LOST Videos Intro: Anna Kendrick, Taylor Swift, and Elon Musk, a Strange Christmas Story

This was supposed to be a short follow-up to the interview I did with Byron Reese. Instead, it turned into a freewheeling conversation about some of the big questions I've wrestled with for over 10 years: Is there really purpose, love, and destiny? If so, how do we find those things in a world gone mad, and how does politics fit into the story, if at all? Wait, who does that as a response to a book interview?! Is this what happens when someone is too much of a LOST fan?!   Normally I'd object to such imagined questions. Rude! But there is that title, and It is Christmas. Check out the intro video for more of an explanation.  Sharing this now because soon I'll need to make some decisions about what comes next, and that includes whether or not to keep the podcast going and in what form. So I figured I'd post the videos as podcast episodes, just in case doing so can help clarify things for me and for any of you wrestling with similar questions.  This wouldn't be a Christmas-minded story without a guiding spirit or a star of wonder to point the path to a better way, so there's some of that as well. Oh, and there are also a couple of scattered references to the TV show LOST …  The story is best experienced as a video series, and Episodes 2 & 3 are only available as video links.    Watch the series:  https://podcast.nsavides.com/lostvideos   Episode video links LOST Videos Intro https://vimeo.com/nsavides/lostvideosintro   LOST Video I: Destiny or Delusion—an Anna Kendrick Question  https://vimeo.com/nsavides/lostvideoi   LOST Video II: Coincidence or Connection—Taylor Swift/Anna Kendrick, JFK/CS Lewis, & Ralph Waldo Emerson https://vimeo.com/nsavides/lostvideoii   LOST Video III: Defending Elon Musk, Reevaluating Tom Hanks & Stephen King https://x.com/nsavidesPRO/status/1986560074509344967?s=20   Say hello: [email protected]   Merry Christmas everyone! 

This was supposed to be a short follow-up to the interview I did with Byron Reese. Instead, it turned into a freewheeling conversation about some of the big questions I've wrestled with for over 10 years: Is there really purpose, love, and destiny? If so, how do we find those things in a world gone mad, and how does politics fit into the story, if at all? Wait, who does that as a response to a book interview?! Is this what happens when someone is too much of a LOST fan?!   Normally I'd object to such imagined questions. Rude! But there is that title, and it is Christmas. OK let me explain in this introduction.  Sharing this now because soon I'll need to make some decisions about what comes next, and that includes whether or not to keep the podcast going and in what form. So I figured I'd post the videos as podcast episodes, just in case doing so can help clarify things for me and for any of you wrestling with similar questions.  This wouldn't be a Christmas-minded story without a guiding spirit or a star of wonder to point the path to a better way, so there's some of that as well. Oh, and there are also a couple of scattered references to the TV show LOST …  The story is best experienced as a video series, and Episodes 2 & 3 are only available as video links.    Watch the series:  https://podcast.nsavides.com/lostvideos   Episode video links LOST Videos Intro https://vimeo.com/nsavides/lostvideosintro   LOST Video I: Destiny or Delusion—an Anna Kendrick Question  https://vimeo.com/nsavides/lostvideoi   LOST Video II: Coincidence or Connection—Taylor Swift/Anna Kendrick, JFK/CS Lewis, & Ralph Waldo Emerson https://vimeo.com/nsavides/lostvideoii   LOST Video III: Defending Elon Musk, Reevaluating Tom Hanks & Stephen King https://x.com/nsavidesPRO/status/1986560074509344967?s=20   Say hello: [email protected]   Merry Christmas everyone! 

Byron Reese is a futurist and an optimist. His new book We Are Agora: How Humanity Functions as a Single Superorganism That Shapes Our World and Our Future is named after the Ancient Greek marketplace and suggests that we might be part of a bigger entity that shapes our ends. Does the book have the insights we need to revitalize a sense of optimism even amidst dystopian times though?

Hello again. The podcast has been on hiatus for a bit. I'm bringing it back in video form at least for a limited season. In this episode, I will discuss why I stopped doing the show, what brought me back, and where I hope to head in context of the films Gattaca, Begin Again, and Jerry Maguire. If you're trying to find your way or just trying to stay the course, perhaps this is for you. Podcast page: nicksav.show Videos I've made for captivating couples, bands, and companies: nsavides.com

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: [email protected] # 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!

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: [email protected] # 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!

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: [email protected] # 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!

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: [email protected] # 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!

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: [email protected] # 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!

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: [email protected] # 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!