Proximity Media
The official podcast from Ryan Coogler's production company, featuring craft-focused interviews with top-tier filmmakers, writers, and producers.
This is the house podcast for one of Hollywood's most successful new production companies. It functions as both a content marketing arm and a public-facing masterclass, leveraging the company's incredible access to A-list talent. The conversations are less about celebrity and more about the granular details of creative work, from navigating film festivals to the secrets of a Pixar writer's room.
“Unlike other film interview podcasts, IN PROXIMITY's connection to a major production company gives it unparalleled access and a specific focus on craft. The host is not an outsider but a fellow producer and the company's head of audio, leading to conversations that feel like shop talk between high-level peers.”
Who hosts this show
IN PROXIMITY is the Webby-nominated audio and video podcast from Proximity Media, the multimedia company founded by Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian. The show serves as an inside look at the film and television industry, featuring interviews with creatives behind projects like 'Judas and the Black Messiah,' 'Creed III,' and 'Black Panther'. Hosted by Paola Mardo, the company's SVP Head of Audio, the podcast explores the creative process, career journeys, and practical advice for emerging filmmakers.
Credentials & credits
- SVP, Head of Audio at Proximity Media
- Producer, 'Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast' (NAACP Image Award and Webby Award winner)
- Producer, short film 'Veterano' (2025-2026 Producers Guild of America Create Lab selection)
- Creator, 'Long Distance' podcast (Google Podcasts Creator Program selection)
- Former positions at Pushkin Industries, Annapurna Pictures, and Sony Pictures
- 2016 Third Coast Radio Resident
Other ventures
- Long Distance (podcast and documentary series)
- Veterano (short film)
- Subtitles (Substack newsletter)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01New Mission: Watch every movie in theaters this summer 🎯Jun 26, 2026 · 32s
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05Pixar Storytelling Secrets with Directors and Writers of TOY STORY 5 | IN PROX S3E39Jun 15, 2026 · 49 min
- 06Peele & Coogler (FROM THE ARCHIVES) | IN PROX S3E38Jun 8, 2026 · 47 min
- 07
- 08Meet the Maximalist Costume Designer Behind I LOVE BOOSTERS | IN PROX S3E36May 25, 2026 · 47 min
Notable episodes
- 01Peele & Coogler (FROM THE ARCHIVES) | IN PROX S3E38
A powerhouse conversation between two of modern cinema's most important directors, exploring Jordan Peele's career from puppetry and sketch comedy to his mastery of horror.
- 02INSIDE PROXIMITY: Film Festivals 101 w/ Sev Ohanian, Terra Potts & Paola Mardo | IN PROX S3E40
A highly practical, actionable guide for emerging filmmakers, featuring concrete advice on festival strategy, pitching, and networking from top industry executives.
- 03Pixar Storytelling Secrets with Directors and Writers of TOY STORY 5 | IN PROX S3E39
A fascinating look inside Pixar's creative process, using the clever framing of a fictional sequel to discuss collaboration, world-building, and passing the torch to a new generation.
What you'll be asked on this show
Host Paola Mardo runs a structured yet conversational interview. She often opens with a playful, themed icebreaker—like matching Toy Story characters to modern jobs—or by sharing her own relevant experiences to build rapport. She then transitions to the core topic, using well-researched questions that often follow a guest's career chronologically, from their origin story ('When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?') to their current projects. Mardo probes the creative process with specific questions about collaboration, influences from outside film, and the 'rules' of a fictional universe. She frequently incorporates audience questions, demonstrating a direct connection with her listeners' interests.
Host Paola Mardo is meticulously prepared, providing detailed introductions for her guests. Episodes often begin with a structured warm-up, like a lighthearted game or audience-submitted questions, before transitioning into a deeper, craft-focused conversation. The show also releases audio-only episodes from its archives, featuring different guest hosts like Ryan Coogler.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
personal
1- Q.01
“What's a fun memory from your very first professional experience, like a film festival?”
An opening question used to get personal anecdotes and set a conversational, relaxed tone.
origin
3- Q.01
“When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker/writer/director?”
A classic origin question asked early to establish the guest's foundational career ambitions.
- Q.02
“Is it true you studied [unusual skill, e.g., puppetry]?”
Used to dig into a specific, interesting detail from the host's research on a guest's background.
- Q.03
“When you got the call for this project, were you excited or did it seem like a huge challenge?”
This surfaces the guest's initial, unfiltered reaction to taking on a major career-defining project.
backstory
1- Q.01
“Can you talk about what you did before becoming a feature film director?”
This question explores the non-linear career paths of guests, highlighting early jobs or different artistic pursuits.
process
1- Q.01
“How did you two collaborate on the writing and directing process?”
A key question for projects with co-directors or co-writers to understand their creative dynamic.
craft
3- Q.01
“What discipline outside of film inspires your storytelling and vision?”
This question seeks to uncover a guest's unique creative influences beyond the obvious film references.
- Q.02
“Beyond money, what makes a great distribution pitch at a festival?”
This probes for the qualitative, storytelling aspects of the business side of filmmaking.
- Q.03
“What makes a good villain?”
A fundamental question of craft that reveals a guest's philosophy on storytelling and character.
industry
1- Q.01
“Can you explain what the [industry term, e.g., 'Braintrust'] is?”
The host asks for definitions of insider jargon to make the conversation accessible to a broader audience.
advice
1- Q.01
“How should an emerging filmmaker approach their film festival strategy?”
A practical, advice-oriented question aimed directly at the show's core audience.
mindset
1- Q.01
“How do you handle the anxiety of rejection?”
This question addresses the emotional and psychological challenges of a creative career, offering relatable advice.
Signature segments
- · Opening icebreaker games
- · Audience Q&A
- · "From the Archives" audio-only episodes
- · "Get Real" segment
- · "Prox Recs"
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically A-list writers, directors, and producers (Jordan Peele, Andrew Stanton), as well as key creatives from other departments like costume design. The show also features Proximity Media's own executives, like founder Sev Ohanian and CMO Terra Potts, to share their specific expertise.
- Sev Ohanianon INSIDE PROXIMITY: Film Festivals 101 w/ Sev Ohanian, Terra Potts & Paola Mardo | IN PROX S3E40
- Terra Pottson INSIDE PROXIMITY: Film Festivals 101 w/ Sev Ohanian, Terra Potts & Paola Mardo | IN PROX S3E40
- Andrew Stantonon Pixar Storytelling Secrets with Directors and Writers of TOY STORY 5 | IN PROX S3E39
- Kenna Harrison Pixar Storytelling Secrets with Directors and Writers of TOY STORY 5 | IN PROX S3E39
- Jordan Peeleon Peele & Coogler (FROM THE ARCHIVES) | IN PROX S3E38
- Ryan Coogleron Peele & Coogler (FROM THE ARCHIVES) | IN PROX S3E38
- Aleshea Harrison How Aleshea Harris Made IS GOD IS a Modern, Hip-Hop, Spaghetti Western Epic | IN PROX S3E37
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Estimated: The podcast does not appear to have external sponsors. It functions as a promotional and educational extension of the Proximity Media brand, designed to build community and showcase their mission.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of IN PROXIMITY?
- The primary host is Paola Mardo, a producer and the SVP, Head of Audio at Proximity Media. Some episodes, particularly from the archives, feature guest hosts like Ryan Coogler.
- What is Proximity Media?
- Proximity Media is a multimedia company founded by Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian, responsible for films like 'Judas and the Black Messiah,' 'Creed III,' and 'Sinners.'
- What is the format of the podcast?
- It's primarily a video interview podcast featuring conversations with filmmakers and creatives. The show also releases audio-only episodes from its archives.
- Is this podcast still being released?
- Yes, as of mid-2026, the podcast releases new episodes weekly.
- Where can I listen to or watch the podcast?
- The podcast is available as a video series on the Proximity Media YouTube channel and in audio formats on platforms like Apple Podcasts.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websiteproximitymedia.com
- [02]Paola Mardo Official Websitepaolamardo.com
- [03]Long Distance Radio (Paola Mardo's other podcast)longdistanceradio.com
- [04]Proximity Media Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Fast Company: Ryan Coogler's Proximity Media is Hollywood's most bankable studiofastcompany.com
- [06]LA Times: With 'Sinners,' Proximity Media hit a home run. Its founders reveal what comes nextlatimes.com
- [07]Veterano Film Websiteveteranofilm.com
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