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.

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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The post Critic Turns Musician: Alex Cook from The Rakers appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

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. 

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

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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The post Wumbo: Serious About Space-Rock Whimsy appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

Here 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

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.

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Say hello: podcast@nsavides.com

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Related Things

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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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Spotify

The post Louisiana International Film Festival Recap #LIFF2018 appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

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.

In 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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Listen to the Episode

• Joe Swanberg’s series on Netflix, Easy
• Evan’s films
  • Displacement Welcomed
  • Kin
  • Son of Clowns
  • Spazz Out
  • Stargazer

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If You Liked the Show

The post How to Make a Micro-Budget Film for $3000 & Sell It on Amazon: Evan Kidd appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

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.

The crowd reacts to Kelsey Grammer.

Listen to the Episode

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. 

• Learn more about LIFF:  www.lifilmfest.org
• The INSIDE daily brief
• Neil Postman’s book, Amusing Ourselves to Death
• A New Orleans jazz funeral for Shakespeare
• The nsavides Blog on William Shakespeare
• The ep. with Chesley Heymsfield, the festival’s executive director
• The ep. with actor Michal Papajohn
• The BUKU music festival ep.

The post LIFF 2016, Festival Reflections & Tricky Terrain appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

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.

Listen to the Episode

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

• Wednesday, April 13
  • Gala Reception with supermodel and founder of the Every Mother Counts nonprofit, Christy Turlington Burns. Christy is also the executive producer of Every Mother Counts, one of the films screening at the festival.
• Thursday, April 14
  • LSU’s Golden Band from Tiger Land and LSU’s Golden Girls perform at the Perkins Rowe Courtyard.
  • ASKTHETHOMASBROS performs at the Filmmaker’s Lounge.
• Friday, April 15
  • Cosplay  themed afterparty
• More special events can be found at www.lifilmfest.org/special-events-lineup

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.

The post Louisiana International Film Festival 2016 – Executive Director Chesley Heymsfield appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

In this podcast interview we discuss the inspiration behind Meant to Be, the new album from Burris. Some of the other topics we discuss include

• finding success by serving a community
• dealing with rejection
• how to be a good hang-out guy
• how to interact with fans in a way that connects
• finding purpose in the things we do

UPDATE: If you want to subscribe to just the music-related episodes of the podcast on iTunes, click the link below:

http://bit.ly/nsavidesPodcastMUSIC

Listen to the Episode

The post Burris Singer on the Wholesome Purpose of Rock and Roll appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

Clay on set for Pacifico’s music video “I’ve Finally Found What I’m Looking For”

As a filmmaker, Clay has a page worth of credits ranging from boom operator, to foley artist, to first assistant director. He’s also directed shorts and music videos and is on staff with Tommy’s TV, a production company in Baton Rouge. On the music side, he’s heard regularly on Baton Rouge’s WHYR 96.9 FM, where he DJs and talks about the history of rock ‘n’ roll on his weekly show. He was also the guy responsible for booking local bands for the esteemed, but now defunct, music venue Mud & Water. Back in 2013 he penned an Open Letter to the Baton Rouge Music Scene that was embraced by the local music community. On top of that, Clay runs a company with his wife called Beyond the Garage, where they make puppets and other artisanal craft projects.

Some of the puppets made by Beyond the Garage

Clay came on the show to talk about how he got connected with all those different scenes. He also gives advice to bands trying to get a DJ’s attention, offers collaborative tips, and makes an impassioned plea for artists to work together in their communities.

Listen to the Podcast

Thank you for visiting!

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From Longleaf’s Instagram account

Below are the people I interviewed at the festival.

• Jackson Pierce, a performer with CYT Baton Rouge
• Alex V. Cook, a writer, music critic, and a singer/guitarist for The Rakers
• David Fuller, Laura Smith, & Carrie Stephens, the musicians who make up the newgrassical band Longleaf, one of the bands that played at Twisted Oak

After the interviews, I share my take on the festival. I also expand on my ongoing efforts to navigate through the faith vs. reason dilemma, which continues the discussion from Joel’s episode.

Listen to the Episode

The post Twisted Oak Music Festival 2015 Recap appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.

The Twisted Oak Music Festival is driven by an idealistic mission statement that aims to rekindle spirituality while encouraging entrepreneurship, serving others, and nurturing a sense of community. This year the festival happens on Friday, November 13 at the Shaw Center in Baton Rouge.

In addition to Joel, here’s a list of the other musicians who will be performing:

Hot Club of Baton Rouge
Treble Bass Movement
Longleaf
Amy Willson + Eric Liffmann
Darrel Hale
LSU Graduate Woodwind Quintet
Spontaneous Combustion

The festival will also feature the live art of Janene Grodesky, Heather Kenyon, and Neda Parandian.

During my interview with Joel, we discuss why the festival might be a life-changing event, the value of art that aims to make others better, and how to build a sustainable career as an artist.

After the interview I share some thoughts about our conversation. I also reflect on the Mets in the World Series and tie it to some of the big questions that keep me up at night. (Seems an appropriate enough way to end a discussion about an event scheduled for Friday the 13th.)

Listen to the Episode

Related Things

The post Musician Joel Willson on the Creative Vision behind Twisted Oak Music Festival appeared first on NICKSAV Film & Music SHOW.