Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Look Inside Long Pond Studio, Conan O’Brien Hits His Stride, and the first Dune: Prophecy Trailer

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear.

Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing [email protected]

Brett F. Braley-Palko’s First Novel, Arthur

We’re incredibly excited to feature our very own contributor, Brett Braley, in this week’s Watches, Stories, & Gear column. Brett has written his first novel, Arthur, and it was released just yesterday by the Thane and Prose imprint. Set in midcentury London, the comic novel’s plot involves the titular character and a pair of accomplices as they plot to save his dogs from certain eviction. To know Brett is to know his wry sense of humor, so if even a small amount is on display in Arthur, it’s sure to be worth a read if you’ve enjoyed his work here on Worn & Wound. You can order a copy of Arthur right here. 

Dune’s Prequel TV Show is Coming 

The first trailer for the highly anticipated Dune prequel series premiered this week, and judging from a first look, it seems like the small screen version might actually somewhat match the scope of the epic films. Dune: Prophecy is set 10,000 years before Paul Atreides is born, and follows the very beginnings of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, which we know from the events of Dune and Dune Part II has a critical role in the saga as a whole. Dune: Prophecy is due to premiere this fall on Max, and you can read more about the series on Polygon here.

Conan O’Brien is Having a Moment with Younger Audiences 

Have you seen Conan O’Brien’s appearance on Hot Ones? According to the internet, there’s a good chance you have, or at least seen clips from it. You probably know that the longtime late night host turned podcasting phenomenon went on the popular YouTube show and essentially doused himself in hot sauce, chugging it along the way, all in the name of entertainment. O’Brien is having a genuine cultural moment as a new generation discovers his comedy, and this piece in the Atlantic tries to get at why his appeal always seems to land with young people. Whether you discovered him on late night in the 90s or from his podcast or new Max show today, he seems to always capture the attention of a rising generation. 

Megalopolis Premieres at Cannes

Megalopolis, the long planned film from Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, had its big premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this week. Reviews are coming in, and while they are decidedly “mixed” on the whole, one thing there is wide consensus on is that the movie is perhaps the most ambitious of Copolla’s career, which is saying something considering he’s responsible for the entire Godfather saga and Apocalypse Now. Coppola has always been full of ideas, and it’s exciting that he’s finally put some of his biggest ones onto the screen. Megalopolis is currently without a distributor, but given the attention it’s revived at Cannes, that could change any day. For a good idea of the scope of the film from a critic who has seen it, check out this review in Indiewire.

Inside Long Pond Studio

The New York Times this week has a great read on Long Pond Studio, the recording studio owned by Aaron Dessner, a founding member of the National who has become one of the most in-demand producers in contemporary music. The studio’s architecture is the focus of this piece, which differs dramatically from typical studios and is meant to inspire creativity. The facility is located in a tranquil setting near Hudson, NY, and has drawn artists like Taylor Swift and many independent musicians as well. It’s a fascinating example of how a space can impact art, and offers an idea of what a post-National life might look like for Dessner.