Story First Podcast

What happens when your identity becomes part of the story you’re trying to tell?
In this episode, Brian McDonald sits down with award-winning writer G. Willow Wilson to talk about faith, imagination, and the responsibility that comes with shaping culture. From creating Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel to navigating the expectations placed on her as a public voice, Willow reflects on how storytelling can both liberate and complicate the person behind it.
They explore representation, artistic freedom, and the tension between writing what’s true to you and what the world expects from you. It’s a thoughtful, candid conversation about craft, belief, and the courage to tell stories that feel personal, even when they reach millions.
This is about voice.This is about integrity.This is about telling the story only you can tell.
Let’s get started.

Writing isn’t about inspiration. It’s about belief.
In this episode, Brian McDonald sits down with Danny Rubin, the writer behind Groundhog Day, to talk about what it really means to build a life around storytelling. From the myth of the “overnight success” to the fear of the blank page, Danny unpacks the invisible work that shapes a writer long before anyone notices the result.
They explore why starting is the hardest part, how subtext and reaction reveal character, and why collaboration, when done with trust, makes stories stronger, not weaker. Danny also reflects on authorship, integrity, and the responsibility storytellers carry when shaping emotional experiences for an audience.
This is a conversation about patience, clarity, and letting the story tell itself, if you’re brave enough to listen.
Let’s get started.

“Overnight success” is almost always a lie we tell ourselves after the fact.
In this episode, Brian McDonald revisits a deeply personal conversation about the long road behind creative work, the years of rejection, near-misses, false victories, and quiet perseverance that never make the headline.
Through stories of unfinished scripts, shelved projects, hard-earned awards that didn’t change anything, and a graphic novel that took more than a decade to finally see the light of day, Brian unpacks what success actually looks like when you’re living it from the inside.
This is a conversation about endurance, grief, belief, and the invisible labor behind work that finally arrives. Not as a miracle, but as inventory that refused to disappear.
It’s not easy. It’s not fast. But it’s real.
Let’s get started.

Great directing isn’t about control, it’s about trust.
In this episode, Brian McDonald talks with writer and director Paul Feig (Freaks and Geeks, Bridesmaids) about creating honest work by making actors feel safe enough to be real. From his early stand-up days to directing some of the most emotionally grounded comedies of the last few decades, Paul breaks down how authenticity, rhythm, and humility shape every decision on set.
They explore why truth always outlasts style, how vulnerability fuels comedy, and why the best moments are often the ones you can’t plan for, only recognize when they happen.
It’s a masterclass in leadership, empathy, and letting go in service of story.
Let’s get started.

Great storytelling isn’t about shortcuts, it’s about process.
In this episode, Brian McDonald sits down with storyboard artist Gerald Kaye (Spider-Man, My Adventures with Superman, The Sisters Grimm) to talk about the long road into animation and the lessons learned along the way.
They explore mentorship, learning where you are, and why every job — even the in-between ones — shapes your craft. It’s a conversation about focus, fundamentals, and committing fully to the work in front of you.
Let’s get started.

Some people spend their whole lives searching for what they’re meant to do.Kira Lehtomaki knew at five years old.
In this archive conversation, Brian McDonald talks with Kira — lead animator on Judy Hopps (Zootopia) and animation supervisor on Zootopia 2 — about passion, discipline, and the lifelong drive to get better at your craft.
They revisit her path from a determined UW student to rising through the ranks at Disney, the power of mentorship, and the rare joy of doing exactly what you dreamed of, exactly where you dreamed of doing it.
It’s a heartfelt episode about obsession, gratitude, and never losing the curiosity that started it all.
Let’s get started.

Toby Cypress draws like he’s solving a puzzle — one decision, one shape, one problem at a time.
In this conversation, Brian McDonald sits down with the artist behind Land of the Dead to talk about the craft of visual storytelling: clarity, composition, influence, and the long road of learning how to actually see.
They dig into the early days at Comic-Con, the grind of art school, why fundamentals matter, and what it takes to develop a style that’s truly your own.
It’s a deep, generous look at the artistic mind — from discipline to discovery to the joy of finding the right collaborator at the right moment.
Let’s get started.

Claire Keane grew up surrounded by animation legends — but her journey is all her own.
As a visual development artist at Disney, she helped shape the look and heart of Tangled and Frozen. In this conversation, Brian McDonald and Claire talk about the beauty of imperfection, the importance of intuition, and how vulnerability leads to the most honest work.
They explore the tension between discipline and play, the courage to trust your instincts, and what it really means to “find the character” — both on the page and within yourself.
It’s a conversation about art, honesty, and the creative voice that never stops growing.
Let’s get started.

From Saturday-morning cartoons to Batter Royale, Leisl Adams has spent her life bringing stories to life—one drawing at a time.
In this episode, Brian McDonald talks with Leisl about the curiosity that fuels creativity, the discipline that turns passion into craft, and what it means to keep the fun in art even after it becomes your job.
They explore childhood imagination, mentorship, and the invisible work behind storytelling that makes characters—and artists—feel alive.
It’s honest, funny, and full of hard-won wisdom from a lifelong student of story.
Let’s get started.

What does it take to make audiences feel something?
Ronnie del Carmen — co-director of Inside Out and the artist behind the emotional opening of Up — joins Brian McDonald to talk about the courage it takes to create empathetic work.
They explore how vulnerability shapes storytelling, why authenticity hurts (and why it has to), and how the best stories reveal more truth about us than we expect.
It’s raw, deeply human, and a masterclass in emotional storytelling.
Let’s get started.