Episode 381

40th Anniversary Re-Release: "An Autobot Shall Rise from Our Ranks" - The Aftermath of TransFormers: The Movie

Five years ago, producer & host George Sirois released a five-part miniseries on this show, celebrating the 35th anniversary of TransFormers: The Movie. This week on Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, George has re-launched the fourth part of the miniseries to celebrate the 40th anniversary and upcoming re-release of the film. "An Autobot Shall Rise from Our Ranks" features producer FJ DeSanto, the man who spearheaded the successful Netflix miniseries TransFormers: War for Cybertron. He and George discuss how FJ discovered TransFormers: The Movie during his childhood, how he would watch Seasons 3 and 4 as they aired, how the franchise would continue on in its many different forms, and much more.

PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode featured the continuation of my conversation with Flint Dille. In addition to acting as the Story Consultant of the 1986 film, Flint was the writer of the 5-part miniseries "Five Faces of Darkness," which set the tone with a heavier science-fiction leaning for Season 3 and went deeper into the mythology of the franchise.

Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists.

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About the Podcast

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Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity
A Proud Member of the Podmatch Podcast Network

About your host

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George Sirois

George Sirois is the author of the international bestselling young adult / science-fiction novel "Excelsior," its two sequels, and the science-fiction / sports trilogy "From Parts Unknown." He served as President of the Missouri Writers Guild from 2017-2018, and is the host and producer of the podcasts Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity and From Duck Till Dark: Outside the Marvel Studios. In 2023, George adapted his novel "Excelsior" into a feature-length audio drama, which was performed live on Clubhouse with a full cast of voice actors, a vast catalog of sound effects, and a stirring musical score.
George is also an audiobook narrator, lending his voice to over twenty books of all genres, and he is currently on the narrator rosters for Audio Sorceress and Encyclopocalypse Publications.
In 2025, George's short screenplay "Minus One Plus" won the award for Best SciFi Short at the 13th annual Austin Revolution Film Festival. The same year, Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity joined the Podmatch Podcast Network.
A New Yorker since birth, George now lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife and daughter. For more information, please visit www.hesgotit.com.

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