I had the opportunity to speak with Daniel Johnston at his families home in Texas about his latest comic book, his day-to-day life, and his experience during and since the filming of the 2005 film, The Devil and Daniel Johnston.

Interview with Daniel Johnston from the Devil and Daniel Johnston

“My first film was also about a homeless drug addict.  And one of the first scenes in the movie is him making a date with another homeless street person.  Getting a kiss and saying, I’ll see you later this evening hon. It blew my mind.  Where would a normal person, quote on quote.  Ever see two homeless drug addicts interacting with each other in a very sweet normal-ish way.  I am able to look at them as more human than I did before.”

•	Talks about:
o	1:00 - Being self-taught and become a self-made director.
o	3:04 - How he found Ken Foster.
o	5:35 - Dealing with tough topics and tough subjects
o	9:46 - Festivals, Investors, and how he tackles the process
o	12:26 - Favorite part of the work 
o	14:22 - How this project changed his life.

Today we have Josh Laner a Vancouver based filmmaker with an inclination for finding unique individuals to profile.  His most recent on a drug addicted street artist surviving on the grind with his art, named Ken Foster.  If you ever want to learn about what it takes to profile the homeless, deal truth with tough subjects, or find a home for a homeless film.  This is your episode.

Episode 006: Josh Laner - Working with Tough Subjects

The use of the internet as a tool of learning is changing the way video artist approach their work! 
Want to know more?  

Listen in!
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I had the chance to speak with OSCAR BOYSON a director out of New York who started cutting his teeth while working with the (now famous) YouTube influencer Casey Neistat (Casey has 6 Million followers)!
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Oscar is a hybrid of director that has the ability to shoot full format traditional commercials, do high paced micro content for social, and create easily edible content for YouTube (check out his work, THE FUTURE OF CITIES and his write up in Medium.com). 
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WAIT!  There is more.  
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He is a do it all yourself'r, which BTW up and comers and old skooler alike.  This is what the future looks like.  It looks like OSCAR.  This guy collected work from around the globe by doing 'content sharing' from random people (both professional and amateur) from all over the internet to create this AMAZING piece. 
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Pay attention to Oscar Boyson y'all, he's is onto something.
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Listen and get first hand insight into:

What it take to transition to becoming a director?
​How to work with brands in the social space?
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Episode 007: Oscar Boyson - Modern Forms of Media and Storytelling

I love it when I meet a person whose story is as miraculous as it is amazing and Alex Lora is just one of those people.
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Let me lay it out, Alex comes to the US from Spain and finds himself being challenged by his professor on a project he's not certain he can do.  Go out and find a subject to make a documentary on or pack up and go home, was more or less the challenge.  
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What would you do?
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Alex's sucked it up and found a subject.  Years later while eating Thanksgiving in the house of this very same professor Alex gets a phone call.  It's the Sundance Film Festival committee calling to congratulating him on having his film, Odysseus Gambit accepted to the festival.

How cool is that?  He scored big and now life is going to get easier, right?

Not really, but you'll have to listen to the full podcast (here) to hear it all.

Episode 008: Alex Lora - Lessons after Sundance

​“Were an interrupter.  We are a game changer and I say that humbly.  Any time you’re a game changer.  You’re going to face resistance from the people who have been doing it longer and successfully.  With any innovation there has to be a renewed way of thinking and we’re doing that.” - Roland Rojas

Are you looking for a path way to getting your work where people can see it?

Are you frustrated by the smoke and mirrors of distribution?

Does it feel like you're swimming in a sea of content trying to explain why people should stop and see yours?

You are not alone.  I can relate 100% to the struggle.  You work hard for months, years, or longer on a great piece of art and when it comes time to sell it you ask.  What do you do next?  Who do you talk to and how do you get an eye ball of a chance to find a buyer?  

In my search for avenues for artist I found Roland Rojas and his company BidSlate.  Roland has teamed up with Jesse Scolaro to create an online platform that's helping the artist take their work directly to the buyer (listen to the full interview here).  

If these questions are some of your questions, then here is a great place to start!

Listen now!
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Episode 009: Roland Rojas - Distribution

"It's going to sound like I am trying avoid the questions, but I think it's my calling.  I like seeing people happy.  When someone laughs like a room full of people laugh it's a palpable feeling...It's love, it's love actually.  You connect, you connect with people.  Maybe we all want to be connected (Jordan's response to my question on, why comedy)".

Do you get excited when you get a chance to speak with someone who's gone and done things that you wish you could do?  Met people you wish you could meet?  Do you feel like listening to them can help you get closer to your goals and help you figure out the next steps for you?  I do and that is why I am excited to bring you a great interview with director of the I Am Comic trilogy, Jordan Brady.  

ALERT: name drop ahead. 

He's worked with comedians Tim Allen, Jeff Gaffigan, and Sarah Silverman to name a few on the making of the first of his trilogy, I Am Comic. Now he's stopping into Detroit to start the release of his latest doc, I Am Battle Comic (more info below).

Listen to our amazing interview here!

Episode 011: Jordan Brady - The 'Why' in Comedy

"I don’t think I will find a lot of people that agree with me here, but I read and hear all the time, ‘follow your bliss’.  I think that is wrong.  I think what you should do is follow your opportunity and take your bliss with you.  I think there are people that because they love what they do they think that’s what they should be doing and history will show you that there’s almost 100% chance that they are wrong”.  

Do you agree with John Keltonic perspective? And how to you measure your skills up to the world?

Episode 012: John Keltonic - Follow your bliss?

"I kind of believe in the who butterfly effect theory.  You know, the flap of a butterflies wing suddenly changing the course of so many different things across life and nature.  And with that I think that, be nice to people.  It makes everyone’s life easier.  And carry forward what you would do differently."

This week we have film maker, painter, animator, and all around gifted creator of art Dana Sink.  His work on a series of unique evolving animations that play well in the unique world of time and space.  Were recognized by Vimeo as Staff Picks and caught my attention for the shear genius of them.  After viewing I had to reach out.
 
Dana is no stranger to recognition and success.  In 1999 he created a short film that aired on MTV and quickly made him aware of his potential in this work.
 
However he knows how to keep his dreams in perspective.  As a family man first, he knows that his greatest work is being a father first and finding the right windows in his life for his passion.
 
With input on his perspective on the art/life balance, his eye for the art, and inspiration on knowing what’s important.  I am happy to bring to you all Dana Sink.

Episode 014: DanaSink - Graphic Reality

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