ETCH CAST

Etch Productions LLC

Etch Cast — where storytelling and filmmaking collide in the shadows. The official podcast of Etch Productions pulls back the curtain on the dark corners of creativity. Join our co-founders and team as we explore the art of filmmaking and the craft of horror storytelling — from behind-the-scenes tales of our projects to conversations with the writers, directors, actors, and collaborators who help bring our nightmares to life. Whether we’re dissecting cinematic technique or chasing the eerie magic of horror fiction, this is where stories learn to haunt.

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20 episodes
Avg 1 hr 3 min
English

Episodes 20

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S1 · E22
September 4 · 1 hr 5 min
Bad Ideas Only Returns: Terrible Movie Pitches, Questionable Decisions | ETCH CAST Ep. 22
Welcome back to the shadows. BAD IDEAS ONLY returns for round three. Philip Gelatt is joined by Morgan Galen King, Will Battersby, April Merl, and Belle Del Sesto for another exercise in terrible ideas and questionable creative judgment. The premise is simple: everyone brings the worst movie pitch they can think of. Then the rest of the group has to figure out how to make it work. What starts with intentionally bad ideas quickly spirals into character development, world building, plot mechanics, unnecessary mythology, and the uncomfortable realization that some of these movies might actually be... good? Then we close with WHAT LURKS IN OUR QUEUE, sharing the films, art, and creative work that have been keeping us inspired lately. Welcome to BAD IDEAS ONLY. Unfortunately, some of these might be worth making.
July 23 · 1 hr 2 min
Stephen Graham Jones on Horror, Bob Seger & Brian De Palma
This week on ETCH CAST, Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King welcome bestselling horror author Stephen Graham Jones for a conversation that spans writing, filmmaking, music, and movies. Stephen reflects on the experience of filming First Word on Horror, sharing favorite memories from the shoot, discussing the unique interview setup used during production, and revisiting what it was like documenting the creative process together. The conversation also explores his approach to writing, why he resists creative rituals, the origins of My Heart Is a Chainsaw, and his unapologetic devotion to Bob Seger—including his annual mission to become one of Spotify's top listeners. For Movie Club, Stephen brings two unexpected selections: Snake Eyes and One Night at McCool's. Together, the group dives into Brian De Palma's filmmaking, Rashomon-style storytelling, Nicolas Cage, overlooked cult films, and the movies that continue to shape how they think about cinema. If you enjoy conversations about horror, filmmaking, books, and the creative process, you're in the right place. Support ETCH by subscribing on YouTube, where you can watch First Word on Horror, Art Show! With Captain Skinner, and exclusive clips from Cassie Workman is Witchy AF. You can also support our work on Substack for behind-the-scenes stories and early access to new projects.
S1 · E20
June 24 · 54 min
Cassie Workman Is Witchy AF: Hereditary, Constantine & the Occult
This week on ETCH CAST, Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King are joined by Cassie Workman to discuss the early reaction to CASSIE WORKMAN IS WITCHY AF, the response to the first clips released online, and some favorite behind-the-scenes stories from making the series. Then it's Movie Club as Cassie dives into Hereditary and Constantine, two films that helped inspire the tone, themes, and supernatural conversations at the heart of Witchy AF. From demons and magic to horror, spirituality, and the occult, we explore why these films continue to resonate with audiences years later. Plus: production stories, audience reactions, supernatural cinema, and why we're all still fascinated by the strange. Follow ETCH for more conversations with filmmakers, artists, writers, and creators exploring horror, fantasy, animation, and the wonderfully weird.
S1 · E19
May 27 · 1 hr 8 min
ETCH CAST Episode 19 — Inside the House Spaceship: The Making of ART SHOW! WITH CAPTAIN SKINNER
Welcome back to the shadows. On Episode 19 of ETCH CAST, co-hosts Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King step inside the House Spaceship with Captain Skinner and director/co-creator Allen Cordell to talk about the making of Art Show! with Captain Skinner. From Super Deluxe origins and DIY filmmaking chaos to Space Cowboy lore, Carny Dad, surreal animation, wizard jokes, and filming two episodes a day, this is a full behind-the-scenes dive into how the weirdest art show on YouTube came to life. Support indie filmmaking, strange art, and all the oddball projects we conjure: etchstudio.substack.com Stay weird. Do your best.
S1 · E18
April 22 · 55 min
ETCH CAST Episode 18 — Movie Club with Jeremy Selenfriend
Philip Gelatt is joined by Morgan Galen King and special guest Jeremy Selenfriend, head artist of Monster in My Closet, for a conversation centered on practical effects, horror, and the craft of building something real. Jeremy shares how he got started in makeup FX and what it means to create physical transformations in an increasingly digital world. From texture and imperfection to the presence of something tangible on screen, they explore why practical effects continue to leave such a lasting impact. For this episode’s Movie Club, they dig into The Fly II and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, breaking down creature design, body horror, and the kind of imagery that stays with you long after the credits roll. The episode wraps with what’s been keeping them inspired lately, films, art, and creative work worth adding to your queue.
S1 · E17
March 4 · 1 hr 3 min
ETCH CAST Episode 17 — Movie Club with Skinner (The Dark Backward & Unwelcome)
Episode 17 of ETCH CAST launches our new Movie Club format. Host Philip Gelatt is joined by Morgan Galen King and special guest Skinner — artist and the creative force behind Art Show With Captain Skinner. This episode centers on two films that inspired Skinner: The Dark Backward (1991) and Unwelcome (2023). The conversation moves through filmmaking, outsider art, creative influences, and the strange paths that shape independent work. Art Show With Captain Skinner is now streaming.⭐ Early access Mondays on Substack: https://etchstudio.substack.com⭐ Public episodes Fridays on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@etchfilm Subscribe, support indie film, and help us keep making strange things.
January 14 · 56 min
At Last I Was Afloat
Philip Gelatt is joined by Will Battersby to revisit The Bleeding House, the film that started it all. They talk through the realities of making a first feature — writing and shooting under tight limitations, instinct-driven choices, and the lessons learned along the way. The conversation also includes stories from the set, from building sets by hand to production mishaps, catering chaos, and why live birds and film sets don’t mix. A reflection on process, early mistakes, and the foundation that shaped everything that followed.
S1 · E15
January 7 · 1 hr 20 min
The Past Is All Ahead
Episode 15 of Etch Cast looks outward. Philip Gelatt is joined by Morgan Galen King, Will Battersby, April Merl, and Belle Del Sesto for a conversation about the films and television that defined 2025 — not as critics chasing consensus, but as filmmakers focused on craft, risk, and intent. No rankings. No hot takes. Just a reflection on what lingered, what worked, what didn’t, and what these stories reveal about where film and television may be heading next.
S1 · E14
Dec 24, 2025 · 56 min
Wherever You Go, There You Are
Episode 14 of ETCH CAST is a pause at the threshold — a moment to look back before stepping forward. Philip Gelatt is joined by Will Battersby and Morgan Galen King to reflect on Etch’s first full year as an independent creative studio: what was built, what surprised them, and how the work found its shape. They discuss released and upcoming projects including First Word on Horror, Art Show with Captain Skinner, and Cassie Workman Is Witchy AF, along with collaboration, creative challenges, momentum, and what comes next. A year-one checkpoint — and the calm before whatever comes next.
S1 · E13
Dec 17, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
A Mighty Mess Is Made, Again (Bad Ideas Only)
Bad Ideas Only is back. And it’s worse than ever. Episode 13 of ETCH CAST marks the return of Bad Ideas Only—a live script development challenge where the Etch team brings their worst movie pitches to the table… then dares each other to make them viable. Hosted by Philip Gelatt and joined by Morgan Galen King, Will Battersby, April Merl, Belle Del Sesto, and Lacey Gilleran, this episode features a panel of creative gremlins armed with cursed concepts pulled from late-night Notes apps, half-remembered dreams, and ideas that should have stayed buried. What starts as jokes mutates into something more dangerous. Momentum builds. Rules dissolve. Someone inevitably says, “Wait… that could work,” and suddenly it’s too late to turn back. Brainstorming without brakes.Script development without dignity.Hope with a head injury. 🎧 Listen now and tell us which pitch you’d greenlight.
S1 · E12
Dec 10, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
Phantoms and Shadows of The Deep with Skinner
Philip and Morgan join forces with Skinner to explore the psychology, texture, and cosmic weirdness of monster design — why we fear them, why we love them, and why the creature in the dark always matters.
S1 · E11
Nov 26, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
A Sound So Strange…Musically Wild and Unearthly with Peter Scartabello
Composer Peter Scartabello joins the Etch Cast to dig into the mechanics and mysteries of horror scoring. Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King explore Peter’s process—where he begins, how he shapes mood, and why horror thrives on contrast: delicacy beside brutality, silence beside dread. They delve into his influences, his fascination with the strange and the uncanny, and the ways he built the musical architecture of First Word On Horror. Peter discusses the evolution of the score, from early concepts to the moment each author’s episode found its sonic identity. The conversation also touches on The Spine of Night, his work with Yuggoth Records, and the inspirations fueling his latest creations. For artists and horror fans alike, this episode offers a masterclass in how sound becomes story.
S1 · E10
Nov 19, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
It Is Not Down in Any Map; True Places Never Are with Joe Dwyer
Episode 10 sends the Etch Cast crew — Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King, and special guest Joe Dwyer — deep into the year’s strangest cinematic discoveries. After months of double features and questionable viewing decisions, they sift through their shared Letterboxd list to reveal the films that stuck with them, delighted them, or left them wondering what exactly they’d just watched. Expect odd gems, unexpected favorites, and movie pairings you never knew you needed.
S1 · E9
Nov 14, 2025 · 57 min
A Laughing Horror Ran Through Me
In this episode, Philip Gelatt, Will Battersby, April Merl, and Belle Del Sesto dive into the movies they probably shouldn’t admit they love — the chaotic comfort watches, the flawed favorites, and the cinematic oddities that refuse to let go. They explore what makes a true “guilty pleasure,” why horror comfort films hit differently, the blurry line between bad and beloved, and how nostalgia shapes the movies we cling to. The crew also assigns each other new comfort films to watch before the next episode. Plus: their latest recommendations in What Lurks in Our Queue.
S1 · E8
Nov 5, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
A Mighty Mess Is Made (Bad Ideas Only)
The Etch Cast team launches a brand-new recurring series: Bad Ideas Only — where the worst movie pitches imaginable get a shot at redemption. Fever-dream concepts, cursed Notes App entries, and cinematic chaos all collide as Morgan Galen King, Will Battersby, April Merl, Belle Del Sesto, and Lacey Gilleran attempt the impossible: making bad ideas… actually good. It’s unhinged.It’s creative madness.It’s filmmaking at its most unfiltered. Press play and descend into the chaos.
S1 · E7
Oct 29, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
All Visible Stories, Man, Are But as Pasteboard Tropes with Paul Tremblay
Author Paul Tremblay (A Head Full of Ghosts, Horror Movie, Another) joins Philip Gelatt to talk horror tropes, ambiguity, and why the uncanny is essential to fear. A sharp and entertaining craft conversation — plus a hilarious horror movie recommendation disaster. 👉 Listen & subscribe: etchstudio.substack.com
S1 · E6
Oct 22, 2025 · 49 min
I Try All Things; I Achieve What I Can
Every film begins with an idea — the flicker before the fire. In this first From Script to Screen installment, Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King sit down with director and producer Will Battersby to talk about how stories are born, shaped, and sometimes haunted. They explore where ideas come from, how tone and theme guide early choices, and what separates a concept from a story worth chasing. It’s a candid look at the creative process — the chaos, the questions, and the strange persistence of ideas that refuse to die. Follow @etchfilm on social and get more at etchstudio.substack.com.
S1 · E5
Oct 15, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
The Ineffable Terrors of the Game
Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King, joined by Etch team member Belle Del Sesto, descend into the world of horror video games. They explore why fear feels different when you’re holding the controller, games that scarred them, and why we keep going back for more. Plus: What Lurks in Our Queue. Follow us on social @etchfilm and get more at etchstudio.substack.com.
S1 · E4
Oct 8, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
The White Frame
Welcome back to the shadows. In Episode 4 of ETCH CAST, it’s just Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King — two friends, two filmmakers, and one long conversation about the strange, exhausting, and occasionally transcendent act of animating dark fantasy. This time, Morgan moves from co-host to guest as we trace the decade-long creation of The Spine of Night, unpack the beauty and brutality of rotoscoping, and explore how animation gives horror and fantasy a shared, living language. In this episode: The stubborn road to The Spine of Night — and what kept it alive. Why every hand-drawn frame is a little spell. How horror and fantasy feed each other when done right. The toll and joy of living inside a world you’re still drawing. Plus… a little Rob Zombie. We close, as always, with What Lurks in Our Queue — the films, books, and oddities inspiring us to keep our own queues strange and overflowing. 💀 Follow us on social media @etchfilm for more episodes, behind-the-scenes looks, and updates from the Etch team. 🎧 Subscribe, rate, and leave a review — it feeds the algorithmic beast.
S1 · E3
Oct 1, 2025 · 59 min
Towards Thee I Cut
Editing is where horror takes shape. In this episode of ETCH CAST, hosts Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King sit down with Etch editor April Merl to explore how editing creates rhythm, tension, and atmosphere. They discuss April’s path into editing, the unique challenges of cutting horror, and why silence and pacing can sometimes be more powerful than screams. Plus, in our recurring segment What Lurks in Our Queue, we share what we’ve been watching and reading lately — recommendations to keep your own queue eerie and overflowing. 👉 Follow us on socials: @etchfilm 👉 Subscribe on Substack for behind-the-scenes updates: etchstudio.substack.com

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