Bianca Giaever
Bianca Giaever is a filmmaker and the host of The Believer’s Constellation Prize. She had a film in college called “the Scared is scared,” and now her life’s work is to make a second thing that is equally beloved before she dies. She’s been freelancing in film and radio, and during the pandemic she was full time for The New. York Times Audio team. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow The Believer on Twitter here.
Describe the new season of Constellation Prize in ten words or less.
Are you there God? It’s me, Bianca.
Now you can have more than 10 words. Tell us about the letters.
It’s a story told through letters, exchanged between me and the writer / activist / environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams. We made a pact to go walking at night for two weeks, and write each other a letter (which we read in audio) after every night walk. I was awestruck that she was writing to me every day, and terrified that I would mess up this great opportunity.
A major theme in our correspondence was the cyclical nature of belief and doubt. Terry is, in my eyes, a very optimistic person. Faith comes naturally to her. I, on the other hand, am quite skeptical. I want to believe, but I’m unable to shake my skepticism, which is the source of my unhappiness. So there’s a tension in our correspondence — I want to be like Terry, and yet I’m constantly falling short. I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way I can stay true to my skeptical side, but also believe in something that will help me get through difficult times, and bring meaning to my life.
How is it different from the first season?
In the first season each episode stood on its own, and featured a different character. This season has an entirely different structure. The first three episodes are a really long preamble to the fourth episode, which is an explosion of characters.
How did you start working with Terry Tempest Williams?
I recount the story of how we started working together in Episode 1. It began with a semi-canned email from a publicist, and blossomed into an art project that consumed years of my life.
How are you and Terry like, how are you different? What do you both bring to the table?
Terry has a lot of faith, and has created her own system of faith outside of traditional religion. So she has a lot to teach me and other people. Meanwhile, I am willing to spend two years slavishly turning a bunch of random letters into a coherent narrative structure. In short, she is effortlessly brilliant and efficient, and I’m willing to grovel for years until I have a listenable podcast.
What did making this show teach you about yourself?
I’m really slow at making podcast episodes, and when I finally finish I’m scared to release them.
Fill in the blank: You will like Constellation Prize if you like ______.
You will like Constellation Prize if you like On Being, traffic cones, The Ethics of Ambiguity, reading other people’s diaries, squirting whipped cream directly into your mouth, sordid love affairs, and being seen walking with the LRB under your arm.
Can you tease something about the new season? What’s something we can look forward to?
Mandy Patinkin has a brief cameo. He plays Tolstoy.
How have you changed as a podcaster and person since season one?
Like everyone, I lived through a PANDEMIC. This podcast is set in the pandemic times, and it’s one small contribution toward processing what on earth we just went through, and are still going through.
Did any podcasts serve as inspiration?
Appearances by Sharon Mashihi, 365 Stories I Want to Tell You Before We Both Die by Caveh Zahedi, and Rumblestrip by Erica Heilman are constant sources of inspiration. And always Joe Frank.
Are there any rules you think all podcasts should adhere to?
My friend Erica (Heilman) told me that when she worked at PBS New Hour their motto was “Dare to be boring.” I think this is a great rule. Podcasts are too afraid to be boring and this prevents them from taking risks. And even when they’re trying not to be boring, they end up boring anyway. So why not embrace it?
Who is this season of Constellation Prize for?
It’s for anyone who is interested in faith, and appreciates poetry. But disgruntled atheists are probably my target audience.
What’s a podcast you love that everyone already loves? What’s a podcast you love that not enough people know about?
The answer to both of these would be Rumblestrip. I’ve been a longtime die hard fan. I’m not sure if it’s been “discovered” by now or not.
Hot take: If you don’t have time to wash your clothes, airing them out on a chair kinda works.
Self-care tip: I have a ton of cavities, I love Hot Cheetos and Domino’s, and old bananas frequently smush all over my audio gear so I am not the best person to ask.
Thanks, Bianca!