Meet Conrad Miszuk | Audio Fiction Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Conrad Miszuk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Conrad, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
From a very early age, I realized that I wanted to pursue creativity for the rest of my life. It was pretty clear that anything else wouldn’t have been as healthy or satisfying for me. I also really enjoy the ability to create my own worlds and bring aspects of them to life through words and sounds.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I make audio drama podcasts, which basically means adopting the radio play style of storytelling and bringing it into the world of the Internet. I have made a number of projects, but my two current projects are Kakos Industries, which is about an Evil megacorporation that helps its clients to Do Evil Better, and The Never Rad Miscellany, which is a medley of science fiction stories, usually presented live in front of an audience.

I think that my art tends to reflect an unflinching perspective on the world, but it also tried to find the humor and humanity in those often darker situations. One of the great things about making science fiction is that you can take aspects of society or humanity itself and examine them in a separate context divorced from many of our preconceived notions.

I am proud of having created the work I have over the last nine years. Certainly many projects do not make it that long, and having an audience that has stuck with me is something I am thankful for.

When I graduated from ASU, i began working for a television show that was produced locally in Phoenix and broadcast nationally. There was something about sitting down every day and editing together two or three pieces of a television show that would go live the next day that taught me important lessons about creative work and the work ethic you need to develop. I think this experience really helped me to set deadlines and expectations and to meet them month after month. Audio drama podcasting sits firmly in the realm of new media, and as such I had to spend a lot of time teaching myself new skills to succeed. I think that having a genuine interest in every aspect of production really helped me out there. Some days I would have to sit down and learn web design. Other days graphic design. Still other days I would be up to my eyeballs in specifications and standards of images and audio files. I think having an appreciation for all of those extra aspects that we don’t always think about was a big help in being able to get my work done, make sure that it was presented correctly, and also to not have projects caught up in limbo waiting for other pieces to fall into place.

I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my creative career is that there is a lot of luck involved, and you have to find enjoyment in what you’re doing because the outcome you want isn’t ever guaranteed.

I write about a lot of strange and unusual scenarios, but it’s always my goal to bring empathy and understanding to those situations and characters.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have some friends that live in the UK and I always tell them that if they come to visit me, we’re doing a tour of great places to get tacos and Mexican food. That tour would include Taco Mich, Tacos Chiwas, and Just Tacos and More. I would probably take them to my favorite sushi spot right now, which is King Salmon, and my favorite burger place, Lucky Boy.

For drinks, we would have to go to Wren House and Roses By The Stairs, which admittedly are two places I host trivia. Arizona Wilderness would also be another stop, and probably King’s Beer and Wine to cover any gaps that I missed. Having guests in town might also justify the trip out to Superstition Meadery. Catching a show at the Lost Leaf would be pretty great as well.

The Desert Botanical Garden is also a fun spot for quickly showing off the weird and wonderful flora that our state is home to. We would probably need to go to the Musical Instrument Museum as well, if only to stare in awe at the Octabass. I’m a fan of taking people who have never been to the desert before to the north side of the 101 freeway, where the scenery quickly transitions from urban back to desert.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to take the opportunity to shout out my parents, George and Lydia. Both are visual artists and they have always encouraged and supported me in my creative pursuits. Without their support, I really don’t think I would have been able to do most of the creative things I have.

Website: conradmiszuk.com

Instagram: @conrad.miszuk

Twitter: @ConradMiszuk

Youtube: KakosIndustries.com/Youtube

Other: kakosindustries.com neverrad.com