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Creativity isn’t tidy—it’s risky, chaotic, and full of surprises. It’s full of breakthroughs and breakdowns, moments of flow and moments of doubt. Join Mishu Hilmy for unfiltered conversations with artists, filmmakers, musicians, and fearless makers who thrive in the unknown, embrace imperfection, and create at the edge of possibility.
This is your front row seat to the self-doubt, unexpected wins, and messy emotional work of making something real. But craft isn’t just about feeling—it’s about problem-solving, process, and the devotion behind mastery.
Subscribe now for weekly episodes that celebrate the unpredictable, the playful, and the deeply human side of making things. Join the mailing list at mischiefpod.com
Email anytime at podcast@ohhmaybe.com and follow us @mischiefpod
Mishu Hilmy (00:01.199)
Welcome to Mischief in Mastery where we embrace the ups, downs, and all around uncertainty of a creative life and that steady and sometimes not so steady journey toward expertise. Each episode we talk candidly with people I know, people I don't know, folks who produce, direct, write, act, do comedy, make art, make messes, and make meaning out of their lives. You will hear guests lay out how they work,
what they're thinking about, where they get stuck, and why they snap out of their comfort zones and into big, bold, risky moves. So, if you're hungry for honest insights, deep dives into process philosophies and practical tips, plus maybe a little mischief along the way, you're in the right place. For more, visit mischiefpod.com. Hey everyone, it's Mishu and welcome to Mischief and Mastery. This episode we're going to do something a little bit different because,
I was away from my computer during Thanksgiving and didn't have a chance to edit my lovely conversation with Yuxin Lu, which will be released, I believe this Thursday. But in the meantime, just want to do a little reflection about Thanksgiving and gratitude and whatnot. yeah, mostly wanting to chat about books. So yeah, maybe give a little book list for those who are interested in what I love to read.
Yeah, you know, during the Thanksgiving break, I spent like one to three hours a day reading. So it just got me thinking about books I love and would like to share that with you all. So we'll just start with some of my favorite books that I read sometimes every year. That would be Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg, which is an excellent, excellent book. think that's the number one book if you got to read.
to learn how to speak with others as well as speak with yourself without judgment, observations, feelings, needs, requests, and to learn to connect with yourself that way. So 10 out of 10, heck, a million out of 10 non-alien communication by Marshall Rosenberg. And then The War of Art, I read that every year, probably a couple of times a year by Steven Pressfield and The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. 10 years in a row, I would reread the 12-week
Mishu Hilmy (02:18.35)
program with that book, very underrated or maybe overrated book around being creative and creating a consistency and breaking through resistance and walls. So, The War of Art and The Art of Sway, two great books on developing a creative practice as for just spiritual living or philosophical living.
I'd recommend the Art of Living by Epictetus, interpreted by Sharon LeBell. Some stoic philosophy there. Great entry into stoicism, great primer. And then the Tao Te Ching. I really enjoyed the Stephen Mitchell translation. Dip your toes into some non-dualism. And then for some show business books, The Great Movie Makers by George Stevens Jr., which is essentially conversations with AFI, visitors of the, visiting the AFI campus.
I believe there are two tomes, maybe a thousand pages worth of interviews of some of the greatest artists, actors, writers, directors, producers within the filmmaking canon, mostly mid-century filmmakers, as well as up to, I believe the late nineties, but a wonderful book to learn about the struggles of filmmaking. Really light down and dirty pictures by Peter Biskind or Biscind, if you want to learn about.
how difficult distribution is at the independent level. Might be a little bit dated. Really does shit well on Merrimack's and Harvey Weinstein, but a great lesson in distribution, how difficult it is for independent filmmakers and the dangers and traps around distributors. So recommend that. Then I reference this a lot, Hollywood Economics by Arthur Bivani, very technical, very statistic driven, dense slog of a book.
but I think it's one of the bests around distribution. And then if you love editing, blink of an eye by Walter Murch. Really impressive, moving, beautiful philosophy about filmmaking and editing as a philosophy. So definitely recommend. And lastly, Rob Spera's the film slash TV director's field manual, 70 Maxims to Change Your Filmmaking. Rob was a guest of the show and really practical manual for
Mishu Hilmy (04:39.393)
Directing on set, pick it up. That's also a very easy reference guide and inspiring and grounded and some exercise in the back of the book. So Rob Spera's field manual. Those were just overall filmmaking lessons. And if you're wanting to focus on writing, I've read a fair amount of writing books around the craft of screenwriting and these are my favorite three. Maybe I'll add an extra for fun.
How to Build a Great Screenplay by David Howard. Very practical, no-nonsense kind of blueprint around just making great screenplays. Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier is a much-used reference manual that you can just pick it up and any question you might have is likely going to be answered in that reference book around formatting and common problems that happen. And then Dialogue by Robert McKee, which
He wrote story and used to have a lecture around screenwriting, but I dialogue is probably one of the best books on writing dialogue that I've ever laid hands on. So that's it. I probably listed maybe a dozen or so books that I really enjoyed. And yeah, I'll have them all in the show notes. Feel free to reach out to me anytime if you have questions about them, but those are my favorite ones. A lot of them I reread, reference a lot. That's it. I'm sure I've forgotten a lot. As for fiction, I find that I generally
more drawn toward non-fiction, but maybe I'll create a separate list of my favorite works of fiction and whatnot. So thank you for listening and I look forward to sending out and releasing more interviews, but it's good to take a break and enjoy the holidays with friends, family, loved ones. I hope you got to as well. And if not, I hope you find some chances to reflect and get some rest and try and find some appreciation and optimism in a very rapidly
changing world we live in that is so full of dreadful uncertainty that can sometimes be tough, tough to get through with all the hits life can hit you with. So that's me, I'm rambling. Thank you very much for listening and yeah, I hope you have a good rest of your day.
Mishu Hilmy (07:00.951)
Before sending you off with a little creative prompt, I just wanted to say thank you for listening to Mischief and Mastery. If you enjoyed this show, please rate it and leave a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your support does mean a lot. Until next time, keep taking care of yourself, your lightness, curiosity, and sense of play. And now for a little Mischief motivation. All right, here it is, your prompt. Go get your library card, period. Google how to do it.
Where's your closest library card? out your utility statement, whatever bills you need to prove you are a resident, bring your ID and go over to your neighborhood library. Yeah. Read, learn, fight fascism, get all the books you want to burn. And yeah, just get your library card. Do it. Do it now. Do it. You'll feel much better. And yeah, that's it. Have a great day.