wip welcomes creatives - filmmakers, musicians, authors, entrepreneurs, and more - for an authentic, yet fun conversation that connects with people from all corners of society. we want to explore the creative mind in all its layers.
set in a cozy, kickback vibe, no topic is too big or too small - and yes, we’ll probably go off track. at its core, we want to show that no matter your age or stage in career - life, and creativity, are always a work in progress.
because no matter where you are in life…you’re probably still figuring it out…and so are we. so sit back, relax, and just…wip it
Tom Jacobson is the name behind some of the most iconic films of the last forty years. As a film producer, he brought John Hughes’s vision to life on Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Uncle Buck, and Mission to Mars. As President of Worldwide Production at 20th Century Fox, he helped shape the slate that gave us Speed, True Lies, Die Hard, and Independence Day.
Today he runs the Jacobson Company and teaches The Pitch Class at USC's film school. And full disclosure, our hosts met him when he was Chelsea's professor of Advanced Producing in film school, where she managed to squeak her way into his class-- and her film life and ethos have never been the same because of his mighty example.
On this episode, we get into what it actually takes to last in this industry, what he looks for in the people he bets on, the hustle behind the early films that shaped his hustle , and the art of failing to succeed with giving effective feedback so some of the most prominent filmmakers of 21st century filmmaking
Finally, Tom shares what keeps him going in this industry: a passion for story that reigns supreme over the changing but always meaningful film landscape. This one’s personal. and it conveys everything at the heart of the wip podcast.
15 Sept 2026
Midge Costin: Party Girl Goes Sound
Before she was shaping the ears of the next generation of filmmakers at USC, Midge Costin was considering marine biology. And before that, she was an Irish-German kid from Massachusetts singing in a choir who had never once thought about what a movie sounds like from the inside.
Then she did… and the industry has never been the same.
Renowned sound designer, sailor, educator, director, and all around awesome human being, the legendary sound designer and filmmaker, Midge, sits down with Chelsea and David and discusses her career and the work behind her film Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound– the documentary that finally gave sound the main character treatment it always deserved. We talk craft, philosophy, teaching, and what it actually means to build an entire emotional world out of something most audiences are never supposed to notice.
Midge bares her heart in this one. On what drew her to sound. On what it means to pass that love on to students. On the years it took to find herself and her craft and why it was worth every single one of them.
So strap on your seatbelts, because we’re spending the next hour thundering down this path called life.
12 Aug 2026
John Watson: Finding Order in Chaos
John Watson has produced over fifteen features and hundreds of hours of television. He holds the Cubby Broccoli Chair in Producing at USC School of Cinematic Arts and he has been in rooms most filmmakers only dream about...
And he still had time to settle, once and for all, who his favorite student was.
In this episode of wip, Chelsea and David sit down with the legendary producer behind Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Backdraft, and decades of film and television that shaped the industry. They talk advanced productions at USC, what it mentorship through inquiry, and the myths USC students have been spreading about John's habits for years. He finally sets the record straight.
They also ask him about the spoof, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and he has thoughts.
And at the end, John Watson does something no mentor is supposed to do: he picks a favorite student... between David and Chelsea. The answer may shock you.
This one is for every film student who ever sat in his class and wondered if they were the one. Tune in!
14 Jul 2026
Susan Arnold: A Mint in A Million
For this episode, we welcome the one and only Susan Arnold: producer, storyteller, educator, and quite possibly one of the most joyful human beings to ever grace a film set. From the chaos of indie productions to the magic of 13 Going on 30, her career has been one of the most dynamic and fearless in Hollywood. She has the stories to prove it. She met a producing partner through her daughter’s mommy and me classes, found love on a film set, built a legacy across decades of filmmaking, and now lights the path forward for the next generation of storytellers as the illustrious chair of USC's School of Cinematic Arts. This conversation has everything: craft, heart, humor, and the kind of hard-won wisdom you only get from someone who has truly lived it all.
Sit back and relax to the melodious sounds of Susan’s and our laughs… because Susan Arnold is exactly the kind of work in progress we all aspire to be 🎬
16 Jun 2026
Yong Duk Jhun: A Trip to Yong Duk Land
For our first episode ever, we welcome filmmaker, Yong Duk Jhun: master of visuals, practitioner of optimism, and connoisseur of good food and vibes. He is an acclaimed South Korean director, cinematographer, film professor and beloved friend of the pod ,whose journey in film spans from East coast to the West with boundless energy and limitless creativity! Sit back, relax, and enjoy some popcorn (or, as we prefer, KBBQ) as we delve into his journey, including the process of crafting such beloved classics like Kung Fu Panda, The Croods, Veggie Tales’ Jonah, life, and so much more :)
As some bonus material, please enjoy these reference films and visuals, which are so graciously provided by Yong Duk himself (everybody say, THANK YOUUUU YONG DUKKK!!!):
SVA Thesis reel (2000): https://vimeo.com/1201197609?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci (https://vimeo.com/1201197609?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci)
Personal Reel: https://previsionstudios.com/reel (https://previsionstudios.com/reel)
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQKHJhc-3EM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQKHJhc-3EM)
9 Jun 2026
introducing the 'wip podcast' - launch trailer
two filmmakers. one podcast. endless possibilities.
wip (work in progress) podcast is where creatives come to get real. filmmakers, musicians, authors, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between, sitting down for conversations that are honest, funny, a little chaotic, and genuinely human. we go deep on the creative process, the hard parts nobody posts about, and yes... we definitely get off track in the best way.
hosted by chelsea patricia ramirez + david willner. two filmmakers, USC SCA grads, and film-found buds out to take the town, take names, and bring friends up along the way.
so sit back, relax, and wip it!
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