We are spending Friday's exploring and featuring our Laners! This past year has been challenging for us all and yet, our Laners continue to pursue their passions, grow, and expand their skill sets to meet the new challenges life has thrown their way. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, adaptability, and artistry. It is our pleasure to feature some outstanding Laners over the next few months! And today's spotlight is on Patrick Pizzolorusso!
What is the new job or project you've taken on?
Well, this October I finally started a podcast! The basic premise is watching all the Best Picture winners from the oscars in order and discussing them. It's a deep dive through the history of the Academy Awards and a chance to learn from the past. It's fascinating to see how acting styles slightly change over the years, how filmography gets better, and how themes and struggles from the past are still relevant to today's world. It's sad, actually, how so much of what is happening in the world today was happening and documented in the films of the early Oscars.
I also have an Etsy shop! Yet another way to be creative during dark times.
What made you go in this direction?
I've been searching for some sort of creative outlet during this past year. It's been hard with theaters and film shut down. I figured this was a chance to create something that I enjoy while also being remote. It's also given me the chance to watch all these old movies. Something I've been wanting to do for so long and never did. Now I have deadlines and I'm forced to visit these classics.
Growing up, I used to build models. Cars, ships, the USS Enterprise. you name it. Somewhere along the time I lost that hobby. After a particularly grueling theatre production I needed an outlet and being, at the time, a NYer with little apartment space I decided to buy a Hot Wheels and detail it. Yup. Those little 1:64 scale die-cast cars. It was the Delorean from Back To The Future. Hot Wheels does a good job of making the cars, but doesn't detail them correctly. So in my spare time as a way to decompress, I started detailing one. And it came out MUCH better than I anticipated. To the point where friends wanted one. And thus was born my Etsy shop where I mainly detail famous Movie cars that Hot Wheels makes. But I also on make and sell small replicas of the wooden crate that Indiana Jones transports the Ark in. Just don't look inside. On occasion I make and sell miniature proton packs from Ghostbusters as well.
What has been the most exciting part of taking on this new adventure?
Starting something new is always exciting. But sitting down with my co-host to discuss these films always fills me with the same excitement I get as right before I enter stage during a play. There is that feeling of..."what's going to happen?" We don't discuss the films before-hand so it's always a surprise hearing how they felt about the film and what we both laughed at or cringed at. And let me tell you, there is a lot of cringing in old Hollywood!
For the Etsy shop, I can also offer the ability to customize a regular Hot Wheels to look like someone's actual car. It's always an exciting challenge to match something so small to something in the real world.
What is the biggest lesson you've learned throughout this journey?
There is no right way to do anything. You'll find your path and if it works for you, then it's the right way. Everyone is an expert. But no one really knows what they're doing. As long as your listeners can hear you, you'll be fine. And some want a way to interact via social media. But that's not important. You'll know what feels right to you. Also, TAKE YOUR TIME. There is no rush. If you take your time in the beginning, there will be far less mistakes down the road.
What are you most looking forward to?
Special guests! Soon we're going to start inviting friends and fans of movies to talk about these classics with us. I cannot wait to get someone else's point of view in this podcast. My co-host and I have been friends for so long that most of our opinions match up. It'll be nice hearing other people's points of view. I already have a friend who requested to record the Crash episode with us. He absolutely hates that movie and I'm assuming has some strong things to say. Not going to lie, I'm looking forward to that one.
Do you have any advice to those looking to follow in your footsteps?
Everyone is different for sure. But I'd recommend knowing your format completely before starting. Figure out exactly how you want the episodes to go. Create an outline that you want all of your episodes to follow and then, script out aspects that you know exactly what you want to say. For example, if you have an intro and you want to incorporate it into all of your episodes, have a basic script for that aspects. It'll help in editing and will decrease time wasted while recording.
As far as the shop and hobbies are concerned, if you make something, anything, and someone says "I'd buy one of those," listen to them. There are fans of everything out there and people love to support an indie artists doing something with their skills. Especially something unique and quirky. I mean. I paint tiny car. Be uniquely you.
To learn more or connect with Patrick, feel free to check out his Instagram @pactorpizz or @theawardgoestopodcast. You can also find his shop, Geek Sized Models @geeksizedmodels.
Wanna check out the podcast?! Click here!
