By Alice Besidski
Matt Spektor and Kai Johnston, two seniors at IHS, have brought their movie debates to YouTube through their podcast Ratings vs. Ravings, where they break down their contrasting perspectives on the films they watch.
They got the idea this summer, right after they saw the movie Sinners together. “Both Kai and I couldn’t stop talking about how much we loved it,” Matt said. “My mom suggested that we start a podcast and actually make something out of our discussions.”
Their contrasting tastes became the foundation for the show’s identity. Kai explained the meaning behind the title Ratings vs. Ravings, saying “Matt usually aligned more with the ratings, which reflected the common sentiment on things more, while I fell in with the ravings, the more obscure, artsy-nerdy sentiments. That split in our tastes is pretty much the core of the whole podcast.”
According to Kai, finding a name for their podcast that fit their dynamic was harder than they’d expected. “A lot of our ideas were already taken, which made finding something that rolled off the tongue well pretty tricky.”
The episodes of Ratings vs Ravings follow a consistent structure. “One movie is something that has just come out recently in theaters, while the other is a recommendation from one of us,” Matt explained. “We switch off recommendations each episode.”
Although they use an outline, the discussions themselves are unscripted. “We really didn’t want to compromise the natural feel of our banter,” Kai said. They have notes, but “apart from that, it is purely what pops into our heads.”
In the early stages of their podcast, technical issues caused setbacks, including a scrapped episode. “Between our initial lack of podcasting gear and various tech mishaps, we had some trouble in our earlier uploads,” said Kai.
Looking ahead, they hope to invite more guests, including friends and teachers, and even add TV shows to their discussions. They also hope to continue with their podcast after graduation. “I doubt either of us are gonna stop loving film anytime soon,” said Kai. “We both hope to continue this passion,” Matt added.
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