What do magic, music, and sound design have in common? Nathan Rantala.

This week on CK Café, we're joined by Nathan Rantala; a sound designer, musician, and magician (yes, you read that right). Nathan joins us for a conversation about building a creative career that refuses to fit into one box. He has designed sound for independent films, performs and records music as one half of the indie duo 'All I Do Is Daydream', and has captivated more than 587,000 followers online with his mind-bending card magic.

We dive into the art of storytelling through sound, balancing multiple creative passions, building an audience online, and why following your curiosity can lead to the most unexpected opportunities.

Follow and support Nathan's work:
https://www.instagram.com/nathan.rantala/
https://www.youtube.com/@UC4pBD8lfNzOmAIK9vdaPEgw
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4aSxGK0afj1s1XswrQcDUm?si=VjH0DzCoS8eDFZ9GYrS7sQ

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

What does it really take to make the leap from actor to producer?

This week on CK Café, Ethan Felizzari-Castillo & Rosie Dean sit down with Nicole Rivera, producer and co-founder of Dead Horse Productions, to talk about building a career on both sides of the camera and the stage.

From producing independent theatre and film to balancing the demands of acting while leading productions, Nicole shares the realities of wearing multiple hats in today's entertainment industry. The conversation explores creative collaboration, producing with limited resources, building sustainable artistic communities, and what it truly means to create work the independent way!

Follow and support Nicole & Dead Horse Productions' work:
https://www.instagram.com/deadhorse.co/
https://www.instagram.com/nicole.rvra/
https://www.nicolemrivera.com/

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

This week on CK Café, Ethan Felizzari-Castillo and Rosie Dean sit down with filmmaking duo, brothers Grant and Adam Conversano, the team behind Apple House Pictures. Together, they discuss the realities of independent filmmaking today, their work in documentary, and the exciting challenge of making the leap from short films to feature filmmaking.

The conversation explores building a production company with family, navigating the ever-changing film industry, and the lessons they've learned while developing larger-scale projects. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or a seasoned creative, Grant and Adam offer an honest look at what it takes to keep making movies in today's landscape.

A conversation about storytelling, collaboration, and taking the next step in your filmmaking journey!

Follow and support Apple House Picture's work:
https://www.instagram.com/applehousepictures/
https://www.applehousepictures.com/
https://www.instagram.com/grantconversano/
https://www.instagram.com/adam.conversano/

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

CK Café is back with an all-new episode featuring filmmaker, producer, photographer, and all-around creative force Joy Walsh.

In this conversation, Joy joins the show to discuss the realities of being a multi-hyphenate artist in today's film industry, what it means to wear multiple hats on set, and how embracing a wide range of creative skills has shaped her career. From producing independent films to directing projects, photography, and balancing the demands of freelance creative work, Joy shares honest insights into building a sustainable life in the arts.

They also dive into the importance of gratitude, maintaining a positive attitude on set, and why being a true "joy" to collaborate with can be just as valuable as technical talent. Plus, Joy gives us a look at several exciting projects currently on her horizon!

Joy also served as a Producer on CK Films' upcoming feature film Offsides.

ABOUT JOY:
Joy Walsh is a Barbadian-American filmmaker and visual storyteller whose work spans award-winning short films, branded content, music videos, and photography. A graduate of CUNY Brooklyn's Film Production program, she continues to tell impactful stories across multiple mediums while championing collaboration and creative growth.

Follow and support Joy's work:
Instagram
Upcoming Short Film

Learn more about Offsides here: https://ckproductionsnewyork.com/offsides

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

CK Café is back with all-new episodes for Season 2! For our latest conversation, we sit down with filmmaker, theatre artist, and educator Nelson Isava to discuss his journey from Venezuela to New York City and the path that led him to a life dedicated to storytelling.

Nelson shares insights from his work as a producer, director, and creative leader across film and theatre, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities of building a career in the arts. We also explore his passion for education and empowering the next generation of artists through his work with students and emerging creatives.

From creative inspiration to community building, this episode is a heartfelt conversation about perseverance, purpose, and the transformative power of the arts.

Follow Nelson's journey and support his projects here.
Follow on Instagram here.

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

In this episode of CK Café, Ethan Felizzari-Castillo sits down with musical theatre composer and songwriter Julia Segal for a thoughtful conversation about creating in today’s theatre landscape.

Julia opens up about her upcoming musical theatre work, her journey as a songwriter, social media and how she balances artistic integrity with the realities of commercial production. Together, they explore the evolving state of Broadway and indie theatre - what’s thriving, what’s struggling, and where emerging creators fit into the equation!

From developing new work to navigating industry expectations, this episode is a candid look at what it means to build theatre in a changing creative economy.

Follow Julia on Instagram to learn more!

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

CK Café welcomes musician and creator, Diana Bidea, for an honest conversation about carving out your own lane in today’s music industry. From her journey as an independent artist to building a powerful presence as a TikToker, Diana opens up about the risks, reinvention, and resilience it takes to make your own path - without waiting for permission. Joined by Rosie Dean, the episode dives into creativity, community, and what it really means to bet on yourself in a constantly shifting industry.

Follow Diana Bidea on Socials!

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).

In this episode of CK Café, we sit down with actor and writer Peter-William Jamieson to explore the new CK/Street Kid collaboration, "Sea Wall" by Simon Stephens and the artistic fire behind 'Borderless' - his award-winning one-man play about a soldier confronting the emotional and spiritual aftershocks of war - that CK co-produced and is now turning into a feature film! Dive into the meaning of the piece, its impact on veterans, and how storytelling can create real pathways toward healing.

Peter also shares insight on why imagination, vulnerability, and purpose sit at the heart of every piece of art he creates. This conversation is an emotional, inspiring deep-dive into what it means to make work that matters!

To learn more about Street Kid Collective & Peter visit https://instagram.com/streetkidcollective & get tickets to 'Sea Wall' or other upcoming projects at https://streetkidcollective.com

Learn more about CK Café at ckproductionsnewyork.com/podcast

What is CK Café?
CK Café is a podcast and live conversation series by CK Productions spotlighting creators who are building their careers in film, music, theatre and beyond. Each episode explores the artist’s personal journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and the love behind their work. Whether through deep-dive interviews, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, or live panels, CK Café offers inspiration and real talk for artists and audiences alike.

Follow CK's journey at https://instagram.com/ckproductionsny and on Substack https://ckproductions.substack.com/

Visit our website to learn more about CK at https://ckproductionsnewyork.com

CK Café is Hosted by Rosie Dean (@RosieDean21) and Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (@ethanfelizzari) and produced by produced by Anabella Barrios & CK Records (A CK Productions Co.).