Film producer Will Meldman and actor Brock O’Hurn chatted about their Studio XXII podcast. It deals with entertainment, sports, and business insights, and it is co-hosted by O-Hurn and Meldman, who serves as the founder and CEO of Double Down Pictures.
Walt Disney once said “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” This quote applies to Will Meldman and Brock O’Hurn and their brand new Studio XXII podcast.
How did the idea for this podcast come about?
Will Meldman: Yes, Brock and I agreed that we want this show to be inspiring. We want to focus on peoples’ paths to success, obstacles they faced along the way, and advice for people in similar industries. We are making it entertaining, and motivational.
Brock O’Hurn: Will and I became fast friends after meeting and have always had great conversations. We have so many common interests like Film, TV, Production, Comic Books, Mental and Physical Health as well as a unique network of friends, family, and working relationships we’ve acquired over the years.
We figured what better way to share who and what we know with others, as well as
learn and garner more information for ourselves along the way. I know some of my favorite conversations and insights have been via podcasts.
Success leaves clues, so as someone who will always be a student, what better way to learn and share than through our podcast! Storytelling is one of our favorite passions so we’re just finding more unique ways to do it with Studio XXII.
Their latest episode may be seen below.
What did you learn about yourselves while doing this podcast?
Will Meldman: I have learned through researching people such as Todd Garner, Ben Silverman, Jim Gray, Rande Gerber, and everyone really, that there is always more to know about someone you’ve known for years. The research is just the baseline that grows into an authentic conversation where more is revealed and learned. It
is inspiring and evokes an amazing feeling of fulfillment.
I have also learned better communications skills, which will help me in board rooms and meetings for the rest of my life.
Brock O’Hurn: Resilience. I have to say, doing a video format podcast is a lot more work than I believed we originally knew or anticipated. Knowing you have a friend and now business partner who is willing to be as resilient as you are to not give up and always find a way to make it work, while also continuing to make it better each time we hit the record button, makes all the difference! We are anything but shy of hard work over here!
How does it feel to be content creators in the digital age?
Will Meldman: As a film producer, I think being in front of the camera now is frightening lol. But it is really important to keep the conversation moving and to ask important questions.
You want to invoke meaningful, thoughtful responses from the guests, without being too personal. I think we do a great job of walking the tight rope between, creating engaging content, without violating our guests’ integrity.
Brock O’Hurn: As they say, “Content is King.” Whether it is in front of a camera acting or directing and producing, I’ll always be a fan. Content is what is driving our society forward in this day and age, in my opinion.
We’re all creators in one way or another so I believe finding a way to create on your terms and with your voice is where it’s at. I always say bring your own uniqueness into the world. Content is just another way of doing it!
What was it like to be a part of “The Resort,” and working with director Taylor Chien?
Will Meldman: thank you so much. It was an absolute blast. The film was made by young filmmakers, all in their 20s, with an extreme passion for the industry. I think it shows in the film that we had a ton of fun making it and are super happy with the results. It had a great theatrical run and it made even more on-demand and with
steaming afterward.
Peter Berg told me that you should never do a film unless you are extremely passionate about the subject matter, and I have been a horror movie fan my entire life.
Brock O’Hurn: What a wild and fun ride that was. Will was instrumental in making that film come to life and Taylor has been a great friend for years. Creating with your friends is a win-win.
“The Resort” was hailed as a “gripping and captivating thriller” by Digital Journal.
If you were to have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Will Meldman: For me, it would be flight. I like to get things done quickly and take on multiple projects at once. And if I could fly, I could get it all done methodically. I was a huge Marvel fan when it was all interconnected leading to one big event. I hope they get back to that type of storytelling.
Brock O’Hurn: Picking one superpower is like picking your favorite song
or movie, haha. I’m going to go random and pick the ability to seamlessly travel through space and time (uninjured). Imagine the possibilities.
What do your plans in the future include with the podcast? Where do you see it in the future?
Will Meldman: My plan is to continue working on it and enjoying the process. If Brock takes off to shoot a film, like he is soon, or I take off to produce, then we have enough episodes in the tank to take a few weeks off. But we plan on doing it consistently, at least once a week, for a long time because we enjoy it so much.
Ideally, I would like to be producing films for the rest of my life. It is everything I know, and love. I studied Film at USC and have been making home movies since I was a child. As Todd Garner said on our podcast, a man who’s made over 180 movies, “I will be making movies until I can’t anymore.”
Brock O’Hurn: For me, it’s all about consistency. Consistently putting out content, consistently becoming a better communicator, consistently being a student of life, consistently working on increasing the production, and consistently having a good time with one of my best friends while doing it. I just want to let it ride. I’m not sure where we’ll end up but I know the journey to get there is going to be a blast!
What does the word success mean to you both?
Will Meldman: Success is finding what you love. I think you can be successful in a job you hate, which is fine. As long as it pays the bills, and takes care of your family. In that case, your family is your success, because that’s what you love and that’s what you are working for.
Ideally, you can search inside yourself to find a profession that truly doesn’t feel like work. Because I work constantly, 24/7, because I genuinely love what I do.
Brock O’Hurn: For me, success is happiness and fulfillment. Much in line with what Will said. Love and do what you will. I stole that quote from Will’s tattoo on his forearm! Find your passions and see them through. Tomorrow isn’t promised but I know today and every day I’ll be focusing on doing what moves me.
What would you like to tell our readers about your podcast?
Will Meldman: I would tell them that they will definitely find some episodes that they are intrigued by. Our diverse guest list is full of interesting people with a variety of backgrounds and careers, which provides tons of interesting stories in multiple industries.
The NFL, NBA, LPGA, NY Times Bestsellers, Casamigos, Film, and Television Producer stories, we got it all. And it is entertaining. We keep the conversations flowing well and it’s easy to listen to. And if all else fails, at least Brock is amazing on camera.
Brock O’Hurn: I’d like to say, thank you for reading this far in the interview and also if you get the chance to listen to our podcast.
Drop a comment, shoot us a DM, and let us know how we can make it better for you. We’re making this for them so every opinion, idea, and thought is valid and we’d love to hear them. Oh, and did I say thank you.
To learn more about their Studio XXII podcast, check out its Instagram page, and for more information on Brock O’Hurn, follow him on Instagram.
To learn more about producer Will Meldman, follow him on Instagram.
