Cult Escape Artists
Cult Escape Artists - Interview Podcast - Feature Documentary - Documentary Series
We dive in to stories of artists escaping cults from around the globe.
The director of the feature documentary WITNESS UNDERGROUND interviews artists, musicians, actors, directors, authors etc. who successfully navigated mind control tactics and got out of a cult. Through making our documentary, artists all over the world emerged with amazing music, art, and stories which we show off as powerful examples of resilience and empowerment.
Film short synopsis:
Witness Underground is a feature documentary that reveals the insular DIY music community that emerged within a high-control cult. Music, fame, and success are typically forbidden in this faith, who instruct its members to “beware of independent thinking.”
The artists at the heart of the music scene have their faith tested in deeply personal ways. They battle for positive mental health and push the boundaries of their religion’s norms, where leaving means being banned from interacting with your entire family and social circle for life.
Although severely restricted, they create the record label Nuclear Gopher and produce over 30 albums of earnest and personal music that spans singer/songwriter, riot grrrl, psychedelic rock, pop, EDM, shoegaze, and post-rock. Carefully curated songs and live performances punctuate their stories of friendship, deep loss, and personal growth.
Watch the film - Follow the podcast
WitnessUnderground.com
Watch:
Vimeo.com/ondemand/witnessunderground
Patreon.com/WitnessUnderground
Youtube.com/@BananaIslandFilms
Episodes
34 episodes
Rock The Watchtower - Decult Decompression - Safe space for former cult members
Decult, a safe space for former cult members, government officials, cult experts, human rights activists, LGBTQ+, mental health care works, skeptics, therapists, psychologists, psychotherapists, medical doctors, lawyers, film directors, satire ...
Inside the Mind of a Cult Expert - Decult takeover - Ulrike Schiesser
In this special episode Scott Homan sits down with Austrian cult expert and professional skeptic Ulrike Schiesser as part of our Decult Takeover series, in support of the upcoming Decult Cult Awareness Co...
Investigative Journalist on Jehovah’s Witness Shunning & Ongoing Abuse
Anusha Bradley, a renowned investigative journalist at Radio New Zealand, discusses her in-depth reporting on Jehovah’s Witness shunning—a practice that has caused widespread emotional abuse among those who l...
Escaping Utopia - Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust - Decult
In this special episode of the Decult Takeover Series, I’m joined by Liz Gregory, the founder of the Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust, who plays a crucial role in helping survivors of the notorious Gloriavale Christian Co...
Cult Chat | Centrepoint Restoration | Decult Cult Awareness Conference
Join us for an illuminating episode of our Decult Takeover series in support of the Decult Cult Awareness Conference! We’re honored to have Doctor Caroline Ansley, a Christchurch, New Zealand-based medical doctor and co-host of the Cult Chat Po...
Excommunicated LGBT Exclusive Brethren - Decult Cult Awareness Conference
In this special episode, I sit down with Craig Hoyle, an LGBT+ author, journalist, and religious refugee from Auckland, who will be speaking at the Decult Cult Awareness Conference in Christchurch. Craig's powerful personal st...
Kicked out of religion - social punishment - Decult Cult Awareness
We’re excited to announce that Lindy Jacomb will be one of the speakers at Decult Cult Awareness Conference 2024! Lindy co-hosts the Cult Chat Podcast and runs the Olive Leaf Network, an organization dedicated to providing aid and advocacy for ...
This woman was interrogated by cult leaders
This woman was interrogated by cult leaders. Female Hollywood writer, actor, director, Bonnie Root, explores the system of manipulation, abuse, and control in the Jehovah Witnesses and the film industry. We dive into her experience with a cult ...
Asheville AVL Film director - Audio Engineer at AuxBus - Libsyn
Ryan DuVal, software engineer and old friend from Colorado, was the only person I asked to help produce Witness Underground. He flew up from Asheville North Carolina as our producer in Minneapolis and was the guiding light for multiple editing ...
Devil Drinks Mocha - Story Editor and Novelist
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MXHELuzxVbYSiân Walmsley Krubeck did the heavy lifting of story editing and color for our feature documentary Witness Underground. In thi...
Former Bethel Elder Became a Blues Rocker
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/i8zV6W-lKiE Subscribe if you like this content.Former Elder in Jehovah's Witnesses, Gary Alt, was even a long-time "Bethelite...
Cult Writer Goes Wild With Outlaw Films
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kyhAPbxw9Rs Subscribe there if you like this content.Our Co-Producer, Anthony Mathenia, meets up with Scott Homan and Ryan Sutter in an engag...
Hypnotherapy - Jonam Ross - Kickstarter Special
Watch this special episode on YouTube:https://youtube.com/live/cYA8AmHud-4Rewrite your subconscious with Jonam's self-authorship hypnotherapy program! We jump into how it wo...
Scott Ariza | Photographer at Sharko Studios | Filmocracy
Youtube Version of this episode:https://youtube.com/live/4zuAoAVoX2EScott Ariza, Hyouhen in the gaming world, joined Witness Underground for our film release launch on Kickstarter. ...
VFX Artist Klaas De Loose - Monster Match Studios (Belgium) Film Release Special
Youtube Version of this episode:https://youtube.com/live/9_cib9UF8C8Klaas De Loose with Monster Match Studios joined Witness Underground to bring it to the professional level that y...
Rising From The Ashes of the Jehovah's Witnesses - Denise Wise - Kickstarter Special
Watch this episode on YouTube:https://youtube.com/live/ZkyWnvYqe7wDenise Braitsch wrote Rising From the Ashes of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Available now
Give/Take Life - Ghost Army's Augustus Watkins - Film Release Special
Watch on YouTube now: https://youtube.com/live/Zpl13FTgfWoWe're joined in this special episode by Augustus Watkins, drummer in the band Ghost Army, featured in Witness Underground t...
Apostasy Trilogy - Micah Allen Losh - Kickstarter Special
Watch this episode on YouTube now:https://youtube.com/live/76y2DjgtKbQGet Micah Allen Losh's Apostasy Trilogy as physical copies. Info:
Drummer for Puff Puff - Danielle Martain - Kickstarter Special
Watch on YouTube now:https://youtu.be/c9Q5U4afGxE Danielle Martain is connected to every person featured in the Witness Underground documentary. Check out her podcast, Failure to Thriving! ...
Criminal Lawyer Matthew Smiley Kickstarter Special
http://www.WitnessUnderground.comWe've launched the Kickstarter campaign of our dreams! Support the film and the community. 32 donated albums, 9 E-Books, HD Documentary with Extras, ...
Elle Reno Life-Coach - New Associate Producer - Kickstarter Special
WitnessUnderground.comWe've launched the Kickstarter campaign of our dreams! Support the film and the community. 32 donated albums, 9 E-Books, HD Documentary with Extras, Soundtra...
The Bloody Tuesdays in our Motion Picture Soundtrack
Watch this episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/7TILtTd4lIYThe Bloody Tuesdays, David Quesada, has been an excellent collaborative partner since the day we met. After we met and recorded our...
Blue Skys 3-Album Exit Trilogy - Valentine Riedman - Witness Underground Podcast #27
🎵 Join us in this impactful interview highlighting Valentine's three-album set: Go Die, Your Old Bones, and I Am Tyrant. These albums intricately weave together his escape from a repressive faith group and his triumph...
Religion Rehab Hypnotherapy | Secret Musical SubCULTure - Witness Underground Podcast #26 (S02E06)
Join Jonam Ross, a renowned hypnotherapist and host of the Religion Rehab podcast, as he engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Scott Homan, the documentary director behind Witness Underground. Both Scott and Jonam share their persona...
Music Heals Trauma - Panel Q&A - Witness Underground Podcast #25 (S02E05)
Links discussed and posted in the discussion:The Witness Underground Documentary Project:https://WitnessUnderground.comWatch & Support these ExJW artists:https://Patreon.com/WitnessUndergroundListen to the mu...
