Today, we’re re-releasing a favorite conversation and a 2024 Webby Award-nominated episode with acclaimed Mexican filmmaker, Alejandro González Iñárritu. Iñárritu is best known for directing Oscar-winning films like Birdman and The Revenant, but today, we discuss his work beyond Hollywood. Unpacking Carne y Arena, a groundbreaking virtual-reality installation centered on the lived experiences of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Alejandro embodies a storyteller who creates to evoke empathy and humanity.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Alejandro González Iñárritu, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

What happens when one of Hollywood’s most beloved classics is reimagined for one of the most advanced immersive venues in the world? In this episode, Carolyn Blackwood and Ben Grossmann break down how they adapted The Wizard of Oz for the Sphere. They discuss the technical challenges and creative opportunities of using VFX, generative AI, and 4D effects to pull audiences into the world of Oz, while preserving the authenticity of the original film.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Carolyn Blackwood, Ben Grossmann, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

We’re moving away from media that is flat, fixed, linear, and passive. The future of storytelling is embodied, immersive, agentic, responsive, and social — and this is what Charlie Melcher’s new book, The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our World is all about. In this episode, guest host Rohit Bhargava in collaboration with FoST members asks Charlie all about his book and how audiences can become “actiences.” 

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

To listen to the first half of the conversation on the future of storytelling for creators, visit nonobvious.com/podcast/.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Rohit Bhargava, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, Megan Worman, and all FoST members who participated.

Since launching The Shed in 2019, Alex Poots has developed it into one of NYC’s most dynamic cultural institutions– a home for genre-defying performances, bold commissions, and unexpected collaborations. In this episode, he shares his insights on the space, its programming, and the evolving role of cultural institutions as platforms for innovative and interdisciplinary arts and storytelling.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie’s upcoming book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com.

--

© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producers, Madison Brown and Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Alex Poots, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today’s guest is Eliza McNitt, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker working at the intersection of technology, science, and film. From her groundbreaking VR trilogy SPHERES to her latest AI film ANCESTRA, Eliza embraces emerging technologies to tell deeply personal and cosmic stories. In this conversation, we explore her creative evolution — and how she’s using AI to expand the language of storytelling and make the invisible visible.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To pre-order your copy of The Future of Storytelling, and enter for a chance to win a customizable immersive getaway, click here.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Eliza McNitt, David Gray, Tsuki Carlson, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today’s conversation is with Christopher Bedford, the Helen and Charles Schwab Director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Chris is leading a bold vision to make the museum community-centered, inclusive, and reflective of San Francisco’s cultural identity. In this episode, he shares how SFMOMA is adapting to a changing world and redefining what a modern museum can be.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To pre-order your copy of The Future of Storytelling, and enter for a chance to win a customizable immersive getaway, click here.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Christopher Bedford, David Gray, Tsuki Carlson, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today’s conversation is with Shachar Scott, VP of Global Marketing at Meta Reality Labs. Shachar has played a key role in introducing the world to immersive, wearable technology, like the Meta Quest headset and the wildly popular Ray-Ban Meta glasses. In this episode, she shares her insights on what storytelling opportunities these devices present, how Meta has successfully gotten customers to adopt them, and the role authenticity plays in their marketing.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To pre-order your copy of The Future of Storytelling, and enter for a chance to win a customizable immersive getaway, click here.

--

© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Shachar Scott, David Gray, Tsuki Carlson, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today’s conversation is with Liz Rosenthal and Michel Reilhac, the curators of Venice Immersive, the Extended Reality section of the Venice International Film Festival. For close to a decade, Liz and Michel have put together one of the world’s leading showcases for immersive arts and media, convening a global community of artists, technologists, and producers to experience and celebrate the evolution of immersive media. In this episode, they discuss this year's edition of Venice Immersive (showing from August 27 - September 6), what they've learned from watching immersive media grow, and how they anticipate the medium will continue to evolve.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie's upcoming book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Liz Rosenthal, Michel Reilhac, David Gray, Tsuki Carlson, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today on the podcast, we revisit an all-time favorite conversation with Annie Murphy Paul, author of The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain. Annie's insightful and informative book about embodied cognition is an invaluable read for any storyteller interested in creating embodied, multi-sensory narratives.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie's upcoming book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Annie Murphy Paul, David Gray, Tsuki Carlson, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

In this revisited conversation, renowned photographer Stephen Shore talks about the craft of photography, tells stories from his illustrious career, and shares his philosophy on art and life.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Charlie's upcoming book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com

--

© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Stephen Shore, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, Eitan Wolf, and Megan Worman.

Jeffrey Seller is the legendary Broadway producer behind shows like Rent, Hamilton, In the Heights, and more. His shows have won a combined 22 Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical, and he's the only producer to have mounted two shows that went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. This spring, Jeffrey published his autobiography, Theater Kid, an honest and moving reflection on his path to finding his place on Broadway, as well as an invaluable source of wisdom for anyone interested in building a business in a creative field. In this episode, he shares openly about his journey to finding himself in theater, stories of his creative collaboration with artistic powerhouses like Jonathan Larson and Lin-Manuel Miranda, his philosophy of good producing, and more.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

To get your copy of Theater Kid, visit jeffreyseller.com.

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© 2025 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure

Founder, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe 

Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Jeffrey Seller, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, Eitan Wolf, and Megan Worman.