For this episode of Geektown Talks To…, Dave Elliott sits down with cinematographer Jules O’Loughlin, whose work you’ll recognise from some of the most ambitious genre TV of the last decade.

Jules recently completed work on Season 2 of the Emmy-winning Percy Jackson and the Olympians, returning to the show as it expands its scale, environments and action. He’s the only cinematographer to work across both current seasons, and while production is on a short Christmas hiatus, he’ll be heading back to Vancouver in the new year as Season 3 continues filming.

In the conversation, Jules talks about shooting fantasy in a way that feels physical and grounded, why Season 2 of Percy Jackson leaned harder into real locations and large practical builds, and how you approach sequences involving speed, water, scale and creatures that don’t technically exist. He also digs into the collaborative reality of big TV productions, balancing technical precision with performance, and the problem-solving mindset needed when the camera is placed in less-than-friendly environments.

Jules’ previous work includes Black Sails, Ms. Marvel, See, and The Old Man — shows known for their scale, visual ambition, and the kind of challenges that keep cinematographers permanently on their toes.

🎙️ Geektown Talks To… is Geektown’s interview podcast, featuring long-form conversations with the people working behind the scenes of TV, film, games and animation.

📻 You can also hear Dave every week on Geektown Radio for TV news, reviews and UK air date info.

📚 And for something a little different, Geekstorians explores the history of geek culture, from fandom and gaming to the evolution of genre storytelling.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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In the 1980s, a strange new box arrived in our living rooms — the VHS player. It was noisy, chunky, and occasionally tried to eat your favourite film… but it changed everything.

In this episode, Dave rewinds through the story of how home video broke the monopoly of the movie studios, terrified censors, and accidentally created the first generation of fan-filmmakers. From Mary Whitehouse’s “Video Nasties” crusade to Kevin Smith maxing out his credit cards to make Clerks, this is the tale of how VHS gave ordinary people the power to choose what they watched — and in doing so, redefined geek culture itself.

[MUSIC / SFX from the episode include: 1980s synths, tape whirrs, and the sound of a van full of forbidden treasures.]

Listen for:

• The forgotten role of a door-to-door video rental van

• The panic that birthed Britain’s “Video Nasty” blacklist

• How a New Jersey shop clerk became a cult-film icon

• Why imperfection made VHS feel alive

🎙️ Written & Presented by Dave Elliott

🔗 More at Geektown.co.uk

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Dave is joined by Matt for another packed episode of Geektown Radio, covering new games, returning TV favourites, and one of the biggest nights in the gaming calendar.

Matt shares hands-on impressions of Ghost of Yōtei, Sucker Punch’s follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima, and talks about Rematch, the arcade-style football game from the creators of Sifu. Both hosts are still enjoying Vince Gilligan’s slow-burn sci-fi series Pluribus.

A major part of the episode is dedicated to The Game Awards, where Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated the night, GTA VI was the inevitable “Most Anticipated” winner, No Man’s Sky continued its redemption arc, and reveals included LEGO Batman, Larian’s new Divinity, James Bond, and multiple Star Wars projects.

Dave also catches up on Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, talks about the return of Fallout for Season 2, and updates listeners on Geekstorians, Geektown Talks To…, and the Geektown Awards.

Plus, all the latest TV news, renewals, air dates, and what’s coming to UK screens next week.

00:00 – Intro and what’s coming up

02:05 – Matt on Ghost of Yōtei (early impressions)

08:40 – Rematch and why it feels different from traditional football games

13:55 – Catching up with Pluribus

18:45 – The Game Awards discussion begins

19:30 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeping the awards

23:40 – How Expedition 33 compares to Baldur’s Gate 3

26:20 – Big games missing out on awards

28:15 – Sports categories and accessibility eyebrow-raisers

30:10 – GTA VI and why everyone is terrified of its release window

32:30 – No Man’s Sky winning Best Ongoing Game

35:00 – Announcements: LEGO Batman, James Bond, Larian’s Divinity

38:40 – Star Wars reveals, including Fate of the Old Republic

43:00 – What wasn’t shown at The Game Awards

45:15 – Dave’s updates: Geekstorians, Geektown Talks To…, Geektown Awards

49:00 – Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2

51:30 – Fallout Season 2 return

53:20 – TV news, renewals and air dates

57:40 – Highlights for next week on UK TV

59:20 – Outro and where to find everything

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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In this episode of Geektown Talks To…, Dave sits down with composer Greg Nicolett, whose work spans Disney animation, award-nominated game scores, sci-fi pilots and experimental live action projects. Greg talks about blending orchestral writing with unexpected sounds, from kazoos and chipmunk-style vocals in Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches, to amplified cellos and duduk in Talon, and even a bowed one-string guitar for the horror feature Dead of Night.

Greg shares how a viral collaboration with Shia LaBeouf led him into Disney’s animation world, how he approaches world-building through music, and why video games offer a unique creative space. He also discusses the influence of composers such as John Williams and Trent Reznor, the challenge of scoring emotionally dark material while raising a family, and his ongoing search for new sonic ideas.

If you enjoy this interview, you can hear more behind-the-scenes conversations right here on Geektown Talks To…, as well as weekly TV news and reviews on Geektown Radio, and deep dive storytelling on Geekstorians, our documentary podcast exploring the history of geek culture.

Listen, subscribe and explore more at Geektown.co.uk.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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In Episode 2 of Geekstorians, Dave from Geektown explores how comic books made the leap from pulp entertainment to serious storytelling. The episode traces the long road from the restrictions of the Comics Code and the rise of underground comix to the British invasion of the 1980s and the landmark releases that changed everything.

Along the way, it looks at the forces that shaped the medium, from political satire and counterculture to literary ambition and creative risk. The story leads up to the arrival of books like Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns and Maus, and the legacy that followed in film, television and modern graphic fiction.

A thoughtful, accessible deep dive into the moment comics truly grew up, told with the usual mix of research, atmosphere and Geektown warmth.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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In Geektown Radio Episode 482, Dave is joined by Domingos for a brilliantly packed show filled with premieres, screenings, reviews and some truly seismic entertainment news.

Domingos has been out covering events for Geektown, including:

• The UK Premiere of ‘Landman’ Season 2, featuring Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Ali Larter and rising stars like Kayla Wallace, Paulina Chávez and Jacob Lofland.

• The launch of ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’, complete with cast Q&A and gladiatorial spectacle.

• The Nigerian–British action thriller ‘Son of the Soil’, shot entirely in Lagos.

We also dive into the long-awaited arrival of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5, which brings new characters, returning favourites, and a breakout comedic performance from Jake Connelly.

Dave discusses the success of the Doctor Who spinoff ‘War Between the Land and the Sea’, which has recorded some of the BBC’s strongest drama overnights of the year, plus updates on the Geektown Awards and the launch of the new Geekstorians podcast.

In TV news, we cover the week’s renewals, air-date announcements, and a huge developing story: the escalating billion-dollar bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, with Netflix, Paramount/Skydance and Comcast all in the mix.

We also highlight upcoming UK TV for the next seven days, including Dark Winds, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Man Vs Baby, Tomb Raider, The Revenge Club, Irish Blood, and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.

Vote now in the Geektown Awards 2025: https://www.geektown.co.uk/awards/

Listen to Geekstorians, our new documentary-style geek-culture podcast:

https://www.geektown.co.uk/category/geekstorians/

Daily UK TV premiere updates and the latest news: https://www.geektown.co.uk

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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In the first episode of Geekstorians, Dave from Geektown travels back to the early days of science fiction to explore how fandom really began. Long before Comic-Con and long before the internet, readers were already finding each other through magazine letter pages, homemade zines and the earliest fan clubs and meet-ups. These small creative communities laid the foundations for the fandoms we know today.

The episode looks at how those early fans connected, how ideas spread around the world and how the first generation of sci-fi readers helped shape everything that came after. From the rise of pulp magazines to the birth of fan culture in the 1930s, it shows how passion, curiosity and a love of stories built the roots of modern geek culture.

Geekstorians blends storytelling, research and sound design to uncover the often forgotten history behind the worlds we love. This is where the story of fandom begins.

Along with Geekstorians popping up on the Geektown Radio feed, Geekstorians also has its own dedicated feed. Just search for "Geekstorians" wherever you get your podcasts!

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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It is that time of year again. The 2025 Geektown Awards are live, which means Dave is joined by Matt and Gray for the annual long list showdown. Together, we take the sprawling list of eligible TV shows, films and video games from the last twelve months and cut it down into the final shortlist that you can now vote for on the site.

Across the episode, we work through every category, debating what deserves a place, what should be sacrificed, and which titles surprised us along the way. Expect passionate arguments, surprise saves, reluctant removals, and the usual chaos that comes with trying to squeeze a full year of entertainment into a tidy voting form.

You will hear us break down the big returning dramas, celebrate the best new sci-fi and fantasy, wrestle with an overstuffed game of the year list, and look ahead to the most anticipated releases of 2026. The full conversation covers everything from Black Doves to Foundation, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Wake Up Dead Man, and a whole lot more.

Once you have listened, you can cast your votes in the 14th Annual Geektown Awards and enter the MASSIVE prize giveaway. Vote now at:

https://www.geektown.co.uk/awards/

Follow Geektown for all the latest TV news and air date info at geektown.co.uk, and find our usual reviews, features and updates across the Geektown Radio feed.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.