It's episode 100! To mark the occasion we've invited our friend Tyler back on the podcast to once again discuss Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece with us. Since this is episode 100 of the podcast, we jumped ahead to episode 100 of these three long running Shonen anime. Surely a big, significant number like 100 means all three are action packed, emotion…

Summary In this episode of the e-commerce content creation podcast, Daniel discusses the importance of studio audits and the physical layout of studios in enhancing workflow efficiency. He introduces the concept of workshops aimed at improving digital workflows and emphasizes the need for identifying quick wins within studio processes. The conversa…

Summary In this episode of The E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, Daniel Jester and creative director/photo manager turned creative ops consultant Kelly Garthwait dive into a candid, exploratory conversation about authenticity in visual storytelling and the tensions introduced by AI and automation in creative roles. Their dialogue weaves through …

In this special (not actually special) Kotatsu after dark episode, we finish Scorching Ping Pong Girls! While it suffers from some unavoidable consequences of adaptation, we managed to have a fun time with this one. Though that doesn't stop us from making some unfair comparisons to Ping Pong the Animation. Anime Discussed: Scorching Ping Pong Girls…

Summary In this episode of the E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, host Daniel Jester discusses treating in-house studios as media companies. He emphasizes the need for organizational respect, investment in creative teams, and the complexity of media production processes. Daniel shares insights from recent workshops and highlights the challenges f…

Summary In this episode, Daniel Jester is joined by studio operations and photography manager Brent Maynard, who shares stories and insights from his unique experience managing photo studios for a major pet brand. Brent dives into the complexities of working with animal talent, from cats and dogs to guinea pigs, birds, and even cockroaches, and exp…

Given our history with ping pong anime, it was only a matter of time before we watched one of the only other ping pong related shows besides Ping Pong The Animation, Scorching Ping Pong Girls! Or as I like to call it, Flaming Ping Pong Girls cuz these girls sure are gay. Oh, and the ping pong is pretty cool too. Anime Discussed: Scorching Ping Pong…

Summary In this episode of the E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, Daniel dives deep into the topic of Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems, exploring their importance yet lack of widespread adoption in the E-commerce space. He discusses the differences between cloud storage solutions and DAM systems, emphasizing the need for metadata, version c…

Summary In this episode of the Ecommerce Content Creation Podcast, host Daniel Jester discusses the evolving landscape of e-commerce content creation, focusing on the integration of 3D modeling and AI technologies. He explores how these advancements can transform content production, enhance customer experiences, and contribute to sustainability eff…

Last time, two of us foolishly held on to the hope that the second half of Dual would really lock in on some interesting ideas, themes, character arcs, etc., but one of us correctly predicted that nothing interesting would happen. Somehow they made a science fiction harem show that manages to miss the mark on both fronts. Join us as we air are grev…

Summary In this episode of the eCommerce Content Creation Podcast, Daniel reflects on his personal and professional challenges over the past year, including feelings of burnout and uncertainty in the creative industry. He discusses the impact of these experiences on his work and the podcast, expressing gratitude for the support he has received from…

Going in we knew Dual! would be an Evangelion inspired anime, but we did not know it would be a harem anime or that it was created by the Tenchi Muyo guy. However, it does have some interesting sci-fi ideas when it's not being a harem show. Here's hoping the ratio of those things works out in our favor by the end of the show...Anime Discussed: Dual…

Our old friend Toh EnJoe has done it again. He made a show with some interesting ideas that got bogged down by BS pseudoscience and bad writing, but hey, at least Jet Jaguar, Godzilla, and Pero 2 are all here to give us something to enjoy. We're going to have to send this podcast back in time to prevent the Catastrophe of us watching it.Anime Discu…

Hope you're read up on your Cryptochemistry and Algebraic Cosmology because we're covering the Toh EnJoe (he of the two worst Space Dandy episodes) written Godzilla S.P, a show with some cool kaiju and nonsense pseudo-science, but with way too many characters with little to do. None of that matters though because we're here for our boy Jet Jaguar. …

It's time for another show and tell! We've got an interesting mix of older anime to talk about, from an iconic Ikuhara show from the 90s to two OVA from 1989 with very different tones. It's also our 4 year anniversary, so you know that means: time for each of us to attempt to put all of the anime we've watched over the last 4 years into ranked list…

We've reach the end of our time with Milky Holmes! Unfortunately for us the back half of this season is much more dense with plot that the first half, and features an unlikely (and unliked) side character become the final boss for reasons? Anyway, there's still enough trademark Milky Holmes stupidity for us to enjoy. Make sure to join us next time …

If you thought season 1 was stupid, wait to you get a load of season 2! Join us as we delight in just how head-empty and nonsensical Milky Holmes season 2 gets. Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes Season 2 1-6Next time: Milky Holmes Season 2 7-12Send us your questions! You can email us at [email protected] or DM us on twitter @underthekotat…

Summary Mark Stocker is Senior Creative Manager for The Very Group, a collection of high volume retail brands based in Liverpool England. Mark was a speaker at the Henry Stewart Photo Studios Ops Forum back in October of 2021 and we invited him on this episode to discuss how the proverbial pendulum needs to (and is!) swing away from the lowest cost…

Summary This is episode 64 of the e-commerce content creation podcast and Daniel is unpacking his terrible fear of changing technology with Conrad Sanderson. If there’s anyone who understands the relationship between change and fear, it’s probably Conrad, while he’s not a licensed therapist or anything, his career has spanned many changes in the te…

Merry Christmas! We're celebrating the holiday by watching two very dumb and fun special episodes of Milky Holmes including the Christmas Special! Not much too say about these, but we had fun celebrating the holidays with our favorite incompetent detectives! Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes Season 1 Special + Christmas Special!Next time: Milky Holmes …

Summary Matthew Schulert was lead photographer and one of the earliest studio team members at HauteLook, a flash sale site that Nordstrom bought in 2011. Matthew and Daniel talk about the the history of that studio as it grew from just 3 sets, to over 10 times that size across many iterations of studios throughout Southern California. Why is this e…

Takeaways Linnea's early exposure to photography came from her father's hobby and her own experiences with disposable cameras. She emphasizes the importance of personal work in developing her artistic style. Linnea discusses the challenges and advantages of shooting with digital versus film cameras. The use of grain in photography is highlighted as…

Summary In this episode of the E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, host Daniel Jester speaks with Ryan Lustig, a seasoned photographer who transitioned from skateboarder to professional photographer to studio leader. They discuss the evolution of photography careers, particularly in e-commerce, and how many photographers found their way into the i…

We've reached the end of the first season of Milky Holmes! Do the girls finally get their Toys back? Does the plot make any sense? Just how important are these boob jokes? Answers will be revealed!Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes 7-12Next time: Milky Holmes Season 1 Special + Christmas Special!Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotats…

Summary In this episode, Daniel Jester and Matt Ware discuss the evolving landscape of creativity within the eCommerce and photography industries. They explore the importance of community, the impact of the pandemic on social connections, and the necessity of fostering creativity in all aspects of work. The conversation highlights practical approac…

Takeaways Matt Licari identifies as a portrait photographer at heart. Celebrity photography often involves quick, high-pressure situations. Building a connection with subjects is crucial for capturing authentic moments. Technical preparation is essential for successful shoots with limited time. Finding creative expression within constraints can lea…

We've convened to discuss one of the dumbest (non-derogatory) shows we've watched for the podcast: Milky Holmes. Despite being about a group of detectives, there's not a lot of mysteries being solved, but there is a lot of fun and dumb comedy, even if some of it has aged liked vinegar.Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes 1-6Next time: Milky Holmes 7-12Sen…

Summary This week's episode features Caleb Raynor, taking us back to school for studio economics 101. We talk about the mechanics and metrics that determine the financial success of the photo studio and how you can learn to speak that language fluently when making the business case for more investment in your creative teams.…

Summary Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of the E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, which happens to be Part II of Daniel's recent conversation with Tony Baker. If you haven’t caught part one yet, that was last week’s episode, episode 162 you might want to give that one a listen because in part II Tony is taking us deeper into how he goes …

Summary Daniel is joined by Tony Baker this week. Tony recently launched his new coaching and mentorship program, aimed at helping creative professionals of all stripes understand their value, and how to incorporate that knowledge in their purpose and goals. This is part one of this two part conversation, they discuss the need for authentic connect…

Summary The guest for this episode is Monica Baddar. If that name sounds familiar, you might be remembering Monica from Episode 3 of the Flash Drive Files, the miniseries podcast from our friends at VeryBusy.io that drops in this feed. Monica was kind enough to record for both podcasts over the summer, so full disclosure this episode was recorded a…

Takeaways Paula Watts has a degree in advertising photography from Brooks. She transitioned from general advertising photography to specializing in beauty. Defining a personal style can be challenging for photographers. Building a relationship with retouchers is crucial for successful post-production. Meeting deadlines is a priority in Paula's work…

It's time to talk about the power of friendship and senshado as we discuss the second half of Girls und Panzer, a show that on paper has not right being as good as it is. This podcast too was senshado the whole time.Anime Discussed: Girls und Panzer 7-12 Next time: Milky Holmes 1-6Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@gm…

Summary In this episode of the e-commerce content creation podcast, host Daniel Jester speaks with Paul Massingill, senior manager of studio operations at David Yurman. They discuss the critical role of studio operations in e-commerce, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, organization, and effective communication within creative teams. The co…

Summary In this episode, Daniel interviews Alex Davidovich from Squareshot, discussing the evolution of content creation in eCommerce, they explore the shift from in-house studios to somethign more like agency models, the importance of productizing services, and the implementation of value-based pricing to enhance client relationships. Alex shares …

Panzer vor! We're beginning our foray into the world of Senshado with the first six episodes of Girls und Panzer. Despite some weirdness around the edges with this show's usage of World War II iconography, we had a really fun time with this silly yet well made show.Anime Discussed: Girls und Panzer 1-6 Next time: Girls und Panzer 7-12Send us your q…

Summary In this episode of the E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, Daniel Jester shares his takeaways from the Henry Stewart event in Los Angeles, discussing key sessions on building creative communities, future-proofing studios, and the crucial role of sample operations. He highlights the need for better communication between creative teams and l…

Summary Welcome back to another episode of The E-commerce Content Creation podcast. Our guest today is a special treat, Hanna Sofia, a Canada based multidisciplinary artist joins Daniel to talk about problem solving when you have that vision, but you need to solve some technical problems to get there. Listen, it’s a bit of a stretch, but we are cre…

Summary In this episode of the E-commerce Content Creation Podcast, host Daniel Jester speaks with Joe Lamb, former Director of Technology and Platforms for Nike, about the intricacies of content production in e-commerce. They discuss the importance of building a robust content production system, future-proofing studios against disasters, and the s…

Takeaways Photography can be a form of escapism and creating a world different from reality. Post-production and retouching are important aspects of photography, and each photographer has their own process and style. File management and communication with clients are crucial for a successful photography business. It is crucial to back up and protec…

Summary Jordan Petsy, a former photography manager at Kendra Scott, shares her career journey and recent move to New York. She discusses the challenges of managing product photography for a large assortment of jewelry and the lack of technology and systems in place at the time. Jordan also talks about her current focus on working with smaller, miss…

Unfortunately, we can't say that Ex-Arm betrayed the hype. It truly is the worst anime we have watched for this show, and that's really saying something. Join us as we close the book on this awful series, and try not to talk too much about Metal Gear Solid 4 along the way. Anime Discussed: EX-ARM 7-12 Next time: Girls und Panzer 1-6 Send us your qu…

Summary In this episode Daniel starts off by sharing a cautionary tale about a legendary brand that has fallen on hard times, followed by an interview with Everard Williams Jr. Head of the photo and imaging department at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Ca.By Daniel Jester

Takeaways Miscommunication and lack of understanding about photography processes are common challenges within brands. The shift towards agencies and commercial studios can provide more support and creative freedom for photographers. Technology has made photography more accessible, but expertise and specialization are still important. Advocacy and c…

We've been watching too many good shows recently, so we decided to test ourselves by watching the infamously bad, Crunchyroll produced EX-ARM. We were prepared for bad CGI animation, but we were not prepared for everything else about it being equal bad. Turns out it's hard to make a good anime when almost everyone involved has never worked on an an…

We've reached the end of the line on our OVA train, so it's time to wrap things up with a one-off episode on Gunsmith Cats! Apart from the last few episodes of Bubblegum Crisis, we missed out on the 90s in our recent round of OVA picks, and boy, do we get a healthy dosage of 90s anime action in this series. Join us as we discuss the hijinks of gun …

Since the OVA was an incomplete adaptation, we've done our due diligence and have read the Alien 9 manga. All of it! Unfortunately that means we read it's two sequels: Emulators and Next, which kinda step all over the interesting parts of the original manga. But hey, we still have a good time picking apart the manga and thinking fondly of the anime…

Next up on our current round of OVA coverage is Alien 9! Despite being an incomplete adaption of it's original manga (which we'll be covering next episode), we managed to have a great time discussing this stylistic strong, Evangelion influence OVA from the early 2000s. And Discotek, if you're reading this, please put this one out on blu-ray.Anime D…

Takeaways The creative job market is experiencing both busy and slow periods, with some creative teams being dismantled due to layoffs. There is a need to change the way we think about and value creative teams in the industry. Daniel Jester plans to offer a podcast playbook ebook and consulting services for those interested in starting a podcast. H…

Continuing our run of anime OVA coverage, we watched Dallos, which on top of being the first ever OVA might also be one of the most overtly political. We've got all kinds of great revolutionary imagery and themes to talk through as we discuss a truly one of a kind anime from our boy Mamoru Oshii.Anime Discussed: DallosNext time: Alien 9Send us your…