Given Ryan J. Downey’s experience in doing interviews with everyone, I had to ask what an artist could learn from his interactions with so many big names in the entertainment world.

It’s absolutely essential for an artist—and by “artist,” I mean that broad umbrella of musicians, filmmakers, painters, authors, comic creators—they’re all storytellers. They’re communicating something through whichever medium they’ve chosen. And it’s so important to have something to say.

Sure, you can make something that doesn’t really say much. Maybe it catches fire for a little while. But that kind of work doesn’t last.

When I say “something to say,” I don’t necessarily mean a political stance or a religious message. It doesn’t have to be Rage Against the Machine or Skillet. I mean having an idea, an emotion, or a feeling that needs to come out.