What if a single phone call could change the course of your career? In this captivating episode, we sit down with the award-winning director and producer Shaun Silva, who shares his extraordinary journey from Chowchilla, California, to the heights of the Nashville music scene. Hear Shaun recount the life-changing moment when Kenny Rogers personally called him to direct the hit music video for "The Greatest," which soared to number one on CMT and reshaped his career trajectory. Shaun also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how his vision, along with the support of CMT's Chris Parr, influenced the music industry.
Our conversation doesn't stop there. Shaun opens up about his deep-rooted connections in the country music world, including working with legends like Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flatts. Discover how a fateful helicopter crash during the filming of "There Goes My Life" became an unforgettable experience that marked Amber Heard's acting debut. Shaun shares the creative processes behind iconic videos like "Young" and "Take Me There," and offers personal anecdotes about the spontaneous and collaborative nature of these projects. From his wife Shannon Brown's influence to humorous tales about industry friendships, this episode is rich with engaging stories and insights.
Finally, we reflect on the profound impact and storytelling power of music videos, exploring the importance of authenticity and staying true to one's vision amidst external pressures. Shaun discusses the challenges and rewards of capturing uplifting community stories, the controversy of filming locations, and his passion projects like the documentary "Planting America" and the film "Ride." These endeavors showcase his dedication to honoring farmers, cowboy culture, and the independent film industry. Prepare for an episode filled with heartfelt anecdotes, industry insights, and inspiring stories of resilience and creativity.
What if a single phone call could change the course of your career? In this captivating episode, we sit down with the award-winning director and producer Shaun Silva, who shares his extraordinary journey from Chowchilla, California, to the heights of the Nashville music scene. Hear Shaun recount the life-changing moment when Kenny Rogers personally called him to direct the hit music video for "The Greatest," which soared to number one on CMT and reshaped his career trajectory. Shaun also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how his vision, along with the support of CMT's Chris Parr, influenced the music industry.
Our conversation doesn't stop there. Shaun opens up about his deep-rooted connections in the country music world, including working with legends like Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flatts. Discover how a fateful helicopter crash during the filming of "There Goes My Life" became an unforgettable experience that marked Amber Heard's acting debut. Shaun shares the creative processes behind iconic videos like "Young" and "Take Me There," and offers personal anecdotes about the spontaneous and collaborative nature of these projects. From his wife Shannon Brown's influence to humorous tales about industry friendships, this episode is rich with engaging stories and insights.
Finally, we reflect on the profound impact and storytelling power of music videos, exploring the importance of authenticity and staying true to one's vision amidst external pressures. Shaun discusses the challenges and rewards of capturing uplifting community stories, the controversy of filming locations, and his passion projects like the documentary "Planting America" and the film "Ride." These endeavors showcase his dedication to honoring farmers, cowboy culture, and the independent film industry. Prepare for an episode filled with heartfelt anecdotes, industry insights, and inspiring stories of resilience and creativity.
Take Me. There was the first video that I did with a helicopter after my helicopter crash, because it was a number one video on CMT. It was being requested at radio. I remember he turned to the AD and he goes he's looking at me. He's looking at me. What?
Speaker 2:All right, y'all, it's going to be a fun night. On the Try that podcast, we've got award-winning director, he's a producer and he's the pride of Chowchilla, california. What, what is that?
Speaker 3:Where is that? Hey, we did research.
Speaker 5:You're going way back. Oh yeah, when is Chowchilla? Where is that? We did research. You're going way back. Oh yeah, Where's Chachilla? Where is that?
Speaker 1:Chachilla is Central California, so it's in the San Joaquin Valley, so it's basically a farm community, although I will say this, it's interesting. Although I will say this, it's interesting, we just had this conversation recently because of our movie ride that we just made about a bull riding family. Chachilla was really in the San Joaquin Valley. Chachilla was really like a cowboy town it was, you know, it was farmers, of course, but we had what was called the Chachula Stampede and that was our big rodeo.
Speaker 1:So growing up I wanted to be a cowboy, you know, and because I would watch them stampede all these cattle down our main street, which was a really kind of a big, wide main street lined in palm trees in central California, and they would herd these cattle all the way through town and then over to the fairgrounds and then that would basically kick off the rodeo. For, you know, four or five days straight of, you know, legitimate rodeo, I mean, we had all the the best, some of the best ropers and riders and, you know, in in the in the world there we had world championship team ropers and yeah, people here's california oh, you're from california, think LA.
Speaker 2:They think that kind of stuff, but they don't realize the most part of California is a lot of that rural agricultural. We all got to know you as a video director, yep, and so when did you move to Nashville?
Speaker 1:Well, okay, so I was. I lived in LA for 10, 11 years learning the business and then late 90s started kind of you know, taking the you know faith of all. Right, this is really what I want to do. You know, I want to direct a producer, an assistant director, to some really you know, very talented directors, uh, both in commercials and in films, and um, you know. So I learned a lot. Um, I didn't go to film school, that was my film school and um, but I learned a lot, but I moved.
Speaker 1:I well, I did a video for Kenny Rogers, and what, which one I did, uh, the greatest, okay, so, about a little boy trying to hit a baseball, yeah, uh, same guy that wrote the gambler, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, and um, so, anyway, um, they had, they had a company in Los Angeles, uh, dream catcher entertainment, and it was Kenny's division, TV division, tv division, you know, for all of his movies and all the different things that he would do, um, in in in that aspect of the entertainment business. So I dropped my, my reel off over there. My brother had a country band, so I had a country music video on there. My dad sold, my dad sold, uh, ford trucks. So I I had a Ford commercial on there. Oh that's amazing. But it was like legit stuff, it was like national campaign kind of stuff, it wasn't like local car dealer stuff, you know. But yeah, and that got his attention, that got Kenny Rogers' attention and he got a phone call literally at home.
Speaker 1:Got a phone call one day when you in california when I was in california and he and he his assistant, called and said I've got mr rogers like to talk to you, and I thought my, it was my brother yeah, mr rogers, yeah, the neighborhood guy yeah, yeah, not the sweater guy which
Speaker 1:one which one this is important moment here uh sneakers no, but I knew that there was an outside chance that maybe you know I, because I had taken it to his, his company, and where I knew somebody that knew somebody there. So anyway it uh, yeah, it was him. He gets on the phone, he he's like man, I love your work and I'd like you to take a listen to this song and give us a concept, anyway. So yeah, we ended up making a video for him and it came out on CMT and in a few weeks it was a number one video and it was a really great moment and there's a chris park connection here. Uh, so um he uh. So it comes out, it's number one video and this was a song that radio would not play. Why is that? Do you know? It just wasn't a radio friendly song it just wasn't.
Speaker 1:It wasn't radio, you know, it wasn't like, I think at that time. You know, late 90s is pretty poppy kind of country, poppy stuff, you know, and uh, shania twain and you know all that stuff and and it just wasn't what they were used to playing at radio. Yeah, but because it was a number one video on cmt, it was being requested at radio. Boom, there you go. So they started playing it because of the video and you know so it was really the first real, uh, direct connection and opportunity for, uh, a guy like chris parr who at the time was the program director at CMT.
Speaker 1:He literally wrote me a letter and I told him I had this letter and I think he's forgotten that he wrote it, but I have it and it was from him and it just said hey, this is a great example and legitimizes basically what we do with music videos, because this song is now being played at radio and that's greatly due to the fact that this video has had so much success and that we've been playing it here. So it was huge, it was a huge opportunity and and actually the first like gold cassette and dvd plaque that I ever got was from kenny rogers and you know, amazing. I thought that was the greatest thing in the world, you know. So it is that's. That's amazing, you know? Yeah, I just came to town I was like, hey, I'm raising my hand and, well, literally went to the yellow pages at the Lowe's.
Speaker 4:Lowe's hotel and I was like production companies and for those of you who don't know, like, as a country music fan, if you're watching a Aldine video or a Chesney video, luke Bryan and countless more. I'm just going down the list. But Sean is the eyes and the concept and everything behind that which you know from us working with you and working with other directors before you. Nothing against them, but I don't think I think you captured us the best.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you I mean I really do. I mean well and I think you know you kind of touched on it is that I think sean gets it and he gets the artist perspective, and I'm going to get to this too. It's like you tend to understand what they want to say and like with kenny, for instance, you've done well. How many kenny videos have you done? Chest? Oh god, well too many to count right over 40. So to say you are a part of the branding would be an understatement. Yeah, um, so maybe say how you met kenny and how that that relationship got cultivated well, I met.
Speaker 1:So what happened was I had met kenny um, I had started dating shannon brown my wife and um, we were at an award show or something together and they were label mates. They were both on bna at that time. So, yeah, I did a treatment for him and he's like kenny loves it but he wants to talk to you. So he called me and he and he. He just said I love everything in here, but I want my band in it. He said my band and the energy of my band is really important to me. And I have heard those same comments from Jason. Of course, right, and we were talking about that earlier. But I think that Jason and Kenny both understand the power that comes from the right chemistry of the people, the band, the energy that comes from that band, I mean it just drives you. You know, as an artist, those guys are fueled by it and they do not take it lightly. And so that was the only change, but it was for Young and that was a. It was. That was. That was a. It was. That was lightning in a bottle, absolute lightning in a bottle.
Speaker 1:When that song came out and kenny had kind of transformed himself from, you know physically, he had started working out and he was really paying attention to, you know, that aspect of his career and he's such a driven guy. It was just, and that song was just, man, it just worked really well. And that video I remember getting phone calls from lots of artists I want Young, I want to do a video with you, man. I love this video, I want Young and I just didn't want to make the exact same thing that I had made. So I saw a lot of people copying us and I think Kenny's like dude, just when I find something that I like, I stick with it. My guy's been with me for a long time. He goes let's just keep pushing the envelope. He didn't want to just stay with Young either. That's the thing. He just wanted to evolve, constantly be evolving. But yeah, it's a long. I've been working with Kenny longer than anybody.
Speaker 2:You got a couple Kenny with Sean. You got a connection right, man, I was looking it up.
Speaker 6:Let's see Talking about the good songs. As Tully would say, All of the good songs.
Speaker 5:Earlier, earlier I go. Hey, man, I think you did like videos to six of my songs that were out and Tully interrupted.
Speaker 6:He goes. No, no, we're talking about the good ones. I don't think I said that, Did you just?
Speaker 3:hear that? Did you hear that? I don't think I said that, you said that.
Speaker 5:Yes, you did. So what I was like, I'll name it. You did video on banjo Rascal Flatts.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah yeah, I did a lot of stuff for Rascal Flatts, bobbed that head for Rascal Flatts Again tell me something.
Speaker 6:Good songs, Neil. Good songs, hey you looked at me weird.
Speaker 5:Hey, this is my segment. This is my segment.
Speaker 2:This is my segment. Get to my all-time favorite though.
Speaker 5:We had Changed. You did Changed, yeah, which is one of my favorite Rascal Flatts cuts. Take Me there.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 5:That one which we wrote with Kenny Chesney, me and Wendell Mobley. Okay, oh really, yep, that was actually Kenny's idea I got. I'll tell you the story behind that. That's like I was in bed one night. It was like 7.30, 7.45. Hold on, you were in bed at 3? Pretty late.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was.
Speaker 5:I was tired and I hear my phone buzzing on the nightstand and it says blocked call and there's only like three numbers, three or four numbers in my phone that come up blocked and I'm like you gotta answer it. So I answered it and it was Kenny. He goes. Hey man, I got an idea for a song I want you to write and he told me the first line take me there, there's a place in your heart. Nobody's been take me and I said we'll see you in the morning he said I was writing with wendell the next day.
Speaker 5:So we so me and wendell and kenny wrote that and flats wound up cutting it. There goes my life. Oh yeah, all time. Yeah, we got, there's a big story behind that one.
Speaker 1:Well getcha, oh, there is really. Yeah, I've told it before, but I'll tell it again. Yeah, let's hear it.
Speaker 5:No, I've never heard this so well.
Speaker 1:There is kind of a there goes my life and take me there. There's a little bit of a connection there. So take me. There was the first video, so Take Me. There was the first video that I did with a helicopter after my helicopter crash. For there Goes my Life.
Speaker 5:What? Yeah, I didn't know this. What Tell, please tell.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there Goes my Life. We crashed in a helicopter crash. We were that last shot. By the way, that's Amber Heard in that video. Is it really? Yeah, johnny Depp's ex-wife? Yeah, oh yeah, what.
Speaker 4:Interesting, I totally forgot about that.
Speaker 1:It was her first gig ever, first acting gig ever. That was Yep, oh my gosh, Holy cow.
Speaker 5:did you know that? I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:I had no idea. She's just a kid.
Speaker 2:Just a kid.
Speaker 1:So I forgot about the helicopter thing.
Speaker 1:She wasn't there for this particular shot because we had a stunt driver so driving the car. Because we're basically coming in the helicopter, we're supposed to drop in right behind the car and then, 75 miles an hour, we're following the car, two lane road and headed off to the West Coast. You see the sun is setting in the distance like this beautiful two lane shot. You know, rolling hills outside of Texas and beautiful. So when we had rehearsed it we because we went up and we did do it like a rehearsal kind of thing, but there was a section of power lines and the pilot was supposed to go past the power lines and then drop in behind the car. So again we had rehearsed it boom, boom, right Land, we're getting ready to go. Now the sun is right where we want it to be, so we're ready to go. We just sat there and waited for the sun. We're ready, sun's ready. Hey, here we go, get in. I'm walking to the helicopter. This is not make-believe. This is all true.
Speaker 1:My wife and my producer are sitting there and we're walking to the helicopter and my wife says there goes my life, there goes my everything. Oh, my gosh, jeez, that's where she's dead, because I'm walking the helicopter and I was just like, ah, I just like wave her off. I'm like, ah, don't worry, like that, you know. But she had a bad feeling the whole time, like the whole, like the 24 hours leading up to it. She just didn't feel good about it. She always says that now, but anyway, but I had done so much helicopter work at that point, I mean, it was like nothing for me so and I always felt like you know, if I'm gonna send my crew up, I'm gonna go up, you know. So anyway, so we go up and, circling around car lines, that takes off down the two lane road, we come in behind the, behind the car following, and then he drops in behind the car and I go, I'm looking, I've got the big monitor and we didn't have flat screens back then. You know it was a big tube monitor know wait 150
Speaker 1:things like big right, you know it's in my lap. I'm sitting there, I'm all buckled in. I got my my headset on my comms on. I'm looking at a thing and I go huh, where's those power lines? Because usually I would see them as we're going over them. Oh man.
Speaker 1:I go how does he know Where's those power lines? And I look up and they are right in front of us, oh my God. And I yell, I yell, I go cables Because the pilot doesn't see him. He's watching the monitor. What he was watching the monitor in front of him, the DP, the cinematographer, is right next to him and then he's like lining up in the monitor instead of watching his flight line and just forgot. But you did this, just forgot. You did a practice. Oh yeah, yeah, but he just forgot. Yeah, you know, Just forgot. You did a practice run. Oh yeah, yeah, right, but he just forgot. Yeah, you know, he just forgot. And so I yell cables and he looks up and he now I will say this, for the one thing he did may have done wrong.
Speaker 1:I'm going to say that he may have done wrong. He did wrong, sorry, he did a lot of things right because and he was a military pilot so, um he boom, he put that stick down, he went down to try and go under him and what happened is that they hit the rotors and ripped the rotors right off of the helicopter, which is, I find I find out later is a blessing. Yeah, because otherwise you hit and those rotors are just, they're flexing and spinning and you want those things away from you. So at that point, so I just feel this giant jolt where it just like, and it pulls those rotors off of the helicopter. We're going 75 miles an hour, which is a blessing because we're moving forward, and we're really only about 20 feet off of the ground because we're coming in behind this car, so we're not that high, but we're just going like a bandit this direction and no way to stay up in the air.
Speaker 1:So we hit the um, the road behind them and it literally was just like an explosion of fuel. That was all in the lines and everything just catching fire. And it just because our stunt driver she was just like I thought you were dead immediately because it looked like you guys blew up. Oh, in my rearview mirror, you know. But so what? We hit the ground, the skids do their job, they snap up and absorb a lot of it, but now we're just like a, we're just like a rock, just sliding, and it's probably 200 yards and then we go off the road. That's when it got hairy, because when we go off the road, then it's catching, it's not sliding anymore, it's catching, it's flipping and turning oh my god and
Speaker 1:then it and it, and at that point it was just like and for me I'm sitting there and I'm just waiting, like people like what were you thinking? What were you thinking, you know? And and honestly, it was like everything just kind of slowed down and I was just waiting. I was just waiting for that one last blow, like I just felt like there was something was gonna just hit me or do me and it's gonna be lights out. And it just didn't happen, just didn't come.
Speaker 1:But we so finally comes to a rest and then the pilot is first one out and he's just like we have fire, you got to get out, you got to get out. So if you see that picture, you can see where the grass all burned and everything right there. And then you know, so he opened the door which at that point felt like I was upside down, you know and climbed out and this, with all the noises and everything that was going on, I still really didn't know if I was even going to make it out of there. So I climb out, I run across the street and I'm literally hands over my head Like that's going to do something.
Speaker 1:Run across there. I turned back around and then it was just like this total out-of-body experience, like I just felt like I was just looking back down at myself. It's like a shock thing, you know. I'm just like right, whoa, what is going on. And then it was like I was definitely in in a, in a fog, because I remember, like, walking after I knew everybody was okay, I'm like, oh, my god, you know, and I started walking back in the the.
Speaker 1:That's when the stunt driver is like comes flying up and she's bawling and I was just like go back and tell Shannon and my producer, tell everybody back at base camp that we're okay. I assumed that they heard it. They were over the rise so they couldn't see it, but I assumed they had heard something. So she's like, okay, okay, she takes off along the trail of all the wreckage. And I was picking up like the like. Back then we shot on film and we had a super 35 millimeter camera that was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and the film was just the spool of film was just laid out along the road and I just remember picking pieces up. I'm just wandering around picking pieces up like dude, wandering around picking pieces up like just trying to get grounded again. But then Shannon came flying up and she was just in hysterics.
Speaker 3:I told you so. Yeah, I told you so, shannon. No, she was just so emotional, she was in hysterics.
Speaker 1:Are you okay? She just kept looking at me Are you okay, are you okay, are you okay? And I was like, yeah, I guess I am Holy cow, but yeah, it was life-changing for sure.
Speaker 2:Wow that'll do it. Yeah, that was 2003.
Speaker 6:But now you have a whole new story.
Speaker 5:Oh my God, I never knew that.
Speaker 1:So we went to the hospital all three of us had to be taken to the hospital and sitting there and I called Kenny, kenny wasn't there. We weren't shooting performance at this point Again, we had come back to do this. I called kenny and I said, hey, our helicopter crashed. He's like what? I go, dude, I was just in a helicopter crash. I bet everything's okay, like we're okay. And he's like did you get the shot?
Speaker 2:Hey, so I actually was going to ask that, but I thought I don't know if that's a good form or not. You said you were okay. You said you were okay.
Speaker 3:I knew he was joking at that point and he knew I was okay, but I started laughing. I was just like no, we did not get the shot. Like uh, no, we did not get the shot.
Speaker 4:I said we may. We may have got the shot, but it is destroyed with the camera and the film and it's a action movie, all that stuff did you get the shot so anyway, yeah, it sounds like something he would say right after that.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I don't know where you.
Speaker 4:That's amazing there, I don't know.
Speaker 1:That's why I was gonna I think the toughest part was getting on a plane flying home the next day. I was like, ah, I was in a daze, but I would say for probably, you know, I would say about three weeks I just kind of floated, I was in a you know, in a fog again, just kind of. And then it was suddenly, I remember one day I was just like dude, you survived. Let's go Celebrate that. Move on, let's go, amen, keep doing it, keep doing it. Get back up there, keep doing your thing and we're moving forward.
Speaker 6:It wasn't your time when you mentioned your wife Shannon Brown, who's an amazing singer. I met her, I think it was in 97, and I think she was on Arista Records. That's correct.
Speaker 6:They did a showcase and it was, uh, sheree austin you know clint daniel, oh yeah, brad paisley, and uh, they're, you know, you know trying to put everybody out and everything. And and these guys know, because I went to school with brad paisley, we get to be buddies and everything, and so I was curious and and just try to look up because I know you've worked with almost everybody have you done work with brad paisley and have you?
Speaker 1:actually haven't. I have met brad and over the years I mean I know brad, he knows who I am, but we've never worked together, um brad.
Speaker 6:So you dislike him? Then yeah, I don't care for him.
Speaker 1:I understand, go on I know him, I don't care for him. Okay, okay, no, this is.
Speaker 4:This is kato's segment.
Speaker 2:No, but uh no go on no it's just us, continue it's just us okay, no, brad, similarly to, uh, you know how I work with.
Speaker 1:You know certain artists just want to work with me and uh, he had that, um, you know, with peter zavadil. They did a lot of work together. Yeah, uh, back in the day. So you know, that was kind of I didn't. I didn't really, but I knew brad and brad and his dad and everybody were all always, uh, very nice and accommodating and and were great with shannon yeah because, like you said, they were label mates and they would go on radio tours and yeah, they're friends, going through all the all the same stuff and everything
Speaker 6:and like like you say, artists, they you know just with writers and and bandmates and everything else you know. And directors directors, you have friendships and relationships, so you kind of, if something's working, you just kind of stick there. That's right, you know yep, I think.
Speaker 1:So, you know, know, and I don't know. It's common, but less common, I think, these days. Yeah, you know, but well, the labels don't always love it. I'll be honest, the labels haven't always loved it. But what do they love? I don't know, it's a good question.
Speaker 5:I'll tell you what they love taking credit for everything we love our labels.
Speaker 2:Let's get to the juicy part. Are we going to edit that part?
Speaker 5:I don't know.
Speaker 6:Oh yeah, this may be a good time. We ask all of our guests to sign. It's just as simple and we'll fill it in later.
Speaker 3:You don't mind, just You'll fill it in later. If you don't mind, you'll fill in that. Yeah, just it's very efficient, we will edit it.
Speaker 2:Don't worry, it is very efficient, don't worry. Well, sean as you can tell by our lighting.
Speaker 3:This looks like the contract the helicopter pilot gave us.
Speaker 6:It's fine, it's just a simple release.
Speaker 3:It's just us, it's just us, it's just us. Hey, wait, here we go.
Speaker 2:That was easier than we thought it was gonna be. That's amazing. Hey well, let's jump into the uh, the aldine video. Oh no, should we yeah, which one. We can't not ask you well, you're right.
Speaker 1:Well, we were talking about earlier. I mean, it's like you know, you guys had this, this nice little song.
Speaker 5:You guys were kind of flying under the radar wasn't doing much with it yeah, and then all of a sudden, okay, so, but that was right, like for the first eight weeks it was, it was my understanding that you were supposed to do your research about the courthouse in columbia.
Speaker 4:Yeah, everything was going just fine until you decided to shoot a video in downtown columbia along with all the other videos that I have in downtown columbia, by the way yeah, when I we did it at night at least our part of it, uh yeah, and I remember pulling up and it looks so good you did it looked like it should. It was really. I mean, you did a great job with that and it was a. I remember when we were shooting that video in the middle of it and, like I said, you've always had a great eye for what we are or what I think we think we are.
Speaker 4:You know, um, I remember in the middle of that looking around thinking this is gonna look exactly like aldine envision it, because his vision and I know you know this was for the song and the video to come out together. That was always the original thought. Right, didn't end up happening, but probably for the better. What, looking back on it? But it represented the song so well. I remember when I looked at Kurt and I said this feels like something you know.
Speaker 2:So when he asked you to do the video, you guys obviously. Or did you talk about? Did he tell you what he was thinking, or did you tell him what you were thinking? How did the concept come up?
Speaker 1:Well, I think it was clear that he wanted to use real world imagery, right, right, stuff that was out there, because I think at that time especially, ah, man, there was just so much going on in the world right, and especially the, the big cities. You know, there was just a lot of things on in the world right, and especially the, the big cities. You know, there's just a lot of things happening in the big cities and and and I'm not listen, I'm bad things happen everywhere, right, okay, I'm from Chochilla. You know we are famous for, uh, a bus being abducted full of kids and buried alive, right, bad things happen everywhere. So, um, but um, I think in the cities it's, it's kind of it's harder to manage, just because of the scale, I mean, just because of the scale of it right, just because of the scale of it, right. And and I do think that when it comes to small towns, there is a, uh, a little more sense of community.
Speaker 1:You know, I I lived in LA for a long time and I'm not here to beat LA up or New York or any place like that, but I didn't really ever get to know my neighbors, you know, and I just think that in small towns, at least when I was a kid, and I know things have changed.
Speaker 1:I mean, you go back to Chowchill and it's a very different place than it once was. But, man, I knew everybody in that town and I think a lot of us grew up that way and I think that you know. I mean, that's why that song was in your heart and why it came out the way it came out, and I don't know, it was important to, it seemed important to Jason to stick to just what was really happening in the world and for us not to make something up. You know, and that was really important to me, even when, so to speak, the shit started hitting the fan. Um, it was like well, do we go back and, you know, recreate this or recreate that? And it's like, man, I don't know, because the concept was always to just not like who am I to say to recreate what I think is happening in the world when it's all right there?
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Speaker 5:Freedom is worth drinking too. That's what I wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask you, before you went further, what you thought Original glory Freedom is worth drinking too.
Speaker 6:Right.
Speaker 5:That's what I wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask you, before you go any further, what you thought, what was going through your head when you the first time you heard the song, the one that he wanted you to make a video.
Speaker 1:I mean, I just saw all the images that I was being faced with when I'd go home and watch the news on any channel yeah, it was just everywhere or on social media or whatever I mean it was. It was that. It was that right. I mean, I think we, I think that what was really interesting about the reaction to the video was that I always explain it like my career and what I do. I always explain it in a way that, like, I see music Right, so I hear, I listen to a song and I immediately see stories and I see things Right, and I didn't see anything that was make-believe when I listened to that song. I just saw what the state of the world, the state of our country, right, that's what I saw. And I can't help but be a little concerned not a little concerned, a lot concerned about what other people were seeing when they listen to the song, because I would hear people say, well, I'm listening to that lyric and I see this and I'm like, oh my god right yeah really how like?
Speaker 1:yeah, how did your mind interpret that Right? Like my mind didn't interpret that Right. And yet, you know, I think we all have the ability to to see music Right, like I do. I just make a career of it. But I it's concerning when you hear people um on tv that have a platform in which a lot of people are watching them and they're telling us what they see in their mind and it is so heart-wrenching and tragic and not at all what I saw.
Speaker 5:Yeah, well, because of what you did, and kurt and tully can tell you this, kayla wasn't at the house. They showed me the first rough cut and I was downstairs, my house, and I had one knee up I'll never forget it. I had one knee up on the arm of the couch and it started playing and I was stunned and I I got so emotional watching what you did. It was amazing what you did to that song. I mean, I don't know that I did it.
Speaker 3:No, no, no, I said he cried, just to see it visually.
Speaker 5:Yeah, it was just, it was, I was, I was just I didn't know, I was speechless.
Speaker 2:You 100 did it. Yeah, you did, and it it. It speaks to the power of videos and we've kind of lost this right, you know, and it's a world of lyric videos now, which is probably another subject, yeah, but, um, it's the power of what a music video can do, and that song did it, and we've we've talked about this. The song was just living on radio, it was doing fine and the video came out and the power that that had now, whether it was people hating on it or people saying oh my gosh no, we had to go into hiding because of him oh well, I mean that's
Speaker 6:along with all my staff well, but it was cool to kind of go back to the first video. Uh, I'm the greatestest, the Kenny Rogers one. You're talking about CMT. I went number one there and then radio played it.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 6:CMT can make good things happen when they play things and when they don't play things. So that helped a lot when they pulled it off. That helped a bunch too, because it fueled a lot of that stuff, because the people that were behind the song and behind Aldine and the video and everything else.
Speaker 2:Well, this started the press, for sure.
Speaker 6:They really started supporting even more.
Speaker 4:I think, sean, I think, without sorry to interrupt Good, I think, without realizing, I think you're one of the heroes behind the scene in this whole thing, because I think song comes out, like we talked about, and people are listening to it. It's connecting, I think, in a good way, uh, how people want to hear it. But when the, when you put it, when they put the video out, and your vision for, and you and jason, what you did together, I think it was hard for people to accept that was reality. Yeah, that wasn't scripted footage, it's a fact, that was real footage. And I think it's hard for people to say that's happening in our country or wherever they live.
Speaker 4:But you I'm not sure if you, if you made it out to a show last year on that tour I can't remember if you came out um, what that video did in the song together and what you did really brought together a fan base. I mean it was truly positive that whole summer. It was really, it was really fun to be out there and and you know, I think I don't underestimate the power of what, what that did. I think, I think, and it's it's something that we're all really proud of. I mean it's we know what was meant by it. We know you know, um, you can't control how people want to twist things. You know they're going to find a way if they want.
Speaker 1:Yeah no, you one thing, and I'll share this with you guys and honestly, I've had every news outlet in the country that probably some that I have wanted to be on, reaching out to me asking for quotes, asking for interviews and stuff, and I just ignored all of them because I just didn't believe that they would actually listen to me. Asking for quotes, asking for interviews and stuff, and I just ignored all of them because I just didn't believe that they would actually listen to me and hear what I had to say without manipulating it in some way, shape or form.
Speaker 1:So I just you know, I'm just not gonna say anything.
Speaker 2:That's kind of like with us too. I mean, we all got reached out to, uh, because of the song, and you know writers of the song, obviously, and it's like I can't even think of how many times we got asked by every network to to talk about it, but like, that's your point. But I will give you credit for this and we were kind of joking about the location thing and I know jason appreciates this. Um, when that was brought up and it was became a big deal oh my God, there was a lynching there and all that. You came out publicly and you got his back, you stepped out and I know that he appreciates this a lot. He said, hey, he didn't have a hand in this. Yeah, we picked this. Like you said, there's Hannah Montana videos there. We shot other music videos there. There's Christmas movies there, but I know that was a really stand-up thing he did and I know that he appreciated that.
Speaker 1:For sure going to be a quote, and I've said this to Jason. I said I didn't realize there was going to be a quote. I had a conversation with your publicist and then she did this and then she said can I put this out? They did ask my permission, can we put this out? And I said, okay, fine, because I just didn't. I wasn't going to say anything, but I did tell her. I said this is, this was not. This is 10 minutes from his house. This was a decision that we made.
Speaker 1:Geographically so I gotta stop you and, quite frankly, is a beautiful location and I'm so sorry that that history exists. I'm so sorry that that exists 100, I'm so sorry that exists anywhere in this country or anywhere in the world. It, it shouldn't and and I'm sad that it does. But that had nothing to do. Nor I mean the thought that somebody would I know that you would intentionally do something like that and for people to say for people to say they knew exactly what no, that's disturbing, but I did not.
Speaker 1:I didn't, of course, I did not know that, you know. And it and again, that town has been so accommodating to so many productions in nashville and it's a beautiful town. Yeah, and you know they, you know I mean, you know they probably can't help the history either.
Speaker 2:I know, you know what I mean aldine was on here, people there, he was on here and he was like, let me tell you, it was convenient, it's 10 minutes from my house and I think he was leaving at like four in the morning or something.
Speaker 1:You were going somewhere, yeah yeah, but, um, there were one other thing I wanted to say too about that. When we're talking about the concept of of the video, I always felt really strongly about, uh, leaving the whole thing on a very positive note, and we were unable to do that for unknown reasons. I can't tell you why or what. I have no idea the decision making that goes into whatever. I have no idea the decision-making that goes into whatever, but the concept was to leave this video to make a turn to some very positive stories that existed within the press, within media, right.
Speaker 1:So, same place that you have some really hard things to see and watch, there are these really wonderful stories that are revealed that really had to do about communities coming together neighbor helping neighbor, you know, farmer on tough times and everybody harvesting his crops while he's, you know, farmer on tough times and everybody harvesting their, his, his crops while he's, you know, dealing with cancer or dealing with it. We had some wonderful stories in there, but and the local news organizations that we got those from were unallowed to release the footage to us because of the corporate structure that they were under, whatever they be, I don't know, but every local news organization is typically under the thumb of some other big corporation. So some of them, or most of them, were asked us to take it out Too positive.
Speaker 1:Interesting take it out too positive, interesting. Well, they didn't want listen, they didn't want to be associated. Yeah, they didn't want to be associated with it, but what they didn't understand is that they were, they were just just leaving us in, they weren't letting us finish this on a on a really positive note, that you know we, you know we should all we're at our best when we all come together and when we look out for one another. Right, that's when we are at our best, that's when we are, uh, the united states of america, right, when we unite um and um. That was unfortunate. Well, that was, that was a bummer to me.
Speaker 1:That actually hurt me because all of a sudden. I'm like man, you guys, for me I always want to leave people in the most positive place I can, with a story that we tell Anyway that's that there was some controversy or some big takes in it, but really it's a positive message, right.
Speaker 2:It's looking out for your neighbor. It's it's sense of community. So I know that that's why that was important to get that part in there to you.
Speaker 1:It's always important. Yeah, I mean, for me it's like I always want people to be moved um by the work that I do and moved positively, right, you know? So I think that's yeah, you're just not trying to move the needle.
Speaker 2:No matter which way it goes, you want to fix it and listen.
Speaker 1:there are videos and there are videos that get made just to cause controversy. This wasn't one of them. Yeah, that was never the intention.
Speaker 1:That's great, it wasn't set out to be like you know, it just wasn't. Yeah, you know what I mean. So I mean, there are those videos that people make that go okay. Well, we're going to, you know, we're going to show, you know, spousal abuse and we're gonna really push it. You know what I mean? Yeah, and people will, and they'll do that. Or we're gonna put somebody, an actor, in the back of a car and then we're gonna, you know, light it on fire and the car is gonna blow up you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:They're trying to be right.
Speaker 1:But first of all, we weren't going to create anything. We were only going to use what existed in the world. And that's why, even the positive stories, we weren't going to go reproduce them. Yeah, it was discouraging that we couldn't find more positive stories. What a great statement. It was really hard.
Speaker 2:And that's Dude, that's moving.
Speaker 4:That is moving and I think that that's. We've done a lot of podcasts so far and that was an incredible way to put that Like. That sums up everything that we're talking about in this podcast. That is disappointing.
Speaker 1:It's disappointing because there's so much out there that's, it's just, uh, stuff that I, I wish you know, my kids didn't see. You know things like that, and but um, it just seems to be readily available out there and and that, for whatever reason, wasn't hard to license. But boy, the positive stories sure were Wow.
Speaker 5:That's amazing, that's.
Speaker 4:That's hard to hear.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is, it's the truth. Hey, so you know before, or you got something Kalo. Well, I know you have something great, I know that Neil wanted to get to.
Speaker 6:He had a question about you know before, are you got something, kayla? Well, I know, go ahead, you have something great. I know that neil wanted to get to. He had a question about you know, obviously, how easy it is to get you know, a superstar like jason aldean to look right on camera and look good and film.
Speaker 6:He just shows up and and kind of just to say look great, here we go you know, neil was wondering, like you know, for for curtain telly like how long does it take you to make them look good? And I thought that was an interesting topic, and do you do special camera things, filters?
Speaker 3:a lot of filters Okay.
Speaker 1:They look good. We usually just use the whole.
Speaker 3:You know the Insta filters you know the real cheap stuff.
Speaker 1:You know the real cheap stuff, know the real cheap stuff. Just the mat just flattens them all out, that's that's what we need them 100.
Speaker 4:I will say sean takes it easy on us. The older we get um, you know, when it comes time for the uh, for the band shots, uh and those always. Those always happen after jason's done.
Speaker 3:Of course.
Speaker 2:Get the artist out.
Speaker 4:Yeah, jason is his, and then band shots and you know.
Speaker 2:There's two things that Aldine loves about Silva. Well, actually way more, but you know we're talking about directing. He gets him right, he gets Jason, he knows how to film him and he's quick. He knows what you want to get and you get it Like some shoot we. He's quick, he knows what you want to get and you get it like some shoot. We've been on videos dude, where it's 10 hour shots like of the band, like what are you doing? Why are we here, sean man?
Speaker 4:he, he knows what he wants, he gets it, we're done yeah I remember after one video we we had shot oh my god, we it was through. The night started in the evening, bro. We had to drive to texas the next day. We were there all night and the sun's coming up and aldine comes up, he goes.
Speaker 2:This is the last time you'll see this director, which we won't name the song name the song or the name, but it was the last time but if you see the sun creeping up on a band shot, you'll know which one is no yeah no, I know who it is yeah, sean sean knows how to get what we need.
Speaker 4:He's getting like one of three poses from each of us and, yeah, we all have our power and you got a great. You got a great team too. Those guys are are total pros and great 100. But you got what was the michael jackson thing? Oh so, we were talking off camera a little bit. We do need to know this story. Yeah, those guys are total pros and great 100%.
Speaker 5:What was the Michael Jackson thing?
Speaker 2:Oh, so we were talking off camera a little bit. We do need to know this story.
Speaker 1:Well, you guys said don't look at Silva in the eyes, don't make eye contact.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, Well, Caleb made that mistake earlier. I said Caleb, don't look at Sean in the eye. This is not good for you, yeah no, Right away I looked down you, yeah, no, I, I got right away.
Speaker 6:I got.
Speaker 1:I looked down, I looked. You'll get no filters on you.
Speaker 1:This, by the way, joking, but I know I worked on a michael jackson video back in the day when I was in la and which one which one, which one which one it was one with the um, it was actually the one with his uh when he married elvis's, oh, with lisa, lisa, oh, yeah, yeah, I remember that video where they were in the theater yeah, oh, it was the theater, I think palladium or something. Uh, in the theater, anyway, ralph sunset and uh, no, I mean it like legit, like don't, don't look at him, really, yeah, don't, don't look at him was it a like a weird phobia thing?
Speaker 2:he had.
Speaker 1:There was a. But there was was a guy that he was on set and I remember he turned to the AD and he goes. He's looking at me, he's looking at me.
Speaker 3:And I was like, what I was like, oh my God, I was like wow he really doesn't want people and, by the way, I love Michael Jackson.
Speaker 1:But that's an amazing story. I was thrilled to death to be there. It was amazing as an artist you were looking at him? No, it wasn't me but I just heard it, I heard him he's looking at me.
Speaker 2:No, it wasn't me. Oh, okay, but I just heard it.
Speaker 1:I heard him. He's looking at me. He's looking at me. I was just like Did that dude get fired? No, I just told him, don't look at him.
Speaker 4:I had that happen one time, and of all the cool people we've ever met in our life, mm-hmm. Yeah, it happened to me in like 2002 or something, at the Wild Horse Saloon. Oh, it's funny you said that I was going to bring this up Of all people, brian Setzer yeah, look, I appreciate Brian Setzer, but I could care less. I mean, I was at that point. Well, he's not watching this podcast.
Speaker 4:And if he was, I still could care less, but we're at the Wild Horse and I was with this band. We've been out in Texas for like two months.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:You know and crawled back into Nashville I hadn't slept in days and I'm standing in the hallway and this guy comes over and goes Brian's coming through, brian, okay, mr Setzer, they told me. And he, you know, came through and everybody looked down and wow, yeah, I can't remember that show.
Speaker 2:Hey, real quick, I actually just remembered this. Do you remember the first video that sean directed of us? Oh, I do you do? Well, I think just is it it? The one I'm thinking of. It was in 2004. I can't be your friend, rushlow. I don't even know if you remember this. Oh, I do remember this.
Speaker 4:And, oddly enough, another Chris Parr connection, because that was a song that did get played on radio that Chris Parr wouldn't play.
Speaker 5:Now y'all brought up Chris Parr's name twice now.
Speaker 4:Oh, we love Chris.
Speaker 5:Parr, you got to tell everybody.
Speaker 2:We do. Chris Parr is manager for yeah, he's manager for Jason Aldean and McLaren Spalding and he's been great friends to us.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, amazing, great guy, but yeah, that was the band Rush Low. Rush Low, I Can't Be your Friend.
Speaker 1:That was our only Was that hit in the. It was in the. Lyric Street building or Lyric Street building the oldest level. It's still there. That building's still there. I know Remember that was like the modern building in Nashville yeah, Back in the day. Now it's like nothing compared to what's in Nashville.
Speaker 4:That's a great memory, though that was a big deal for us.
Speaker 1:It was a huge deal for us. It was a huge deal for us, yeah but probably.
Speaker 4:But yeah, sounds like the video didn't do great.
Speaker 2:I think it did fine. Well, the band didn't do great actually did you guys ever play with shannon? No, no I don't think so did we I've written with shannon.
Speaker 5:It was way back in the day, but I haven't no, yeah, man it's.
Speaker 1:It's weird. It's like all of these female artists from back in the day coming out. I'm like Shannon.
Speaker 3:Yeah, dust off the leather pants, man, let's go, it's time.
Speaker 2:I mean Cornfields.
Speaker 1:Let's go Cornfield let's go, oh my.
Speaker 3:God.
Speaker 1:I mean, we got the documentary Planning America.
Speaker 2:Hey, real quick touch on that, because this you were telling tommy and I about this and I think this is going to be awesome. Just real quickly tell people what this is about uh.
Speaker 1:So it um, it's a documentary that we're making called planting america, and it's basically just giving farmers a voice. Uh, there's so much negative, um kind of perspective or negative kind of stories uh, about farming and what farmers do. And you know, the technology uh is advancing so rapidly, um, and you know, I, I, just we, we had an opportunity go out and again it kind of close to my heart. Well, not kind of like very close to my heart, because you know, a lot of my friends are still in the San Joaquin Valley farming, that's. You know, it's like the bread basket of you know of, or the fruit basket bed bread basket of of the country.
Speaker 1:So much of our produce comes from central california.
Speaker 1:It's unbelievable, and in the movie we talk a lot about that. You know the different regions and who grows what and why, and so we just literally took a chair around the country and let them sit in it and just let them kind of have a voice and it, you know they were, they were happy to do it, because one thing we realized is and some of them say this is that you know, we're not a real vocal group. We just kind of stick to our job and do our job and we're busy, you know, and we're so we're not out there really kind of campaigning for ourselves. Yeah, they're not on instagram, uh yeah, but the reality is that, um, we need food, you know, and they're out there, you know, growing it for us and I think we it's really important to this country that, um, that we continue, continue to be the top producers in the world, because we don't want to let go of that, because there's a lot of power in that, and we don't want that power going to the wrong people. 100%.
Speaker 2:Well said you wanted to be a cowboy. I think that's incredibly interesting, and you did talk about your movie, which I think maybe we'll just jump right into it.
Speaker 1:The name of the movie is ride it is, and give us, give us a little synopsis of it so basically it's set in stevensville, uh, texas, which is like cowboy towns, like where all the cowboys you know live, because it was central to uh kind of the rodeo circuit in texas.
Speaker 1:Um, but we, um I had, I had just finished dear rodeo, the documentary for cody johnson, and um, kind of back to what I was saying about wanting to grow up and be a cowboy. It was interesting when I wrote the narration for that film, um, which is, you know, essentially me writing words that then cody comes in and we work together on it, of course, but, um, you know, he comes in and then he speaks and then he, he uses his voice on it. You know he came back to me, he goes I don't like, how do you know how I feel about growing up, wanting to be a cowboy? How do you like, how did you write this? How did you know me so well? Like we just met, right, you know, and I'm like you think you're the only person that's ever wanted to be a cowboy.
Speaker 3:Right, you know what I mean it's like.
Speaker 1:No, it's like I relate to your story and if you look at the success that he's having, obviously there's a lot of people in the world that relate to his story. Oh, honey, right, as you can imagine, we have a lot of people come in our door and have projects. But that project caught the eye of Jake Allen and his brother, connor Allen, and they're from Texas and they grew up in the film business. Their dad was in the film business and they've been writing and directing movies since they were young they're younger than me movies since they were young. They're, they're, they're younger than me. Um, but, uh, you know, they, they saw Dear Rodeo and then they reached out to my cinematographer and said, hey, I, we have this bull riding film. Love the look of Dear Rodeo, would you be interested in being, you know, taking a look at the script. And he read the script and then they were gonna film in oklahoma and then they lost the um incentive, the film incentive there again, independent film, right, so we don't have a big budget. So, um, so he said, hey, uh, before we just call this film dead in the water, go talk to Sean Silva, like this is like spot on for what he loves and I think he could really get behind this and you guys just need to meet.
Speaker 1:So Connor and Jake came to Nashville, I sat down with them and but these guys I loved. These guys I loved, I mean immediately. I respected the fact that they were working in the industry, jake mostly as an actor, a working actor, and then Connor as a working director, for, you know, as contracted labor, I mean not just on their own projects, but in the off time they were developing scripts and developing stories and developing films and and having success with this kind of million to 4 million, million to 5 million kind of um, independent film space. Um, and I liked a couple of their movies that I watched and I thought they looked great, they weren't cheesy at all, they were well done so and I love the script.
Speaker 1:So you know, keith was right, my cinematographer is like man, this is going to be great, let's get behind this. And it was a great opportunity for me. You know, I want to direct a film. I've never directed a scripted film. I've done lots of documentaries, sports docs, music docs, I mean all kinds of documentaries right Over the years. But, um, I wanted to understand the independent film, scripted film space, and so for me it was really kind of a uh, learn how they're doing it, how they're getting things done, because, you know, I scratch my head. I'm like, how did they get that movie done? You know, and some of them I like, some of them I don't like, and I'm like how did they get that movie done? Right, how did they get the funding for that?
Speaker 1:You know, so I just wanted to experience it and see it for myself and we're learning a ton. But right now we're really learning because the film is just coming out and we're going to see, kind of, how the business side of it actually plays out. Because I do think that we have a good film and I think, jake, this was Jake's opportunity for his directorial debut. As I said, he was mainly an actor, but he acts in it, uh, so he was a writer, actor and director. So you know, you got to have a it's kind of grassroots right. You we have, uh, c thomasell, who is an amazing actor. He was Ponyboy in the Outsiders. I mean amazing actor, right, absolutely Hasn't done much recently, but in this film he's fantastic. We have Forrey Smith from Yellowstone, who plays Lloyd in Yellowstone. He's legit, right. Oh yeah, oh, my God.
Speaker 1:Yeah so that to me again kind of legitimized the film. And the interesting thing about C Thomas Howell is that when I was a young man growing up, a little boy growing up in Chachula and going to the Stampede, guess who was roping there as a young cowboy? No, kidding, really.
Speaker 2:C Thomas Howell, c Thomas Howe. C Thomas Howe was I didn't even know that he had that background 100%, he's a legit cowboy.
Speaker 1:Wow, legit, I mean, he's amazing. So yeah, when I was a kid, I remember going and people talking about oh, that's a kid, that's in that movie, that's a kid that's in this movie, you know. And I kid that's in that movie, that's a kid, that's in this movie, you know. And I remember watching just being like dude, oh my god, that is, that's that guy you know. And I told him that story and it was funny because you know, um, his dad was a stuntman. A lot of, a lot of, uh, cowboys in california become stuntmen in hollywood and um, so that's how he kind of got in into the film business, was his dad. But yeah, they were, they were cowboys, legit cowboys, um rodeo cowboys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, it's exciting, man. I think we're all excited to go see it, or, you know, stream it and watch it. It's gonna be exciting. This was great, great. Thank you, sean, yeah absolutely yeah, go see the movie. Ride, make sure you watch it yeah, rent it on apple.
Speaker 1:And uh, amazon prime. There you go and uh, yeah, some exciting stuff. Man, I'm really excited about you. Know the things that are going on? Uh, who would have thought that I'd still be making videos all these years later?
Speaker 2:hey and uh, you're good at what you do, brother, and telling stories.
Speaker 1:man Just love telling stories.
Speaker 5:Thank you for bringing our song to life Amen Absolutely. Thank you.
Speaker 4:Sean we appreciate you. My man Cheers, brother Cheers, thank you boys.
Speaker 2:Thank you guys. Hey guys, Thanks for listening. Don't forget to follow us on all the social platforms, at Try that Podcast and, of course, if you're watching on YouTube, make sure you like and subscribe and leave a comment. We love interacting with you, thanks.