Inside The Night Temple Podcasts: A Year of Creativity, Community, and Connection

This year, The Night Temple Podcasts became a space for deep listening, thoughtful dialogue, and honest exploration of what it means to live a creative life. Hosted primarily by film composers and Night Tongue members Carisa Bianca Mellado and Andrew Dalziell, these conversations brought together composers, songwriters, musicians, technologists, and industry leaders to reflect on art, healing, identity, and the ever-evolving creative process.

From intimate one-on-one interviews to powerful discussions held as part of the Music in Visual Media Conference, each episode offered insight into the many ways creativity shapes our lives, both personally and collectively.

Nature, World Music, and Multi-Medium Scoring

The most recent episode features Carisa Bianca Mellado and Andrew Dalziell in conversation with composer Shaun Rigney. Together, they explore nature as a source of inspiration, world music influences, guitar concertos, and the challenges and rewards of multi-medium scoring. The discussion offers a thoughtful reflection on how sound moves between environments, cultures, and artistic formats.

Art, Collective Grief, and Los Angeles

In a deeply moving conversation, The Night Temple welcomed Catherine Joy, composer and founder and CEO of Joy Music House, to discuss the Los Angeles wildfires. Drawing from personal experience, the episode addresses collective grief, love for Los Angeles, and how creative communities can support one another and move forward together during times of crisis.

Songwriting, Intuition, and Healing

Carisa Bianca Mellado and Andrew Dalziell spoke with Cecilia Enriquez of Sisters of Black Mountain about songwriting, intuition, and the balance between shadow and light. The conversation delves into creative freedom, healing through music, and trusting one’s inner voice as a guide through the artistic process.

Authenticity, Mental Health, and Creative Freedom

Composer, songwriter, and musician Lukas Frank of Storefront Church joined the podcast to discuss authenticity, breaking rules, creativity, and mental health. This episode centers on the importance of honesty in art and the courage it takes to create work that reflects one’s true self.

Breaking Rules & Activating Creativity — Cristóbal Tapia de Veer

As part of the Music in Visual Media Conference, The Night Temple hosted a conversation with Cristóbal Tapia de Veer focused on activating creativity and breaking the rules. The discussion challenged traditional approaches to composition and encouraged artists to embrace risk, experimentation, and instinct.

Breaking Rules & Activating Creativity — Colin Stetson

Also recorded during the Music in Visual Media Conference, composer Colin Stetson shared insights into pushing boundaries and redefining creative norms. His conversation emphasized fearless exploration and the value of trusting unconventional ideas.

Music, Contracting, and Support Systems

In another Music in Visual Media Conference session, Jennifer Walton joined The Night Temple to talk about working as a musician, contracting, and building support structures for composers navigating the industry.

Score Production and Supporting Composers

The Night Temple also welcomed Catherine Joy, Robinton Hobbs, and Joe Carrillo of Joy Music House for a conversation on score production, collaboration, and meaningful support for composers. This discussion highlighted the behind-the-scenes work that helps creative projects thrive.

Community, Identity, and Psychological Health

In a powerful and intimate episode, Night Temple host and film composer Carisa Bianca Mellado spoke with composer, songwriter, and musician Ev Morris about community, trans life and creativity, self-discovery, identity, singing, and psychological health. The conversation underscored the importance of representation, empathy, and safe creative spaces.

Composition, Experimentation, and Self-Healing

Composer, songwriter, and creative technologist Freya Berkhout joined the podcast to explore composition, experimentation, and self-healing. Touching on inspiration, technology, and artists like Enya, the episode reflected on curiosity as a pathway to growth.

DIY Mayhem, Visuals, and Creative Chaos

The energy of indie pop duo K808 & Khaledzou of MUNNYCAT filled the podcast as they discussed making music videos, DIY mayhem, 3D packaging, and embracing creative chaos. The episode offered insight into visual storytelling and hands-on artistic independence.