Ourselves Podcast

Sean Bankhead got cut from Usher's tour at 19. Almost 15 years later, he came out of retirement and danced next to Usher at the Super Bowl.
Sean is the choreographer behind Cardi B, Normani, Tate McRae, Lil Nas X, Missy Elliott, Victoria Monét and Lisa. He started out as a shy kid from Atlanta who couldn't book a dance job, so he made his own videos, put them on YouTube, and the world knew his name before the industry did.
In this conversation I break down with Sean how his "Run The World" dance video dropped before Beyoncé's own video and got his whole channel taken down, how he ended up performing "Single Ladies" with Beyoncé, why Normani was the first star he saw coming, and how he gave Tate McRae real pop dance. We also get into the parts nobody posts about. Why choreographers and directors sell the music but never see the royalties, the one thing he looks for when he hires dancers, why technique doesn't beat taste, the BET moment with Lil Nas X nobody planned, and what his therapist told him about needing to be needed.
If you're a dancer, choreographer or creative trying to get paid what you're worth, this one is for you.
0:00 Cold Open
1:37 The Kid Who Couldn't Book A Job
2:12 Living Out Of A Suitcase Since 19
3:19 His First YouTube Channel
4:39 The World Knew Him Before The Industry Did
9:52 Beyoncé's "Run The World" Call
14:51 The Dance Video People Thought Was Real
15:48 Copyright Strikes Killed His Channel
17:37 Frozen In The Room With Beyoncé
20:15 How To Build Aura
22:55 Fatima Robinson Took Him Under Her Wing
23:42 Prince Showed Up To His Birthday Party
26:11 Atlanta Became Black Hollywood
27:30 Normani Was The First Star He Saw Coming
31:04 Giving Tate McRae Real Pop Dance
32:31 From Choreographer To Creative Partner
33:37 Underpaid For The Vision
34:44 1.5 Billion Views, Not A Penny
35:48 "We Sell The Music"
40:18 Creatives Are 100% A Business
41:52 How Dancers Actually Make Money
42:56 Taylor Swift's Dancer Bonuses
44:39 Why He Books The Same Dancers Every Time
45:04 The #1 Thing He Looks For In A Dancer
47:03 Technique Doesn't Beat Taste
48:57 How He Really Started With Beyoncé
49:33 His First Big Break, "Promise Ring"
50:53 Performing "Single Ladies" With Beyoncé
53:42 Stomp The Yard 2 And Hannah Montana
54:06 Cut From Usher's Tour At 19
57:04 Out Of Retirement For The Super Bowl
59:34 Next To Usher On The Biggest Stage
1:01:18 Why Cardi B Outperforms Everyone
1:05:45 Chris Brown's Edit Room Lesson
1:06:34 The Secret To Viral Choreography
1:08:16 Lisa And The K-Pop Process
1:11:13 K-Pop Stans And Twitter
1:12:07 How Lil Nas X Found Him
1:14:34 The BET Kiss Nobody Planned
1:15:57 Everything Checked Off Except Janet
1:17:48 You Can't Delegate Taste
1:18:23 Therapy And The Need To Be Needed
1:22:10 Will Stepping Back End His Career?
1:23:08 Why He Hasn't Done His Own TV Show
1:24:03 Jumping To The Next Ladder
1:25:17 Filling Your Cup Back Up
1:26:15 Rapid Fire: Doja Cat Is Underrated
1:27:45 The Artist Who Learns Fastest
1:28:45 How They Shot Normani's "Wild Side" Slide
1:29:50 TikTok Dancers And The Frosted Flakes Check
1:31:59 Card Pull: What He's Always Wanted To Try
1:33:44 Where To Find Sean
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The collapse is worse than you think. Over 50,000 California production jobs disappeared in two years, soundstage occupancy fell from 95% to 62%, and not a single Best Picture nominee at this year's Oscars was shot on a Hollywood lot.
 
I've been directing for 14 years. In 2012, 99% of my shoots were in LA. Starting in 2019, my work moved to Atlanta, Miami, Jamaica and Paris. The industry didn't die. It left.
 
In this episode I break down why American culture is losing its grip on the world and how Hollywood is dying. From your favorite NBA player being French to your favorite pop star being Korean to your favorite movie being shot overseas. I get into the FilmLA and Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers, why Netflix being a tech company changes everything, how inflation priced LA out of its own industry, and why a $20 million American production can be shot overseas for $4 million. Then I make the case that this isn't a collapse. It's a reset, and it's the biggest opening outsiders have ever had.
 
If you're a filmmaker, artist or creative still waiting for Hollywood to call, this one is for you.
 
0:00 Cold Open
0:56 America Is Never Going Back
1:41 No More Michael Jacksons
2:08 Your Favorite Stars Aren't American Anymore
4:04 When 99% Of My Shoots Were In LA
5:20 How LA Priced Itself Out
6:32 Why My Jobs Left LA In 2019
7:14 The 2023 Strikes Changed Everything
7:41 Soundstages Fell From 95% To 62%
9:23 50,000 Jobs Gone In Two Years
10:29 The Oscars Say Hollywood Is In A Death Spiral
11:54 Shoot Days Cut Almost In Half
12:47 Netflix Is A Tech Company
13:44 Capitalism Swallowing Itself Whole
14:48 Shooting For A Fifth Of The Price Overseas
15:22 Inflation Is Through The Roof
16:52 If You Live Overseas, This Is Your Time
18:08 Three Hard Decisions For American Creatives
18:33 The Gatekept Industry Is Dying
20:20 America Isn't The Center Anymore
20:59 Curry Barker, Kane Parsons And YouTube
21:40 The End Of One Country Controlling Culture
22:02 Think Globally As A Filmmaker
22:26 Bad Bunny, Blackpink And Burna Boy
23:26 The Immigrant Hunger America Lost
23:52 Do We Blame AI? No. We Adapt.
24:49 America Still Has The Infrastructure
25:32 Build Something Undeniable
26:10 This Era Belongs To The Outsiders
27:03 It's Not A Collapse. It's A Reset.
 
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P-Lo produced the Drake record that put Mac Dre back in front of the world, and the Bay had a lot to say about it.
 
P-Lo is a producer, rapper and Bay Area architect who helped build the sound that came out of Pinole, Richmond and Vallejo. In this episode he breaks down how "Too Hard For The Radio" actually came together, why honoring Mac Dre mattered more to him than the placement itself, and why he thinks people misread the whole thing as a shot at the West Coast. He also gets into the two records that built Empire, why being independent is more fruitful now than it has ever been, and the day he told his job he was gone with $400 to his name and half of it already spent on a flight to LA.
 
He talks about what G-Eazy taught him, why the Warriors started a record label, what AI is really taking from artists, and the sacrifice nobody warns you about. Then he makes the case that his best work is still ahead of him, because Quincy Jones made Thriller at 50.
 
0:00 Cold Open
1:37 The Drake Record Nobody Knew He Produced
2:09 Drake Was The Dream He Spoke Into Existence
2:30 Drake Wanted To Honor Mac Dre
3:06 Was It A Shot At The West Coast
4:04 The Bay Had Mixed Feelings About It
4:40 Mac Dre, Forefather Of Bay Area Rap
6:23 Growing Up In Pinole
7:25 The Records That Raised Him
8:44 Cataracts, The Pack And The Team
10:01 When Your Song Becomes Their Love Story
11:33 Producers Are Already Using Suno
14:54 The Real Problem With AI Is Your IP
16:40 Notebooks Full Of Raps Over Kanye Beats
17:45 Meeting iamSU And Building HBK
19:00 Empire Was Built Off Two Records
20:21 Why Artists Still Sign To Majors
21:52 Why Give Away That Percentage
24:33 Honor The Music And It Honors You
25:25 Being A Good Person Is The Strategy
29:11 Build Horizontally, Not Just Up
31:03 If He Lost Everything Tomorrow
32:38 Passing Out CDs At Rasputin And Hilltop Mall
37:08 The Sibling Rivalry That Built His Confidence
39:03 His Parents Didn't Want Him Making Music
39:54 What His Immigrant Parents Risked
42:19 Why Filipinos Can Sing And Dance
44:56 The CMC Channel After School
46:20 Chad Hugo Made It Feel Possible
48:08 The Crossroad: Wiz, Berner And Juicy J
49:26 He Told His Job "I'm Gone"
49:55 Down To His Last $400
51:27 What G-Eazy Taught Him
53:57 The Warriors Own A Record Label
58:55 Music As A Vehicle Into Everything Else
1:00:49 Quincy Made Thriller At 50
1:03:38 The Sacrifice Nobody Talks About
1:05:58 You Need That Delusion
1:07:27 The New Album, Out The Box
1:09:39 Card Pull: Proudest Moment
1:11:07 Where To Find P-Lo
 
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Christian Breslauer directed the music videos you have already watched a hundred times. Ariana Grande. SZA's Kill Bill. Lil Nas X's Industry Baby. Doja Cat. Lisa. Roddy Ricch's The Box. If you have loved a music video in the last five years, there is a good chance he made it.
 
He also never went to film school. His parents couldn't afford to send him, so he worked in restaurants and taught himself the craft one video at a time. Then he heard a song called The Box, wrote a treatment nobody asked him for, said "this is the hit," and it changed his life.
 
In this conversation I break down with Christian how he shot SZA's Kill Bill in a single 18 hour day with wirework and stunts, the one scene he pitched over lunch that took Lil Nas X from 50 million views to 500 million, the pitch that made Ariana Grande cry and led to Video of the Year at the VMAs, and what it was like shooting Ariana on real film with Steven Spielberg's two time Oscar winning DP. We also get into the parts nobody posts about. Why you have to be your own agent, why he walks onto every set a little scared, why he'd rather have a hundred shots that look thirty percent cool than one perfect one, and why he thinks you have to be a little psychotic to be a creative.
 
If you're trying to build a career in film or music video without permission or connections, this is the blueprint.
 
0:00 Cold Open
2:23 Becoming A Dad Changed Everything
6:54 Shooting Ariana Grande On Film
14:03 YUNGBLUD, Ozzy And Sharon On Set
15:44 His Dad Built The Karol G Museum
18:55 Self Taught, No Film School
23:26 Trippie Redd's First 100K Video
24:32 Roddy Ricch's The Box, Nobody Asked
28:04 You Have To Be Your Own Agent
29:53 The Box Dropped, Then Lockdown
37:16 Lil Nas X's Industry Baby Shower Scene
41:36 SZA's Kill Bill Was An Accident
43:35 Doja Cat's Streets And Blacking Out
45:44 Why His Treatments Got Simpler
50:22 SZA And Lisa Shot In One Day
57:54 Spielberg, Fincher And Precision
1:02:49 Inside Ariana Grande's World
1:05:48 We Can't Be Friends And Eternal Sunshine
1:11:54 Creative Directing Ariana's Tour
1:16:36 20,000 People Lose It
1:20:06 Winning Video Of The Year At The VMAs
1:25:06 Advice For Up And Coming Directors
1:32:42 Old Spice, Marshmello And Commercials
1:37:18 Chasing The First Feature
1:45:25 Stop Forcing The Timeline
1:50:10 McConaughey's Oscar Speech Lesson
1:57:40 Dinner With His Grandparents
 
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A $750,000 horror movie just beat Hollywood at its own game. In this episode, I break down how two creator-made films, Obsession and Backrooms, each crossed $200 million on micro budgets, and why that quietly rewrote the rules of the entire film industry. Curry Barker built an audience on YouTube first, then made Obsession for the fans he already had, and Kane Parsons turned an internet horror phenomenon into a real theatrical event before he was old enough to rent a car.
 
I use both to make the case that the old gatekept Hollywood pipeline is dying. You can prove the concept first, build the audience first, and let the audience tell the industry what to pay attention to. I get into why craft and taste beat budget, why horror is the great equalizer for new filmmakers, the honest reality that these breakout stories are rare, and the one move every creator still has to make. You don't need permission, a studio, or millions of dollars anymore. You need a good idea, taste, and the guts to go make your damn film.
 
00:00 Introduction
02:37 Two $200M Movies on Micro Budgets
03:23 Reintroducing Myself
04:04 Why Hollywood Might Be Better Now
05:35 Curry Barker and the YouTube Model
08:48 Stop Putting Pressure on One Idea
09:32 The Excuses We Make as Creators
12:03 The Insane Numbers Behind Obsession
13:34 We Spend Too Much Time Waiting
14:25 The Audience Doesn't Care How You Got There
16:11 Make Movies That Feel Alive
18:22 Kane Parsons and the Anti-AI Argument
20:11 The Hard Truth and the New Path
22:40 The Internet Is the New Film Festival
24:41 A New Pipeline and Horror as the Equalizer
26:26 Go Make Your Damn Film
 
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Sebastien built SLAPS, a creative agency for some of the biggest brands in the world, with no design degree, no advertising background, and no industry connections. He started by cold emailing strangers, Googling what a branding agency even does, and selling a $5K identity to a local Indian restaurant.
Now SLAPS works with brands like Nike, Oakley, Wingstop, and Under Armour. In this conversation, Sebastien breaks down the real agency game: why sales is an art form, why you should never sell services, and why brands pay more for vision. This is the story of building taste, selling ideas, and turning zero connections into a world-class creative agency.
This is Ourselves with Sebastien Vandecasteele.
 
00:00 Introduction
02:29 What SLAPS Does as a Creative Agency
03:54 The Wingstop Mango Habanero Campaign
06:35 How Social Media Rewrote the Agency Game
07:48 SLAPS vs Traditional Agencies (Wieden+Kennedy, 72andSunny)
12:36 Production: In-House vs Outsourcing
13:56 Starting With Zero Creative Background
16:00 Why Sales Is the Real Art Form
17:42 Lessons From a Year in a Call Center
18:10 Discovering Creative Direction by Accident
20:04 Cold Emailing Strangers to Land Brands
21:11 The First $5K Client (an Indian Restaurant)
23:28 Why You Sell Vision, Not Services
26:42 The Sales Exercise & Why Listeners Win
29:42 How to Actually Get a Brand's Attention
30:22 LinkedIn as a Creative Goldmine
32:07 Breaking Tension With GIFs in Cold Emails
37:33 The Brutal Reality of Unpaid Pitches
39:26 The 6-Month Music Video Pitch From Hell
42:08 Building a Voice So People Come to You
47:56 Inside the SLAPS Team
49:11 Working With His Wife at the Agency
50:46 How Creative Directors, Art Directors & Copywriters Work
53:15 Building a Global Agency Out of Barcelona
54:46 Running Ads for Brand Awareness
58:28 The Mistake of Trying to Do Everything
01:01:11 Handling High-Pressure Clients & Celebrities
01:04:31 What Big Budgets Actually Pay For
01:07:13 AI, Creative Jobs & the Renaissance of Craft
01:14:18 Pivoting SLAPS Into a Strategy-First Agency
01:16:08 Project 2027 & the AI Endgame
01:18:55 Favorite SLAPS Projects (HelloFresh, Wingstop, Oakley)
01:21:46 Living Between Amsterdam, New York & LA
01:24:18 Surfing Through Burnout
01:25:30 Building a Business With Your Wife
01:27:31 The Hustle Years vs The Balance Years
01:28:35 The DISC Sales Framework Every Creative Needs
01:32:48 Why Creative Is the Hardest Industry to Sell In
01:38:34 The Card Question: Most Meaningful Feedback
01:41:24 Closing Tradition
 
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Most of what you've been told about being a content creator is a lie. Sooraj Saxena spent years learning that the hard way.
In this conversation he reveals the testing pool TikTok uses before any video goes viral, why Mr. Beast openly admits his mental health is awful, why chasing another creator's blueprint guarantees you'll resent your own life, and the moment that made him walk away from a 5,000 person paying waitlist. If you're building anything online in 2026, this is required listening.
00:00 Content Is Science01:51 Sooraj's biggest audience03:21 His Original Chai videos05:22 Brown Creator Representation06:13 Childhood Performer Roots10:47 Startup Videos Breakthrough16:41 Sneaking Into Concerts19:23 His Company Shakti And the TikTok Market Gap32:58 Back to Brand Deals33:22 Betting on a Portfolio35:14 Being Ghosted From a Big Partnership37:09 Gods Wake Up Call40:24 His First Big 6 Figure Merch Year48:20 How the Algorithm Can Penalize You51:41 Why Brands Dont Reach Out01:10:05 Creator Chaos Tradeoffs01:14:01 Create for Joy Not Fame01:16:12 Deinfluence Your Dreams01:16:43 Having Four Million Followers But Broke01:19:50 Stop Chasing Blueprints Like Mr Beast01:23:48 No One Is Saving You01:27:03 What To Do When Content Flops01:30:49 AI and Human Resilience01:35:49 Final Advice
 
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Matt Hansen did not wait for a record label to believe in him. He built his career himself. After posting a single TikTok covering Frank Ocean, Matt suddenly found millions of people listening. What started as a simple video turned into a full time music career built entirely outside the traditional music industry.
In this episode of Ourselves, Matt shares the real story behind that moment and what it actually takes to survive as an independent artist today. We talk about the reality of building an audience online, the pressure artists feel to chase algorithms, and why Matt refuses to let AI touch his music.
 
00:00 Beating the Scroll
02:19 Staying Independent
03:18 DistroKid and Fast Releases
05:11 Timing the Social Media Window
07:44 Do Artists Need Labels?
09:38 TikTok Mini Music Videos
16:28 The Frank Ocean video that changed his life
20:03 Handling Label Attention
30:40 Finding the Right Hooks For Your Videos
42:55 AI Emotion Theft
43:42 Beauty of Imperfection
49:20 Synesthesia and Billie Eilish
01:04:30 Touring Loneliness
01:07:10 How to Win Over a Festival Crowd
01:13:37 Relevance and TikTok Tips
 
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I sat down with Iranian rapper and activist Erfan Paydar to unpack what’s really happening in Iran right now and why the world isn’t paying enough attention. From the 1979 revolution to today’s protests, we break down the political history that led to the current regime and the massive nationwide uprising demanding change.
Erfan shares a deeply personal perspective shaped by growing up between Iran and the United States. We discuss the brutal crackdowns on protesters, the economic collapse inside the country, and why millions of Iranians believe the Islamic Republic has reached its breaking point. He explains the role of the IRGC, the influence of foreign powers, and why many Iranians are rallying behind Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as a potential transitional leader.
Beyond politics, Erfan also reflects on his childhood in Iran, the beauty of Iranian culture, and how his experiences living in both worlds shaped his music and activism. From stories of growing up in Isfahan and Tehran to building a rap career that speaks for the Iranian diaspora, this conversation dives into identity, freedom, and the responsibility of using your voice.
This episode is an honest, emotional look at a nation at a crossroads and a reminder that behind every headline are real people fighting for their future.
01:59 Diaspora Connection to Iran
02:20 Growing Up Between Iran and USA
03:53 Iran’s 1979 Revolution to Today
05:16 Uprising and Brutal Crackdown
08:09 Corruption and the IRGC
12:13 1953 Coup and the Shah Era
18:17 Why the 1979 Revolution Happened
35:45 Free Iran vs Free Palestine Debate
36:40 Media Silence and Minimizing Deaths
38:40 False Comparisons to US Protests
39:45 Being Called a Zionist for Speaking Out
40:20 Hyperinflation and Daily Survival
41:26 Can the Regime Outlast Collapse?
44:11 US Sanctions Versus Corruption
46:41 Iranian Regime’s Children Living Lavish in Dubai
48:23 Erfan’s Childhood Memories of Iran
50:38 Hope of Returning Home
51:29 Trump Talks and Nuclear Standoff
54:33 How Strict Censorship is in Iran
01:01:13 How to Help Iran
 
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Want to sell a movie to Netflix? This episode breaks down the reality behind a Netflix documentary pitch deck, funding, film financing, and what streamers actually buy. Oscar-nominated director Matt Ogens, known for Netflix’s Audible and Disney+’s Madu, explains how pitch decks, sizzle reels, packaging, and access determine whether a project gets made, how documentary financing really works, and what filmmakers need to understand about distribution deals in 2026. If you’re researching Netflix documentary pitches, film funding, or how to build a filmmaking career, this is the real behind-the-scenes conversation.
 
02:39 Origin Story: Growing Up Without an “Artist” Blueprint
08:23 The importance of being a PA and DIY Film school
09:34 How networking got his first big break with ESPN
15:11 Deep Dive: Making his film ‘Audible’—12 Years to Finance, Pitch Decks, Netflix, and Sound as Character
37:37 Why So Many Docs Are Under 40 Minutes (Festivals, Oscars Rules)
38:26 Netflix + Festivals: Qualifying Runs, Theatrical Weeks, and Strategy
41:33 The Oscars Aren’t the Job: Filmmaking as Hard Work + Startup Life
44:55 From Viral Clip to Disney+: The Origin Story of ‘Madu’
50:41 Pitching Docs Today: Treatments, Sizzle Reels, and Selling the Arc
54:08 Capturing Intimacy on Camera: Trust, Crew Size, Lenses, and Natural Light
01:08:12 Co-Directing Across Cultures: Why Collaboration Made the Film Stronger
01:10:11 Best Ways to Edit Documentaries
01:15:42 The Best Way To Interview for Documentaries
01:18:27 Where Should the Subject Look? On-Lens vs Off-Lens
01:22:52 What Makes a Doc Stand Out? The One Thing That Gets Audiences to Care
01:24:42 Breaking Into Commercials & Branded: Reels, Rosters, and the Pitch Process
 
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