3.81-Filmmaker Interview with Sam Davis

In today's episode, I interview Sam Davis, director of the new short film "The Singers," a beautiful exploration of untapped talent and raw emotion.

Listen to hear about the Russian short story that served as the inspiration for the film, some practical steps the production took to make the film feel more timeless, and the process of finding the incredible singers that populate the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders
• "The Singers" by Ivan Turgenev
• A Sportsman's Sketches by Ivan Turgenev

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Singers" directed by Sam Davis
• "Period. End of Sentence" directed by Rayka Zehtabchi
• "Nai Nai & Wài Pó" directed by Sean Wang
• Dìdi directed by Sean Wang
• Streetwise directed by Martin Bell
• Sound of Metal directed by Darius Marder
• Y tu mamá también directed by Alfonso Cuaron
• Boyhood directed by Richard Linklater
• Hoop Dreams directed by Steve James
• "Fender Bender" directed by Kurt Andrew Schneider

Follow Sam on Instagram @samdavis and the film @thesingersfilm. You can also follow the singers featured in the film online by checking out @mikeyung, @chrissmithermusic, @sailing_vessel_harlott, @judah_kelly, @tooloudtenor, and @venicedhutch.