We were lucky to catch up with Darek Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Darek , appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I think as a podcast host you put yourself “at risk” every time you publish an episode, share an opinion and genuinely put yourself out there. Starting a podcast itself is a huge risk, regardless of format. That being said, My “Risk” was going from an audio only podcast to being on camera (YouTube). I was really hesitant about making the transition to YouTube and going on camera. I was used to being off camera, doing an audio only interview, looking at my notes and just getting into a rhythm. That being said, I was not getting complacent but I wanted more. I wanted to push myself. The risk was very real going on camera and expanding the podcast. It certainly opened the door to many insecurities. Being on camera now means people have a window into the interview and that can be frightening. Everything shows, everything is transparent.

In a time where millions of people have a podcast, you become just another number if you are not looking to separate yourself from the pack. There are podcasts that do not care what things look like, the lack research they put into their interviews, how they sound, their dependency on press junkets and short interviews and the inability to effectively conduct meaningful discussions with guests. I do not want to be that guy. To me all of it matters. It all counts. I am not where I want to be, but I am moving in the right direction I am evolving and I am pleased with the progress. While extending the podcast to YouTube may not sound like a risk, it was, and still is a huge one for me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My church is the cinema. I love going to the movies. I love the smell of the theater, I love the smell of popcorn. I love movie trailers. I love talking to the ticket takers. I love looking at the movie posters and cardboard cut outs around the theater. I love watching other movie goers and their excitement for what they’re about to see. I love getting emotional during a movie. I love *feeIing* I am in love with the entire experience. I am in love with movies.

In 1994 two college acquaintances and I went to the theater to see a movie. We had seen a trailer for the movie that had a title we couldn’t remember. It was long and had three words. The trailer was spectacular. Later that week we had gone to the theater to see the movie. I could not believe what I had just seen on the screen. I could not believe someone was capable of making something so beautiful. I had to go to the restroom two separate times before the end of the movie because I did not want the people I came with to see me emotional. And trust me, I was emotional. Two hours and twenty two minutes later, when the end of the movie hit and Andy found his way into Red’s arms. I was in a theater in Cambridge Massachusetts, my mind however was in Zihuatanejo, Mexico and I was in love. The Shawshank Redemption remains the greatest piece of moving making I have ever seen. It took my love of movies to another level. It changed my life.

I bring up my Dad often during interviews. One, because I miss him dearly, Secondly, because he certainly ignited my passion for television and movies. We watched so many of the modern day classics together. The Dirty Dozen, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, The Greatest American Hero, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi. There were so many movies. So many moments. I would watch my dad’s reactions when we were watching movies. I would watch him laugh, I would watch him cry, and watching my dad get emotional really hit me. We had multiple movie nights each week until his passing in 2019. I really miss those nights. I really miss my dad. To this day my wife and I always talk about new movies or shows that my dad would have loved. Those are bittersweet moments.

I started my podcast in 2016. I really wanted to talk to the people responsible for many of those moments. I wanted to thank and talk to the people whose work I love and has moved me. I want to talk to movie fans and people who share the same love that I have for movies. I podcast because my love for movies has been engrained in me from such a young age and has been expanding like wild fire since. I am proud because I have held steady to my core vision. I feel as if what you see is what you get, good bad or indifferent. I am not the only passionate podcaster. There are thousands of excellent podcasts but I am immensely proud of what I have created. I have a long way to go but Monday Morning Critic Podcast is something I am supremely fond of.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I feel like I am honest and straightforward. I have a distain for fake people. Drives me nuts. I truly do not like phony people and in podcasting there is no shortage. Long story short, it does not matter how bad a podcast is, or what other podcasts are doing. All that matters is what I can control. I need to put every ounce of energy into what is in front of me. I once had a guest who is now a close friend, and I expressed my frustrations to him. He said “Acting is like podcasting, it is easy to look left and right and compare. But all that matters is that you control what is going on in your own lane. You know what you’re worth, everything else does not matter”

He was right. I spent so much time and energy worrying about people and things that did not matter. What a waste. Hard lesson learned.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

There is so much work that goes into podcasting. I had to learn (and am still learning) so much. My first interview was on a laptop, audio only. The sound was not great and I was beyond nervous. You can hear it in my voice. There are a few interviews I would love to have back and do again because of those reasons. One thing was certain, as bad as I sounded I couldn’t wait to do the next episode, and the one after that and the one after that. My passion kept me going. This is what I have learned after years of podcasting. Whatever your podcast is about, food, self help, true crime, whatever it is just be passionate. Love what you do. Make this podcast your vision. What is it about what you love that others might want to hear? Harness that. Build around the topic you love. You will have days you feel like you are not conveying your message. You will have days where things might seem overwhelming. Just keep pushing forward. My podcast is my therapy, let your podcast be yours.

One of the most effective things you can do as a podcaster is listen. I listen to other podcasts all the time. When I am in the car or running I am either listening to movie scores or podcasts. Many of these podcasts are not in my category (TV and Film Interviews). Podcasting is storytelling. I love listening to how different hosts approach this concept and tell their stories. I learn so much by listening to others. Joe Rogan is a phenomenal podcaster. Phenomnal. His strength? He is an awesome listener. He might disagree with a guest, he might have an opinion he wants to get out but he will hold back until he has heard his guest out. That is a skill. Michael Lombardi is another podcast host. He is a must listen for me. His background is the NFL. However, what he is talking about is not important. I would listen to Mike Lombardi talk about movies, cooking, gardening or walking in a park. His ability to tell a story and share his thoughts and opinions is almost perfect. The way he articulates his thoughts is perfect. His knowledge and research blend perfectly. Listening to podcasts can also shed insight into what not to do. For example I have listened to interviews where the host will have a guest on their show. The host will spend 75% of the interview talking about themselves. That is not an interview, it’s a monologue. If someone is willing to give you their time, don’t waste it. I have seen hosts completely unprepared, not knowing a guests filmography or not actually watching their work. Listening to other podcasts, even ones you are not fond of can be really beneficial. Finally, you can learn quite a bit from listening to yourself. I am a harsh critic of my interviews and find mistakes and things I wish could change quite often. There is a healthy balance between improvement and beating yourself up. The trick is finding where that is.

I have taught myself so much. There have been so many frustrating moments. But when they pay off, there is no better feeling. I taught myself how to edit sound and video and digitally designing graphics for my podcast. I am still learning how to effectively use social media (not sure I will ever master that), I am always working hard preparing for interviews. You have to be your own promoter. As great as your podcast might be, people might not be listening because they do not know about it. Getting the word out there is necessary but can also be frustrating. Every free moment I have is poured into my podcast. There are many, many late nights. There is so much I had to teach and continue teaching myself. There are new problems that occur as well. The influx of new podcasts discourages future guests. I have reached out to actors who had such a miserable experience on a podcast they do not want to do them anymore. Regardless of what you have to offer. I have become better at adapting to issues, developing a strong resolve and learning.

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