In Episode 1 of The Switch Podcast, host Chase Savage sits down with Tommy J. Housman—writer, director, producer, and actor of The Switch—to document the origins of the film and the pedagogical framework behind its creation. Housman situates the project within an ongoing classroom experiment at the University of Evansville, where students produce a short film each semester as a form of experiential learning. Following a previous project (Undergrad), The Switch represents a structural shift, with Housman taking a more direct creative role while simultaneously refining how responsibility is distributed among students. The episode establishes the film not only as a creative product but as a teaching model in development, where process, iteration, and adaptation are central.

Housman grounds the narrative of The Switch in material conditions rather than abstraction. He explains that the story emerges directly from rising utility costs in Indiana, where energy burdens have increased and, according to his account, are disproportionately passed onto residential ratepayers. He connects this broader economic structure to personal experience, describing a period in which he was unable to keep up with utility bills despite working multiple jobs, resulting in his electricity being shut off. That experience becomes the narrative foundation of the film: a family facing a power shutoff at a critical, emotionally significant moment. The episode positions the project as a continuation of earlier work, including the podcast Gaslit: The Power of Story, which examined similar issues through interviews with policymakers and advocacy groups. In this context, The Switch operates as a narrative extension of that inquiry, translating systemic issues into a character-driven story.

The discussion also focuses on the mechanics of teaching production at the undergraduate level. Housman identifies one of the central challenges as balancing student autonomy with instructional structure. In the current model, students engage in multiple aspects of production—writing, design, filming, and promotion—which provides broad exposure but can create ambiguity around leadership and responsibility. He proposes a shift toward more clearly defined roles in future iterations, allowing students to specialize in areas such as directing, design, scheduling, or cinematography earlier in the semester. This adjustment is framed as a way to accelerate the transition from abstract understanding to concrete production, enabling students to recognize earlier that they are building a complete film rather than participating in disconnected exercises.

Production strategy is another key focus of the episode. Unlike the previous film, which involved multiple locations and logistical complexity, The Switch is intentionally designed to be shot in a single location within a single day. This constraint serves both practical and creative purposes: it reduces production overhead while introducing a formal challenge—maintaining visual and narrative engagement within a confined space. Housman identifies this as part of the film’s structural design, where limitations are used to shape storytelling decisions rather than restrict them. The approach reflects a broader emphasis on efficiency and feasibility within a classroom environment, where time, equipment, and coordination are inherently limited.

The episode ultimately frames The Switch as a convergence of pedagogy, personal experience, and social context. Housman articulates dual objectives: producing a high-quality creative work that can be submitted to festivals and establishing a repeatable model for student-driven filmmaking. At the same time, the film remains anchored in its thematic focus on economic strain, utility access, and the lived realities of households navigating financial instability. By embedding these issues within both the narrative and the production process, Episode 1 positions The Switch as both a film and a method—one that integrates storytelling with applied learning and real-world context.