Keeping the dream alive
The Vanity Project review
Production company – SpectreVision Radio
Rating – 
A long time back, I reviewed a show called The Haunted Objects Podcast. It’s still one of my favorites, and it was produced by a company called SpectreVision Radio. After idly hitting the link “more shows by SpectreVision Radio” on my podcatcher, I was amazed at the number of podcasts they produce. This particular one caught my attention, so I duly subscribed and gave it a listen.
So this week we are digging into the motives and methods of what drives people to make films. Join me as we look into the world of Vanity Projects.
So what’s it about?
We all have films that stay with us long after the credits have stopped rolling. Sometimes we will look back with a smile, or learn huge chunks of dialogue to quote to fans and unfortunate family members (raises hand and looks nervously at the floor).
Some, however, will create an obsession in the viewer. Nowadays, it’s easy to find out all the minutiae that goes into film making, and platforms like YouTube and Vimeo make films easily accessible to all.
After a chance viewing at the end of an all night movie marathon, Nicholas McCarthy saw a strange movie called Student Confidential. It was a weird film, and one that stuck in his mind for years. So much so, he wasn’t sure if he’d actually seen it at all. Certainly, nobody else he knew had ever seen it.
With this strange, influential film deep in his psyche, McCarthy decided to try and uncover the mystery of the film, and its elusive director Richard Horian.
Is it any good?
You can always tell when a creator has love for the subject of the show. There is a general atmosphere of respect, as opposed to shows that basically jump on bandwagons of what’s popular. Look at the multitude of true crime podcasts to realise that.
What starts out as McCarthy researching the history of the film soon turns into a quest to learn about Richard Horian. Student Confidential was Horian’s first film, and one he wrote, directed, edited, composed the music for and starred in.
The story seems to bloom from the history of a lost film, to understanding a secretive creator who poured his soul into a project, only to be roundly mocked for his troubles. It is this aspect of the tale that really resonates, and ultimately sets this podcast apart from others.
Final thoughts
This is a truly heartwarming story, albeit one with a bittersweet ending. It shows how perseverance pays off, and how inspiration seemingly knows no bounds.
SpectreVision Radio is a company that I’m discovering has a huge catalogue of great shows. That’s on me, I spend a lot of time listening to indie projects nowadays.
You can get The Vanity Project here:
https://www.greatpods.co/podcasts/the-vanity-project-7584468
For more great reviews, I recommend GreatPods