Tea leaves or snake oil?
Time travel film director Chris Reading heads to the Great Exhibition to make a killing with his elixir of long life
Film director Chris Reading understands the power of a good brand
We’re delighted to be joined by the writer and director of Time Travel is Dangerous in today’s episode of PastMaster.
Chris Reading’s debut feature film (which launches online today) tells the story of real life Muswell Hill vintage shop owners Ruth and Megan as they travel through time, raiding history for artefacts they can sell.
In today’s PastMaster escapade Chris heads to Victorian England and attempts to make a name for himself at the Great Exhibition with his peculiar brand of tea.
Will the Victorians buy into his story or will they be on high alert for quackery? And will our fickle Game Master allow Chris to top up his beverage with amphetamines?
Episode out now.
Tea time: golden handshakes all round
AI in the news
‘Actor’ Tilly Norwood: spiky knuckles
Actors have kicked off after reports that several agencies have made bids for AI generated actor Tilly Norwood.
It seems absurd that there should be any value attached to a computer generated ‘actor’. I can only assume that the composite is somehow based on an algorithmic prediction of the traits in an actor that will entrance audiences.
It’s dastardly that someone using an AI programme can monetise the work (and faces) of hundreds of real actors without paying them a penny. But aside from the iniquity of it all, from the perspective purely of the audience, if you can get behind a hand drawn animated character like Motoko Kusangi, why not a computer animated one like Tilly Norwood?
It’s all eerily reminiscent of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror episode Joan is Awful.
Book your tickets for PastMaster the Live Show on 12 October!
PastMaster live: unpredictable
A reminder that PastMaster is back at the Cheerful Earful comedy podcast festival this year - tickets are selling fast so reserve yours now!
Tickets are £5 - get yours here.
First round is on me. It’s at the Bedford pub in Balham on Sunday 12 October and kick off is at 5pm sharp.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Tan and the PastMaster crew.
PS if you’ve got any suggestions for what you’d like to see the PastMaster team try next, get in touch:
Instagram: @PastMasterPod
TikTok: @PastMasterAI
Bluesky: @pastmasterpod.bsky.social
X: @PastMasterAI
Email: pastmasterpod@gmail.com