305 | Petey Beats (Adjoining & Popternative)

My Summer Lair Chapter #305: Which Side Of The Mic Do You Like To Be On?

You probably know my guest Peter Roumeliotis aka Petey Beats: he is the main host and the face of Popternative an entertainment, pop culture and sports media outlet founded in 2015.

You’ll see Petey Beats interview and cut it up with many of the actors in your favourite streamer shows: like most of the cast on From the MGM+ horror tv series to Outer Banks and so much more.

There’s a refreshing passion that colours Petey’s interviews. And that to me is one of the distinct reasons why Popternative has found much success.

As you’ll hear Petey is especially captivated by craft; when he talks to actors and directors…filmmakers that’s what he’s digging into.

The analogy I used in this episode is he wants to know how a magician pulled off the magic trick. When he sits down with actors like Ali Wong or Luke Wilson he wants to understand how did this movie…or this TV show…how did this happen?

When you see a magician perform a magic trick instantly your brain starts coming up with scenarios:
There’s a magnet!
His right hand is fake!
Something…to explain what you’ve just witnessed. For Petey it’s unpacking craft with his many pop culture guests.

A great interviewer will listen, which is not the same thing as hearing. Petey has clearly been listening to his guests reflect and discuss craft as he’s been branching out to become a filmmaker.

Via Popternative Pictures he’s the producer on In Flight, a full length feature film. And for this MSL episode he’s one of the writers behind Adjoining: an unsettling creepy horror short set in a motel.

The TV Guide description for Adjoining is: A couple’s motel stay takes a chilling turn when they discover they’re being observed, leading to unexpected consequences.

You know how you stay in some hotels and they have that Adjoining door to the next room? And sometimes you never know who is in that room? Oh yes. If you don’t wanna think about the bedsheets in a motel room you definitely don’t wanna consider who is next door. Or if you are being watched.

Adjoining smoothly blends horror elements with social media commentary; it makes it an ideal short for Blood in the Snow Film Festival an annual horror, genre and underground cinema film festival. One of Toronto’s best film festivals.

Here’s Petey in Popternative action with Blood In The Snow’s film festival director Kelly Michael Stewart. (Like Petey, Kelly is also a dope dude!)

Petey and I explore his passions: as host of Popternative and now as a filmmaker.

He’s also a big hockey fan and he’s into music. If this is the first time you’re meeting Petey Beats, his music genre choice may surprise you. Don’t let the nickname Petey Beats fool you!

Super fun conversation: as Petey is interested in talking to his guests about craft, I was fascinated about his craft…how he interviews his guests and who he is.

Which sounds like the levels within levels in Inception. Really, we just turn on the mics and have a good time.

Popternative @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Wednesday December 4, 2024 at 11:30 am (EST)

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