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The Switch Podcast

The Switch Podcast

por Chase Savage

Artes escénicas Artes visuales

Temporada 1

Closing the Loop: Episode 8 of The Switch Podcast Documents the Final Push and the Purpose Behind the Film

In the final episode of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with writer and director Tommy J Housman to reflect on the completion of The Switch. Recorded in the final days before release, this episode documents the last steps of post-production, the pressure of meeting a hard deadline, and the process of preparing the film for screening, distribution, and festival submission. The conversation looks back on the full 16-week production cycle, from building a repeatable classroom model to executing a one-day shoot under real constraints. Housman discusses the film as an experiment in minimalism, collaboration, and improvisation—created with limited resources but designed to achieve a high level of storytelling and production value. The episode also reinforces the purpose behind the film: using story to explore financial hardship, challenge stigma, and create empathy around systemic issues that impact everyday people. The Switch premieres May 1 at the University of Evansville, with a full digital release to follow.

Between Sound and Camera: Learning Both Sides of The Switch

In Episode 7 of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with Kate Ridgeway, a Creative Technologies major who worked across both the audio and video teams during production. Kate offers a dual-perspective look at the filmmaking process, detailing how she moved between departments—holding boom mics, working the sound mixer, capturing behind-the-scenes content, and contributing to post-production audio. She explains how the sound team recorded ambient noise, recreated subtle effects like silverware and environmental sounds, and built the layers that bring the film to life. The conversation also highlights the intensity of a one-day shoot, the challenge of balancing multiple roles, and the value of hands-on learning in both production and post-production environments. Kate reflects on discovering a stronger interest in audio, her background in sports media and broadcasting, and how projects like The Switch help shape future career direction. The episode closes with a discussion of one of the film’s most pivotal moments—the candlelit power outage scene—and how lighting, sound, and performance come together to elevate the emotional impact of the story.

The Invisible Art: Jon Robertson on Sound, Story, and The Switch

In Episode 6 of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with Jon Robertson, Director of Creative Technologies at the University of Evansville, to discuss the sound work behind The Switch. Robertson explains how his audio class supported the film on location, rotating through roles such as mixer, boom operator, and sound utility while capturing dialogue and production sound during the shoot. The conversation also explores the importance of post-production audio, from adding footsteps, plates, doors, and room tone to shaping the emotional impact of the power shutoff. Robertson breaks down how sound design brings a film to life, why the best audio work often goes unnoticed, and how the collaboration between video production and sound production created a strong experiential learning model for students.

Keeping It Moving: Rawlston Morton on Leadership, Process, and The Switch

In Episode 5 of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with Rawlston Morton to explore the behind-the-scenes structure that helped keep The Switch running. From organizing crew roles to preparing lighting setups and coordinating people on set, Morton reflects on stepping into a leadership role driven by observation, communication, and real-world experience. Drawing from his background, including military service, he breaks down how he helped streamline the production and support the team through a fast-paced, high-pressure shoot. The episode also highlights the collaborative nature of the project—bringing in outside expertise, balancing experienced and first-time filmmakers, and creating an environment where everyone could contribute and learn. Morton emphasizes the importance of adaptability, teamwork, and shared ownership, especially when working within tight constraints like time, equipment, and conditions. At its core, the conversation focuses on what it means to build something together—and to leave the project with something everyone involved can be proud of.

Sunglasses & Side Roles: Elijah Hamilton and Kennedy Kane Get Goofy on The Switch

In Episode 4 of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with Elijah Hamilton and Kennedy Kain, two voice actors from The Switch, for a conversation that blends humor with insight into the filmmaking process. Leaning into the moment, both guests arrive in sunglasses and playfully frame themselves as the “stars” of the film before diving into their actual roles and experiences. Despite their smaller parts, the discussion highlights how even brief performances contribute to the larger story, along with reflections on stepping into acting for the first time, improvisation, and learning the realities of production. The episode also explores their work behind the scenes, from camera operation and editing to set design and props, offering a broader view of how the film came together. As the conversation unfolds, it shifts between thoughtful discussion and offbeat moments, ultimately ending in an extended debate over KFC versus Popeyes. The result is an episode that captures both the collaborative spirit and the personality of the team behind The Switch, balancing process, perspective, and humor.

Finding the Family: Daphne Wheeler and Alijah Roberson on Performance, Improvisation, and The Switch

In Episode 3 of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with actors Daphne Wheeler and Elijah Roberson to talk about their roles as Daughter #1 and the birthday boy in The Switch. The conversation explores their acting backgrounds, the transition from theater to film, and the unique creative freedom they found in a script built around emotional stakes rather than rigid line delivery. Both reflect on how improvisation helped shape the family dynamic on screen, allowing scenes around the dinner table to feel natural, lived-in, and emotionally grounded. The episode also expands beyond performance to the larger purpose behind the film. Wheeler and Roberson discuss the collaborative energy on set, the focus of the student crew, and the realism at the heart of The Switch as a story rooted in financial hardship, utility shutoffs, and family struggle. Roberson connects the film’s themes to his own lived experience, while both guests speak to Tommy J. Housman’s passion for storytelling, mentorship, and creating meaningful artistic opportunities for students. Together, the episode becomes a conversation not only about acting, but about why this project matters.

Embodied Reality: Jamie Lentz on Acting, Family Struggle, and The Switch

Jamie Lentz, who portrays Daughter #2 in The Switch, joins host Chase Savage for a conversation that explores both character and craft. Lentz discusses her role as the youngest member of the family—a high school student navigating diabetes, healthcare access, and financial instability—and how those elements shape the emotional core of the film. She explains her approach to acting, emphasizing research, collaboration with director Tommy J. Housman, and improvisational work with fellow cast members to build authenticity. The episode also captures the atmosphere of the production itself, highlighting a flexible, supportive set environment that allowed actors to connect naturally despite the challenges of a long, physically demanding shoot. Beyond the production experience, Lentz reflects on why she continues to pursue acting as a discipline and career. She describes performance as both an emotional outlet and a tool for understanding human behavior, emphasizing its ability to create perspective for both actors and audiences. The discussion turns to the broader themes of The Switch, including economic hardship, healthcare access, and generational stress within families. Lentz identifies the film’s realism as its most impactful element, noting that the situations depicted are not hypothetical but representative of everyday realities for many households, reinforcing the film’s central purpose as both storytelling and social reflection.

Episode 1: Where The Switch Begins

In the first episode, host Chase Savage interviews Tommy J. Housman, instructor of communications and Student Media advisor at the University of Evansville. The conversation explores the origins of The Switch, a short film developed through a student-driven production process and informed by real-world conditions affecting communities in Southern Indiana.

Trailer

The Switch is a story grounded in real experiences happening right now— in homes, in communities, and in systems most people don’t fully see. But this podcast… is about everything behind it. The process. The people. And what it takes to turn an idea into something real. Each episode, we take you inside the making of The Switch— with students, actors, and collaborators building this project from the ground up. You’ll hear how a classroom becomes a film set. How a story takes shape. And how learning happens in real time. This is The Switch Podcast. Behind the scenes… and inside the process.