The second interview in our focus on the members who make up RWF focuses on Nathan Foley. (Foley is pictured second from the left.)
What’s your educational background /or Film training?
Helping Travis Mills to make 52 Films in 2013 has been my film school thus far. I got involved soon after moving to Arizona from Chicago and I was just looking for any creative people that were serious about making art for art’s sake. Outside of a few goofy videos made with friends, I didn’t have much film experience to speak of, but I’ve been involved in music my whole life and I had a general knowledge of audio. So I started recording production audio for the short films and watched and learned.
We’ve heard first meets / impressions of Travis can be interesting… Tell us yours.
I found out about Running Wild on Craigslist of all places, so it was showing up to a strange address, meeting a lot of people for the first time, just trying to feel out the situation. Travis seemed to know what he was doing and was all business. I’ve heard a lot of crazy ideas in my time, but after that first night of shooting I knew this guy was for real and could pull this thing off.
What’s your first and / favorite film credit? What
My two favorite credits would be Director of “Mozart/Beethoven” and Producer of “Ranch Hands”. I spent two crazy weeks preparing and shooting two short films with my Running Wild partner-in-crime Christopher Murray. After six months of watching and learning from the breakneck production speed of Running Wild, it was fun and challenging to make our first films.
Was there a particular movie or artist that inspired you to become a filmmaker?
One of the first independent films that resonated with me was Clerks, which I saw when I was probably 13. Since then I’ve always loved Kevin Smith’s movies, and if you listen to him talk about filmmaking, he’s really this cheerleader to those who have the desire to create. Kind of like your stoner uncle who believes all your ideas are good ones.
How do you Run Wild?
I’m probably the most laid back guy at Running Wild, so that’s hard to say.
What do you do when not making films?
I play guitar in a band called Lawnchair. I actually tapped singer/songwriter Anthony Thraillkill for some music in “Mozart/Beethoven” after I saw his band play at Yucca Tap Room. I loved the songwriting and the arrangements. It reminded me of the music I would hear on MTV or even Nickelodeon shows in the early 90’s. I’ve joked that Lawnchair is the band that Pete and Pete would have formed if they grew up in the desert. Since that night, Anthony and I have struck up a great creative friendship and now I’m in the band!
Who is your biggest supporter?
My mom. Like most good mothers she always assured me that anything I wanted to accomplish I could do, even if it were a little outside the norm. I grew up in a very religious, sheltered community, and when most parents were trying to shield their kids from dangerous art (Heavy Metal and R-rated movies! What is this world coming to?) I didn’t really have those limitations. Anything that I wanted to expose myself to was pretty much open to me. That, coupled with her unquestioning belief in me, has always been a big support when I’ve been in a creative slump.
Where will you be in five years?
I’ve been trying to just roll with the punches and try out a lot of different things in my twenties. But now that I’m on the back end of that, in five years I just hope that I’m able to support myself making art. Whether it’s music or film or anything else that interests me.
What’s your most proud moment to date?
I’d have to say when my first short film premiered at a Running Wild event last fall. It was an incredible experience to show something like that to a group of peers.
How do you see your role with Running Wild Films?
I would definitely like to continue working with Travis and the whole crew. I’ve taken a bit of a break from the scene the last few months to focus on music and screenwriting. But I’ll be back soon with a few scripts to direct, and Running Wild would be a great home for them.
What projects are upcoming for you?
Lawnchair is currently recording it’s first album. Once it’s finished we will be announcing a CD release party. So stay tuned for that.
Who has been most influential in your career?
That’s hard to say since it’s really just starting. Obviously Travis has opened a lot of doors for me and made me realize the possibilities open to me in Arizona. I’ve had a year to sort of survey the landscape and now I’m really excited to be mixing it up with all of the creative people that live and create here.
