In this episode I expand on some ideas that came up in my discussion with Brian A. Loschiavo about his documentary about the Bluebird Cafe, a now iconic music in Nashville. After I did the interview, certain subsequent news stories involving Taylor Swift came out, and they did affect my take on the film. Since Taylor Swift was prominently featured in the Bluebird documentary and discussed in my interview with Brian, I decided to do a supplemental commentary track to expand on my thoughts about her and how she affected my interpretation of the documentary. # Sponsors for this Episode nsavides productions  I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Some of my videos are here. I want to get better at connecting with others, so I'm putting together a couple of videos as an experiment. This is the one I made while attending the Nashville Film Festival, and it does include a photo of me and Brian. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Masterclass Online training from some of the world's best filmmakers, musicians, and creative leaders. Get access to all of Masterclass's world-class instructors for one great price: MasterClass All-Access Pass # My Masterclass recommendations for this episode Ken Burns, the filmmaker behind the Country Music docuseries, shares his insights about capturing nuanced human drama on screen. Reba McEntire shares her insights on country music and building a music career. # Related Episode I liked Bluebird enough to include it in my top five picks from Nashville Film Festival 2019. In this episode, I elaborate on why I picked it and share my other recommendations from the festival. # Related Things Bluebird Facebook, Instagram, Twitter The first tweet from Bluebird_Movie More of my podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW

Regarding the Bluebird and Taylor Swift

Brian A. Loschiavo, the director-producer-editor of the Bluebird documentary, was first exposed to The Bluebird Cafe through the show Nashville, a series for which he developed supplemental digital content. The now iconic country-music venue that has been instrumental to the careers of so many musicians including Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, and Taylor Swift made enough of an impression on Brian that he set out to create a documentary about the place and the community of singer-songwriters it has nurtured over the years. Bluebird premiered at SXSW 2019 but had a stronger reception at Nashville Film Festival several months later, where festival organizers ended up giving it four screenings to accommodate audience interest. I saw the film while attending the Nashville Film Festival and got to interview Brian there. Some of the things we discuss include How he was able to get a number of prominent musicians like Taylor Swift to be in his film Why The Bluebird Cafe is such a memorable venue The challenges of shooting and/or performing in a confined space Sponsors for this Episode nsavides productions  I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Some of my videos are here. I want to get better at connecting with others, so I'm putting together a couple of videos as an experiment. This is the one I made while attending the Nashville Film Festival, and it does include a photo of me and Brian. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Masterclass Online training from some of the world's best filmmakers, musicians, and creative leaders. Get access to all of Masterclass's world-class instructors for one great price: MasterClass All-Access Pass My Masterclass recommendations for this episode Ken Burns, the filmmaker behind the Country Music docuseries, shares his insights about capturing nuanced human drama on screen. Reba McEntire shares her insights on country music and building a music career. # Related Episode I liked Bluebird enough to include it in my top five picks from Nashville Film Festival 2019. In this episode, I elaborate on why I picked it and share my other recommendations from the festival. # Related Things Bluebird Facebook, Instagram, Twitter The first tweet from Bluebird_Movie More of my podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Bluebird, a Music Doc on the Storied Nashville Venue, with Director Brian Loschiavo

Premiering at Nashville Film Festival 2019, The Sheriff of Mars is a music documentary that tells the story of Daniel Antopolsky, a country and folk musician who was friends with Townes Van Zandt and who, the film suggests, helped to inspire Townes' now iconic outlaw country song "Pancho and Lefty." Wanting to escape the dark influence of the 1970s outlaw country music scene, Daniel retreated to France where he was discovered by Jason Ressler, the director of Sheriff of Mars. Jason was so captivated by Daniel's music that he became his manager, helping him release his first album at the age of 65. More albums followed as did press from the BBC, Rolling Stone, and other renowned publications. Under Jason's guidance, Daniel began getting booked to perform at prominent music events, including SXSW and the Black Deer Festival in the UK. Not content to merely be Daniel's manager, Jason also put together a music documentary to raise awareness of Daniel and his music. The Sheriff of Mars is what resulted, an affirming, on-screen demonstration of how it's never too late to start a music career or to revitalize once-abandoned dreams. If the vision is there, you need collaboration to make it happen, but if you compromise the vision—if you have a good vision—it's not going to turn out well." - Jason Ressler Jason is the first manager-director I've met, so I invited him on the show to get his take on finding success in film and music. Some of the things we discuss include How he got a BBC profile for Daniel How to persevere when beset by failure Collaborating with music producers and engineers to create an album that’s right for an artist The interview he did with James Brown before he died and the impression that left If you listen all the way to the end, you'll get to hear Daniel's song "Fish Bait Blues," which is also featured in the film. [spp-player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/nsavides/Byron-Reese-Fourth-Age-Smart-Robots-Conscious-Computers-Future-of-Humanity-podcast-interview-NICKSAV-film-music-SHOW.mp3"] Sponsors for this Episode nsavides productions  I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Some of my videos are here. I want to get better at connecting with others, so I'm putting together a couple of videos as an experiment. In the one below, I explore the New Orleans Art Museum, its surrounding sculpture garden, and a few places nearby.  I also address some of the underlying issues that get in the way of connection, at least for me, and I try to do so with playfulness and honesty. Connection Experiment: New Orleans Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Masterclass Online training from some of the world's best filmmakers, musicians, and creative leaders. Get access to all of Masterclass's world-class instructors for one great price: MasterClass All-Access Pass # Learn from and get inspired by Hans Zimmer, the composer on Gladiator, Interstellar, The Lion King, and more. # Related Episode In the interview, Jason mentioned being impressed by what Hannah Leder and her co-director were able to put together with a limited budget. On this episode, I interview Hannah about how she and her co-director pulled off a compelling film with just a two-person crew. # Related Things Sheriff of Mars Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Daniel's music on Spotify More of my podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival My take on Frank Capra, for old time's sake Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # Shows Mentioned Black Panther Gardians of the Galaxy Grey Gardens The Lion King  Mr. Smith Goes to Washington The Planters  Salesman Searching for Sugar Man The Sheriff of Mars Sid Bernstein Presents... Wonder Woman  # Musicians Mentioned The Beatles  Bob Dylan Daniel Antopolsky Drake  Emmylou Harris James Brown  Jessye Norman Justin Townes Earle Mississippi John Hurt Ray Charles  Steve Earle Taylor Swift  Townes Van Zandt Willie Nelson Book Mentioned A Confederacy of Dunces  If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Sheriff of Mars: the Long-Lost Musician Who Inspired Townes Van Zandt

Byron Reese is an acclaimed author, speaker, and entrepreneur. He's spoken at TEDx Austin and SXSW and has been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Wired, and The Washington Post. Byron is also the publisher of GigaOm and hosts the Voices in AI podcast.  Byron's latest book, The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity, is one of the most thought-provoking books I've read this year, so I brought him on the show to discuss it. I think pessimism is the thing that will get us all killed." - Byron Reese Some of the things we discuss include How artificial intelligence affects our lives The difference between narrow AI and general AI Whether being human is something more than a machine Challenges and philosophical questions raised by advancements in AI Why optimism matters and can make all the difference How AI might redefine creative work   Sponsors for this Episode nsavides productions  I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Some of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Masterclass Online training from some of the world's best filmmakers, musicians, and creative leaders. Get access to all of Masterclass's world-class instructors for one affordable price: MasterClass All-Access Pass   # Learn how to be a better writer and storyteller from Malcolm Gladwell. # Related Episodes For more on how technology influences creativity, check out this interview with Brian Solis, who also spoke at SXSW. # For more on the power of optimism, check out this interview with Golden Globe-winning producer Lindsay Doran. # Related Things The Fourth Age Byron Reese Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Voice in AI podcast Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # Books Mentioned The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity Harry Potter "I, Pencil" (essay) The Lord of the Rings # Shows Mentioned The Animatrix Game of Thrones The Jetsons Star Trek The Twilight Zone If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Will the Robots Save Us: Byron Reese on AI

What's Eating Ralphie May won Best of the Fest at Nashville Film Festival and Documentary of the Year at Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival. The film was initially intended to be a weight-loss documentary that followed beloved comedian Ralphie May and his family, but it turned into a raw and intimate portrait of a family dealing with addiction during the last years of Ralphie’s troubled life.  At Nashville Film Festival I had the chance to interview comedian and wife of Ralphie, Lahna Turner, and director Cat Rhinehart. Some of the things we discuss include What to do when shooting a documentary that takes an unexpected turn How to earn trust to explore the raw and intimate aspects of someone's story What to do when loved ones are wrestling with addiction If and when it is appropriate to stop filming How comedy can help get past anguish Sponsors for this Episode nsavides productions  I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Some of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Masterclass Online training from some of the world's best filmmakers, musicians, and creative leaders. MasterClass All-Access Pass # Learn how to improve your stand-up routine and be funnier from Steve Martin. # Related Episodes For more on shooting documentaries, check out this episode with Peabody-winning documentary filmmaker Craig Renaud. He's done projects for likes of HBO, NBC, Discovery, PBS, The New York Times, and VICE News. On this episode he discusses how to survive dangerous conflict zones, ways to explore hot-button issues in an in-depth way, and more. # Steve Kaplan has taught comedy workshops around the world and companies like Dreamworks, Disney, HBO, Paramount, and Touchstone hire him as a comedy consultant. He shares some of his comedy insights on this episode. # Related Things Nashville Film Festival What's Eating Ralphie May Facebook, IMDb Lahna Turner Twitter, YouTube Cat Rhinehart Facebook, Instagram More of my podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # Films Mentioned Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The First 48 Hours Marriage Story One Hour Photo What's Eating Ralphie May # If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

When a Comedy Documentary Turns Tragic

My podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival continues in this short-films episode where I interview the directors for two different short films that got my attention at the festival. One has more of a documentary feel while the other one is a more stylized film with elaborate production design, so I paired the two interviews to explore how shorts can come together and the creative possibilities they can offer. The first interview is with Amanda Young, one of the directors behind Every Two Minutes, a compilation of stories relating to human trafficking. The short was done through StoryGive, which partners filmmakers in Nashville with non-profits that tackle various social issues. For Every Two Minutes, StoryGive connected local filmmakers with End Slavery Tennessee, a non-profit dedicated to caring for survivors of human trafficking and tactically addressing the issue. The second interview is with Chilean director Vicente Manzano. His experimental short Bubble uses bubble framing in a novel, story-driven way. Virtually everything in the film was custom-designed for the film, which involved careful planning to pull off. Some of the things we discuss include Using film to address a social issue in an impactful way How to collaborate with accomplished filmmakers and crew members on limited budget How to make a short film that is driven by stylized production design Sponsors for this Episode nsavides productions  I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. I shot this New Orleans wedding video for Cece & Andy last year. Even one year later, I'm still getting positive feedback about the video from the couple's friends and family. More of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Masterclass Online training from some of the world's best filmmakers, musicians, and creative leaders. MasterClass All-Access Pass # Related Episode Emmy-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Stillmotion, Patrick Moreau, talks about the challenges of putting together a high-quality, issues-driven documentary in this episode. # Related Things Nashville Film Festival Amanda Young Instagram StoryGive End Slavery Tennessee  Vicente Manzano Instagram More of my podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Two Notable Shorts from Nashville Film Festival

Hannah Leder has a variety of acting credits including Deep Impact, Pay it Forward, and Judd Apatow’s Love series. She also has a recurring role on Apple TV+'s The Morning Show. On this podcast episode I interview Hannah about her work on The Planters, a quirky, character-driven comedy that won Best of the Fest, Best Cinematography, and Best Song at Nashville Film Festival. Along with Alexandra Kotcheff, Hannah co-wrote, co-directed, co-starred, and co-shot the film. The Planters ended up taking 127 days to shoot, and Hannah and Alexandra were the only crew members on set. Some of the things we discuss include How to shoot a high-quality film with a two-person crew The camera and lighting setups they used for the film How the stop-motion sequences in the film came together At the end of the episode you can hear a preview of “You and Me Together,” the film's award-winning song from Phil Danyew. Sponsor for this Episode nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Up to Date is a short comedy about a blind date gone wrong. It's the first live-action short I directed a few years ago, and it was written by Stephen Hoover. His script Damage Control was a finalist in the Nashville Film Festival's screenwriting competition, and he helped to make possible my festival podcast coverage. More of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com Related Episode If you'd like to learn more about how comedy works, then check out this interview I did with Steve Kaplan. He teaches comedy workshops around the world. Companies like Dreamworks, Disney, HBO, Paramount, and Touchstone regularly hire him as a consultant and script doctor.  # Related Things Nashville Film Festival The Planters Facebook, IMDb, Instagram More of my podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

How to Make an Award-Winning Film with a Two Person Crew: The Planters

This is Part III of my podcast recap of Nashville Film Festival 2019. In it, I share my top five films from Nashville Film Festival and why I picked them. It's a more personal take, so I also share some related things that came up when trying to put together the list. Sponsor for this Episode nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. Mystery Loves Company music video We got to explore all kinds of places in Houston while making this music video I directed for the chamber-rock band Mystery Loves Company. Not long after the video was released, the band got an opportunity to perform at a few venues in France. More of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com Related Episodes A number of the films that screened at Nashville Film Festival this year also screened at SXSW 2019. Episodes from my SXSW 2019 podcast coverage are here. # Johnny Cash influenced how actor John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard) thinks about faith, which came up in this podcast interview.# Related Things Nashville Film Festival Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Collegiate film T-shirts from Chad McClarnon SNL's 1950s music sketch featuring Will Ferrell Tunefind, useful for finding music featured on films, TV shows, and games Bureau of Justice Statistics 2018 report on police encounters with the public The court battle in Dallas for the gender identity of a seven year Dr. Anne Georgulas's Google reviews Unplanned, the documentary about Abby Johnson, a Planned Parenthood employee of the year who became a pro-life activist, is now streaming online Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. Films Discussed III Alice America, America Appalachian Holler Bluebird Berry Hill: From Creative Workshop and Beyond Chuck Berry  Cool Daddio: The Second Youth of R. Stevie Moore Country Music (the docuseries from Ken Burns) Eternal Winter Five Women in the End The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash A Hidden Life Jojo Rabbit The Kill Team Lost Bayou Manuel Marriage Story Mickey and the Bear The Planters Reckoning Red Dog The Sheriff of Mars The Short History of a Long Road Stuffed The Thin Red Line Tuscaloosa Unplanned The Way you Look Tonight What's Eating Ralphie May VR films Accused #2: Walter Sisulu Ambrosia Agreda’s Dungeon Only at the Air, Only at Each Other Bands & Musicians Discussed Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen Chuck Berry Corey Hart Dave Bartholomew Garth Brooks Hank Williams Haroula Rose Jimmy Buffett Johnny Cash John Carter Cash June Carter Cash Kanye West Lauren Daigle The Lumineers The National Taylor Swift Vince Gill If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Nashville Film Festival 2019 Recap: Part III - My Top 5 Picks

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend and do podcast coverage at the 50th Nashville Film Festival. While there, I interviewed a number of filmmakers and filled an entire notebook with observations about the various films and events I attended. My Nashville Film Festival podcast coverage began with this interview I did with some of the filmmakers behind Lost Bayou. More filmmaker interviews are coming soon. Here, I'll recap some of the notable films and experiences I had at the festival and share some of the things I learned while attending. The filmmakers, musicians, and creative people who I aim to serve with this podcast are those who seek truth and care about exploring big ideas, and so I will strive for both, as I've done with other festivals I've covered. The first pass at my podcast commentary of Nashville Film Festival came in close to three hours, so I've broken it up into three parts. Part I includes General observations and strengths of the festival Music insights from a few panels and films Reactions to Marriage Story, the new Noah Baumbach film; Speed of Life, a narrative film in which the death of David Bowie causes a disruption to the space-time continuum that threatens the romance of a young couple; and Chuck Berry, the documentary about the founding father of rock n roll that premiered at the festival. This is Part II, the meat of the coverage, where I go through a number of feature films I saw at the festival and discuss what worked for me and what didn't. Some of the related topics that come up include doing the right thing in spite of social pressure, police brutality on screen, gender identity issues, and more. In Part III, I will share my top five films from Nashville Film Festival and why I picked them. Part II and III will get added to this page in a couple of days. Subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes as they become available. Sponsor for this Episode nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. # Mystery Loves Company music video We got to explore all kinds of places in Houston while making this music video I directed for the chamber-rock band Mystery Loves Company. Not long after the video was released, the band got an opportunity to perform at a few venues in France. More of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com Related Episodes A number of the films that screened at Nashville Film Festival this year also screened at SXSW 2019. Episodes from my SXSW 2019 podcast coverage are here. # Related Things Nashville Film Festival Bureau of Justice Statistics 2018 report on police encounters with the public The court battle in Dallas for the gender identity of a seven year Dr. Anne Georgulas's Google reviews Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. Films Discussed III Appalachian Holler Cool Daddio: The Second Youth of R. Stevie Moore Eternal Winter Five Women in the End A Hidden Life The Kill Team Manuel Mickey and the Bear The Planters Reckoning The Sheriff of Mars The Short History of a Long Road Stuffed The Thin Red Line Tuscaloosa The Way you Look Tonight If You Liked the Show Donate $1 to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Nashville Film Festival 2019 Recap: Part II - Ideas on Screen

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend and do podcast coverage at the 50th Nashville Film Festival. While there, I interviewed a number of filmmakers and filled an entire notebook with observations about the various films and events I attended. My Nashville Film Festival podcast coverage began with this interview I did with some of the filmmakers behind Lost Bayou. More filmmaker interviews are coming soon. Here, I'll recap some of the notable films and experiences I had at the festival and share some of the things I learned while attending. The filmmakers, musicians, and creative people who I aim to serve with this podcast are those who seek truth and care about exploring big ideas, and so I will strive for both, as I've done with other festivals I've covered. The first pass at my podcast commentary of Nashville Film Festival came in close to three hours, so I've broken it up into three parts. Part I includes General observations and strengths of the festival Music insights from a few panels and films Reactions to Marriage Story, the new Noah Baumbach film; Speed of Life, a narrative film in which the death of David Bowie causes a disruption to the space-time continuum that threatens the romance of a young couple; and Chuck Berry, the documentary about the founding father of rock n roll that premiered at the festival. Part II will be the meat of the coverage, where I go through a number of feature films I saw at the festival and discuss what worked for me and what didn't and explore some of the ideas and the topics in certain films. In Part III, I will share my top five films from Nashville Film Festival and why I picked them. Part II and III will get added to this page in a couple of days. Subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes as they become available. # Sponsor for this Episode nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. # https://vimeo.com/291833120 We got to explore all kinds of places in Houston while making this music video I directed for the chamber-rock band Mystery Loves Company. Not long after the video was released, the band got an opportunity to perform at a few venues in France. More of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Related Episodes A number of the films that screened at Nashville Film Festival this year also screened at SXSW 2019. Episodes from my SXSW 2019 podcast coverage are here. # Related Things Nashville Film Festival Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Collegiate film T-shirts from Chad McClarnon SNL's 1950s music sketch featuring Will Ferrell Tunefind, useful for finding music featured on films, TV shows, and games Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. Films Mentioned Alice America, America Berry Hill: From Creative Workshop and Beyond Chuck Berry  Country Music (the docuseries from Ken Burns) Marriage Story Red Dog VR films Accused #2: Walter Sisulu Ambrosia Agreda’s Dungeon Only at the Air, Only at Each Other # Musicians Mentioned Chuck Berry Corey Hart Dave Bartholomew # If You Liked the Show Leave a donation to help keep the show going. Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO 

Nashville Film Festival 2019 Recap: Part 1

My podcast coverage of Nashville Film Festival begins with Lost Bayou, a film that premiered at Tribeca and went on to win Best Picture at the El Dorado Film Festival. Lost Bayou tells the story of a struggling addict who returns home to the Louisiana bayou to reconnect with her faith healer father, only to discover he’s hiding a troubling secret aboard his houseboat. During the Nashville Film Festival, I had the chance to interview director Brian Richard, writer-actor Hunter Burke, and actor Jackson Beals about the film. Some of the things we discuss include Honoring not exploiting the Cajun faith-healing community Getting the Cajun accents right and using them for story purposes Working with the Grammy-winning band Lost Bayou Ramblers on the soundtrack Nurturing a family-like atmosphere on set Exploring a crisis of faith on screen Sponsor for this Episode nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. My videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com   Related Episode A few years ago I had the opportunity to interview Brian and Hunter about their short film Atchafalaya. It's included in my coverage of the New Orleans Film Festival 2015. # Related Things Nashville Film Festival Lost Bayou Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Good for What Ails You, the doc directed by Glen Pitre that explores Cajun faith healers. Lost Bayou Ramblers, the band that provided the music for the film If you are in or near New Orleans, you can catch Lost Bayou on Oct. 17 & 23 at the New Orleans Film Festival. Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # If You Liked the Show Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting!

Capturing Authentic Cajun Culture on Screen: Lost Bayou

Just a quick update about the recent hiatus, and where I'm at with the show. Short version: the podcast will return with my coverage at the 50th Nashville Film Festival. Special thanks to Stephen T. Hoover. His script Damage Control made it into the top-four finalist round for half-hour pilots in the festival's screenwriting contest, and he was the impetus for me to attend and cover the festival. Sponsor for this Episode nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. This is Up to Date, a short comedy about a blind date gone wrong. It's the first live-action short I directed, and it was written by Stephen Hoover. More of my videos are here. Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com #   Related Things Stephen T. Hoover on IMDd "One Song Away" by Ivan & Alyosha on Spotify 

The NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW Will Return!

In this episode I reflect on my podcast interview with writer Tom Piazza and share more of my thoughts about HBO's Tremeand how it compares to The Wire, both of which were created by David Simon. Afterwards I share some updates about some possibilities on the horizon. # Sponsor for this Episode   nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people. # This music video was one of the things that brought me to Louisiana. # More of my videos are here. # Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Related Episodes On this podcast commentary from the 2018 Cutting Edge Music Conference, I share some takeaways about the New Orleans music community. My interviews episode from Cutting Edge 2018 includes a story about Clarence "Frogman" Henry.   # Related Things   Treme on Amazon Prime Recommended episodes of Treme Honorable mention: 1.8 "All on a Mardi Gras Day" 1.10 "I’ll Fly Away" 2.4 "Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues" 2.7 "Carnival Time" 2.10 "That’s What Lovers Do" 4.5 "… To Miss New Orleans" The Wire on Amazon Prime  Tom's site  Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow.   Shows Mentioned Better Call Saul Goliath Treme The Practice The Princess and the Frog Rolling Thunder Revue Waiting for Godot The Wire # Books Mentioned City of Refuge Devil Sent the Rain: Music and Writing in Desperate America The Executioner's Song  A Free State Le Morte d'Arthur Why New Orleans Matters Understanding Jazz: Ways to Listen # Musicians and Albums Mentioned  Allen Toussaint Big Freedia Bob Dylan  Clarence "Frogman" Henry Clay Parker and Jodi James - The Lonesomest Sound That Can Sound  Fats Domino Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival # If You Liked the Show Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review:   Apple Podcasts   Spotify   Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting! 

Commentary: HBO's Treme, The Wire, & Tom Piazza

Even in the early days of the internet, Brian Solis was advising prominent companies about how to use social media to connect with potential customers. He's been called "one of the greatest digital analysts of our time” and has been sought out by the likes of Oprah, Shaq and Ashton Kutcher.  Brian is also an award-winning author and world-renowned keynote speaker. I met Brian at SXSW 2019, during his book launch event for Lifescale: How to Live a More Creative, Productive, and Happy Life. As Brian explains in our interview, the book developed out of a conversation he had after speaking at SXSW 2018: He was challenged to provide an answer to the questions he had raised about the dark side of social media. Lifescale became his answer. Writing the book made him rethink his priorities and pursue deeper, more meaningful connections with the people in his life. The book had a similar effect on me and helped me prepare for new creative possibilities, so I brought Brian on the show to discuss it. Some of the things Brian and I discuss in this episode include How social media can rewire people and societies When the personal approach can be right approach Using design principles to create a more reading experience The life-changing impact of Walt Disney a certain animated short How to develop deeper, more meaningful connections with others Practical things we can do to rekindle our creativity # Sponsor for this Episode   nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people.   # This music video I shot for Long Division, a post-rock band from Virginia, was nominated for an award by Veer Magazine. # More of my videos are here. # Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Related Episodes Todd Henry, founder and CEO of Accidental Creative, came on the showto discuss how to get past writer's block, live with purpose, and discover our life's work. # Related Things I met Brian at his Lifescale book event at SXSW 2019.   Brian's site LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter lifescaling.me Alikeanimated short Lifescalegot included in this cnbc.com list of notable books in 2019 "Human Contact Is Now a Luxury Good"as explained in The New York Times Brian's Lifescaleevent at SXSW got mentioned as one of my highlights of SXSW 2019 Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow. # Books Mentioned Lifescale: How to Live a More Creative, Productive, and Happy Life What’s the Future of Business? X: The Experience Where Business Meets Design # If You Liked the Show Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review:   Apple Podcasts   Spotify   Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting! 

How to Rekindle Creativity and Find Purpose in a Distracted Age: Brian Solis

Jenna Suru's early film career involved working for Gaumont, one of the major French film studios and the world's first and oldest film company. There she was in charge of distributing Gaumont new releases to film festivals around the world. Later she went on to work for SND Groupe M6, a French distributor that also distributes American films in France including the Twilight series and Scream 4. She also received some film production experience in Los Angeles, where she worked as a production assistant and then a producer on a couple of shows. Her various industry experiences helped her to form Belle Époque Films, so that she could support emerging filmmakers and produce her own projects. "There is no beautiful piece of art really possible if you're just alone." - Jenna Suru Influenced by films like And God Created Woman and the Before Sunrise trilogy, L'Âge d'Or is her company's debut feature film, which she wrote, directed, produced, and co-starred in. The film tells the story of a penniless Franco-American producer and an ambitious French theater actress who meet in Paris, 1967 and embark on an artistic quest to change the world that leads them to Saint-Tropez, a coastal town on the French Riviera and a fabled artistic haven. Some of the things Jenna and I discuss in this episode include How artists can change the world Challenges of shooting a period piece Experiences that allowed Jenna to wear multiple hats on her debut feature film The benefits of securing music rights before shooting begins How her acting background influences her work as a director What makes Saint-Tropez so special # Sponsor for this Episode   nsavides productions – I make friendly, engaging videos for earnest people.   Chloe & Jake got married on May 4, 2019 at the Swedenborg Chapel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their wedding had all the charm and personality that Greeks bring when celebrating a special event. May 4 is also known as Star Wars Day, so the wedding even included some Star Wars accents. Those are some of the reasons why it was such a delight to shoot!   More of my videos are here.   Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com # Related Episodes For more on what it takes to produce optimistic films that can change the world, check out this podcast interview with Golden Globe-winning producer Lindsay Doran (Sense and Sensibility, Sabrina, Stranger Than Fiction). # Related Things   Jenna on LinkedIn, IMDb, Instagram Jenna's company, Belle Époque Films L'Âge d'Oron Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show Additional music for the show provided by Rob Costlow.   # Films Mentioned Anna  And God Created Woman  Before Sunrise trilogy The Intouchables (2011) L’Âge d’Or” La Piscine (1969) La Vie en Rose Life of Pi  # Musicians Mentioned The Beatles Chuck Berry The Rolling Stones # # If You Liked the Show Sign up for The nsavides Newsletter. Subscribe or leave an honest review:   Apple Podcasts   Spotify   Overcast Say hello on Twitter:  @nsavidesPRO Thank you for visiting! 

Writer-Director-Actress Jenna Suru on the World-Changing Charms of Saint-Tropez

Earnest interviews with prominent filmmakers, musicians, and creative people. We discuss the art of collaboration and making the world better in some way. Send feedback or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@nsavides.com.

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NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW

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