Stephanie Curtis of Minnesota Public Radio

Good afternoon everybody! Today’s interview with @stephcurtis is going to begin now! The 5th one I’ve done with a Stephanie. :)

I hope to make all Stephanies proud.

And I”ll remember the hashtag from now on.

I’m pretty sure you will! So to start, tell us about where you grew up and went to school?

Stephanie:    Arden Hills! (A place no one had heard of until a year ago.) Then I went to @CarletonCollege. (Never got far from MN.)

Good point! :) So when you were growing up, what kind of things were you interested in and involved with?

Stephanie:    I was a book reader/Film watcher. Haven’t changed much. I’d go 2 the Varsity & Cedar Theaters 2 see old movies. Still love a musty theater.

The one sport I did was speedskating but the 5:00 AM start times (& my lack of skill) brought an end to that.

Speedskating huh? Interesting. At least when you fall, you already have ice right? :) What kind of movies do you like?

Stephanie:    Anything. I’m omnivorous. But if there is any film I’m more interested in than the average person, it is MGM musicals.

My fav film is The Red Shoes. Said that on the air & got flack from people who saw it & loathed it. I still recommend it. #OTT

I see. So what did you take at @CarletonCollege, and how did you end up at MPR?

Stephanie:    I studied lit & film. All I wanted 2 do when I graduated was work in #pubradio. Got an internship. Never left.

MPR has had so many great jobs for me over the yrs. There’s a lot of room to grow, expand & explore things.

What kinds of things to you currently handle with your job right now at MPR?

Stephanie:    We started a new show, #dailycircuit, in Feb. I handle our social media outreach. How do we engage the audience beyond the call-in?

I also am 1 of the @cubecritics w/ my friend @euankerr. We talk moveis every week. I do it on The Current 2.

The busiest part of the day is 9 2 noon, when the show is on air. There’s lots of juggling of Twitter, FB, blogging & live radio.

I’d imagine so. I can relate to that. :) How has the “social response” been to the #dailycircuit in general?

Stephanie:    Positive. (Some non-social media-types complain.) What I’ve found: People want 2 interact a lot of places.

And they really want to interact in a meaningful way. The responses on all platforms r as thoughtful as our callers.

Since you’re a big movie fan, what films do you feel are going to do well this Summer, starting in May?

Stephanie:    Do well? Avengers. GI Joe Retaliation. Amazing Spiderman. Be good? #Prometheus. I don’t get Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. #mystified

I’m excited 2 see Baz Luhrman’s Gatsby later this year. Love The Great Gatsby more & more every yr. PLus, dying to see The Hobbit.

Any small budget films that you see being popular with the general public?

Stephanie:    Bachelorette, a movie from Sundance, will probably find an audience.

Favorite and least favorite movie theater in Minnesota? Best concession stand for your buck in Minnesota?

Stephanie:    The Riverview & The Heights: beauties. Showplace Icon: I love reserved seats & having a beer while watching the film.

Nearly forgot to mention that I’m excited about MN native Tippi Hedren’s return to the screen: Free Samples.

In the end, I’m not a concession stand person. I see so many films. If ate at that them all…I’d be in trouble.

Since we’re almost at the end, I wanted to ask you about all of the 3D movies. Too many? Gimmicky or beneficial?

Stephanie:    SO many of them r bad. But when they r good, they’re beautiful. Hugo. Avatar. Cave of Forgotten Dreams.

That said, I think it is a gimmick that will fade. Unless the 3D Great Gatsby changes something.

Joel:    Thank you very much Stephanie for your time and for sharing some of your cinema insights. Have a great afternoon!

Stephanie:    Thanks Joel. This was fun. I think I’ll slip out and see a movie right now.

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