Episode 33 - Toby Ganger

Toby Ganger

Toby Ganger!

An excellent conversation with a rapper, investor, and former child actor!

Toby's episode can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/0HJb75VX4MY

I met Toby a couple of years ago at a mutual friend's place. We had a nice conversation, but it was a quick one. I got to know about the many things that he does, and has done, but not before recently I got more familiar with his music and work. He's not only an investor, but he's a rapper, and he has finally come back from a break and has released a new album Free Machine.

This is a wonderful and also educational talk about family, how to solve problems in the American society, being a child actor, Toby's experiences in Finland and about Bitcoin!

Toby's website:

http://tobyganger.com/

Free Machine (the album):

https://open.spotify.com/album/03soV3PkesQbSQ8AI5sqTd?si=qV9TWqRzTCWWzsKfiPzXUA

https://music.apple.com/us/album/free-machine/1645881015

A Moment (Official Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chpW9KZA5Wo

You Can't Take It Away (Official Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H363kPSkzjI

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 32 - Olli Keituri (in Finnish)

Olli Keituri

Olli Keituri! This episode is in Finnish.

A wonderful and a little bit different talk about doing podcasts, the differences between Finland and America, and electric motors!

Olli’s episode can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/SF-834hI4ww

Olli is a host of MeininkiPaja podcast, and he and I have mutual friends, but we hadn’t ever met before. Even though Olli mainly lives in Finland, he was visiting LA, and I took the opportunity to have him as a guest. This is an awesome and unique talk where we go into topics that I haven’t explored on the podcast before. Olli is also an actor, but among entertainment industry talk, Olli teaches me quite a lot about electric cars, and especially their technology. Olli works for a company that builds electric motors among many other things.

We also cover how practices differ between Finland and the US in industrial companies. Olli knows quite a lot about this, since he came to LA straight from Colorado, where he was working on electric motors.

An excellent and wide-ranging talk!

Olli’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ke551/

Olli’s TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@kessi1andonly

MeininkiPaja podcast links:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpVczP0M8wb295RwY2btUBA/videos

https://open.spotify.com/show/6GW3vcQzzO1wHOcwvgeaCk?si=a134ee3a569a4d86

https://www.instagram.com/meininkipaja/

https://www.facebook.com/meininkipaja/

SepalusAuki Garage Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sepalusauki.garage/

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 31 - Tom Whalen

Tom Whalen

Tom Whalen!

An exciting, rambling and nicely weird talk with stand-up comedian Tom Whalen.

Tom’s episode can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/tNefG3sBx40

I met Tom on the stand-up comedy circuit in Los Angeles a few years ago. Tom has been at it for several years, and it was great to have him as a podcast guest! Tom tells how it is living in LA, and how the LA comedy scene is. We also go a little bit into politics. And like in all popular podcasts nowadays, we talk about Jiu-Jitsu.

This is a wonderful and very wide-ranging talk about most of the things, and Tom also shares few tips on how to value yourself as an actor.

Please go see Tom live wherever he’s performing. Sometimes he also sings!

Tom’s Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/faketomwhalen/

Whiskey Myers - John Wayne (Official Music Video)

https://youtu.be/odz7qGD1OTY

Freddie Dredd - Want (Official Video) ft. prodby668

https://youtu.be/N3kVD0UaPek

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 30 - Mike Cuenca

Mike Cuenca

Mike Cuenca!

A conversation with a wonderful filmmaker Mike Cuenca, who was recommended to me by cinematographer Jessica Gallant, with whom we both have worked with. Jessica is currently shooting my feature film Reunion, which is getting done slowly but surely.

Mike’s episode can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/NTdVnJUzrp4

This is a wonderful, inspiring, and also a very down to earth conversation about the reality of making it happen in LA. Mike shares with us how it is to be a truly indie filmmaker. Mike wants to do his films in a way that they are true to his artistic vision, and he doesn’t want to compromise this, even though it may be more difficult to get funding for his projects. He has made various indie films and series, and what makes his film I’ll Be Around exceptional is how big it looks. The shooting style is very indie, but the film has many locations, a big cast, bands… lots of stuff. In our conversation Mike tells how he creates all this with a very low budget.

I loved talking with Mike, he’s a true artist and a cinephile. This talk is a wonderful reminder how good it is to stay true to your own artistic voice instead of trying to please everyone. We also talk lots about Mike’s adventures as a musician, and we share few words about the Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki!

Mike’s films:

I’ll Be Around: The Double Album

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08H847PB1/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

By the Wayside

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08V85JHBF/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Jerry Powell & the Delusions of Grandeur

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B091SS8DTJ/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Mike’s Vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/mikecuenca

Mike’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mikecuenca_/

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 29 - Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä (in Finnish)

Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä

Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä! This episode is in Finnish.

This is a wonderful and deep talk about being an acting teacher, coordinating love scenes, and saving wild animals!

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/hbkQwmFDFqI

I have known Marjo-Riikka for over 15 years, and she has helped me a lot in making Los Angeles my home. Even though Marjo-Riikka still lives in LA, she spends more time in Finland now, since she's also teaching at the University of the Arts Helsinki, at Theatre Academy.

Marjo-Riikka has various passions, and one of them is animals. We go into detail how she saves baby opossums and helps birds. I don't personally know anyone who is such an animal lover like Marjo-Riikka, and in our conversation she tells how strong connection she has with animals.

Marjo-Riikka also tells in detail how she uses Michael Chekhov Technique in her teaching. She won't reveal how to get into Theatre Academy of Finland, but at least she talks a bit about the school auditions.

Marjo-Riikka’s links:

https://chekhovstudio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/chekhovstudiointernational/ https://www.facebook.com/Acting.Classes.L.A/ https://www.youtube.com/c/ChekhovActingStudio/videos

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 28 - Wilhelmiina Lappi (in Finnish)

Wilhelmiina Lappi

Wilhelmiina Lappi! This episode is in Finnish.

Wilhelmiina is a 24-year-old Finnish actor who is currently studying at New York Film Academy in LA. This is a very interesting talk with Wilhelmiina who is in the beginning of her career!

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/rV7k5NxZSdU

Wilhelmiina and I met at L.A. Finnish Center briefly, and I didn’t even know that she was in town. I was very happy that we are getting more Finnish actors to LA, since there are really not that many of us here. I asked Wilhelmiina to be on the podcast, and her insights are truly unique. She grew up on a farm in Finland, so it has been quite a leap for her to move to LA. During our conversation she shares the whole process how she got herself to LA to study acting.

This is a wonderful and very relatable conversation for anyone who wants to make changes in their life to pursue their dreams. Wilhelmiina also tells in great detail how the audition and visa processes were for studying in the States.

Wilhelmiina’s links:

https://www.instagram.com/wilhelmiinal/

https://www.facebook.com/wilhelmiina.lappi

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 27 - Kelton Jones (+ Suzan Jones)

Kelton Jones (+ Suzan Jones)

Kelton Jones (+ Suzan Jones)

A wonderful and very educational talk with filmmaker and actor Kelton Jones. His producing partner and wife Suzan Jones also stops by at the end.

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes.

https://youtu.be/R0zn8UCm3BY

I met Kelton for the first time when we were working on a commercial together a couple of years ago. I remembered him being very kind and wise man, and I enjoyed spending the day with him. Since then we have reconnected via phone few times, but we haven’t met since. I knew Kelton is an experienced indie filmmaker (among other things), and I wanted him to be on my podcast.

This is a wonderful, educational, and very inspirational talk to anyone who is making, or is dreaming of making movies. The advice that Kelton gives is invaluable. And what surprised me the most is the motivational boost he gives on the podcast. And with motivational I mean how he encourages all of us indie artists to make sure that we are getting paid for our work. He also shares how he talks with film investors as he fundraises for his films.

He also tells about his upcoming book for which he has interviewed Sean S. Cunningham, the director of the original Friday the 13th.

An excellent and inspirational talk!

Instagram links:

https://www.instagram.com/keltonjonesofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/suzanjonesphoto/

Of the Devil film trailer:

https://youtu.be/8jfW2ncDoYs

Of the Devil film IMDb:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15338648/

Kelton’s previous film Dry Blood:

https://epic-pictures.com/film/dry-blood

The Devil Down the Street full movie:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07NRR24TF/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!

Episode 26 - Scott Blugrind

Scott Blugrind

Scott Blugrind!

An exciting talk with a very unique and awesome Electric Guitar Comedian Scott Blugrind!

This can also be found on YouTube channel: With Miska Podcast Episodes

https://youtu.be/z7G8i8MGrCI

I saw Scott for the first time when he was the warm-up comic on the reunion of Friends, and there he gave me his guitar pick. Our paths crossed again when he came to L.A. Finnish Center to see Ismo Leikola's stand-up gig which I hosted.

Scott is originally from LA, and he has seen lots! We talk about the days when he was hanging out on the Sunset Strip, and how he had his own dream of becoming a rockstar. All this led him to become the warm-up DJ for Friends, where he worked for years. Scott has been a warm-up comic for hundreds of live TV tapings, and worked on several shows with Matt LeBlanc.

Now Scott is touring as an Electric Guitar Comic, and he also plays two songs at the end of the episode. Scott performs often at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, so go see him there or anywhere near you!

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/scottblugrind/ https://scottblugrind.com/

This episode has been supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland (Taiteen edistämiskeskus).

Enjoy!