Radio Starr

Will Starr is a recent Radio Connection grad and host of the podcast The Last Action Critics. I sat down with Will to discuss life, the program, and his hopes for the future.

What originally inspired your interest in radio?

I like sports, I like talking, I like sports-talking. I was getting out of the restaurant industry after the pandemic and had been doing a podcast with a friend of mine– I really enjoyed the process of podcasting. I was looking for a new career, looked into different programs, and discovered Radio Connection.

How’d you find Radio Connection?

Online. It popped up, and I read through the brochure and looked at the pricing. I loved that you could do it from home. It was crucial that I could keep working.

How old were you when you entered the program?

I was 42, I think.

Do you see any benefits to pursuing this kind of education at that age?

You guys offer a pretty amazing set of opportunities, and people who are more mature really understand and get how special it is. The way you guys run it, the flexibility is [great for older people]. Coming in as a later student, you are more equipped to make connections and enter situations as a professional.

“The flexibility is [great for older people]. Coming in as a later student, you are more equipped to make connections and enter situations as a professional.”

Tell us about your mentor, Craig Larson.

Craig was fantastic. I think one of his best attributes is that he is down to earth and shoots straight. He doesn’t give any artifice. “This is a job and you have to work at it.” “This is where you’re doing well, and this is where you need to improve.” He did everything he could to get me in contact with people who are good to know in the industry. He helped me find my way in the industry. He prepared me to understand the industry before getting to the industry.

“[My Mentor] did everything he could to get me in contact with people who are good to know in the industry. He helped me find my way in the industry. He prepared me to understand the industry before getting to the industry.”

What was your day-to-day like in the program?

The program was fully online for me, because I did it during the pandemic. [I wish] I’d been able to be in an actual radio station. Beyond that, they teach you how to write and speak on the radio. They give you a bunch of software that has been super helpful even outside the program– I use it to edit my podcast. They give you a wide variety of skill sets. They teach you to do multiple things you could be hired for. It felt good, when I put my demo together at the end of the program, to feel like I had a really solid reel. Craig got me on air with some guys who do sports talk, it was really invaluable. The post-program stuff was helpful too, where they try to give you the tools to actually land a job and be successful.

What are you up to now?

Currently, I’m focused on my podcast. I’m putting out resumes. Craig just put my demo in at a new Austin radio station for the possibility of working there. I’ve continued to be in contact with him– it’s really nice for a mentor to continue to have an open-door policy. He’s been really helpful.

Tell us about your podcast.

It’s called, The Last Action Critics. We do a weekly podcast, where we critique old and new action films. We have fun, we are fun people.

Do you have any advice for someone thinking about entering the program?

Practice! It sounds stupid, but just practice all the time what you are trying to do, so that when you do it, it sounds natural. Be committed to all aspects of this: the breathing, the writing, the voice work, research. This school can be a first audition.