The Exchange

Filip Sablik works in a place to which Hollywood turns (besides The Exchange) when it's looking for great ideas - he's a comic book writer/publisher.  As the Publisher at Top Cow Productions, he oversees some of the biggest non-Marvel/DC properties in the business including Witchblade, The Darkness, and Wanted.  From concept, to inks, to distribution Filip's there to hire the talent and oversee quality control.  It's a big job, and one that often leads to feature film development.  As a writer, his books The Asset and Last Mortel have bee

Practitioners of science and fiction are both in the business of exploring the question “what if?” For a scientist the question is a hypothesis to be tested, for the fiction storyteller the question is explored in the medium of film or writing. UCLA psychology associate professor and Exchange consultant Aaron Blaisdell takes us on an adventure of animal behavior, what inspires him, and the value of a great story.

Tell us about your background. What inspired you to become an expert on animal behavior? Why is it important to study animal behavior?

Kevin Crowley admits it is a struggle to express things in layman’s terms due to primarily working in scientific environments where shorthand technical terms are the norm, but he was more than happy to help the writers of USA Network’s Covert Affairs. Covert Affairs is a one-hour spy drama television series with writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman at the helm.

Interested in science from an early age, Paul Weiss’ interest in chemistry started with a bang. His advice to the next generation is to find something that you enjoy so much that you cannot wait to get up in the morning to get going.  He’s the director of the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, home of The Exchange. 

Tell us about your background. Were you interested in science as a kid?