The genius of history podcasts is that the genre can take three distinct tracks. First, the podcast can cover history as we know it, from the Fall of the Roman Empire to the Boxer Rebellion in China. Second, the show can dispute myths that have calcified in the historical record. For example, witches were not burned as a result of the Salem Witch Trials, Napoleon wasn't short, and Marie Antoinette never said, "Let them eat cake." Third, the podcast can investigate history that is lesser-known and, at times, intentionally forgotten.
In the case of The Industry podcast, it's the third track they've followed. In this case, lesser-known but still relevant movie history.
I like the fact that MovieMaker focuses on independent filmmaking, just as Ear Worthy focuses on independent podcasting.
What's the podcast about? In a sentence, the stories of filmmaking that you've probably never heard of. Director Elaine May and her temporary theft of unedited movie film for 11 weeks. The chaos on the set of The Wages Of Fear, directed by William Friedkin, fresh off two dazzling successes such as The French Connection and The Exorcist.
These tales of filmmaking gone very wrong are expertly conveyed by veteran podcaster Dan Delgado. In a deep, gravelly voice dripping with portent and intent, Delgado crafts the narrative in every episode so that listeners are kept on the edge of their seats, so wrapped up in the episode that they are listening at work instead of, well, working.
When we asked Dan about his background, he responded with the shortest bio on record: "Dan Delgado is some goofball who makes podcasts. I was born on Long Island but have lived in South Florida since I was about eight years old."
In effect, he's so good that he doesn't have to tell us how good he is.
Dan did share his background further: "When I was in high school I wanted to be a journalist or a filmmaker. I wound up being neither of those things. In 2006, I was listening to a lot of talk radio. And one day I came home and I said, I'm going to do a talk radio show! And after searching around the internet I came across a way to do it. There was a website called streamer p2p (it's still there and looks like it hasn't changed since 2006). Basically it was a way for me to broadcast online to about six people. Which is not a joke. It was single digits for sure. Which I did! The Radio Dan Show, an intentionally goofy name, was born. I would talk about movies and television for an hour. Five times a week! I was obsessed with it. I met some other like-minded people, and we started our own internet talk radio station, TalkRadioX."
Dan continues: "By the end of 2006, I was putting episodes of the radio show out as a podcast. I was able to get the radio show on some public terrestrial stations, college radio, that kind of thing. In 2010, 2011, and 2013 Talkers Magazine, the self-claimed bible of talk radio that likes to make lists, named me and some other TRX shows to a list they called The Frontier Fifty. A selection of outstanding webcasters. The 2013 list is still up, which is funny to look at now since I'm listed ahead of Marc Maron, the Radiolab, and Freakonomics.
Dan's journey to having MovieMaker magazine add the show to its portfolio could be its own indie film.
Dan explains: "When I did the first season of The Industry, my daughter and I were sending emails or reaching out on Twitter to publications to see if anyone would listen and give us a write-up. One of us sent it to The Wrap, and we connected with a writer there, Tim Molloy, a genuinely all-around good guy, and he liked it. A couple of years later Tim and his wife Deirdre bought MovieMaker Magazine and still having his email, I said 'do you want to add a podcast to that magazine?' And fortunately he said yes.'"
Dan works at Flint Stone Media where he does editing. Dan observes: "Jaime Legagnuer, the owner of Flint Stone, is one of the nicest humans in all of podcasting, and she was doing a podcast series about things going on in the state of Florida. I think it was called People of Florida. I had made a four-minute documentary for KCRW's Radio Race about a closed down swingers club (it did not win!). I thought it would be a good fit for her podcast and she liked it and me enough to hire me to do editing for her company, Flint Stone. This was huge for me, because now it meant I was a professional podcaster. This was in 2020 just before the pandemic."
What I liked best about The Industry podcast is Dan's superb narrative skills. The man knows how to weave a tale. His choice of oddball and long forgotten tales of filmmaking chaos also warrants credit. The episodes are short, averaging 25 to 30 minutes. Dan makes his words count.
My favorite episodes include Elaine's Mayhem from November 2023, Blake Edwards Strikes Again also from November 2023, The Linguini Incident from February 2025, and a great episode from 2018 on one of the biggest TV flops in history -- Supertrain.
We asked Dan what he likes best about The Industry podcast.
Dan answered: "I might like the edit the best. When you put something together with the right music and/or an effect and just sounds perfect? Oh, that's the best part right there! My favorite thing is putting together the opening section before the intro. The thing that is supposed to pull you into the rest of the episode. When that's done right, it's the best."
We agree with Dan's assessment because his episodes are edited for conciseness and clarity, and his background music choices are like a sommelier choosing just the right wine for the cedar-plank salmon entrée.
Dan admits that scheduling interviews for the podcast is indeed challenging.
We commiserated with Dan as he explained: "It's because I am looking for specific people. I have a list of story ideas that I keep, and one main reason some of them have not been done is simply getting in touch with the people I would need in order to tell those stories right. Sometimes people flake out on you. Last year, I was sending emails to someone I wanted to talk to for an Industry episode. I was not getting any response, which I thought was a little weird. This guy has a blog and an online presence. Turns out he had died. Another time I had a retired movie director who was going to talk to me, only a week later to get an email from some assistant saying he had gotten a job and wouldn't be available to talk for a year. I just had to let that one go."
Dan is also passionate about the role of independent podcasters.
Dan opines: "I am an indie podcaster, so I feel pretty passionately about indies and their role. Last year I did a limited series about these stories my older brother would tell at holidays (Cleverly titled Stories My Brother Used To Tell) and I could barely get anyone to pay attention to it. So I know for indies it's a tough road to hoe and there are a ton of people out there looking to make money off of you for 'promotion' or to tell you how to make a podcast and other nonsense. There's a lot of people doing great work in podcasts that most people don't know about. But they're out there putting their passion into some great shows, making their art. You're someone who is constantly championing them, something I really appreciate."
As an indie podcaster with a job, leisure time is limited for Dan, but when it's available, Dan admits: "I watch movies, drink coffee, and hang out in coffee shops. Seriously, I will drive pretty far to check out a coffee shop. I also watch a lot of hockey (Go Islanders!), and think of other podcast story ideas."
I highly recommend The Industry podcast. You don't even have to be a movie fan. These lesser known tales of movie making are so engrossing with Delgado expertly steering the narrative and editing the show that just enjoying great storytelling will be enough to love the show. 
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank You for your input and feedback. If you requested a response, we will do so as soon as possible.