NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW

For filmmakers, musicians, & creative people who do amazing things and want to make the world better in some way.

Critic Turns Musician: Alex Cook from The Rakers

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Alex V. Cook is a journalist and music critic who has written for an assortment of publications including The Believer, The Oxford American, DownBeat, and Paste Magazine. His book Darkness, Racket and Twang: Essential Listening from the Fringes of Popular and Unpopular Culture is a compilation of his music essays, which includes commentary on artists ranging from Lou Reed to Bob Dylan to the Mountain Goats.

He has also written a book on Louisiana’s  juke joints called Louisiana Saturday Night: Looking for a Good Time in South Louisiana’s Juke Joints, Honky-Tonks, and Dance Halls.

podcast interview with Alex Cook from The Rakers

Alex also sings and plays guitar for The Rakers, a Baton Rouge band that has played at a number of prominent venues around town including The Baton Rouge Gallery. The band describes itself as “the thinking man’s drinking band.”

He’s one of the few critics I know of who started playing music after working as a critic. As you’ll hear from Alex in the interview, he got started as a musician relatively late compared to other musicians, but he still holds his own amidst musicians who have been playing far longer.

Some of the things we discuss include

  • What makes for a great album
  • Why a good critique can be a gift to the person receiving it
  • The relationship between critic and artist and how they influence each others
  • What popular bands Alex likes and dislikes and why
  • How his background as a music critic informs his music sensibilities
  • Why showmanship and point of view matter to an artist
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For more tips on how to succeed as a musician, check out this interview I did with Bree Noble, a musician who got to sing at Dodger Stadium and who now coaches other musicians and interviews industry luminaries.

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Sponsor for this Episode

nsavides productions– I make videos and tell stories. Some of my videos are here.
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Music for the show provided by Rob Costlow.

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Books Mentioned

  • Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think About Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth by A.O. Scott
  • Darkness Racket and Twang – Essential Listening from the Fringes of Popular and Unpopular Music by Alex V. Cook

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Bands & Musicians Mentioned

  • Belle and Sebastian
  • Bob Dylan
  • Dean Martin
  • Devo
  • The Fall
  • Glyn Styler
  • Joan Jett
  • Johnny Cash
  • Lydia Lunch
  • Kenny Rogers
  • Kiss
  • KC and the Sunshine Band
  • Moby
  • The Mountain Goats
  • Nancy Wilson
  • Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
  • The Rakers
  • Rolling Stones
  • Ruyter Suys
  • Ryan Adams, albums mentioned
    • Demolition   
    • Prisoner 
  • Tony Cobb, “Share My Whiskey”
  • The Velvet Underground, albums mentioned
    • Loaded  
    • The Velvet Underground & Nico 

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Other People Mentioned

  • Amanda Petrusich, music journalist at The New Yorker
  • Greil Marcus, music journalist for Pitchfork, Rolling Stone
  • John Ruskin, Victorian-era art critic
  • Lester Bangs, music journalist for Creem, Rolling Stone
  • Rick Rubin, music producer

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Shows & Movies Mentioned

  • Big Bang Theory
  • Hustle & Flow
  • Lawerence of Arabia
  • Raging Bull
  • Ratatouille
  • Taxi Driver

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Wumbo: Serious About Space-Rock Whimsy

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Wumbo is a word coined on SpongeBob SquarePants. It is also an indie-rcok band that The Advocate recently included in their list of 10 bands to check out in Baton Rouge. The band has played at most of Baton Rouge’s esteemed music venues including The Varsity, Spanish Moon, Mid City Ballroom, Happy’s Irish Pub, 524 Studios, and more. In a few days they’ll be starting their tour across the South and Midwest.

There’s no blueprint to being a band.” – Jake Heflin

The band describes their hard-to-pinpoint sound as “space-indie-rock-jazz-pop” and released their self-titled EP back in December 2017. I heard them play at 524 a few weeks ago and liked their show enough to invite them on the podcast and to pick up their EP, which has come to remind me of Radiohead’s seminal album, OK Computer. 

Wumbo music podcast interview

I had the opportunity to interview band members Kevin McCabe (drums), Jake Heflin (vocals, guitar), Mitchell Mobley (vocals, guitar), Tanner Yeldell (synth, percussion), and Zak Ocmand (bass) at Jake’s place, where the band usually practices. Some of the things we discuss in this episode  include

  • How to riff on a song until it’s right
  • Influences that have shaped their songs
  • Using digital effects to emulate an analogue sound
  • Conventions of shoegazing music and how that influenced the band’s approach to mixing
  • How to work through the challenges that come up when booking a tour
  • Why innocent nonsense is worth celebrating
  • Tips on how to book more shows at venues

 

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Want to hear from another band in Baton Rouge with a distinct sound?  Then check out this interview with another local music darling, Ship of Fools.

 

 

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Sponsor for this Episode

nsavides productions – I make videos and tell stories.
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The right music video can open doors to venue owners, agents, and other decision makers. My videos have helped musicians, businesses, and creative people take their dreams to the next level. Let’s talk about what we can do together.
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Music for the show provided by Rob Costlow.

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Bands & Musicians Mentioned

  • Beethoven
  • Django Reinhardt
  • Fine Divine, one of Zak’s other bands
  • Hydra Plane, psychedelic fusion band in Baton Rouge
  • Loudness War, garage rock band in Baton Rouge
  • oh, hi mark., another one of Zak’s other bands
  • Pacifico, former guest on the show
  • The Patsies, Zak’s first band
  • Radiohead’s OK Computer album
  • Sammy Hagar
  • Will Hinchliffe, guest vocalist on Wumbo’s song “Perch”
  • Wumbo

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Films Mentioned

  • Bee Movie 
  • Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee 
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
  • The Goonies
  • Hachi: A Dog’s Tale
  • Interstellar 
  • SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Stranger Things
  • Westworld 

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Books Mentioned

  • All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
  • The Birth of Tragedy by Friedrich Nietzsche
  • Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell book
  • No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
  • Radiohead: Hysterical & Useless by Martin Clarke
  • The Road by Cormac McCarthy

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Louisiana International Film Festival Recap #LIFF2018

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This year, I had the chance to interview several filmmakers screening films at the Louisiana International Film Festival.  On this episode, I recap some of those interviews and share some of my experiences and takeaways from LIFF2018.

Louisiana International Film Festival 2018 podcast recapHere are my prior interviews from #LIFF2018. On the recap below, I share some of the highlights from each interview, what it was like getting to screen my short at the festival, and some of the new discoveries and filmmaking observations, and life lessons I learned while attending.

Films from LIFF2018 that I discuss on this episode include

  • 1000 Year Flood
  • And Then I Go 
  • Blaze 
  • Brimstone & Glory 
  • Cut Off 
  • Do U Want It 
  • Gabriel & the Mountain 
  • Hearts Beat Loud
  • Larger Than Life: The Kevin Aucoin Story
  • Mixed Signals (short)
  • Mr. United States (short)
  • Stay Woke (short)
  • Stuck
  • Tinker
  • Through the Banks of the Red Cedar
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Want to learn more about one of the bands that played at the festival? Then check out this interview I did with Peter Simon, the lead singer of Minos the Saint, which was one of the bands that played at LIFF’s Filmmaker Lounge this year.

 

Sponsor for this Episode

nsavides productions – I make videos and tell stories. My new video portfolio is here!
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My short film Mixed Signals premiered at LIFF 2018 on April 21.
Mixed Signals directed by Nick Savides at LIFF 2018#

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Related Things

Louisiana International Film Festival headquarters

LIFF headquarters at Perkins Rowe during the festival

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  • LIFF 2018
  • Festival winners (everything except the Dan Ireland award was selected by the audience)
    • Dan Ireland New Voices/New Visions Award – Stealing Rodin
    • Best Narrative Feature – Streaker
    • Best Documentary Feature – Sammy Davis, Jr.: I Gotta Be Me 
    • Best Louisiana Narrative Feature – Blaze 
    • Best Louisiana Documentary Feature – Larger Than Life: The Kevin Aucoin Story
    • Best International Short Film – Newborn
    • Best Louisiana Short Film – Headless Swans
    • Best Mature Animated Short –  Your Black Friend 
  • Past #LIFF2018 interviews, arranged by film
  • My first visit to SXSW
  • My recap of SXSW 2018
  • Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show

Music for the show provided by Rob Costlow.

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Other Films & Shows Mentioned

  • Breaking Bad
  • Gunslinger
  • Godfather
  • Home Remedy (web series)
  • Lost

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Bands & Musicians Mentioned

  • Minos the Saint
  • Pappa Grows Funk
  • Ryan Harris

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How to Make a Micro-Budget Film for $3000 & Sell It on Amazon: Evan Kidd

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Evan Kidd, a filmmaker in Baton Rouge, recently concluded the festival run for his first feature film, Son of Clowns, a story about a TV star who loses his show and returns home to figure out his life and help his family run their floundering backyard circus. The film was shot for less than $3000 and had a shooting schedule that lasted only 10 days. Those are impressive stats even in the world of micro-budget filmmaking.

Filmmaker Evan Kidd discusses micro-budget filmmaking on The nsavides PodcastIn spite of the limited resources, Evan put together a micro-budget film with enough appeal to get picked up by a number of festivals across the world, including the Cucalorus Film Festival, one of the few festivals in the world that pays to fly in their filmmakers.  At other festivals, Son of Clowns received recognitions for best comedy, best actor, and best actress.

As the film’s festival run came to an end, Evan was able to negotiate with Amazon to have his film available on their platform. Amazon Prime members can watch it at no cost, and non-members can rent it for a nominal fee.

It’s, I think, a sign of artistry when one artist can help another.“ – Evan Kidd

Evan came on the podcast to walk us through his filmmaking process. Some of the things we discuss include

  • What actors can do to stand out
  • The trap of the perfection mentality
  • Why an artist’s view of the world matters
  • What equipment choices can speed up the shoot
  • How to take advantage of the expertise of your crew
  • When is the best time to do a crowdfunding campaign
  • How to keep costs low when shooting a micro-budget film
  • Techniques to cut down the days in the shooting schedule
  • How to get great people on your project even when you can’t pay much

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Sponsor for this Episode

nsavides productions – I make music videos, commercials, and short films. Check out some of my work.
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Let’s talk about what we can do together. Email: podcast@nsavides.com.
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Film Festivals Mentioned

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Films & Shows Mentioned

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LIFF 2016, Festival Reflections & Tricky Terrain

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After attending the 2016 Louisiana International Film Festival, I share thoughts about the festival, my discussion with the festival’s executive director, and recent filmmaking trends.

 

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I also talk briefly about celebrity culture and the troubling societal trend to trivialize or vilify opposing viewpoints. Plus, internet lessons from Werner Hertzog, dubious business practices, battles for sincerity, a compelling vision of what America can be, and favorite festival moments.

This episode, unlike other episodes, did not make it out in time for the 23rd, but much of it was recorded during April 23, the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. Proceed with caution.

Kelsey-Grammer

 

The crowd reacts to Kelsey Grammer.

 

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Related Things

The festival’s distinguished artistic director passed away during the festival. In the few times I got to interact with him, he treated me in a friendly and considerate way. RIP Dan Ireland. 

 

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Louisiana International Film Festival 2016 – Executive Director Chesley Heymsfield

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The Louisiana Int. Film Festival launched in 2013 with the music documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. Later that year, the film went on to win the Oscar for best documentary. A number of the films that the festival has showcased in recent years, including Boyhood, Brooklyn, and Revenant, have also gone on to receive accolades. LIFF’s film selections are certainly noteworthy and sometimes prescient of what will connect with the international film community.

Chesley Heymsfield, executive director of Louisiana International Film Festival, on The nsavides Podcast

This year the festival takes place on April 13-17 in Perkins Rowe, Baton Rouge. Chesley Heymsfield, the festival’s executive director, came on The nsavides Podcast to discuss this year’s lineup.

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In addition to this year’s LIFF lineup, we also discuss

  • the origins of Cannes and Tribeca film festivals
  • Chesley’s experience working for the special-effects visionary, Stan Winston. (As a quick refresher: Stan Winston worked on some of the big special effects in films like Aliens, Edward Scissorhands, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and Jurassic Park.)
  • how to make a big impression at Sundance
  • ways to bring sponsors onboard for creative projects
  • finding resilience in the midst of difficult times
  • how to approach filmmakers, actors, and celebrities at film festivals

Some of the notable films at the festival

  • Breaking the Bank – a comedy starring Kelsey Grammer set amidst the volatile backdrop of international banking
  • Lo and Behold – a new film from Werner Herzog about the internet’s sociological impact
  • Miss Sharon Jones! – a portrait of the singer from two-time Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple
  • No Greater Love – a documentary that follows Chaplain Justin Roberts into the frontlines of battle at the Kunar Province of Afghanistan and back at home where veterans battle PTSD, depression, and loneliness.
  • Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You – a warm look at the TV producer behind acclaimed shows like All in the Family, Maud, and The Jeffersons.
  • Raiders! – the true story of three kids who set out to recreate Raiders of the Lost Ark scene by scene on Super 8mm film

Some of the notable events at the festival

Special shout outs

With My Soul –  a short film set in the Civil War that explores the effects of war and human trafficking. The film co-stars Jency Griffin Hogan, who also produced, co-directed, co-wrote and co-produced the short. Jency is one of the actors who submitted to the #KnowMonologues Challenge I did with Django Unchained‘s Laura Cayouette.

With My Soul was also written by Kay Landon, who is a fellow co-organizer of the Screenwriters Down South, our script-writing support group in Baton Rouge.

The film screens on Saturday, April 16 at 10:00 AM. It’s one of the shorts in the Official Louisiana Live-Action Short block at Perkins Rowe.

 

Related Things

  • More details about films and festival events can be found at  http://www.lifilmfest.org.
  • I share my experiences and notable moments at LIFF 2016 in this podcast episode.
  • Some of the people and groups involved in LIFF’s Mardi Gras Masquerade at Sundance 2016 include
    • Michael Foster Project, the band that led the second line down the streets of Park City
    • CC Adcock, a cajun rocker from Lafayette who played music during the party
    • Hot Tails provided some of the Louisiana-themed foods
  • The nsavides Podcast came about after I sat in on a hair-and-makeup workshop at LIFF put on by Dana Boisseau, a hair stylist who has worked on films like Django Unchained, The Butler, and Ray. I connected with Dana, and so we did a video and an interview together, and the podcast grew from there.

 

Sponsor for this episode

nsavides productions – I make music videos, commercials, and short films. Check out my work on Vimeo.
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Let’s talk about what we can do together. Email: podcast@nsavides.com.
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