Outro Isn't The End
Mike Pace Stars In An Iowa Film That Hits Home
As a longtime broadcaster, I’ve met plenty of Iowans with fascinating stories—but this week’s guest on Maxwell’s Iowa CoffeeCast brings a resume that’s not just interesting, it’s quintessentially Iowa. If you’ve lived in the state for any length of time, you probably know the name Mike Pace. Maybe you remember him from KIOA or KRNT, maybe from hosting the Iowa Lottery’s “Spin the Wheel” show, or maybe you bought a house with the help of an ad he voiced. Either way, Mike’s voice has been a steady companion for generations.
Back to the Creative Life
We started where most good stories do—back at the beginning. Mike took me back to the mid-1980s, when he was living in Winterset and recovering from a long stint as a traveling blue jeans salesman. He told me about getting back into media, doing everything from voiceovers to local TV hosting, and eventually landing the Iowa Lottery gig. “I wasn’t Mozart,” he told me, “but I knew I needed to get back to doing something creative.”
The Story Behind Outro
That desire to create never really left him—and Outro is proof. The film, co-written with director Wes Worthing, was inspired in part by Mike’s book Dreams and Detours, a collection of poetry, meditations, and short stories. They pulled a thread from that book and slowly built the story of Roger—a former musician-turned-radio-host grappling with the weight of unfulfilled dreams.
Relating to Roger
“The film isn’t autobiographical,” Mike explained, “but I do relate to the character. Roger chased music when he was younger, then took a radio job for security. And now, facing retirement, he’s wondering if he gave up too soon.”
I couldn’t help but reflect on how many people I’ve met—especially in creative fields—who’ve stood at those same crossroads. Mike and I both know what it means to compromise for stability. We’re both, in his words, “frustrated musicians.” And like many of us, we’ve had to wrestle with the idea of what could have been.
A Conversation with Himself
What makes Outro unique, Mike told me, is a scene where Roger has a conversation with his own alter ego—literally speaking to the voice in his head. “It makes the story more universal,” he said. “Everyone has that internal dialogue. Everyone’s had to reconcile the dream that didn’t happen with the life they’ve built.”
I was also struck by Mike’s perspective on acting. Having done plenty of commercials and corporate videos, he admitted there was a learning curve stepping into a more vulnerable, stripped-down film role. “You have to let go of vanity,” he said. “You can’t worry about how you look. You just have to be real.”
It’s that authenticity, I think, that makes both Mike and this film so compelling. He’s not doing this for the accolades or the spotlight. He’s doing it for the art—and for the chance to stretch himself creatively, even after decades in the business.
Bringing Outro to the World
We talked about the film festival circuit, including Outro’s upcoming premiere at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival this week. From there, the team plans to bring the film to Des Moines and submit to festivals in Nashville, London, Ireland, and beyond. “We’re not doing it to make money,” he said. “We’re doing it because we love it.”
That passion is evident not just in the performance, but in the people involved. Mike spoke fondly of the crew, which includes local acting standouts like Davida Williams and Stephanie Schneider, along with Radio Garage’s Dave Stuck on audio and cinematographer Adam Welch. “There were no egos in the room,” Mike told me. “Everyone just wanted to make something good.”
The Changing World of Media
As we wrapped up our chat, we touched on the evolving nature of media—how radio, film, and even acting itself have changed with technology. Mike had thoughtful insights on the rise of AI, and while he’s not anti-tech, he made a powerful point: “AI can’t replicate inflection. It can’t feel. At the end of the day, we still need human storytellers.”
That’s something I’ll always believe, too.
Chasing the Dream at Any Age
It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with Mike and hear not only about his latest project, but about a career built on adaptability, heart, and a genuine love for storytelling. Whether you're a lifelong fan or meeting him for the first time through Outro, I think you’ll walk away feeling inspired by his journey—and reminded that it’s never too late to take a creative leap.
Great story! Thanks!