’re here. This is the second episode in a 3-part guest lecture series, speaking with a diverse range of design and typography pros from across North America!  This episode features a Creative Director dedicated to social change and inclusive city building, Jay Wall.  With over 15 years of experience at the intersection of graphic design and social change, Jay was the founder of design studio RallyRally. Now at O2 Planning and Design , Jay leads t

Allow me to draw your attention over there  please. (I know you can’t see me but I’m pointing in that  direction, towards the letterpress print of a manicule I  made recently, which is hanging out in my closet of a recording studio.) — I’m so thrilled to be part of the Canadian Letterpress Alliance ; a newly formed, 3x a year fun mail club for letterpress printers across Canada.  And while I don’t consider myself a letterpress printer in the same way that so many in this gro

Calling all book lovers, both old and new! This episode is especially for you.  Today I’m joined by Andrew Huot, who is a book artist, bookbinder, printer, and conservator in Scarborough, ON. He operates Big River Bindery , a studio for bookmaking, letterpress printing, and book conservation. He holds a Masters in Book Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and a Bachelor of Science in Printmaking from Portland State University. Andrew was the Conservator and Pr

It has become a Talk Paper Scissors  tradition to feature the incredible work of up-and-coming typeface designers in this space (check out Episode 026  with Veronika & Mary-Anne, Episode 113  with Nate & Sarah and Episode 146  with Nicole & Cameron, Episode 191  With Max & Cecilia, and Episode 258  with Paulina & Darrab). This work was born in the Advanced Typography course I teach at Toronto Metropolitan University. After reviewing many submissions, with work scaffolded thro

A few months ago I received a lovely email from a listener. It was the kind of unexpected, heartfelt, and generous note that means the world when I spend hours making this podcast, talking into the void and not knowing how (and even if!) messages are being received. I’ve grabbed a few different bits from the email, but the email sounded something like this: I just wanted to reach out and say a huge THANK YOU for producing such a fantastic podcast!!!! I stumbled across it last

I’m so excited for today’s episode! Christopher Rouleau, Toronto-based graphic designer, letterer and visual artist, joins us on today’s...

We’ve got the Leafs, we’ve got the Jays, we’ve got the Toronto FC, and we’ve got the Raptors. Today we’re talking Toronto sports... with...