In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Laura Harper Lake and Sarah Wrightsman sit down with Jonathan Geddis of JG Film & Photo. Jonathan is a videographer, filmmaker, cinematographer, video producer, drone pilot, and [insert other words related to using a camera]! We met Jonathan last summer when he created a video about Creative Guts winning the Governor’s Arts Award! JG Film & Photo is a full-service production company specializing in video production, photography, and editing! Jonathan has a degree in filmmaking from Lakes Region Community College and years of experience working in television, feature films, short films, commercials, real estate, weddings, and more! In this episode, we’re going to cover everything from Jonathan’s early days and education, to his favorite movies (including underrated films and guilty pleasures), to controversial topics including AI, drones, TikTok, and copyright! Go check out Jonathan’s work online at www.JonathanGeddis.com, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jg_filmandphoto and Facebook at www.facebook.com/JG.Photo.FIlm. Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Be friends with us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CreativeGutsPodcast and Instagram at www.Instagram.com/CreativeGutsPodcast. A special thank you to Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter for providing a space where Creative Guts can record! This episode is sponsored in part by the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts. Thank you to our friends in Rochester for their support of the show. If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.
In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Laura Harper Lake and Sarah Wrightsman sit down with Jonathan Geddis of JG Film & Photo. Jonathan is a videographer, filmmaker, cinematographer, video producer, drone pilot, and [insert other words related to using a camera]! We met Jonathan last summer when he created a video about Creative Guts winning the Governor’s Arts Award!
JG Film & Photo is a full-service production company specializing in video production, photography, and editing! Jonathan has a degree in filmmaking from Lakes Region Community College and years of experience working in television, feature films, short films, commercials, real estate, weddings, and more! In this episode, we’re going to cover everything from Jonathan’s early days and education, to his favorite movies (including underrated films and guilty pleasures), to controversial topics including AI, drones, TikTok, and copyright!
Go check out Jonathan’s work online at www.JonathanGeddis.com, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jg_filmandphoto and Facebook at www.facebook.com/JG.Photo.FIlm.
Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Be friends with us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CreativeGutsPodcast and Instagram at www.Instagram.com/CreativeGutsPodcast.
A special thank you to Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter for providing a space where Creative Guts can record! This episode is sponsored in part by the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts. Thank you to our friends in Rochester for their support of the show.
If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.
[INTRODUCTION]
[00:00:00] LHL: I'm Laura Harper Lake.
[00:00:01] SW: And I'm Sarah Wrightsman.
[00:00:02] LHL & SW: And you're listening to Creative Guts.
[00:00:18] SW: Hello, listeners. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Creative Guts.
[00:00:21] LHL: On today's episode, we're talking with Jonathan Geddis, the creative behind JG Film & Photo, a full-service production company specializing in video production, photography, and editing throughout the New England area.
We first met Jonathan last summer when he was filming us for our spotlight for the 2023 Governor's Arts Award in Creative Communities. We had such a great time meeting, chatting with him, and seeing his process. We knew he had to come on the show.
[00:00:52] SW: We're super excited to get to know Jonathan. Even more so, let's get right into this episode of Creative Guts with Jonathan Geddis.
[INTERVIEW]
[00:01:02] LHL: Jonathan, thank you so much for being on the podcast.
[00:01:04] JG: Thank you for having me.
[00:01:05] LHL: We have known you for a while now because we had the honor of being filmed and edited by you last summer.
[00:01:12] JG: Yes. That was exciting. Oh, last summer already?
[00:01:15] SW: This is actually kind of weird.
[00:01:16] JG: Oh, my goodness.
[00:01:18] SW: You filmed and then edited us. And now we're going to record and then edit you.
[00:01:21] JG: Yes.
[00:01:22] LHL: How the turns have tabled.
[00:01:23] JG: Oh. I'm usually behind the scenes. That's my go-to place. This is new.
[00:01:28] SW: Has this never happened to us before?
[00:01:32] LHL: I don't think so. This might be a first.
[00:01:33] JG: It's first? Sweet. I like it. I love it.
[00:01:35] SW: I love it so much.
[00:01:38] LHL: For the listener that doesn't know you or know anything about you, will you introduce yourself and tell them a bit about you as a creative?
[00:01:46] JG: Yes. I am a videographer and also a photographer, on the side as a hobby. I've been doing film for more than a decade now. Holy cow. I just realized that. It started all back in 2012 right when I graduated high school. And, boy, that seems like a very long time ago now that I think about it. So, thank you for that. But, yeah, I've been in the film industry. I've done a lot of things related to film and photo. And I would love to talk about it with you guys today.
[00:02:21] LHL: Super excited.
[00:02:22] SW: Very neat. I have to admit, I struggle with all of the words around this specific medium. For example, through work, I work with a filmmaker/documentarian/producer, Jay Childs, who's here in Exeter. And I'm never really sure how to describe him. And so, same deal with you. Videographer, versus filmmaker, versus cinematographer, versus whatever.
[00:02:44] JG: Yeah. It is kind of hard to nitpick and as far as like details go. But, I mean, they're all relatively obviously within the art family. But they have different aspects. With a filmmaker, you might have more editorial skills, editing, and doing all that. I've done them all from being a cinematographer. Just being a cinematographer on set versus a filmmaker who's going out and doing short films for fun. And then being a video producer, which is my current role now. I'm producing. I'm editing. I'm doing it all.
I mean, there's different terms for different skills and job descriptions I guess sort of speak. But they're all relative within the film industry. And being a Creative is always fun for me. Whatever word you want to use I guess is right for me in the best terms of things.
[00:03:35] LHL: Great.
[00:03:35] SW: Do any of those words make you go like, "Oh, no. That's not me?"
[00:03:39] JG: Oh. There have been a couple. I mean, filmmaker, a little. Just because that was my – I feel like in my early years. It kind of takes me back to when I was a filmmaker doing all that. Becoming a videographer or video producer and all that. But, I mean, not really. Filmmaker was the only one. But I think that was just only because one person said it in a weird way and I was like, "Ooh, I don't like that." I think they were like, "You are a filmmaker." I was like, "Don't say that name."
[00:04:07] SW: That was like somebody called me a housing expert once and then sort of was like, "Ooh." Or maybe expert's not the right word. And I was like, "Oh, that made me feel weird."
[00:04:16] LHL: I take it back. You're not an expert.
[00:04:18] SW: No. I am.
[00:04:20] JG: That was a favorite good question by the way.
[00:04:22] SW: Thank you.
[00:04:27] LHL: Can we go back to the beginning when you dove into film?
[00:04:31] JG: Yes. My very early years, I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. I was actually supposed to go into college as a mechanical engineer. But it wasn't until the summer before I decided, "Nope. I want to change it." Because I had enough math. I was like, "I'm done with that." I had seven years of high school math because I went into high school – elementary, pre-algebra. All that kind of stuff. I did that when I was in middle school. They had like a prerequisite. You take math. If you pass in 8th grade, you're already taking high school math. I had the same teacher for seven years doing math. And I was like, "After that. I'm done. I am done, unfortunately."
Yeah. The summer before, I switched. And I already had colleges lined up and everything, and then I switched. And I went to Lakes Region Community College right in the heart of the Great Lakes and everything like that. Right next to Lake Winnipesaukee. And I just loved it. It was very tight-knit. It was a small class. We started out, I think there was like 10. And then we cut down by my senior year. Well, it was an associate's degree. But we cut it down. I think there was only four people left in the class. But it was like a family. And we just loved making films. We just loved doing everything.
It started really when I was a sophomore in high school. And then it just projected from there. My father helped me get a camera and a laptop. And back then, that's when the digital era was coming around. People were still doing film, but they had the mirrorless cameras coming out. And I was just literally right smack dab in the middle of it.
[00:06:10] SW: Cool.
[00:06:11] JG: And before, stuff now seems very easy to come to. Back then, it was like if you wanted to be in film, that was Hollywood. YouTube wasn't really a thing. Facebook didn't even have videos or anything like that in the early, early years. The only time you would see a video was going to the movie theaters, or seeing a VHS tape, or a DVD, or all that.
I mean, luckily, when I was born, I got to experience all that before. Now we're in the digital era. And back then, like I said, it was Hollywood. You had to make it or break it. And, luckily, in Franklin, New Hampshire, where grew up, a small town, there was a retired Hollywood director. And he did a couple of short things on the side. He did a couple of episodes of Tales from the Crypt. I don't know if you guys remember that.
[00:06:57] LHL: Yes.
[00:07:00] JG: Yep. He lived in Franklin. And I was like, "Huh." I kind of inspired him to be my hero, like a local hero. Right?
[00:07:07] LHL: Yeah.
[00:07:06] SW: I love that.
[00:07:08] JG: And then come in high school, he said he hated Hollywood. He said these long, long, long hours. You're doing 16-plus hours a day. And I was like, "I don't know if I want to do that." But I was young and I was like, "I don't care. I want to make it." You know? I want to go to Hollywood. And my parents were like, "Being in Hollywood, you're not going to make it. Do something else."
[00:07:30] LHL: Be realistic.
[00:07:31] JG: Be realistic. My whole family said that. And then now, look at me. Being as a video producer in this role and being able to be paid to do what I love to do as a child. It comes full circle. It's like, "Ha. I told you guys."
[00:07:51] LHL: I have a little bit of that too. My folks were like, "Go ahead. Do it. But, you know…”
[00:07:57] JG: Exactly. Yeah. Go ahead. We'll see what happens.
[00:07:58] LHL: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:07:59] JG: And you know, one thing led to another. And we can get into it. Yeah. It started in my sophomore year. My dad gave me a camera. There was a small film class in high school. With a bunch of my friends, we made a couple of YouTube videos back in the early days of YouTube. And then it just went from there.
I got into college. I got an associate's degree in film and technology was kind of like the role. And then I did real estate from there. And then from that, I did weddings, and music videos. I pretty much have done it all at this point.
[00:08:29] LHL: Yeah. I saw real estate, weddings, commercials, and then your own short films.
[00:08:35] JG: Yes. Own short films. I've directed. I've filmed. I've done everything humanly possible one person can do in the film industry within the span of a decade. Being an editor. Being the sound guy. Doing everything. I've done it all. I'm a jack of all trades I guess you can say.
[00:08:50] LHL: And a small business owner.
[00:08:51] JG: Yes. That is correct.
[00:08:52] LHL: Oh, God. Yeah, that's the worst part.
[00:08:55] SW: Yeah. We'll get to that nitty-gritty later.
[00:08:58] LHL: Sure.
[00:08:59] SW: Is the extent of your training or education an associate's degree? Because that's kind of amazing.
[00:09:03] JG: Yes. My friend actually went to Full Sail University at the same time I went to get just an associate's degree in film. And I had more opportunities to get on a spe – just any kind of set or go out and just do the film when he, unfortunately, had to read books and read the history about it. And then it wasn't until his junior, senior year, you're spending almost $100,000 for the entire college and then I'm already out there making the money and saving up and getting all this gear.
And it was just like at that point, it was like, "Whoa." College for what I did was like, "Was it worth it going to a high-paying school that have the name and that have the background? Or just a school to get out there and do what you want to do and experience that way?"
[00:09:52] LHL: That's amazing.
[00:09:53] SW: I hope that there are young people who are listening to Creative Guts in general and like paying attention to this that like, one, two years, way less money than going to – and there's no math classes. Right?
[00:10:05] JG: Correct. Yeah. I already surpassed my college credits for math not even getting into high school or getting into college.
[00:10:15] SW: Yeah. God, it's so cool.
[00:10:17] LHL: There's a quote I heard and I forget the woman's name who said it. But don't let someone else's definition of what great is define great for you. And I feel like when we talk about higher education, or trade schools, or not higher education and just diving right into a craft or a business, I think there's just the stigma that holds a lot of people to going down a certain path.
[00:10:42] SW: Yes. 100%. I got my associates degree out of high school. And I've always felt like there was a stigma around like, "Oh, it's just an associate's degree." But like it was hands down the best educational experience I've ever had in my entire life.
[00:10:53] JG: Oh, yeah. Hands-on. All hands-on.
[00:10:55] SW: Yes. All hands-on. Small class sizes. Very experiential. And I was out in the field, and putting stuff on my resume, and doing community-based projects, and meeting real actual people. Amazing.
[00:11:07] JG: I'll tell you a story. Freshman year, freshman going into my sophomore, I was like I'm very a driven guy. If I want to try something, I will do it. I will learn and do the research. If I try to buy a product off Amazon, it takes me days. Because I have to read the reviews. I have to make sure it's the best product.
[00:11:24] LHL: You're due diligence. Yes.
[00:11:25] JG: Yes. And my wife hates me about it. Because I'm like, "You send that to me, I will read the reviews."
Going into my sophomore year, kind of like senior year since this is associate's, there was a production company coming to Concord, New Hampshire to film a feature documentary.
[00:11:43] SW: Cool.
[00:11:43] JG: And I saw the ad on Craigslist. I said, "Hey, absolutely. I'm going to school for film. I would love to be a part of it." And I got the key PA role, which is the production assistant role, and I was basically the head of the land because they've never been to Concord. Little old Concord, New Hampshire. And they've never been there. And they're coming from New York. And they're like, "Hey, the first day, come on 7 am. We're going to have some guy drop off a couple of things." And I had no idea what to expect – I had no idea what the story was about. They were just like, "Yeah. Sure."
And the first day, they come by with like a full RV trailer. They were like, "Where do you want me to park this?" And it was just me and a couple of my classmates that got on board. And I was like, "I have no idea." I'm like 18, 19. I'm like, "Oh, what's going on?" Crazy stuff.
[00:12:36] LHL: Fake it till you make it.
[00:12:38] JG: Yeah. Pretty much. And so, yeah. I was like, "Park it right there." And then they had me doing all these crazy things. I'll tell you the story of the documentary. But they're like, "Hey, we need tables. We need folding chairs. We need everything." And they just just gave me a credit card. And they're like, "Go to the closest Walmart, or Home Depot, or whatever, and purchase whatever you needed." There was no budget. They said, "Go ahead. Purchase it."
And I think that weekend, I made over 20 trips to Walmart. And I kind of calculated. Back then, it was like over $20,000 just on a credit card. And they're like, "Yep. Okay. Thanks." And this, again, fake it till you make it kind of thing. And I'm like I had no idea. This was my first real production value. And it was close to a million-dollar documentary budget. And that at that time was pretty big. And the name of the film is God Knows Where I Am. And it finally came out a couple of years ago. And it got a lot of awards. It came actually back to Concord at the Red River Theater to be shown live during one of their film festivals. And it was just fun to see how everything came together. I think it was 3 weeks. I think it was almost a good three weeks of production. And it was during the middle of winter, by the way. I forgot to mention that. Freezing.
[00:13:56] SW: A whole another layer.
[00:13:57] JG: A whole another layer. And, boy, was that an experience. And just the story alone was crazy. And I'll try to tell you quickly. Because I know I'm a talker. The documentary was about a woman who was found passed away inside of an abandoned home by the homeowner. Because people, residents around were saying there's a woman inside your house. And every time he would go in, there would be nothing. There would be no one. She was living up in the attic above the attic ceiling with all the insulation keeping warm. And she was a patient at the mental hospital who just signed herself out. And the whole documentary was talking about how the system was kind of – it wasn't the best. Now I don't want to say corrupt because some people might say blah-blah-blah.
The woman signed herself out and then just walked endlessly. And the only reason that everyone – the whole production knew about this was because she left a diary. Day by day, she would write my prince charming is coming.
[00:14:59] LHL: Oh, God. It's sad.
[00:15:00] JG: And it was heartbreaking. And she lived off eating crab apples in the backyard. There was a tree. And she would go out and collect. And she wrote in the diary, "I went and collected 12 apples today." And there was one day where we actually went to a farm and we had to film that scene. And me and a couple of my classmates had to eat almost like 50 apples because they wanted to showcase it all just on the ground where her body had passed away.
[00:15:26] SW: Oh, my goodness.
[00:15:29] LHL: Wow. Yeah.
[00:15:28] JG: If you guys have time, definitely watch that. Because it hits home. It's like Concord, New Hampshire is not that far. And just living only like 20 minutes away was like, "Holy cow. I didn't even hear about this."
[00:15:40] LHL: Yeah.
[00:15:41] JG: But, yeah. She was found –
[00:15:43] SW: Yeah. This is really legit.
[00:15:43] JG: Oh, yeah. It's a legit thing. Her body was decomposing and everything. And there was a mark – when we were filming, you could see the mark on the floorboard where she passed away because it was decomposing and everything. And the house was completely abandoned. And that's how we filmed in it. We had to make sure everyone was safe. Because there was no running water. There was no heat. No electricity. They had to bring everything in to try to film this. And they brought her story to life. And I hope it goes even further than it has. And they've won a lot of awards.
The directors — they were nominated and then they won a couple of awards for our previous documentary that they did. And then that's how they got the budget for this one. Yeah. Like I said, I was young at that age. And I had no idea what I was getting into. And then this comes along.
[00:16:32] SW: Hey, there you are on IMDb.
[00:16:35] JG: Actually, I have a lot of credits on there. But I have to go back and check. I've done a lot of things.
[00:16:42] LHL: That's exciting. That's so wonderful. And with that project in mind, and then other things you've worked on, and your own projects, you have to switch directions so often. Not only in the skill that you're utilizing, but the content and the serious nature of that documentary must have been like a heavy kind of weight to feel. And then you're shooting a real estate commercial at some point. You're shooting a wedding at some point. And that's going to be joyful ideally. And then your own short films that you're involved with. Within the space that you work, what's it like switching from direction and from project to project, especially if you have multiple ones going on?
[00:17:21] JG: Oh, man. I mean, it's work but it's not work at the same time. It's something that I love. Hearing everybody's story, I think of myself as a book. Each chapter, I just write down what did I learn today. And this kind of thing. And that's kind of how I think about projects like that.
Back during the pandemic, I was working with a company and I was creating testimonials of individuals who went through – who had alcoholism and drug abuse. And their stories were really tough. They were saying, "At age 12, I was beaten by my parents." And later down the road, they were homeless at the age of 15. It's like that's so heartbreaking. And then I put it together in a story kind of like how I put your guys’ story into the video for the Governor Arts Award. And it's just like, after seeing everything, it's just like I take it all in. But then I appreciate the story itself. And I just relive that every time with the video.
[00:18:18] LHL: Wow.
[00:18:18] JG: I kind of empty it all out in the video, I guess sort to speak.
[00:18:21] LHL: Yeah. You're like absorbing it. But then you have your own closure within it, which I feel like must be a very good thing so that you're not carrying the weight of all of that ot the next project.
[00:18:31] JG: Correct. Yes.
[00:18:34] SW: Is there one area – what gives you the most sort of creative fulfillment?
[00:18:40] JG: Ooh, good question. I would say a short film. Just because you're able to write what you want to write and do what you want to do in a very creative way. I have a lot of freedom with the current position I'm in, and now, and the other positions I was in. But as far as a creative standpoint and bringing in your own skill sets, short films are definitely where I thrive just because I'm able to be like, "Okay. What's new out there on the technology? How can we make this even more useful and more creative?"
[00:18:40] LHL: And with a client's brief, there's going to be constraints. With your own short film, it's sort of like the sky is the limit. Or the budget is the limit maybe.
[00:19:21] JG: Yes. I wish. I wish. Right?
[00:19:24] LHL: But I can feel that too with filmmaking. I love making, just as a hobby, short little films. But then I have to make little films for my work here and there. Social media, marketing type things. And that gives me joy too. But it's not the same as just, "There's a blank page. Go fill it."
[00:19:40] JG: Yeah. And that kind of stuff, what I do, and what you guys do, and whatever some – at some point, it gets repetitive. But like in a short film, the sky is the limit. And you can do anything. It's so awesome.
[00:19:52] SW: Well, speaking of, we happen to have a short film festival coming up. And by the time this airs, the deadline to submit will have passed. But you can come and watch and buy your tickets.
[00:20:03] JG: Ooh. I might be there. I might be there.
[00:20:04] LHL: Yes. Yes. We hope that you will be. It's going to be on June 11th at Red River Theatres in Concord in the evening. About a three-hour event. And it's going to be pretty spectacular from New Hampshire Filmmakers and beyond.
[00:20:19] SW: Yay.
[00:20:21] LHL: Just snuck a little promo in there.
[00:20:23] SW: It's like we're talking about a short film.
[00:20:26] LHL: Yeah. Well, I'd like to chat about collaboration since that is often a big part of making films. Sometimes you're a one-person shop. But then other times you've obviously worked on lots of sets. How do you collaborate with others? What does it look like? What are the great parts about it? The challenges? That kind of thing.
[00:20:46] JG: Yeah. I mean, growing up, I've always had like a tight-knit group of friends who all loved filmmaking in general. I guess coming up from there, it was easier to reach out to people in the industry. But you never know who's around the corner. And I didn't realize that until I really got into the film industry. Because I felt like everyone knew everyone. They were like, "Hey, I worked with so and so." And you were like, "Really? I just did a short film with them." And it's fun. And it's exhilarating.
I did a production doing a short film with just a group of my friends and maybe five people. And then I worked with a couple of people who I directed. It was more of like almost up to like 25, or 30 people. And that could get scary. But it's all fun. And I think just because the way I think in that creative mindset it makes everyone very excited to work with me. And I'm like, "Hey, what about if we do this and this?" Because I'm a very – I love to think while I'm an ahead type of thing. Even now with this podcast, I'm thinking you should cut that out. Because that was boring. I'm editing myself.
Any kind of production that I'm in, I'm always already thinking about how it's going to be edited down. And I guess that's kind of why I love to edit because I already know what the project's about and I kind of see what I want to do. And the people I want to bring on and how they can help me achieve that goal.
I work with people who I love to keep in contact with regardless even after the project and just keep a family of friends and creatives who love doing any type of video production regardless.
[00:22:24] LHL: I love that.
[00:22:25] SW: It's really nice.
[00:22:26] LHL: Yeah.
[00:22:27] SW: I looked up if Lakes Region Community College still has a film program. Because I wanted to know if you'd go back and talk to your alma mater. But it doesn't look like they do.
[00:22:35] JG: No. Right after I graduated, my brother was going there. We're about 5 years apart. And I think shortly after he left, that's when they stopped. And I think a lot of people – I reached out to try to sign a petition. Because I loved it. A lot of people love it. But I feel like that's one of the things you don't want to get rid of because that brings a lot of revenue and a lot of people to the college itself. Yeah, I don't think they've brought it back. I think they did bring back finally kind of like Photoshop classes and photography. I know that's kind of their big thing. But video was kind of like on their side.
[00:23:12] SW: That's so sad.
[00:23:13] LHL: Which is amazing. Because it's so booming now.
[00:23:15] JG: It is. It is. You would think so.
[00:23:16] LHL: Everyone's got editing apps on their phone.
[00:23:20] SW: Yeah. My associate's degree program is also closed. And UNH has gutted all their associate's degree programs. And your college is closed too.
[00:23:27] LHL: My college is totally closed.
[00:23:30] JG: Oh, no.
[00:23:32] LHL: Yeah. The leftovers.
[00:23:33] JG: Does that mean the associate's degree still counts? How does that work?
[00:23:39] LHL: Yeah. It does. I got a BA in studio art.
[00:23:44] SW: How do they verify it?
[00:23:45] LHL: It goes – I know. Because I know where to get my transcripts. It goes to the Department of Education in New Hampshire, I believe. When it closed, I got a couple of transcripts signed and sealed. And I just put it in my lockbox. And I have it in case I ever need it. But you can go to the Department of Ed, basically. And you have to fill out a bunch of stuff.
[00:24:05] SW: Nobody's ever asked me for any of my transcripts.
[00:24:07] LHL: Yeah. I've never been asked once in my life.
[00:24:09] JG: Yeah, I just show them my website. I'm like, "Here you go. That's my portfolio." Transcripts are obsolete, I feel like.
[00:24:18] LHL: Yeah. It feels like that's maybe just something we were used to from back then.
[00:24:21] JG: Fun fact. I did go back to college to officially get a bachelor's degree. But it was in graphic design.
[00:24:27] SW: Okay. Cool.
[00:24:29] JG: They kind of go hand-in-hand. Because like 2D animation, 3D animation, all that kind of stuff. And before – my current job now, before that, when I was applying, just to kind of go up from – I want to go up in my career. I want to see – keep going. Keep going. A lot of people didn't even want to open my resume. I mean, now it's kind of automated. But if you didn't have a bachelor's degree, they were like, "Nope. No. Thank you."
And I was like I have over 10 years of experience. You would hire someone new straight out of any other college who was on TikTok or whatever and then not even look at me? That's why I went back and I got a Bachelor's. And that's kind of also now why I got this new job. It's just like why?
[00:25:10] LHL: I feel I'm noticing – because my husband was job searching recently. I was looking on Indeed with him. And it seems like I'm noticing, at least in the tech field, that he's in a lot more of like this degree or equivalent experience. I see that way more now. I think that's a wonderful way to be more accessible. And so, hopefully, that trend continues. And that may be a more holistic approach to judging a person besides just arbitrary background. Yeah.
[00:25:37] JG: Yeah. Or take the time. If they submitted it, now it's all automated. It's like who am I submitting it to? A computer?
[00:25:44 LHL: Yeah. Absolutely. Well, speaking of computers, and AI, and all that stuff, we have another question. What do you wish people understood more about – well, we're going to talk about AI. Specifically, generative AI. I think copyright and other sorts of confusing and/or controversial issues. As I certainly have my opinions, I'm interested to hear yours.
[00:26:08] JG: When they first introduced AI, and I feel like it's growing rapidly to a point where I feel like the laws are not going to catch up in time. People are already making money off AI. And it's crazy. TikTok especially. And as a filmmaker and as someone who creates everything from scratch sort to speak, it's nerve-wracking. But at the same time, in scenarios, it could also be an asset.
For example, I recently just had a create a photo where a friend of my wife's, their father-in-law passed away and they wanted a photo within the photo of the mother-in-law holding the grandchild. And, thank goodness, for AI generative fill in for Photoshop, that I think is the best scenario so to speak to utilize AI as a tool. Because there's no way I was going to create half of the body sitting in a chair next to them. I mean, I could try for hours, and hours, and hours. But, I mean, stuff like that.
If it's for more commercial use, I definitely see that there's potential for legalities. It has to be unique. It has to be your own taste. But, also, do it by the book. And, hopefully, there's no huge fine at the end of the day.
[00:27:27] LHL: Yeah. I definitely think that law hasn't been able to catch up to it yet.
[00:27:32] JG: Just like drones. I'm a certified drone pilot. I have my license and everything. At the beginning of drones, they were like, "How are we going to regulate this?" They took forever. And they're finally at the point where they're stopping people from being able to fly anywhere they want. But for years, I was able to like, "Oh –"
[00:27:50] LHL: Yeah. It's been a long time since they've been out.
[00:27:51] JG: Exactly. Yep. Flying, you would just get a notification, "You're flying in a certified army airspace." Right? You have to go by the rules. I mean, they were setting limits within the settings. But people were bypassing that and flying higher than they normally should. And the FAA finally passed a lot of rules. And I think by this May, they're finally going to set it so all aircraft is now going to be surveillance under the FAA if they're in restricted airspace. So, they're going to know who you are. Where you're flying. All that kind of stuff. It's kind of scary. But I definitely think it's needed considering those small groups of people who didn't obey the laws or the rules and just made it worse for everyone. I mean, that kind of goes into how the law is going to be. It's going to take a while to catch up to how fast this AI generation is coming.
[00:28:42] LHL: Do you think it'll catch up before we get to the Matrix phase of our existence in humanity? Because have you seen some of the things –
[00:28:46] JG: I hope so. Yes. There are too many deep fake things out there that are causing a lot of people to go crazy. I hope they're able to do something or restrict them to some type of –
[00:29:00] LHL: And, I mean, the prejudice and bias within generative models is there. There's a consideration. The copyright infringement of how these models have been trained is there. And then, also, what's produced? And a machine-produced thing can't be copyrighted. So, what –
[00:29:18] JG: Correct. What are you copyrighting?
[00:29:22] LHL: Right. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, it feels a little Black Mirror, Twilight-zony sometimes.
[00:29:27] JG: It does. And what they're saying is, from my understanding of what I hear in the news, if you're uploading to a site, it might be for Facebook, they have the potential use to be using your photo because you uploaded it and you already agreed by the rules.
[00:29:40] LHL: You agreed. Yeah.
[00:29:42] JG: It kind of goes hand-in-hand. Yes, it's right. But, no, it's wrong. And it's just going to go back and forth. Politics, which – yeah.
[00:29:48] LHL: Yeah. It feels too big of a mess to really clear it out, you know? Real fun vibes.
[00:29:55] SW: I know. Well, and it's interesting. Something you're saying is making me think about like TikTok, for example. Just thousands of like clips of songs. But does the artist of that song make any money off of the fact that their song is being used for TikTok? Do they?
[00:30:11] LHL: There are licensing agreements. Recently, whatever company it was that held a bunch did not –
[00:30:17] JG: Oh, there's a bunch now. But, yes.
[00:30:18] LHL: Well, there was a big one about a couple of weeks ago where they didn't come to a re-agreement with TikTok. And so, all the artists' music was gone. Just wiped off the app.
[00:30:30] SW: Oh, my God.
[00:30:30] JG: Yeah. The videos are still up. But they're just mute.
[00:30:33] SW: There's no sound.
[00:30:35] LHL: And so, for like a couple – at least a week, every video almost was quiet, and going forward it was. And I noticed it before I heard the news of that. And it felt kind of – it was so weird. It was like, "Oh."
[00:30:47] JG: But then I saw videos where people were having audio and they were just – instead of having it embedded within the software, they were just playing it on a speaker. Now they're going to try to catch it during that kind of upload process. But then you have a whole other ball game.
[00:31:01] LHL: Then you have people that are just humming it. [Singing — inaudible 00:31:05]. You know?
[00:31:07] SW: Oh, my goodness.
[00:31:08] JG: Which then they could use because that's a cover of something.
[00:31:12] LHL: Yeah.
[00:31:12] JG: The whole genre of music and the whole copyright, that's like – you're never going to find an answer. Truly, that will be descriptive enough for anyone to be, "Okay. That's fine."
[00:31:25] LHL: And it's music. And it's film. And it's art. And it's poems, and stories, and every – you know, it's just –
[00:31:30] JG: Yep. And then that's when they started to do all these subscription websites to stock footage or stock music because of just the amount of people who were stealing. And now they're like, "Hey, we can make money. Let's have them pay 15 bucks a month and they can do whatever they want."
[00:31:46] SW: Yeah.
[00:31:46] LHL: There are a couple of free ones though. I really like Unsplash and Pexels a lot. I use those as everyone does. I see an Unsplash photo, and I'm like, "Ah. You too."
[00:31:56] SW: There's one specific Unsplashed photo that I see everywhere. I'm like, "My gosh."
[00:32:00] LHL : Probably first hit for like laptop or something. Yeah.
[00:32:02] SW: It's a house. But, yeah.
[00:32:04] LHL: There you go. What do you wish people understood better about being a filmmaker?
[00:32:14] JG: How long does it take to do a certain project? I mean, people expect that – nowadays with TikTok being so quick and attention spans are like 3 seconds long, they expect, "Hey, you can create a short 15-minute film within a week or so." No. I mean, sure, it's not going to be good. But even now, working with corporate and all that, they expect, "Hey, we got a week. We got to get all these things done." You're like, "How?"
It's always that. Always the biggest thing to me is it's an art. You know, art takes time. If you want it to be done right or done creatively and have the person doing it love it and share it, give them time. Be patient. Let them express what they want to do and tell the story.
[00:33:01] LHL: Yeah. I feel like when you're a creative that's hired for the purpose, especially of branding or something like that, it really is a collaboration between the client's vision. But then you really have to trust the professional that's making that vision come to life with their experience, and knowledge, and what they works to tell a story. That's a big one.
[00:33:23] JG: It is.
[00:33:23] SW: It definitely is. What are the challenges that you deal with maybe as a filmmaker or perhaps as a small business owner?
[00:33:30] JG: Managing time. Really. Again, it kind of goes back and forth. But dealing with clients. Thankfully, I've hadn't had that many clients that were too hard to work with. I mean, I had my fair share here and there. But I dealt with it like a real human being should be. Like, "Okay. Sure. I can do that."
[00:33:47] SW: Client work is tough.
[00:33:48] JG: It is. It is. That's kind of why I kind of, during the pandemic, was slowly integrating into the corporate world. Let alone a steady paycheck. But just dealing with clients in general. I'll do it here and there, on the side. But trying to find the work and then deal with the clients. And you never know. And now, after the pandemic, people's patience is even less than I feel like before. They're now more aggressive. And just like I just want it done now. And it's just like, "Really?"
[00:34:16] SW: Yes. Yes. Yes. Or what I imagine the like usual client interaction is that like you give them something and you're like, "Great. I'd love your feedback." And then it takes them like 7 million years to get their feedback to you. And then they're like, "Can you turn it around tomorrow?"
[00:34:29] JG: Yes.
[00:34:30] SW: They don't meet their own urgency with any urgency. Is there a dream project, something that like — bucket list I would absolutely love to work on this?
[00:34:40] JG: Ah, yes. There was a couple. But I think my biggest one at the moment, and I wish he was still alive, was working on a production with John Hughes. I don't know if you guys know John Hughes.
[00:34:53] SW: Yes.
[00:34:54] JG: Yeah. Just the way he was able to tell a story, I wanted to see how he was able to do it and just the creative process of which he was able to succeed. Because, oh, so many good bangers with that one. You got Ferris Bueller. You got Sixteen Candles. You got Weird Science. Just everything.
[00:35:16] SW: Didn't he work on Home Alone?
[00:35:17] JG: Yes. He was the writer.
[00:35:18] SW: Yeah. I saw with that and one of the Rat Pack ones, I think. The Movies That Made Us on Netflix. And they did a couple on him.
[00:35:25] JG: That's all John Hughes. 1980s.
[00:35:27] SW: I know. It's amazing.
[00:35:29] JG: Late 80s perfect. I was born in '93. I was like literally in that middle of the era of everything booming. It was like the perfect time to really be born. Because you got to experience everything from like the old 80s, early 90s, up to 2000s. But then everything was transitioning over to technology, the iPhones. I used to have a CD player. Right?
[00:35:50] SW: Heck, yeah.
[00:35:51] JG: Yeah. And now people are like, "CD player? What the heck's that thing?" Or a DVD player, you know? DVDs are almost – actually, I just saw a thing that Best Buy is pulling most of their DVDs off the shelves because it's now obsolete.
[00:36:03] LHL: Just collecting dust. Yeah.
[00:36:03] JG: Just collecting dust.
[00:36:05] LHL: We are the adaptable generation.
[00:36:07] JG: We are. We are.
[00:36:08] LHL: Because we can go from analog to digital.
[00:36:10] SW: It was expected. I obviously knew that this was coming. But FYE at the mall just went out of business and like it was about time. I mean, for folks who aren't familiar with FYE, it's a CD store.
[00:36:23] JG: It really is.
[00:36:25] SW: It's mostly CDs.
[00:36:26] JG: Now it's just filled with all those Japanese food candies and all that kind of stuff. Yeah. With the stuffed animals. Yeah.
[00:36:31] SW: Funko Pops, and stuffed animals, and weird random stuff.
[00:36:35] LHL: Yeah. Just fill it with anime figures and you'll never go out of business.
[00:36:38] JG: That was really our generation store. And everyone else was like, "I don't know what's in there. Posters? What's posters now?" Right? Oh, man.
[00:36:47] LHL: Well, now it's time for rapid-fire where we are going to ask you quick questions with hopefully quick answers.
[00:36:53] JG: Okay. I hope they're quick answers.
[00:36:56] SW: They’ll be quickish.
[00:36:58] LHL: What other artist has influenced you the most?
[00:37:01] JG: Can that be any kind of artist?
[00:37:03] SW: Yeah. Broad.
[00:37:05] JG: I have so many. Everyone that I've met that is an artist has influenced me in one way or another. For example, you two.
[00:37:11] LHL: Oh. Stop that.
[00:37:13] JG: I'm serious. Now I really want to do a podcast. It's like everyone that I meet that's an artist. Everyone even in the Governor's Arts Award. They inspired me in one way or another. There was a gentleman who did a lot of stonework. And now I kind of want to go through the trail and just admire all his work. And, like, "How do you make that kind of stuff?" Now I want to. Everyone that I meet. I know that's kind of a broad answer. But everyone that I meet who's an artist really influences me.
[00:37:39] LHL: I understand that. Anytime I go to a show, I want to play music. Anytime I go to a poetry reading, I want to write poetry. I feel that too. It's that flame of creativity that just keeps getting past.
[00:37:51] JG: Yeah. We just recently Poetry Out Loud from – yes. I helped with their livestream. And just being there, I was like, "Now, I want to do poetry." Everything influences me. Maybe that's why I'm so driven. I'm like, "I got to do that."
[00:38:05] LHL: Yes.
[00:38:07] SW: This is maybe an easy one. Maybe a really hard one. What's your favorite film?
[00:38:11] JG: Ooh.
[00:38:12] LHL: It is a really hard one.
[00:38:14] SW: I feel like some people have the answer right there. They know. They've thought about this. I know mine.
[00:38:17] JG: Yeah. Ferris Bueller's is definitely my top. But another one that was really influenced me to introduce like the technology phase of things with film is actually Transformers. And I used to say Michael Bay was my favorite director. But then like, "Seriously?"
Back in his early days, he was very innovative with the ways he was filmmaking and being one who would actually do most of the camera work. Because he was there on the ground doing it. He wasn't just like sitting in a chair and saying, "Action." He was literally in the line of fire in most of the scenes. Just the way he's able to tell a story in a very unique and fast-paced way. But, also, being true to the VFX, the special effects, and just everything. I would say Transformers. Because it was very – even to this day, it still holds up as far as the CGI just because – same with Jurassic Park. I mean, that's another one. All the ones that really helped the film industry go even higher than it is now.
[00:39:20] SW: Oh, man what an awesome, unexpected answer.
[00:39:23] LHL: Yeah.
[00:39:24] SW: Wait. Follow up. Who's your favorite director now?
[00:39:27] JG: Oh, John Hughes, for sure. Still John Hughes.
[00:39:30] LHL: Not surprising.
[00:39:30] JG: Yeah. Michael Bay was one. But then, no. John Hughes.
[00:39:34] LHL: Yeah. What is in your opinion the most underrated film?
[00:39:40] JG: Oh, boy. I mean, there's a lot. A lot of my early childhood movies that I used to watch I felt like were very underrated. But they really held a piece in my heart that kind of helped me like entertainment anyway. That's hard.
[00:39:55] LHL: I know.
[00:39:55] SW: It is hard.
[00:39:55] JG: That's a very hard one.
[00:39:56] SW: What would yours be, Laura?
[00:39:58] LHL: Oh, I don't know.
[00:40:00] JG: Exactly.
[00:40:02] LHL: I mean, I probably have like a list in the back of my head somewhere.
[00:40:04] SW: I have one.
[00:40:06] LHL: Okay. Let's hear it.
[00:40:07] JG: Yeah. Maybe if you give me one, then it'll kind of jump-start.
[00:40:09] SW: No. You're not going to like my answer. It's weird. Mine would definitely be the Bee Movie, which I thought should have been as big as Shrek. But it wasn't Bee Movie was so good.
[00:40:21] JG: A lot of people – it's kind of coming back actually. They're making another one. A lot of people –
[00:40:25] LHL: Yeah.
[00:40:26] SW: They are?
[00:40:27] JG: Yeah. A lot of people, for some reason, when I was talking to them, they didn't like beetle juice. Yeah. I was like, "Why?"
[00:40:32] SW: Interesting.
[00:40:33] LHL: I didn't like Beetlejuice.
[00:40:35] JG: Why?
[00:40:36] LHL: Well, as a young girl, I thought sexual predator. And I think that's a fair assessment based on how he acts.
[00:40:45] JG: Different generation, for sure.
[00:40:45] LHL: I know it's a different lens now. But I just remember thinking, as a kid, he doesn't seem like a safe man. Which I didn't feel with David Bowie during Labyrinth. And I probably should have. But he just had this crudeness. And my husband, all my friends, they love that movie. And so, I appreciate it now. But it just kind of gives me the ick.
[00:41:05] SW: Yeah.
[00:41:06] LHL: But I don't know. It's probably when I just learned about stranger danger as a little kid or something. I don't know. Sorry to stomp on you.
[00:41:12] JG: No. That makes sense. I mean, maybe that's why they didn't like it. I mean, I liked it more of the how –
[00:41:20] LHL: It's very creative.
[00:41:21] JG: That's exactly why I like it. I think it was definitely different for the time. It's like, "Holy cow." Yeah. I mean, there's a lot of movies out there that I liked that a lot of people didn't. Another one, Transformers. People are like, "I don't like Transformers." But I liked it from the movie-making standpoint. There's more to it than just like, "Oh, it was a cool story. And Megan Fox was in it." I don't care.
[00:41:41] SW: Right. Well, it's different to watch a movie when you're thinking about the behind-the-scenes.
[00:41:43] JG: Yeah. Exactly. That's how I watch every movie. And that's kind of how watching movies with my wife now. Back then, she was like, "You ruin movies for me." Because I would pause and rewind and I'm like, "Did you see that? There was a cup there. And now it's not." She's like, "Now I'm looking for it every time." And now she points stuff that I don't even see. I'm like, "Wow."
[00:42:04] SW: You've trained her.
[00:42:04] JG: I did. I trained her.
[00:42:05] LHL: All right. Sorry. This is another film rapid-fire question. Do you have guilty pleasures? Like movies that you really love that you're like, "As a filmmaker, I shouldn't like this as much as I do?"
[00:42:15] JG: Oh, yes. But I feel like it's –
[00:42:18] LHL: Like Spice World or something?
[00:42:20] JG: Yeah. I mean, all the Marvel movies. But not in a bad way. Just more of like – I feel now, the comic book era is much different than back then. I was a big and huge Toby Maguire fan back in Spider-Man.
[00:42:34] SW: Oh, me too.
[00:42:35] JG: It's just like growing up, I was like, I like Spider-Man." They were like, "Really? You like comic books?" But like now it's like it's a norm. But, yeah. Growing up, kind of like that genre of movies was kind of like a guilty pleasure. I like watching them. And I still watch them. I've seen every single movie in sequential order more than once probably at this point.
[00:42:54] LHL: That's awesome.
[00:42:55] JG: But, yeah. Good question.
[00:42:57] SW: Completely unrelated to movies. What's your favorite color?
[00:43:00] JG: Ooh. I have a lot of colors. I would say red. And I don't know why. Maybe because that was my grandmother's color who passed away recently. But, I mean, red and black was always my favorite two. I have never known why.
[00:43:12] LHL: Wow. That's pretty cool. What's your favorite scent?
[00:43:16] JG: Scent? Hmm, it's a good question. I like mint. I feel like, most days, I would be like, "Ooh. Mint." I don't know why. Maybe it's just because it smells refreshing.
[00:43:27] SW: It's a refreshing smell.
[00:43:28] JG: Yeah. It's very generic. But kind of like the smell after a rainy day is always like, "Hmm." It's like – yeah.
[00:43:36] SW: It's fresh.
[00:43:36] JG: It is fresh. It's refreshing.
[00:43:39] LHL: Jonathan likes refreshing.
[00:43:41] JG: Yes.
[00:43:43] LHL: What's your favorite sound?
[00:43:44] JG: Favorite sound? In my line of work, trying to find like a good whoosh sound. Honestly. Honestly. Because I do – trying to – like, "Woosh." Or like, "Wooo."
[00:43:58] SW: Oh, my God. That was like the trash sound when you empty the trash.
[00:44:01] JG: Yes.
[00:44:02] SW: You just did a perfect like Mac trash removal.
[00:44:05] JG: Hopefully, no copyright issues there.
[00:44:08] LHL: That did come out of his actual mouth. He did a cover of the trash sound.
[00:44:13] JG: Yeah. But sound effects. Any kind of sound effect that I can try to replicate I feel like it's my favorite.
[00:44:18] SW: Oh, I love that.
[00:44:18] LHL: Now he's making a train noise. Do you hear that? Oh, yeah that was him before.
[00:44:23] SW: Yeah. Oh, I think it just went again really quick.
[00:44:29] LHL: Oh, we love you, Exeter.
[00:44:33] SW: What's your favorite texture to touch?
[00:44:34] JG: Texture. I almost feel like it's probably going to sound odd, but carpet just. Because I feel like growing up, that's what would make me feel like I'm at my grandmother's. Just like any type of carpet. Because I was a kid just going all over the ground and playing with all the toys. I would say carpet.
[00:44:51] SW: That's a good one. Very tactile memory. What is the most inspiring location you've traveled to?
[00:44:58] JG: Ooh. I have many. I mean, I feel like I can talk forever.
[00:45:03] LHL: You only have a minute or two.
[00:45:04] JG: Oh, boy. Up in the White Mountains I feel like has always been a place that I love to revisit time and time again. New Hampshire is very strict on that kind of area. Having a place that has not been touched whatsoever by humans is always just like refreshing. And being able to take photos in actual nature versus like your backyard. Yeah, the White Mountains up in North. North Conway and all that kind of stuff.
[00:45:36] SW: That's great one. What's the last new thing you've learned?
[00:45:39] JG: Oh, man. Last thing I've learned. How to be more patient with a six-month-old?
[00:45:48] LHL: Oh, right. That's a fair one.
[00:45:50] JG: Yeah.
[00:45:52] SW: You' learned a lot of stuff.
[00:45:53] JG: Yeah. I would say fatherhood really. I mean, I've always wanted to have children. And being into it, I'm like, "Holy cow. It's a whole new –" they always tell you, it's whole new adventure. And it definitely is. But it's definitely worth it and rewarding all in the same time.
[00:46:08] LHL: Yeah. Absolutely. Oh, I can just imagine the videos that you're going to make with your kids.
[00:46:12] SW: Oh, my gosh.
[00:46:13] JG: Oh, yeah. I got tons of videos already.
[00:46:18] LHL: And our clincher question, if you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
[00:46:21] JG: My younger self? Oh, boy. I would say to my younger self, "Hey, Hollywood is still not for you. But you're going to be just as creative in the future."
[00:46:36] LHL: I love it. That's great.
[00:46:37] SW: Perfect.
[00:46:38] LHL: Thank you so much for being on our podcast.
[00:46:42] JG: Of course. Thanks for having me. I loved it. It was fun.
[00:46:45] LHL: It was really great chatting with you.
[00:46:45] SW: I know. I've been smiling this whole time. And I feel like when I relisten to this, it's going to be really fun to listen to it all over again.
[00:46:52] JG: Oh, I hope so. I'm excited to hear it.
[00:46:54] LHL: Yeah. Thank you again for being here. And with that –
[00:46:58] ALL: Show us your creative guts.
[OUTRO]
[00:47:05] SW: Another huge thank you to Jonathan for joining us on Creative Guts. What a cool person.
[00:47:11] LHL: Right?
[00:47:12] SW: Oh, he was so fun to talk to. And I knew he would be. After Jonathan left, Laura and I both remarked about how like it felt like we had known him for a while because he was so easy to talk to and so open. And it was funny because I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. Because when he filmed with us last summer, it was like he was on the other side of the camera. He was working. He was in like work mode. And so, he was a little quiet. Didn't open up that much. And today, he just like – I don't know. It was awesome. I feel like we're friends.
[00:47:43] LHL: I agree. When we first met him, it felt like he was a professional. He had a list of questions and everything. But he was still friendly and fun to work with. And so, here, he was just really fun to get to know even more. And I like that he has such a curious mind that wants to keep devouring knowledge. I really associate with that. Because he just wants to learn a new thing. He wants to try another thing. And how can he develop it to make more of his craft for himself and for others?
[00:48:11] SW: Yes. Absolutely. And I feel like we should punch up that like he's awesome in the video he made of us was awesome.
[00:48:18] LHL: Oh, my God. Yes.
[00:48:18] SW: You should hire him if you're looking for a videographer.
[00:48:22] LHL: Yes. As the end user, essentially, it's not always the best when you're the one usually featuring others to be the one that the camera is pointed towards, or the microphone is pointed towards. And he made us feel really comfortable. He did a great job with the editing. And it was just such a beautiful, magical thing to see.
[00:48:40] SW: Yeah. And something I jotted down while we were talking today was that I noticed that there was so much sort of like nostalgia in his answers as a '90s kid. And he brought up – we talked about Facebook. We talked about Craigslist. We talked about CD players. We talked about the olden days before YouTube. It was really fantastic.
[00:49:01] LHL: But he isn't stuck in that nostalgia. He's embracing all the new things. I really liked his answer about AI actually. Because I'm sort of an anti-generative AI girl in a lot of ways. And he had a really thoughtful answer that I think was a really balanced answer.
[00:49:15] SW: He did. Yeah. Absolutely.
[00:49:18] LHL: It gave me a lot to think about.
[00:49:19] SW: And he's clearly like a super talented dude. And it was really cool to find out that he started his filmmaking career with an associate's degree. And like what a huge freaking deal that was?
[00:49:27] LHL: Yeah. Yeah. I'm sure his family is pretty proud of him.
[00:49:31] SW: Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
[00:49:32] LHL: And we are very lucky that we got to work with him and then have him on this podcast. Thank you again, Jonathan, for becoming a new friend of ours and sharing all your awesomeness with us.
Folks, I encourage you to go check out his work at jonathangeddis. That's G-E-D-D-I-S.com. And you can find him on Instagram where his handle is jg_filmandphoto. and on Facebook, where his handle is jg.photo.film.
[00:50:04] SW: As always, you can find those links and more in the episode description on our website, creativegutspodcast.com. You'll find us on Facebook and Instagram @creativegutspodcast.
[00:50:14] LHL: This episode is sponsored in part by the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts. Thank you to our friends in Rochester for their support of the show.
[00:50:21] SW: A big thank you to Art Up Front Street for providing a space where Creative Guts can record.
[00:50:26] LHL: And if you love listening and want to support Creative Guts, you can make a donation, leave us a review, interact with our content on social media, and purchase some merch. Whatever you're able to do, we appreciate you.
[00:50:38] SW: Thank you for tuning in. We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode of Creative Guts.
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