Meet Troy Conrad, Filmmaker and Photographer

Troy Conrad is an award-winning filmmaker and the creator/co-producer of improvised stand-up show Set List: Stand-Up Without A Net. He has photographed comedy in seven countries, and his images for the upcoming Comedy Central series Roast Battle have additionally been published in Playboy.

Samples from the series can be found via the Instagram hashtag #hallseries and at humansofcomedy.com.

A photo posted by Troy Conrad (@troyconrads) on May 6, 2016 at 8:51am PDT

1. How did you come up with the idea for the Hall Series?

Last August at The Comedy Store in Hollywood, I took a picture with a fisheye lens of the all the headshots on the wall, and something about it looked very different... it felt like I was surrounded by these pictures on the wall. A couple weeks later, Brian Moses was walking through the hallway and I took his picture, and it looked really cool. Then I wanted to see what it looked like as a portrait. Joey Diaz was the first person I asked to stand in the hallway and pose. I loved how he looked. To me, it felt like the pictures of the comics surrounding him were giving him the nod, pushing him forward. I'm very honored that The Comedy Store liked these shots enough to make them a part of the club. Starting on May 10th, they will be on permanent display in the entrance to the Main Room.

2. What sets the photos in this series apart from other portraits?

The thing that gives these pictures a different feel is the imagery surrounding each comic in the shot. There are vintage headshots on the walls of legendary comics--some of those photos go back as far as 30 or 40 years. There is a feeling of reverence being in that hallway, and these portraits seem to capture that feeling of reverence as if the viewer is there.

3. How many photos have you taken for the Hall Series so far, and what are the plans for expanding on the series over time?

I’ve taken over 80 photos of Paid Regular performers at the Comedy Store, and the collection is growing all the time.

4. What other projects have you done involving filming and/or photographing comics and comedy?

I started as a filmmaker, and directed a film called Runyon: Just Above Sunset starring Eddie Pepitone which won awards at the two festivals it was submitted to. I created and co-produce the improvised stand-up show, Set List: Stand-Up Without A Net. With the show, Paul Provenza and I have traveled the world, and I've photographed the show as well as other shows in seven countries. I've also done a lot of photos of comics in New York and Los Angeles. When I saw Roast Battle at the Comedy Store, I was hooked from the beginning. I knew someone needed to be capturing stills for that show, which is unparalleled worldwide for its high level action. I'm there for that show every Tuesday night.

A photo posted by Troy Conrad (@troyconrads) on Apr 29, 2016 at 4:34pm PDT

5. What makes The Comedy Store a vital and interesting venue after 40+ years?

The Comedy Store is vital because of its integrity. There are three rooms that are bustling every night. It's run incredibly well right now. It's a place that is welcoming to comics, and very hard to get into as a Paid Regular performer. But everyone wants to be there. There is so much personality there that makes it interesting. Roast Battle is so unique. Ari Shaffir's "This is Not Happening" is still running there. Joe Rogan is there all the time. Chris Rock came in to practice for the Oscars. Dave Chappelle pops in, and Louis CK drops in. Last night John Bishop just came in from the UK and did his first show in the US in the Main Room. I love watching Joey Diaz. He's one of the real humans of comedy. He's so unfiltered and raw, and is pure joy to watch. He's raised the bar for so many comics there.

The Paid Regular Hall Series Exhibit debuts at The Comedy Store on Tuesday, May 10th 2016 from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. and will be on permanent display thereafter. More info at www.thecomedystore.com

Thanks, Troy!

Meet Dino Red, Podcast Host, Writer, and Producer

Dino Red is the host, producer, and writer of The Shiznit!, a comedy podcast that has been called the "next Frosty, Heidi, and Frank."

Dino is also the founder and CEO of RedRock Podcast network, of which The Shiznit! is the flagship show.

Learn more about The Shiznit! on its Facebook page, and listen to episodes on iTunes or Stitcher radio on demand.

1. What made you decide to start a podcast network?

Well, like most everyone in Los Angeles, I had always been drawn to the entertainment industry in some form or another. My background is in TV/film production where I got my BA, and I wanted to be a director or writer. I even dabbled in acting in some local plays and what-not, and I loved all of it. After school I tried to find a job in the industry--I could not, and I was tired of being broke, so I just got a regular job and eventually started a family. Over the years, people would tell me things like "You have a great radio voice" or "You should have your own show--you are really funny." But this was before the days of the internet and YouTube, and you could not just go and do your own thing. Finally, the internet did come, and people were doing their own thing, and through a series of circumstances I became friends with Crysta Garner from The Frosty, Heidi, & Frank Show and later her own show. She recognized talent in me and encouraged me, so here I am.

2. How would you describe The Shiznit to listeners who have yet to hear it?

I would describe it as a more hip and urban FH&F with a little bit of Carolla and Stern thrown in for good measure. I am a huge podcast and talk radio fan, and we are influenced by all of those guys. But make no mistake, we have a voice that is all of our own---we are unique for sure.

3. What are the unique benefits--and challenges--of working in the podcast format?

Well, the benefits are that it is pretty much the Wild West right now so we have a lot of freedom. Hopefully it stays that way. And the startup is relatively inexpensive compared to starting your own radio station. Another plus is that it is like TiVo for radio in the sense that people can download it and listen at their leisure, than can pause, rewind, fast forward, or stop it all together and come back whenever it is convenient for them.

One of the biggest drawbacks is people want to be able to call into the show and talk about the topics with us, and that is not impossible, but it is very difficult and The Adam Carolla Show is the only one I know that does it. I am sure it is not cheap either. The other thing is that a lot of people are not familiar with the format and the technology, so there is a lot of having to teach people how to listen to a podcast.

4. How do you choose topics to cover on your show?

Through the week the crew members Amber Meshack (co-host,) Damon Standifer (co-host/writer), Unkle Powers (sound EFX/associate producer), and myself devour all types of media stories that we find interesting and that we believe our audience will like as well, and then we decide what we will cover in our pre-production meeting before we record the show.

5. Since we're just a couple months into 2014, what can we expect to see/hear from you in the year to come?

A LOT! We are currently seeking a field correspondent to add to the team to do man-on-the-street type of interviews. We have new games and bits that we are working on, and we are in talks with some pretty big names to be guests on the show. You can expect the production to improve and for each of us to improve as well as we hit our groove and really start to define our style and ourselves. In addition, we are working on a way to do remote interviews via Skype or some other technology.

Thanks, Dino!