Pivot Point with Joseph DeBeasi

John DeNicola is an American songwriter and producer. He is best known for co-writing the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", for which he won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as receiving a Grammy nomination, in 1988. In 1989 he was the co-winner of ASCAP Awards' "Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures" for "Time of My Life" as well as for "Hungry Eyes", another song from the film. Listen in as John tells Joseph about his latest release and the early days of analog recording.

Richard Humann is a Brooklyn-based neo-conceptual artist whose work has been included in the Venice Biennale, represented the United States in the 2017 Karachi Biennale in Pakistan, and has had multiple national and international solo gallery and museum exhibitions. Richard was born and raised in the Lower Hudson Valley region of New York State. He divides his time between Brooklyn and Woodstock, NY. This podcast is not about art, it's about being an artist. Listen to Joseph and Richard talk it up.

Joseph met Diana at a SAG-AFTRA workshop and have been friends since. Diana is an actor, voice actor and producer. Known for her recurring roles on "The Young and the Restless" and "Days of Our Lives", she has also done a number of TV Commercials. She began working in Group ADR in 2010, on "Eureka", and has been heard on "Alphas", "Defiance", "Code Black", "Quantico", "Midnight Texas", "Into The Dark" and more. The daughter of an avionics mechanic from Sri Lanka and a Danish mother, Diana's unusual ethnic background has granted her a strong sense of culture. Her love of travel began at a young age and she's been to over 30 countries. www,dianalansleen.com

Today's guest is Nashville music producer, singer, songwriter Aaron Ruiz. Aaron is an artist who has had hundreds of songs placed in tv shows. Joseph and Aaron talk about the work it takes to stay present, dealing with negative self talk and accepting that we are not in control of whether a song is a success or not. www.aaronandandrew.com https://soundcloud.com/skyline-brigade

Today Cathy and Joseph wrap up their conversation. We learn of Cathy's acting opportunities; how she drove 3 hours each way for her auditions and how she views her creative process.

Cathy is a first generation Vietnamese American born and raised in Seattle, WA. To say that Cathy grew up under difficult circumstances is an understatement. Her story is one of hard work, perseverance and survival. Cathy graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Washington all the while working as a genetic researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She earned her second degree in Graphic Design & Illustration. Cathy worked her way through various design specialties for Fortune 500 companies and found her sweet spot as an e-commerce User Experience (UX) / Product Designer. Cathy has appeared in GRIMM, LEVERAGE and is a recurring guest star for a series to be announced soon as well as a recurring guest star on an animated series. www.cathyvu.com

In part 2 of Joseph's conversation with Stacy Widelitz, we hear how Stacy handle the stress of being a film composer, how he shape-shifted to a country song writer and his latest adventure as a photographer.

Barrington is an author and screenwriter who writes speculative fiction that explores how people respond when their world — or their place in it — changes. Her work has been optioned and won prizes like Amazon Studios’ Best Screenplay Award, Screencraft’s Cinematic Short Story Competition Grand Prize, and DreamAgo’s Pen & Pellicule Writing Fellowship. She has published fiction in literary journals like Sycamore Review, Colorado Review, The Drum and Women of Horror, Volume 3 and she co-wrote for an upcoming episode of Creepshow on AMC’s Shudder Network. https://barringtonsmith.net In this conversation Joseph and Barrington touch on topics of value and belonging.

Thomas Laub is a producer currently represented on Broadway with David Byrne's American Utopia (Special Tony Award). Past work includes Slave Play (Tony Nomination), Seven Deadly Sins, and the site-specific Myths & Hymns. Upcoming: Douglas Carter Beane's Fairycakes, Selina Fillinger's POTUS, and Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. Founder of Runyonland Productions and entertainment revenue management firm Standing Room Theatrical Solutions.

Today's episode you'll hear Joseph talk about his decision to change markets - from NYC to Los Angeles; how a scoring rejection caused him to reconsider his dreams and how he received the opportunity to compose the underscore music for American Sniper.

Award-winning composer Sherri Chung is on Pivot Point today. Her music can be heard on Batwoman, Riverdale, Blindspot and The Red Line. She composed the music for Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase and The Last Husband. She is a pianist, vocalist, conductor and orchestrator. Her theme music to Kung Fu is heard in the podcast intro.

Kevin Brewerton is a 5 time world kickboxing champion, author, director, actor and painter. His story is one of seeking the truth both in his life and in his art. Kevin's book is called - These Are African Hands-A Memoir. You can find it on Amazon.

April Cleveland is a director, educator, and the creator of THE EXODUS ENSEMBLE in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which creates wild and immersive theatrical events. April directs fast-paced thrillers across genres, from classics and contemporary adaptations to dystopian new work and large-scale musicals.