#32 – How Do You Choose Stories Worth Telling? | Joe Tropea

Baltimore’s award-winning documentary filmmaker, public historian, and Baltimore City Hall curator Joe Tropea returns to share how personal connection guides his project choices, why he embraces “ums” and raw moments in the edit, and what it takes to build strong creative partnerships — from abandoned true-crime concepts to a new mayoral portrait gallery.

• Following personal connection: why priests breaking into draft boards, censored movie trailers, punk archives, and barbershop stories all felt like natural fits
• Embracing imperfections: the case for keeping “ums,” pauses, and rough cuts to give stories authenticity and respect the voices involved
• Knowing when to pivot: lessons from shelving a State Department project and a true-crime doc that no longer aligned with his ethics
• Keys to collaboration: how attraction, creative tension, and shared values shape meaningful partnerships with co-directors and researchers
• Curating City Hall: what it’s like to activate a 150-year-old space through public tours, historical exhibits, and a new mayoral portrait gallery
• Rapid-fire reflections: favorite Vietnam War movie, a one-word definition of curation, and the low-key joys of exploring City Hall’s archives

🎧 Catch Joe Tropea’s first conversation here:

Whether you’re filming, curating, or simply looking for stories that speak to something deeper — Joe’s approach will push you to trust your instincts and lead with heart.

📸 Photograph by Elena Volkova

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

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