"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 citizenship", the accountability and personal responsibility students took to engage and support each other's projects. It highlights the successful crossover potential between student shows like Big Bets and The Client Said What, proving the interdisciplinary nature of the MDM program. This is a look back at a great semester, framed by creativity, energy, and shared success.” Quick Summary - Show Notes This episode captures the MDM class's final listening party and reflection session after completing their podcast projects for the semester. Professor Diana kicks off the session by congratulating the students on navigating the entire creative process, from concept and theme development to production, distribution, and marketing. The main hosting duties are carried by students Shauna and Alex. The discussion focuses on the learning journey, including the challenge of creating trailers and developing a marketing plan. A key philosophical concept introduced by Professor Diana is the idea of "class citizenship,"  emphasizing the personal responsibility and accountability students demonstrated throughout the course to contribute to the collective good. Students confirm the value of peer learning, recognizing the strong crossover potential between their projects, such as integrating the marketing strategies of Big Bets (an investor-focused show) with The Client Said What (a show about client work). The session wraps up as a heartfelt debrief, celebrating the students' energy, creativity, and the successful completion of the course. ----- Artwork for The 9 Podcasts featured in this episode! This series was created inside a podcasting special topics course (DG 8010: MDM Podcast Lab) within the  Master of Digital Media  program at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, this six-part series explores what it really takes to start and grow a podcast.  Music Credits: Nick Petrov - The New School ( artlist.io ) Slow High - LOSE MYSELF - Instrumental version ( artlist.io ) Kicktracks - Oceanside ( artlist.io ) Stevie Ross - Trippin - Instrumental version ( artlist.io ) Jaxon Wild - New Dawn ( artlist.io ) Zach Sorgen - After Party - Instrumental version ( artlist.io ) Jimit - Home Cookin ( artlist.io ) Elifas Sonaru - Calm Breeze ( artlist.io ) justrob - Wabi-Sabi - Instrumental version ( artlist.io )

"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 demand for bilingual content, and the pivotal lessons learned from her acting and clowning background. If you’ve ever felt like you’re creating from the margins, her story hits hard. Let’s get into it.” Quick Summary - Show Notes Winnie Liao , a multilingual creator with a background in children's theatre and tech content, shares her journey of starting a podcast in Taiwan, where the market began its rapid growth around 2020. Her show, which began in Mandarin, quickly evolved due to listener demand, forcing her to adopt a bilingual (Mandarin/English) format to serve an audience eager to learn English. She discusses the challenges of being a content creator in a corporate environment that lacked creative freedom, which ultimately pushed her to start her own successful independent show. Winnie emphasizes that the podcast market requires consistency and patience, often taking years to build a following, and she notes that working with other podcasts to cross-promote is key. Drawing on her acting and clowning training, her main advice is about authenticity: Don't try too hard to be "cool" or perfect. Be natural and allow yourself to be awkward. This naturalness, combined with her focus on observation-based comedy, is what she is now using her podcast to test and develop, proving that the podcast acts as an essential self-promotion tool and demo reel for external creative work. Find more about Winnie here: Linkedin   Spotify   Instagram   Portfolio About Our Guest, Winnie Liao: Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and now based in Toronto, Winnie Liao is an actor, comedian, and spoken word artist. She produced the top-rated podcast in Taiwan,  English, Listen Up!  She is also the writer, producer, and performer of her stand-up comedy show,  Life Sucks,  and authored the poetry book  Fire and Wind  after moving to Canada. Winnie spent the first 10 years of her career in Taiwan focusing on children's theatre. Now, she is pursuing her career in TV and film, as well as improv and stand-up comedy in Toronto, after graduating from Seneca College's Acting for Camera and Voice program. She is passionate about her East Asian background and strives to represent Asians positively. Being born in Taiwan and growing up in Canada gives her a unique sense of humor and style. In her free time, she enjoys leading city tours with a comedic twist and documenting the little funny things in Toronto with her camera. Music Credits: Elifas Sonaru - Calm Breeze ( artlist.io ) Kicktracks - Oceanside  ( artlist.io ) Stevie Ross - Trippin - Instrumental version ( artlist.io )

“If you want to grow your podcast, you need to stop thinking like a social media star and start thinking like a librarian. This week, we are honoured to have Jordan Blair, Podcast Producer for Buzzsprout and host of the Buzzcast, joining us to talk about the core mechanics of making your show grow. Jordan brings us inside the world of podcast distribution, breaking down why platforms are search engines, not recommendation feeds. You will learn the single most useful metric for knowing when your audience drops off, why keyword-rich titles are your secret weapon, and the monetization strategy that actually delivers constant, reliable income. If you're looking to level up your podcast, do not miss today's episode.” Quick Summary - Show Notes Jordan Blair , a Podcast Producer for Buzzsprout's podcast, Buzzcast, provides essential insights on how podcasters can move past common growth hurdles. The key lesson is that podcast apps operate like search engines, not social media; almost 70% of listeners find new content by using the search bar. This makes metadata extremely important. Jordan shares a personal story of how simply renaming his own show to include relevant keywords like "Bedtime Stories" resulted in immediate, massive growth. The conversation stresses that music and visuals should never be overlooked, as studies show listeners judge show quality based on cover art. Jordan debunks the myth that reviews and ratings grow your show, stating they have zero impact on platform rankings. Instead, word of mouth is the most effective and free promotional strategy. He reveals that the Episode Consumption graph is the most valuable tool, showing the exact point listeners drop off, allowing creators to fix issues like poorly placed ads. Finally, Jordan discusses monetization, confirming that listener support and subscriptions provide constant, reliable income, unlike fluctuating brand sponsorships. About Our Guest, Jordan Blair: Jordan Blair is the podcast producer at Buzzsprout and the host of Buzzcast and Dreamful Bedtime Stories.  Find more about Jordan here: Linkedin   Buzzsprout   Buzzcast   Music Credits: Daniel Brown - All Memories ( artlist.io ) Elifas Sonaru - Calm Breeze ( artlist.io ) Kicktracks - Oceanside  ( artlist.io ) Stevie Ross - Trippin - Instrumental version ( artlist.io ) Aves - Beverly - Instrumental version ( artlist.io ) Jimit - Home Cookin ( artlist.io ) justrob - Wabi-Sabi - Instrumental version ( artlist.io )

"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 takes to stick with a podcast long-term and, more importantly, how he cracked the code to building a machine that finds the guests, the connections, and the seven-figure income strategies. Stop getting lost in the planning. Start adapting, start moving, and start e arning. This is 100 Ways to Make 100K. Let's go.” Quick Summary - Show Notes Javon Martin, a self-described "student of life" who captures lessons from successful people and shares them through content. Javon's podcast isn't just about interviewing people he considers successful. It's a tool for something bigger. Between episodes 30 and 55 of his show "100 Ways to Make $100K," Javon built what he calls the "Millionaire Machine," a system designed to bring in an endless stream of high-earning guests. That system became the foundation for his entire business outside the podcast. The conversation digs into Javon's philosophy:  learning from coffee conversations, conferences, and the people around him, then turning those insights into something actionable. He talks about the difference between planning and adapting, why both are essential, and how his mission to give underprivileged youth access to mentors shaped his approach to building scalable systems. Javon's goal isn't just a hundred grand. He's aiming for $100,000 per month, and he's using his content to leave the world better than he found it. The takeaway? If you want your creative project to succeed long-term, you need more than ideas. You need a relentless system built to deliver results. Find More about Javon Martin Here: Instagram   PAPRMACHE Javon About Our Guest, Javon Martin: I'm a student of life and I create content about some of the things I'm lucky enough to learn. Some of my favourite ideas and lessons come from my podcast, where I interview people I would define as successful. Other lessons I like to share, are what I pick up from smart people at conferences. But some of the best ones, come from having coffee with a friend. I like to capture these moments in photos and videos, So I can share them with you. I hope you can use some of these ideas to improve your life, the same way that some of my friends' ideas have helped me improve mine. Sincerely, A guy trying to leave the world better than he found it. Be Great- Music Credits: Daniel Brown - All Memories ( artlist.io ) Elifas Sonaru - Calm Breeze ( artlist.io ) Kicktracks - Oceanside  ( artlist.io ) Stevie Ross - Trippin - Instrumental version ( artlist.io ) Elior Antwi - Summertime ( artlist.io )

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 the show would blow up the way it did. Nick describes his creative approach as being a "live wire": letting his unconscious mind take over and pull from whatever influences are floating around. For Serial, that meant channelling the eerie, atmospheric feel of Twin Peaks. He sent over a bunch of options, the producers picked what worked, and that was it. No revisions. The business lesson here is simple but important: don't treat music like an afterthought. Nick says podcasters constantly undervalue sound design and music, but it's one of the most powerful tools for setting tone and building an audience. After Serial took off, Nick gained the confidence and reputation to work with bigger clients like the BBC. His advice? Invest in your audio identity from day one. About Our Guest: Nick Thorburn is a writer, filmmaker, musician and artist. He recently went through the TIFF director’s lab for a forthcoming feature film entitled Underground Woman . He wrote and directed That Dog , a short film starring Michael Cera and Andrea Riseborough that screened at TIFF, Tribeca and BFI. He has served as composer on multiple projects, including Ingrid Goes West, Sundowners , Peacock's Office spin-off the Paper , as well as podcasts like Serial and Bad Faith . In 2018, he published a graphic novel with Fantagraphics entitled Penguins . As a musician, his bands The Unicorns  and Islands  have released countless records and toured the world, playing esteemed festivals like Coachella, Primavera and Route du Rock. Music Credits: Daniel Brown - All Memories ( artlist.io ) Elifas Sonaru - Calm Breeze ( artlist.io ) Kicktracks - Oceanside  ( artlist.io ) Stevie Ross - Trippin - Instrumental version ( artlist.io )

“ 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 hosting. Listeners will get crucial, hard-won advice, including the absolute necessity of legal contracts for content and the importance of establishing a clear leadership hierarchy in any collaborative project. Whether you're a creative professional or an aspiring podcaster, this is your definitive backstage pass to turning a concept into a successful series. This is Ctrl+Alt+Narrate .” Quick Summary - Show Notes The team behind "Ctrl Alt Narrate" pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to produce a video podcast. What started as a digital scrapbook for their MDM program turned into a full production, complete with all the chaos that comes with it. Sneesha, Alisha, and Victoria walk through their biggest lessons learned the hard way. First up: the technical nightmare.  They started with phones and cheap mics, which created a syncing disaster in post-production. Sneesha's tip? Use signal indicators like a clap to make your editing life easier. Then there's the legal stuff that nobody wants to think about. Alisha emphasizes getting clear, written contracts from everyone: team members and guests. They learned this lesson when guests tried to pull their content, and suddenly material disappeared. Sneesha also talks about leadership structure. Treating a podcast like a group project where everyone has equal say leads to creative battles and decision paralysis. You need a clear hierarchy. Victoria rounds things out by discussing how they stayed flexible with their branding as the show evolved, while Sneesha and Alisha explain how they went from reading off cue cards to actually sounding like humans having a conversation. Additional learnings & notes the team wanted to share:   Behind the Scenes: Started with DIY equipment (phones, borrowed mics, campus spaces) Upgraded gradually with improved audio + lighting setup Adjusted format depending on guest personalities (structured vs spontaneous) Introduced “personalized sets” → helped guests feel at ease Small, multitasking team → each person had multiple roles Collaboration and flexibility kept production running smoothly Challenges & Learning: Balancing school deadlines + production schedules Adapting to limited budget + gear Managing unexpected issues (guest cancellations, footage loss, downsized team) Learned importance of: Clear team roles + hierarchy Written agreements/contracts with guests + team Consistent promotion timeline and audience engagement Building chemistry + trust within the team Key Takeaways: Plan and adapt! Structure helps creativity a lot Authenticity over perfection as its important keep the human moments in Collaboration, empathy, and humor make great storytelling possible Every challenge became a learning opportunity in leadership and production About Our Guests: Ctrl+Alt+Narrate is a student-run passion project born out of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Master of Digital Media program. It features candid conversations with creators, designers, and innovators from around the world. From VFX and UX Design to Music and Video Games, we explore the many paths shaping today’s digital media landscape, with a little fun, a lot of heart, and conversations that bring you closer to both the person and the passion behind their work. Sneesha is a designer and storyteller who loves bringing creative ideas to life through thoughtful visuals and experiences. A recent Master of Digital Media grad from Toronto Metropolitan University, she’s explored everything from podcasting and branding to large-scale event design. Formerly the Creative Director and Host of Ctrl+Alt+Narrate , she’s now channeling her love for storytelling and community into event coordination and art direction. Her goal is to always encompass empathy, curiosity, and a touch of creative chaos within all her projects. Alisha is a  chronically-online fangirl who also happens to be a multidisciplinary media producer on a mission to build bridges between people and cultures one meme, video, blog, or episode at a time. A former Senior Producer at Disney-Star India,  she recently graduated from the Master of Digital Media program at Toronto Metropolitan University and is seeking her next big creative adventure in the city. Victoria is an artist, student and designer who loves to explore new ideas through iterative and creative solutions. Her background in interior design informs her ideas in space and by graduating the Masters of Digital Media program she hopes to take on multidisciplinary projects. Music Credits: Daniel Brown - All Memories ( artlist.io ) Elifas Sonaru - Calm Breeze ( artlist.io ) Kicktracks - Oceanside  ( artlist.io ) Stevie Ross - Trippin - Instrumental version ( artlist.io )

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 first starting out. But this fall semester, I had that great privilege. Nineteen students and I met week after week to move from zero to 100—from the seedlings of an idea through to a full-grown tree ready to bear fruit. In small teams (with some students working individually), 10 unique podcasts were born. They ranged from news shows to one-on-one interviews to roundtables with multiple hosts. From discussions of film, culture, the surreal, classic literature, dating and personal advice, marketing, and mindful parenting—there was something for everyone, from everyone. Beyond these independent podcasts that students worked on throughout the semester—designing, developing, and distributing them into the world—my vision for this course was also to create a collaborative class podcast, where we could interview podcasters about what they do and how they’ve done it. Very inception… a podcast class wherein the class created a podcast about podcasting. Are you still with me? And so that’s exactly what we did. A group of six students interested in this podcast-about-podcasting project came together, taking on different roles within the team. The whole class had the benefit of learning from incredible podcasters (both virtually and in person) during the final six weeks of the course. These conversations featured a diverse lineup of podcasts and personalities and gave us all a peek into the world of modern audio storytelling beyond the four walls of the classroom. And so that’s what you’re about to hear. Instead of creating an entirely new platform for this six-part series, I thought it made more sense to share it through this channel, giving it the opportunity to meet an established audience who already has an interest in the world of creative making. Introducing: Lights Microphone Podcast  — a podcast series about starting a podcast, created by hosts Alex Sein and Shana Wu; audio engineering by Tom Vu; visuals designed by Mili Bhatt; written content by Shrey Patel; and outreach support by Lindsay Buckingham. These episodes… boy, did they deliver. The overarching theme I’d give them is “inspiration meets action.” There’s such great advice shared, so much passion pursued — and it all comes through in the audio. Objectively, truly, the team created a final product that I hope they are so, so proud of. And here’s the lineup: The first episode features another student podcast series called Ctrl Alt Narrate . The team debriefs what they made, why they made it, and what they learned along the way about starting a podcast from scratch. The second episode features podcast composer Nick Thorburn, who composed the music for a teeny tiny podcast in 2014 called Serial . Have you heard of it? Podcast scholars believe it was paradigm-shifting, cracking the podcasting space wide open. A tipping point to regular listenership and a catalyst for so many podcasts that followed. And we got to chat with the guy who crafted the iconic score behind the words. Super neat. The third episode features video podcaster Javon Martin of 100 Ways to Make $100K . High energy and high impact, Javon came for my job in the best way possible—with a big conversation from a big heart. The fourth episode features a podcast producer at Buzzsprout  (a top podcast hosting platform) and the Dreamful Bedtime Stories  podcast. Jordan Blair is her name. She helps us better understand what it takes to grow a podcast. The fifth episode features Winnie Liao of the podcast English, Listen Up!  She shares her journey of multilingual podcasting—what to consider when speaking to multiple audiences at once, and what it takes to break into new geographies. The sixth and final episode features most of the 19 students in the class, reflecting on the semester, unpacking the creation of their podcasts, and thinking about where they might take them next. Students hear each other’s trailers for the first time and offer authentic reactions to the podcasts they’ve worked so hard to create. This was one of my very favourite classes, and I’m thrilled it was recorded because students in the class became the guests in the final episode of the podcast about podcasting for the class about podcasting. Are you still with me? Lights Microphone Podcast  drops tomorrow and continues every Tuesday for the next six weeks, right here in this space. I can’t wait for you to hear it. This forthcoming student work is from DG 8010: MDM Podcast Lab in the Master of Digital Media program at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University .  --- Music: New Shoes  by  HoliznaCC0  is licensed under a  CC0 1.0 Universal License . Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music:  Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Boat Origami Photo:  Boat Origami Photo by   Alex  on   Unsplash Lights Microphone Podcast Art: Mili Bhatt

This episode has been three conversations in the making. It started in episode #273, when I spoke with Amanda Breeze of TRIPPER Magazine, who mentioned being inspired by George Wylesol’s grown-up choose-your-own-adventure book, 2120 . In episode #276, George joined me to talk about the book and how Internet culture and GeoCities websites shape his work. Then, in episode #280, I spoke with Jill Blackmore Evans, creator of GeoCities Memory , a personal and scholarly project archiving standout examples of Web 1.0. She shared how deeply she’s been influenced by Net Artist Olia Lialina. And that brings us to today’s episode… Olia Lialina is among the best-known participants in the 1990s net.art scene - an early-days, network-based art pioneer. Her early work had a great impact on recognizing the Internet as a medium for artistic expression and storytelling. This century, her continuous and close attention to Internet architecture, "net.language" and vernacular web - in both artistic and publishing projects - has made her an important voice in contemporary art and new media theory. Lialina is also known for using herself as a GIF model, and is credited with founding one of the earliest web galleries, Art Teleportacia. She is cofounder and keeper of One Terabyte of Kilobyte Age archive and a professor at Merz Akademie in Stuttgart, Germany. In this conversation, you’ll hear Olia’s origin story as a net artist, cross-pollinating film and Internet technology to tell interactive stories. You’ll hear her approach to capturing and cataloging the early web and how it’s evolved over time, including her long-standing GeoCities project. You’ll hear the surprising connections between interface design and stage design, how AI is changing the Internet and those who shape it, and how we can all reclaim our corners of the web. Today’s episode ties together what’s come before and sets the stage for what’s still to come. Let’s see where this conversation takes us… Notable Links: On the Internet Everybody Knows You Have a Dog One Terabyte of Kilobyte Age Art Telaportacia About Our Guest: Olia Lialina  is among the best-known participants in the 1990s net.art  scene - an early-days, network-based art pioneer. Her early work had a great impact on recognizing the Internet as a medium for artistic expression and storytelling. This century, her continuous and close attention to Internet architecture, "net.language" and vernacular web - in both artistic and publishing projects - has made her an important voice in contemporary art and new media theory. Lialina is also known for using herself as a GIF model, and is credited with founding one of the earliest web galleries, Art Teleportacia. She is cofounder and keeper of One Terabyte of Kilobyte Age archive and a professor at Merz Akademie in Stuttgart, Germany. --- Music: Rubiks Cube  by  John Bartmann  is licensed under a  CC0 1.0 Universal License . Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music:  Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Boat Origami Photo:  Boat Origami Photo by   Alex  on   Unsplash

Happy Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina 2026! I’m here with Paul Twa, four years after he and I originally spoke about the games in Beijing in Episode 095: Olympic Design Systems with Paul Twa . He’s back, he’s full of insights, and just a wonderful, passionate resource about Olympic design joy! Paul Twa  is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Toronto. Born and raised in Edmonton, Paul graduated from the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Design program. After time spent working at agencies and studios in both cities, Paul began his independent design practice; driven by a desire to create visually distinct, thoroughly studied, and intricately crafted work for clients. He also teaches illustration to design students at the George Brown School of Design. In this conversation, we talk all things design systems at Milano Cortina 2026. Paul shares the importance of human gesture, energy, and motion to this system, the unique public vote that took place for the games’ emblem, as well as AI use and its implications.  Paul helps us understand what works beautifully and what works less  beautifully in this system, as he helps us understand the understory of “the look of the games”.  This podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Olympic Committee. Get ready to put your design goggles on and let’s listen in… NOTABLE Links: Official info on the Look of the Games and the Pictograms:  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/brand/look-of-the-games The Look of the Games:  https://www.theolympicdesign.com/olympic-games/the-look-of-the-games/milano-cortina-2026/ Emblem announcement and Public Vote:  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/milano-cortina-2026-winter-olympic-games-emblem-revealed Alternative emblem "Logo Dado" animated concept video:   https://video.corriere.it/milano/olimpiadi-milano-cortina-2026-logo-dado/7007d1d6-8cc5-11eb-9a35-ae00f9335e99 Olympic Mascot Finalists:  https://www.paralympic.org/news/milano-cortina-2026-unveils-finalists-mascots-designs-submitted-school-students Info on Tina and Milo:  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/brand/mascots Cauldron Design:  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/the-design-of-the-two-milano-cortina-2026-cauldrons-has-been-unveiled The medal design:  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/brand/medals Milano Cortina Look of the Games:  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/brand#sub-brands The great sport explainer animations (perfect for kids!):  https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/sports/freestyle-skiing Video explaining the AI use in these Games:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUwjOlCeOXE About Our Guest: Paul Twa  is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Toronto. Born and raised in Edmonton, Paul graduated from the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Design program. After time spent working at agencies and studios in both cities, Paul began his independent design practice; driven by a desire to create visually distinct, thoroughly studied, and intricately crafted work for clients. He also teaches illustration to design students at the George Brown School of Design. --- Music: Legends by  HoliznaCC0  is licensed under a  CC0 1.0 Universal License . Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music:  Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Skier Image: Photo by Nicolai Berntsen  on Unsplash Boat Origami Photo:  Boat Origami Photo by   Alex  on   Unsplash

Welcome back - I’m so glad you’re here. This is the third 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 the owner of foundry Type Du Nord , Libbie Bischoff.  Libbie Bischoff is a Minneapolis-based type designer and educator. She completed the Letterform Archive’s postgraduate program, Type West, in 2020. After graduating, she opened her own type foundry, Type Du Nord. While developing her font library, Libbie teaches beginner and intermediate type design classes through Type Electives. In her free time, she has a lot of creative hobbies like knitting, sewing, and painting. In this conversation, you’ll hear how Libbie got started in type professionally and what a typical day looks like as a foundry of one. You’ll hear about the way Libbie’s signature may actually be your signature, now or in the future and the storytelling power of type. We talk revival fonts, what success looks like beyond measurable metrics, advice for making type for a living, and how advancing technology is changing (or not changing) Libbie’s approach to her work. This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography  in fall 2025 at The Creative School  at Toronto Metropolitan University. Let’s listen in… About Our Guest: Libbie Bischoff is a Minneapolis-based type designer and educator. She completed the Letterform Archive’s postgraduate program, Type West, in 2020. After graduating, she opened her own type foundry, Type Du Nord. While developing her font library, Libbie teaches beginner and intermediate type design classes through Type Electives. In her free time, she has a lot of creative hobbies like knitting, sewing, and painting. typedunord.com   typedunord.substack.com   @typedunord on social!  --- Music: Bubbles ( Lofi , Bright , Relaxed ) by HoliznaCC0  is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License . Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music:  Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Boat Origami Photo:  Boat Origami Photo by   Alex  on   Unsplash

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 the creation of communication strategies, visual identities, and education materials that support public participation in shaping communities. His work has been recognized with the RGD UltraBold Award—honouring designers making a positive impact in the design community and beyond—as well as several So(cial) Good Design Awards. Jay is also a design educator at George Brown Polytechnic, a dad, and a cyclist. In this conversation you’ll hear about Jay’s origin story as a designer and the evolution of his path towards designing for social change. You’ll hear about the Design Justice Network (DJN) and learn a less naïve way to frame the question “can design save the world?” You’ll hear concrete examples over the last 70 years that have challenged the status quo and helped catalyze change in a variety of contexts, both on the streets and on the screen. Lastly, you’ll hear what Jay’s currently up to regarding inclusive city building; a project called ‘Yonge Tomorrow’ with the City of Toronto to redesign downtown Yonge Street, nodding to the past, embracing present needs, and planning for a more accessible future. This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography  in fall 2025 at The Creative School  at Toronto Metropolitan University. Let’s listen in… Other Links & Images: Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest  > book with historic protest graphics Letterform Archive: Atelier Populaire  > revolutionary posters from Paris, 1968 Populaire  > typeface by Pintassilgo Prints Printemps Érable Archives: École de la Montagne Rouge  > design activism student collective in Quebec, 2011 Martin  > typeface by Vocal Type Co. Toronto Star article  > photo of protest against the Vietnam War, in Toronto, 1967  Justseeds  > artist co-operative LOKI > design studio founded by Kevin Yuen Kit Lo (collaborator on Junction prints) Ribbon Community  > rebrand by Briteweb About Our Guest: Jay Wall is a creative director dedicated to inclusive cities. He founded the design studio RallyRally, which was focused on graphic design for social change. Today, he works at O2 Planning and Design , where he leads communication design for public participation in urban planning and placemaking. Jay has been recognized with the RGD UltraBold Award for his impact in the design community, along with several So(cial) Good Design Awards. He also teaches at George Brown Polytechnic in Toronto. He’s a dad, a cyclist, and is based in Guelph, Ontario. LinkedIn  Jay Wall RGD Instagram  @jaywalljay --- Music: Bubbles ( Lofi , Bright , Relaxed ) by HoliznaCC0  is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License . Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music:  Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Boat Origami Photo:  Boat Origami Photo by   Alex  on   Unsplash

Welcome back - I’m so glad you’re here. This is the first 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 type designer and educator, Leo Vicenti . Leo is an Assistant Professor of Communication Design at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver whose research approaches indigenous language preservation, revitalization, and the return of these languages to everyday use through typography and representation in the design field. He maintains practice-based research in exhibition design alongside his creative pursuits in visual communication design. In this conversation, you’ll hear about Leo’s work with Typotheque’s North American Indigenous Type project supporting language tools, data, software, and systems of type. Leo shares how he builds connections within Indigenous communities, and specifically how he’s worked with the Squamish nation. You’ll hear how Leo believes typography can support Indigenous language and culture, the ways in which typography isn’t always necessary, Indigenization of digital spaces, and why fixed systems don’t necessarily work (Unicode, for example). This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography  in fall 2025 at The Creative School  at Toronto Metropolitan University. Let’s listen in… About Our Guest: Assistant Professor and Type Designer, Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Leo Vicenti (Jicarilla Apache) is an Assistant Professor of Communication Design at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. He holds an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in Visual Communication Design and a BA in Graphic Design from Fort Lewis College (FLC). His current research approaches indigenous language preservation, revitalization, and the return of these languages to everyday use through the development of language support in typography and representation in the design field. He maintains practice-based research in exhibition design alongside his creative pursuits in visual communication design. --- Music: Bubbles ( Lofi , Bright , Relaxed ) by HoliznaCC0  is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License . Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music:  Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Boat Origami Photo:  Boat Origami Photo by   Alex  on   Unsplash