Smart Nonsense
We make nerdy stuff cool.
Latest episodes
Jan 13, 2025 • 20min
Finding a Wife With YouTube Shorts
Episode #292 with Henry and Dylan
(00:00) Intro & Recording Mishap(02:39) The Time Capsule Reflection(08:58) Tennis, Ambition, and Life Lessons(14:34) The Shorts-to-Wife Pipeline(19:16) Sports Injuries & Work Challenges
Jan 10, 2025 • 19min
I’m Embarassed to Be a Youtuber
Episode #290 with Henry and Dylan
(00:00) Intro
(01:31) Inventing a Cartoon
(03:21) The YouTuber Identity Crisis
(06:30) The Elevator Story
(10:08) Dad’s Fitness Journey
(13:01) Cartoon Character Chaos
Dec 27, 2024 • 47min
The Problem With Every Cartoon
Episode #288 with Henry and Dylan
(0:00) Intro
(2:24) Reflecting on cartoon inspirations: South Park, Family Guy, and SpongeBob
(6:30) The first concept: Bureaucracity
(11:53) Problems with human characters and the need for unique silhouettes
(14:08) IP is king: The brilliance of SpongeBob's world
(20:10) Pivotal characters from history as Derd’s friends
(27:30) Exploring the Pangea concept and rethinking the show's world
(33:04) How history and curiosity interact on Derd’s island
(39:19) Concept evolution: Mixing historical accuracy with creative freedom
Dec 26, 2024 • 45min
Cartoons Are Hard to Make..
Episode #287 with Henry and Dylan
(0:00) Intro
(1:28) Podcast dynamics and business perception
(6:34) Figuring out cartoon pilot
(9:31) "SpongeBob" inspiration: humor and storyboarding
(14:01) World-building challenges and character creation
(22:17) Overcoming creative block and finding vision
(29:11) Developing the cartoon's main character
(38:21) Planning physical comedy and visual storytelling
(44:43) Next steps
Dec 25, 2024 • 26min
We’re Making the Next Spongebob
Episode #286 with Henry and Dylan
(00:00) Intro
(02:59) Brainstorming cartoon ideas from scratch
(05:18) Learning from SpongeBob, South Park, and animation greats
(09:31) The inspiration behind SpongeBob and parallels to Smart Nonsense
(12:38) Developing the cartoon world and its teaching potential
(19:14) The premise: Derd’s motivation and learning adventures
(22:43) Building Derd’s universe and unique characters
Dec 24, 2024 • 19min
Do We Chase Money or Fun?
Episode #285 with Henry and Dylan
(00:00) Intro(02:26) Pickleball mornings(03:35) Revisiting Shaan's pitch: SAT prep or cartoons(05:13) The SAT struggle: why it didn’t work(07:44) Cartooning as the next direction(09:31) Discovering animation: lessons from SpongeBob(11:16) South Park vs. big studio cartoons(12:29) Pitching Shaan: conviction in the cartoon vision(14:00) A unique concept: Hardcore History meets Rick and Morty(15:52) The power of educational cartoons(16:47) Thinking big with Shaan’s support(17:53) Moving from base hits to home runs(18:59) Embracing the cartoon dream: fun over SAT prep
Dec 23, 2024 • 29min
We Blew up the Big Deal..
Episode #284 with Henry and Dylan
(00:00) Intro(03:07) We blew up the deal(05:32) Shaan’s big mission: undervalued talent with potential(07:17) Searching for direction: mission struggles exposed(10:15) Jack saves the call: introducing Sketchy(12:26) Starting with SAT: the SpaceX satellite analogy(14:11) Teaching to the test: a new perspective on prep(17:12) Getting pwned(20:12) The challenge of teaching SAT hacks(22:36) Breaking the fourth wall: making it fun(24:59) Bigger vision: instilling curiosity in learning
Dec 22, 2024 • 25min
Striking a Big Deal With Our Business Daddy
Join the hosts as they dive into the chaos of balancing shiny new ideas with focused execution. They share insights on the emotional rollercoaster of teaching and the challenges of venturing into educational content. There's lively debate on transforming education through premium offerings versus free models. Discover how they tackle business delegation and the psychological impact of letting go of responsibilities. Plus, reflections on mentorship and navigating ambition amidst the complexities of entrepreneurship add depth to their engaging conversation.
Dec 21, 2024 • 35min
Meet Our New $2,000,000 CEO
Jack Belcaster, the newly appointed CEO, dives into his vision for taking the business from 1 to 10 while sharing vital lessons on stability and cash flow. He recounts his unconventional career journey and the transition to video production. Jack emphasizes creative problem-solving in the face of financial challenges, discusses the significance of refining client-editor relationships, and highlights the importance of trust and teamwork, especially when working with family. His insights are both inspiring and practical for anyone navigating business growth.
Dec 20, 2024 • 11min
Can We Make the Next South Park?
Episode #281 with Henry and Dylan
(00:00) Intro(02:16) Resetting content creation(06:18) The golden era(09:32) The importance of having a team(10:07) Training our producer and the writer's room
