In our first panel discussion, host Kody Ford is joined by Crystal C. Mercer, Kat Wilson, and Elle Nash to talk about making art during the pandemic. Then, we chat with Farm Studios' Zak Heald and Amber Lindley about how they've safely produced films during lockdown.
In our first panel discussion, we spoke with three creatives—textile artist and writer Crystal C. Mercer, artist Kat Wilson, and author Elle Nash—about their output during quarantine over the last year and how it helped them cope. You can follow Crystal on Instagram @ccmercertoo or @mercertextilemercantile, and her new book, From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair, is available for preorder now. Follow Kat on Instagram @katwilsonartist to keep up with her #quarantinehabitat project. Elle can be found on Twitter + Instagram @saderotica, and her new short story collection, Nudes, is set to debut later this year.
Then, we chat with Amber Lindley and Zak Heald about how they managed to safely produce films at Farm Studios (@farmstudiosnwa on IG) during the COVID-19 lockdown.
[THEME MUSIC]
Kody Ford (voiceover): Welcome to Reel Talk Arkansas, a production of the Arkansas Cinema Society. My name is Kody Ford. I am the outreach and education director. We appreciate you tuning in to our second podcast and we look forward to doing more of these throughout the year. This time we’re gonna do something a little bit different. We are going to split our time between a panel discussion and an interview. The theme of this month is art during the time of COVID. We are going to talk to a panel of creatives about what they did during quarantine, about how it helped, about how it affected them. And we are going to talk to a group of producers about how they were able to continue making films and do it safely. While following COVID-19 precautions. Again, thank you for tuning in and enjoy.
Kody Ford: Hi everybody. Thanks for checking out our first panel discussion we're having here at Reel Talk Arkansas. We have some really amazing guests here today. Uh, three very accomplished, uh, writers, artists, uh, just all around great people. We have, uh, Crystal C. Mercer from Little Rock. And Crystal is a poet and activist, uh, fantastic fiber artist, has an incredible book coming out, Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair. Available for pre-order now, I'll get a little plug in there for you. And did all the artwork for it, it looks beautiful. So, um, Crystal, uh, welcome. Thank you for being here today.
Crystal C. Mercer: Thank you, Kody, for having me and good to see everyone else.
KF: Absolutely. And next up we have Elle Nash. Elle, uh, is a novelist, uh, a writing teacher. And her first book, um, her novel Animals Eat Each Other, uh, did really well. Uh, from an indie press, got a lot of great feedback from Oprah Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and various others. She has taught classes for LitReactor and currently teaches her own class, uh, "Textures," which is fantastic. And, uh, has a new book coming out, a collection of short stories called Nudes. Elle, thanks for being here.
Elle Nash: Yeah. Thanks so much for having me. It's good to see everyone.
KF: Yeah. And finally we have an incredible artist Kat Wilson. Kat is a photographer, a painter, and she does installations. There's not much Kat Wilson can't do, uh, just all around great person. And Kat has a new position working with CACHE, the arts institute, uh, arts nonprofit up here in Northwest Arkansas. Um, and you can tell us a little bit about that, too, Kat, if you want. Like what you're working on, if you're able.
Kat Wilson: I wanted to say hi to the other artists real quick. You know, it's been a lonely pandemic. So yeah, I got a new job. You know, it's been, you know, I'm not exactly bankrolling over here with all these art projects, so it's nice to get some security and still have a creative job. Uh, so yeah, CACHE is out to help the artists in Northwest Arkansas and in the greater region, the regional and, uh, you know, Arkansas in general, but also, you know, states that touch us in some ways.
KF: Well, I'm really excited to have all of you here today. So, let's just start off, uh, talking about, um, you know, this has been a trying time to say the least. It's kind of cliché at this point. But, you know, for creatives it's, I remember how it was when it was first starting off, everybody was like, "I'm going to do all of these great things." And then a lot of us, myself included, didn't. You know, I kind of just locked up. But it seems like, uh, you know, our people here today have done some great things. But I guess we'll start off, uh, Crystal I'll, I'll throw this first question to you. Do you feel like you were more or less creative during the past year during quarantine?
CCM: I definitely think, um, my creativity hit a new level because I had time to incubate. So, whereas there were terrible things going on in the world and it was very nerve-wracking to like, not know what was happening, to be insulated in my home happened to be a good thing. Because I was taking a lot of meetings and ripping and running and going to everybody's shows and doing all the other things except for my work. So, it gave me an opportunity to slow down and actually begin or finish some of the projects that I had on my plate. And so the pandemic, yeah it be crazy. It was actually a great time of creativity in incubation and just time to like reconnect with myself and what it is I really want to do.
KF: Awesome. Uh, Elle, let's talk about your creative output the last year.
EN: Yeah, definitely. Um, I like dove into it. I, I had like just moved anyway, like right before the pandemic started. And at first I was like, I'm excited to go out again and see some old friends and, um, you know, like reconnect with people to where I'd moved back to, and that didn't happen. So, I just got really regimented. I would wake up every morning, very early before anyone was awake and just work on my projects. I had completed one, I had, um, completed a manuscript I had been working on and then compiled my short story collection. And I had just been, I've been going nonstop until, um, really just this January was when I was like, I actually think I need to take a break. And I started feeling a little bit of burnout because I was working so much through the pandemic, just doing the same thing every day, like very regimented.
KF: Kat, what about you?
KW: So, I started off, you know, um, things in the very beginning of quarantine were so scary. And I know that my heart was fluttering and I had a lot of adrenaline and was definitely hitting Walmart up with fishing poles and seeds, and like giant bags of rice. I don't know if everybody else was doing that. But, um, then I, basically some family and friends were like, you need to do something to keep people occupied during quarantine. And I had already kind of learned that people like to participate and be part of art. Cause I was doing the Selfie Throne Project where people, if they don't take their picture on it and disseminate it through Instagram, nobody would ever even know it happened, right? Because you know, the art doesn't happen without their participation. So, that was hot and heavy. And I was really kind of tuning it in and learning what worked and didn't work and how to collaborate with artists better. And then the quarantine happened and stopped that in its tracks. And then I immediately was like, what do I do? I got to help people out, like entertain them in some way or whatever. So that's when I came up with my new like genre of art that I'm trying to do called "participation art," but for short, you call it "party art." So I decided to bring back my old series, Habitats, that got me a lot of, uh, you know, uh, uh, acclaim when I was younger. And I tried to do kind of a video series kind of telling people how to get there, whatever their quarantine with, with their stuff. And it was just too much, you know? Here I am wigging out on video, trying to give directions. And so I learned to simplify the directions and I got in Chad Maupin to illustrate it. And then I started sending it out to teachers who are freaking out, too. They don't know how to teach kids via Zoom. And then quarantine just started to build momentum. Quarantine, Quarantine Habitats. You can see them if you don't know what I'm talking about, on Instagram, it's just #quarantinehabitat. So, basically, people laid out their stuff that represented them during the period of the hardcore quarantine time. And so it just started to pick up a little bit of a national attention and, uh, lots of participants. So, it was awesome. From schools in Portland, Oregon, to college classes in Boston to, of course, our local and regional, you know, art community.
EN: Kat, I really love that you did that so much encouraging people to be creative during this time. Um, I was just thinking, I had like, just started my own workshop, like broken off to do my own writing workshop for other people before quarantine had started. And then as quarantine was getting underway, because I teach it online, I realized that for my students were saying like throughout the whole year, it was kind of like this lifeline for them of having these deadlines, like once a month, to write and put pages out and connect with people online. And, um, now it's like after the year, it's become like this community, even for me, where I'm like, I'm getting as much out of having this little creative space as much as they are, too. So, it's just really cool that you were able to create so much positivity and like encouragement during this time because of how rough things have been like on the outside, you know, outside of the creative space.
KW: No, and I loved those windows inside of their homes because we're all feeling that same feeling. So I could see like, "Oh yeah, you got a little extra toilet paper there, what's up?" But, uh, you know, just how we all are so common and so different in, in the, in our personal lives and our personal homes and the people and the things that represented us at this time. And I just think that, you know, the people that participated are gonna find a place in history books or whatever a history book will look like in the future.
EN: That's really cool.
KF: Elle, is there anything else you'd like to expand on, you know, besides getting the workshop going?
EN: Um, like projects throughout the year that I had done? So, um, I finished a manuscript, like a novel manuscript and had gone back and forth with my agent a few times about it and now it's out on submission. So, I'm just anxiously waiting to hear back about that. And that was, I had been working on it since, um, like December 2018, and stuff. So it was kind of like wrapping up like the final, you know, pieces of it. Um, and then I also had been working on like, collecting all of my stories together, which is coming out around the end of March, beginning of April, and just trying to make sure that they were all fully edited. Um, I had a few more stories I had to write for the collection, you know. So, it was just like every day it was that teaching, um, you know, encouraging, watching my toddler, trying to make sure that like she's handling, you know, quarantine. It's been tough because, you know, she can't be social the way that, um, we were social before, we can't go to like mom groups and stuff like that. Um, so like me, um, you know, and her dad are like her sole source of like social stuff. So, I had to balance that. I feel like that's been a whole project. Like how to like how to be a mom, like in quarantine, like a good mom and be present and stuff. Um, but I finished that. And then, um, like at the beginning of quarantine last year in March, um, issue six of my literary magazine, Witchcraft Mag, came out. So I was like bundling all of that together and getting that out to people. And then in the fall we opened submissions again, which is something I'm just wrapping up now, is issue seven. Cause we do it once a year. So that's been an ongoing project, too. Which has been nice because I've actually had so much time, like, so, just so much time now to be able to focus. I've actually had to teach myself, um, like how to structure my time better so I can actually manage all the different projects. Because now that I have like this whole day, it's almost like I could fill up the whole day with anything, you know? Which could make me actually like less productive because sometimes I find myself just being very aimless, you know, online or something. But, um, having all these different projects, it's kind of been like learning just how to stay more organized and like stay focused to get everything done that I need to get done.
KF: Well, Crystal, let's talk about what you've been up to because I bet it's been a lot. Just, I mean, just the book, just what I've seen of that, and, you know, what little bit I've read on it just seems like a huge undertaking. Was that this past year or is that like, uh, been going on for a while?
CCM: Well, yeah. So, first of all, hats off to you ladies, because y'all are boss. And yes, I have been. Last year, not only was it incubation, it was like, it's time to drop these projects. The book, From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair, which will be out on the 20th of this month. I'm so excited. That was like three years in the making for me. I wrote the first draft when I lived in Ghana in 2018 and didn't really know what I was going to do with it and began shopping it around to different publishers when I came back to the States. And Et Alia Press picked it up, which was wonderful. We had a great working relationship and I put a lot, not just into the stitching. These are some of the pages behind me. That took 467 hours, while I was also on a fellowship with Winrock International. But, we met with the layout designer and we had other things. So, there were many more hours that were poured into the book, in addition to other work I was doing. I was a regular on Wednesday Night Poetry that's hosted by Kai Coggin, it's a weekly poetry series has been going on since 1981, the longest running consecutive open mic series in the country. Maybe the world, who knows? I guess we'll find out soon. But, participated regularly in that and inspired a lot of people to write different things. Uh, in the beginning it was just like what you feel and what's going on. And then it became thematic, so people would write on different things, and that was really cool. Um, I had a solo art exhibition in the pandemic at UCA Downtown. I dropped an album and a short film, Black Glow Matters, uh, which was pretty boss. Poems that I wrote while I lived in Africa and worked with a producer there, it was mixed here, the footage just from my experience being in West Africa. So, I was like mad creative last year, did a lot of different things. And with the book coming out this year and other things that I've been working on, just like Elle, I write poetry, too. So, it's like finding that marriage between my fiber art and my writing and my foundation work and working with other arts organizations. It's been, my time management has had to like be on 10 to fold everything in. But, now that I have the space to do that, I see many more projects like this. My nieces, who I wrote the story for, are on me about stitching another book. And I'm like, girl, when I have another 500 hours. They want a series. So, you know, my work is never done. Uh, and they are really serious about that. So, who knows what that will manifest into. But, From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair, just another important point I want to make before we move on is that it was very cathartic to write this book because it's an ode to cultural beauty. And, when I was coming up with this right here, my beautiful head of hair, was not deemed as beautiful. It was nappy or rough, or people expected you to look a certain way, for you to be presentable and acceptable in the world. And now, that's like the thing, there are products for it and tutorials and a lot of girls who are embracing natural beauty. And my nieces, they love the way I look. They love everything about me. And I want them to hold onto that in themselves, that freedom to just be like, yeah, I'm boss the way that I am. So, it was very nice. They like, they get to grow up where it's a little more accepted and their beauty is not rejected in a way that mine was when I was coming up.
KF: It sounds like an incredible project for sure. So, I'm definitely excited to actually be able to sit down and look at it at some point in the future. So, it's going to be very cool. Let me open this next question up to, uh, any, any of you, because some of this has been touched on, but if any of you want to like jump in and elaborate, how did, uh, you use your work to connect with others?
KW: I'll just jump in real quick. Cause mine, it was full of connection. That's all it was. So, I spent all these hours on the phone, um, seeing who posted on the hashtag, reposting it, uh, pushing people. You know, I really had to push people in the beginning to participate. Um, just like hit my friends up, you know, hey, do this real quick, so I could get some community trust. So, I felt like, um, there was just a lot of communication involved with the project in general.
KF: Yeah. And Elle you had mentioned, you know, Discord, um, like with the class, I mean that really kind of playing a role in creating a community with writing and everything, on your end.
EN: Yeah. I felt like I really connected, um, with my students in a really deep way. I, so I created a Discord server for us all to like connect at after the workshop was over. So, that way, if they ever wanted to like trade work or talk about literature, there was like this little confined space to do it. Because I feel like, when we're on social media, it's really easy to just get distracted or have like the endless scroll. And so, I wanted to create something that was like insulated. And it's, I feel like it's really grown into this really wonderful thing. Um, another thing too is just, I've been trying to reach out to like other writers that I know who have had to, for example, promote their own books coming out during the pandemic. Like traditionally, if you have a book come out, you go on a book tour and do readings in person. And you either do that, you self-fund it if you're an independent press or if you're very lucky, you know, the publisher will pay for it, which is like rare, but that used to be like where we would all get together and like hang out and that sort of thing, and that doesn't really exist anymore. So, I've tried to connect with other authors. There's a lot of virtual readings that happen now on a weekly basis, which is really cool. Because now we get to connect, um, you know, all over the country or even like the world, like other people who don't just live in the States. Um, other writers get to participate in that kind of, um, in that kind of thing. So, that's been really awesome. That's been another way that I've been trying to connect with other artists and other writers and that sort of thing. Um, and then another thing was that an illustrator and painter, I had touched base with her, I was really a big fan of her work. She does these really wonderful paintings with alcohol ink that just look very haunting and moody. And, um, she collaborated with me to do her own art project based off of my short story collection, Nudes. And she went through this whole process, like she's an art teacher and she was also kind of showing her students like how she would go through the process of creating a series of paintings until she was like really happy with the outcome. And that was really cool just to learn and see her process and what she was getting from my stories and how she interpreted it in like a visual way. So, that was something that she just completed it and she's going to be releasing prints soon after my collection comes out. Um, so that's, that was really fun and cool process.
KF: Now, Crystal, you mentioned being a part of Wednesday Night Poetry. Were there any other online sort of, uh, you know, readings and things that you've attended as well?
CCM: Yeah, I'm a poet-head. So, uh, in addition to Wednesday Night Poetry, I have a friend, Mysia Cole, she lives in New York. She's a fantastic writer. She's been hosting a series called The B Side, bringing some attention to a play that she wrote, Bind, that she's trying to transfer and translate into film. So, these workshops have been a part of writing around the subject matter in that play. And I've been getting some really juicy work. I've also worked with the Arkansas Arts Council. I facilitated some poetry workshops on my own, Poetically Speaking. Participated in that. Um, and then I did a lot, well, I say a lot. A few of the PBS American Portraits and a piece, like two seconds, was featured on a bigger spread that they did, but that was something that was encouraged by our Arkansas PBS affiliate for me to participate in, saw some other familiar Arkansans who are writers and poets. Sometimes it can be a very lonely thing because no one else is like creating the art or piecing anything. So, the poetry was something that super saved me that I had an opportunity to connect with other people. It's different, I will say that. Because a part of being a performer is your relationship with an audience. Like, the energy that's in the room, being able to take your merchandise with you, conversations that linger after the show ends and the venue has to turn the lights off on you. Like, that type of experience is something that I've missed and being able to capture a little bit of it online is, has been, as Elle said with her students, like a lifeline in the pandemic to have some type of human connection.
KF: Absolutely. I mean, that just sounds, it, it it's, it's just crazy like how we've had to adapt in these ways that just traditionally going back to the beginning of mankind, we are not used to, you know, and so it, it has been good to see that people are finding ways because, uh, you know, to just because we need that interaction and in order to stay mentally healthy, which, sorry. So, my question would be to everyone. How did creating art this past year help your mental health?
KW: I never think that art helps my mental health. And I'm just gonna leave it at that.
KF: Fair enough. Uh, uh, Crystal, Elle, either of y'all want to chime in on this?
EN: I would say that like, it's really important for me to have a space that's just my own. And currently, because we're all kind of like packed into this house together with like, we're around each other 24/7, being able to like get away and just like write has actually been really balancing for me in that way. Um, like I think creating art has its own like sets of challenges. But just knowing that like, there's like this little escape that I can go to for a little bit, um, has really helped because it kind of has taught me how to like, enforce my own, like time boundaries, you know. By being like, I need this time to like, work on this. So that's been really helpful this year.
KF: Crystal, anything you want to add?
CCM: Yeah, at the beginning, before the pandemic was deemed a pandemic, um, in, I guess early March, this time last year, I had had a major surgery at the end of February, on February 21st. And so, I was kind of already at the house. I'm like, well, I'm in here. Um, but it took a different level of healing for me because I was also physically healing from my surgery. And some of those setbacks when your body can't do or perform or, or get up, can be exhausting. And then I also, uh, live with, conquer daily, depression and anxiety. And so, some of these days that I'm like really, really on and going, going, going, there's also days where I just lay in bed. And I don't beat myself up as much for that because I know I need that time to isolate and really recharge myself. So, you know, art is just a piece of it. It helps. It's cathartic. It's beautiful. I get to tell stories through my textiles and immortalize moments through my poems, but it's not always enough. I think it's important for people and especially myself dealing with this period of isolation. And not that we can't go outside and play and talk to people like there's something dangerous happening because I much prefer interacting with people or listening to a record than being locked in to Netflix or some other streaming service. I think it's important to kind of tap into other things that help you take care of you. Eating right, exercise. I've pretty much exercised almost every day during this pandemic, I've had a few days off. And that's been something that was helpful for me. And so, other things where I don't depend on one thing to save me or snatch me back from something, where I can be as well-rounded as possible. So, art was just a piece of pouring into my mental stability, but there were other things I had to do to stay on track during this time.
KF: So just opening this up, this is our final question. And, uh, you know, whoever wants to kick this off, uh. What lessons did you learn about yourself and your desire to create during the COVID quarantine era of the past year?
KW: I think, okay. I know with me, I have just been grinding away making art all these years, you know. 43 now. So, let's go ahead and say I've been making art since I was 15. Okay. But we'll say, professionally, since I graduated undergrad at 22. So, you know, just churning it out, churning it out. I started to learn that I don't have to physically make my art, necessarily. That it's a great time to use community to make art. So, you know, a larger picture in that way. There you go.
KF: Uh, Crystal, Elle, uh, either of y'all have any thoughts on that?
EN: Yeah, I definitely thought a lot about, um, life being too short, so doing exactly what you need to, as well. Like I came to this moment, probably mid-summer, where I was like, I just, I need to stop compromising and do exactly what I need to do. And part of that was because like the submission process, like with my current manuscript, it's my first one I'm submitting with an agent. So, I was like very hopeful that I would get picked up by a big press. Like I have those, you know, those dreams of being like, okay, I'll get like a decent advance and like, you know, maybe it'll get a review in the New York Times. Like, I'm actually, you know, I'm like, I'm trying to move forward. And it's like, when, when you're pushing forward, when you're emerging, it's like, there's this wall. And like, you're right here. And, you know, like you can break through, like, you feel in yourself that you have the ability to do it, but there's obstacles in your way. And like, I mean, my book is still out on sub, but like, I've gotten a fair amount of rejections from a lot of big houses. And a big part of going through this process, for me, because my first book is with an indie press, is I've actually come to a place of before where I felt very desperate to have that breakthrough, what's happened for me now is I've actually been able to look at my long-term and say like, I accept, like whatever happens with this next book. And I believe in myself to continue forward and keep growing, like my career for the long-term. Like I can see myself 10 years from now having another book or like another novel or two or continuing to build on my body of work. Like I'm starting to think of like my body of work, like what I'm going to be creating. Like, you know, I'm starting to look at it and being like, I don't want to peak until I'm like 60 or 70. And if that's how long it takes before, you know, I feel satisfied with maybe getting like a larger circulation or recognition for being a writer that way, there's this part of me that's like, I do accept like that part of it. You know? I don't know. I think it's just because like prior to it, I was like, my first book came out and it got a lot of press and I was like, wow, I have this chance, you know, to be like one of those people who's 30 years old and has a New York Times bestseller. Well, that's definitely not going to happen, but that's like totally fine. Because I'm like, I don't want to compromise on my work. And if it just doesn't happen that way, like, um, you know, I've become accepting of that. And in a way I'm more accepting of myself and, um, having more confidence in like the visit and I have for my writing and not wanting to compromise it for the market, you know?
CCM: Yeah. I'll say, uh, well, I already knew this, but it just solidified how badass I was during this past year. I'm like, can't nobody mess with me! Um, no, I feel like I've had the appropriate amount of confidence kind of be poured back into myself. I really tapped into how confident I am as a woman, how confident I am as an artist, how confident I am standing up for Black people and using my art to free Black people. And it was something that I never made apologies for, but I would be a little more polite when there was like all this interaction with people. And I feel like I can be less polite in a traditional way and more direct. Where it's not going to hurt somebody's feelings, but like we don't have the literal time. The life is too short that we live to be with all these pseudo-pleasantries. So, this year I got to the point, uh, not only with people, but with what I was doing. I don't think I would have been able to produce this much to handstitch 32 pages, like I never touched my sewing machine. I don't think I would have been able to drop an album. Like, I'm a poet. You know, I was manufacturing this project after Nikki Giovanni and The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron, some of the greats. Like, well, I can do that too. It was just a time of like tapping into my super powers and everything that I am and letting that come out. And then, how I want to interact with people. I think that was the biggest lesson this year. To not waste my time, not waste anybody else's time and to make every moment that I'm making something valuable because I'm leaving my legacy behind. This isn't just things for sale or branding or for you to see my face. When I leave this place, and I will at some point, not today though, but when I do, I want to leave something behind that's worth picking up by somebody else. And I feel like that's the biggest lesson that I learned this year. Because everything is fleeting. We lost so many people. There are hundreds of thousands of people that have passed on, who knows if the earth can even contain all the bodies that have died from not only the pandemic, but other natural causes, just life. So, while I'm living this life, I want to give it as much as I got, and I want people to take what they can from that. So, that was my biggest takeaway from this year.
KF: Yeah. So, that concludes our panel discussion today. And I just want all of you to know your total bad asses, and I'm extremely jealous of all of your creative output the last year. I just stress ate and did a lot of online shopping. So, this is very impressive to hear. But yeah, I'm excited to see, you know, it was great following Kat's project along, and I'm excited to read, um, Crystal and Elle, I'm excited to read both of your books when they come out. For sure. So, uh, thank you again. And if anyone wants to check you guys out online, if we could talk websites. Crystal, what's your website?
CCM: So, I have two. CrystalCMercer.com and MercerTextileMercantile.com. You can also follow those on social media, @CCMercer2, or @MercerTextileMercantile.
KF: Elle?
EN: I'm at ellenash.net or witchcraftmag.com
KF: Well, I want to thank my guests today. Crystal C Mercer, Kat Wilson, L Nash. Thank you all for being guests and being part of our first, um, our first panel discussion here on Reel Talk Arkansas, it's been a great time chatting with you all here about these incredible projects. And again, I can't wait to see them and experience them. And I think I speak for all of our listeners. They’re going to be amazing. So thank you again for being a part of this.
KW: Thanks, Kody.
CCM: Thank you.
KF (voiceover): I hope you enjoyed our panel discussion today. I would like to thank our panelists Kat Wilson, Elle Nash and Crystal C. Mercer for taking part in this and sharing their stories with us. Next up, we’re gonna switch it a bit and we’re gonna talk to Zak Heald and Amber Lindley at Farm Studios about some work they were able to do and take precautions with it during COVID-19. There was, Hollywood shut down. Some productions started back before others, but for independent productions it was pretty hard. So they were able to pull it off with these independent productions going on last year. So check this out.
KF: So I'm here with Zak Heald and Amber Lindley. Zak is a, uh, one of the co-founders of Farm Studios and a co-producer on some projects with screenwriter and producer, Amber Lindley. Uh, thanks for chatting with us here on Reel Talk Arkansas.
Amber Lindley: Glad to be here.
Zak Heald: Glad to be here.
ZH: We talked over each other. I said, glad to be here. And I think Amber said something similar.
AL: I said “glad to be here” too.
KF: Guys are just very enthusiastic today, you know, so we, we, we love it. We love the enthusiasm. So I know you guys, uh, stayed busy last year and you know, a lot of the film industry seemed to get shut down around the world, but it seems like you guys kept some projects going. So, uh, the first one, uh, you guys recruited a project from, uh, w the West coast over here, I believe that you guys, uh, what do you guys want to tell me about that?
AL: Yeah. Uh, so we had, uh, some producers contact us, a friend of a friend. They were in LA, and that was normally where they, um, you know, produce their, their work. Um, they were working with MarVista and, um, they had several projects. So they contact to me. Is that, do you think that was in May or June? Um, so somewhere around that time was the first contact we had from them. Just kind of wanting to see what was Arkansas filmmaking about what were our resources, what were our cast and crew like here? And, um, yes, several, several calls later, excuse me. Um, they ended up coming and, um, that was their first time filming in Arkansas. And it was of course during the pandemic. And that was back in October, um, when they brought that production here.
KF: Okay. Can you tell us some of the details about the production a little bit and you know, I'm not sure, I'm sure some of it's still kind of under wraps?
AL: Yeah, absolutely. Um, we can tell you a little bit and Zak, you just jump in, um, if you can think of anything really fun also that I'm not saying, but, um, it was a project, it was a union project. Uh, we had, I know it was obviously and I believe directors Guild also involved in this, in this project. Back in October, they did come to Northwest Arkansas and they filmed in Bentonville and Rogers. And we had, uh, we use this many local crew people as we possibly could, um, obviously, lots from Northwest Arkansas, but then we had several crew people from Little Rock in central Arkansas as well. So it was a big family effort and a very successful, um, successful, mainly because it was right in the middle of pandemic and nobody got tested negative, um, I'm sorry, nobody's tested positive for COVID. So everyone was negative and everybody was safe. And, um, that was, that was very successful.
KF: Well, walk me through what sort of precautions you guys are taking
AL: Well, where do you want us to start, Kody?
KF: Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it's a very complicated process, you know, in the middle of a pandemic to not get people sick, let's start with, like, I just arrived on set, like, like, yeah, should I have done something beforehand?
ZH: Yeah. Let's talk, I think it's important to kind of talk about the differences and what COVID production can look like these days. Um, because I think the, you know, Amber mentioned that this one was a union and I think that's really important because, um, there there's, you can shoot during COVID on, uh, aunion project and, and you'll have a much different set of rules and restrictions and guidelines that you're supposed to be following. Um, you can do a very, very safe production. One that's non-union that doesn't necessarily follow all of the guidelines that union sets forth. Um, but obviously when you are involved in the union, you have to adhere to a much larger set of guidelines. And so, um, on a, on a union project like this, um, every for instance, everybody is tested. And so when you would, if you wanted to say, you know, you start the day, um, that would be the first thing. So, um, before everyone even arrived on set, the first day of shooting, everyone got tested beforehand, we visited their homes, they went, uh, to, to clinics to get tested. Um, we had a nurse on staff on the project that would visit everybody's homes and, and get people tested or meet up with them in parking lots and test them, um, ahead of the production starting. So when they got to set the first day, they had come with a negative test result. Um, so that would be step one. Uh, the next part of this would be zoning, um, as part of the, like the union, the sag, uh, guidelines, everybody is split into zones. Um, and in the easy way to think of this is, uh, if you think of like rings around the camera, if you look at like radius around the camera and the talent, and so the closer you are to the talent, um, the, the, the more often you're being tested, and also the more restrictions you have, um, regarding COVID safety. So we call that Zone A and so if you are ever in touch with a, um, an actor or an actress, uh, obviously most of the time actors and actresses, while on camera, they do not have their mask on. So, uh, anyone that comes in contact with someone that doesn't have their mask on, it's going to be considered zone a, um, you know, the camera operator or the DP, the director, certainly, um, anyone that's coming face to face contact, they're going to end up in zone a, then you move out into Zone B. Um, and in Zone B, you're going to have people that, um, aren't going to be face-to-face contact, but are going to be on set, right? They're going to be people that are, um, it could be the prop stylist. They're not going to be on set necessarily when the talent is onset, but they're going to be around the set they're going to have been there, uh, that kind of thing. And so then you have that are falling into that zone, be a slightly less restrictive set of guidelines. They're getting tested maybe slightly less, um, then zone a, and then you move into Zone C and then Zone C uh, tend to, tends to kind of fall into this is where a lot of times your producers, your office staff, um, they're still being tested every week, but generally I believe SAG guidelines on Zone C is I think it requires once or twice a week. Um, obviously every production, some people are going above and beyond that others are going, are doing just what the minimum that the union requires, um, on this production, I would say we aimed high. Um, if there was ever any doubt of how often someone should be tested, we just tested them again, um, or retest them in the, in the, in the zone that was being tested that day. So, um, we kept everybody, you know, or making sure that every single person on set had had a negative test result. Um, and then you have like Zone D, which is basically everybody it's the outside world. Um, anyone that's not, uh, working on set or being tested as it kind of falls into Zone D. Um, and it's important that you know, anyone in Zone a and B and really Zone C as well, um, that you're quarantining, right when you're not at set, you're not out when you're not at work when you're not set. Uh, you're not out at the bar drinking at night, right? You're not, um, you're, you're being safe and you're, you're following, uh, the best restrictions or the best, uh, code of contact you can for yourself and for those around you at work the next day. Um, but I think even sag in their COVID guidelines mentions that, you know, people have lives, people are going to be human beings. They're going to have wives, they're going to have husbands, they're going to go have kids. They're going to go home to their family. Um, and there's nothing we can do really to prevent that, uh, there are productions that are renting out entire hotel, suite floors. We did a little bit of that with some of our crew, um, some of the more zone eight people, um, to help keep them quarantined and keep them safe and away from kids that might be going to school or away from husbands that might be going to work at the hospital as a doctor. Um, and so just helping to protect people and protect everyone else on set. Um, so it's kind of a multifaceted thing that kind of digs deep, but there's, and there's a lot to it and I'm happy we can, Amber and I can kind of dig into pieces of that if you're interested.
AL: Yeah. The reason I started laughing, Kody, was because it, it really is just pages and pages of, um, protocol and guidelines that we have to obey and also translate into, you know, how, how that works on set and on location in Arkansas. And it's, it was quite complicated, um…
KF: Is it from SAG or the Directors Guild?
AL: Um, both, there's a, there's a, a document that, um, I think who was at Zak is at PGA, DGA and SAG combined put out together. And that's sort of the, the foundation for your, um, health and safety.
ZH: It's called “A Safe Way Forward.” If you want to look it up, it's available online on the SAG website or the DGA website. Um, but it's called “A Safe Way Forward.”
AL: And, and, and it is very, it is very detailed. However, when you do follow those guidelines, I think actually that filmmaking is probably one of the safest things to do as a profession during the pandemic. Um, I felt extremely comfortable and confident about everybody's safety on both of our sets that, that we worked on, on both projects this, this last year. And, um, you know, no one, like I said, nobody tested positive. If you do test positive, um, there is, uh, you know, you have to shut down depending on what zone that person, uh, works in. And it, it having all of those protocols in place and the safety in place, it just, it makes for a very nice environment where you feel like, Hey, we are safe, we are safe this way. Everything has been sanitized. Everything is under control there's protocol in place that everybody is adhering to. And, um, it, it's very different. It's very different than I think, any other profession, um, happening right now, you know, that's going forward right down.
KF: So, did you guys, or are these a sort of ongoing protocols for any of your other projects that have you adopted them personally, or for the company, or is it just sort of like, we've got the general idea, but we might tweak it a little bit if it's a non-union thing?
ZH: So I think from a, from a company standpoint, we're certainly adopting a lot of, you know, what you see in the “Safe Way Forward” document and to everything we do we're doing, whether it's union or not. Um, now there's some things that like are just cost prohibited from a day to day project standpoint, for instance, testing. Um, if I wanted to run PCR tests, um, every single day on all of our crew, um, for every project or even that try to test people two or three days out for every project it's non-union, it would, it would get very, very difficult. Um, it would be mostly a logistics nightmare. When you think about like what the corporate commercial world of, of, of filmmaking in Northwest Arkansas looks like on a day-to-day basis. Um, but on our larger projects, you know, a lot of that is going to is going to stick around. And I think, um, I actually talk about this quite a bit, that I think a lot of these restrictions while, you know, when they first, uh, took place or when they first, you know, when, when we first started reading them, when we first started putting them into place on set, it was a pain, I won't lie. Right? Like there were parts of it that like were really weird to get used to. Um, there's been productions that I've been put into zone C where like, I've, I, I can't go to set. And that's a very weird feeling as a producer, um, when something's going on or someone needs help or they need something delivered to set that, like, I can bring it out and I can leave it on location and I have to walk away. Um, and like, there's like, I can't go in and look at the director's monitor and see what we're shooting today and see how things are looking or how this location turned out. Um, so there's a lot of pieces like that, that takes some getting used and, and that, um, but I think there's also things like in general, I, I have felt safer, more hygienic onset than I think I've ever had in my life. Um, as far as like, I know everyone around me is looking out for my safety as well as their own, um, not just from, uh, the, the danger of a falling light, but also from this invisible virus. Um, and so, you know, we bring handsome hand sanitizer as a permanent fixture in our gear van. Uh, it goes to set with us everywhere. We carry masks with us everywhere to make sure that everyone we're working with wherever we go has masks available to them. Um, and I think there's a lot of these things that I think for years to come, uh, the frequent hand washing, uh, being a little bit more responsible about how many people are standing behind the director's monitor. That's just a courteous courtesy thing that I think we've gotten really out of the habit of in the last decade. Um, and then I think, you know, we need to with, COVID like, there's a rule about how many people can stand behind the director and that's a big whopping zero, right. Um, and so, uh, it requires more directors monitors or more viewing monitors. So the hair and makeup can have their own monitor and people aren't looking over each other's shoulder and being up close to each other. And I think there's a lot of those things that, you know, that just makes for a more pleasant film set. Um, it makes for a more hygienic experience for everybody. And so I can, I can see a lot of those types of things, um, far outliving COVID. Uh, but I don't think everyone's going to have to be tested for a virus three times a week, uh, in, in two years. I hope not. I certainly hope not.
KF: Yeah. I hope so, too, for sure. But now it definitely sounds like there could be some good things coming out of It. So we'll, let's talk about this other project—you guys had a documentary that you guys worked on as well.
AL: Yes. So there is a gentleman named Dr. Goldsmith. He's a professor at the university of Arkansas Fort Smith. And for the past four or five years, he researched some of the history of Fort Smith. Um, and particularly the period before judge Isaac Parker, you know, the infamous hanging judge. Um, he, are you there cutting? Yeah, so, so Dr. Goldsmith, uh, research the period before Isaac Parker came to Fort Smith. Um, so this is the early 1870s and, um, uncovered some history that had been lost to the community and started, um, writing a book about it and getting this information and this history out into Northwest Arkansas in the river Valley. And he started working on a documentary that he himself is, uh, writing, directing, producing. And, um, he came to me in 2020 in about January, I think. And, um, I came on board with him, so it's a documentary, but what we did this summer, and this was actually our very first production during the pandemic where it was mine, I don't think it was Zak's. Um, but our first one together during the pandemic and, um, we filmed at forum student. Yes. And we reenacted, um, or there was a reenactment of, um, some congressional hearings from 1872 to 1874. And, um, it was great fun. It was all filmed, um, informed studios. So farm studios and Bentonville became, um, Washington DC, 1872. And, um, that was our first production and luck. We were lucky to have, um, a young woman named Priscilla Tran. I think a lot of people in Arkansas film community know who Priscilla is, she's an actress and she does. She wears a lot of hats, but in particular, I asked her to come on board to the documentary to help us with, um, safety and the COVID-19 protocols, even though that was a non-union shoot at the time. Um, we felt that it was super important to keep everyone safe and to, um, you know, show, show other places that, Hey, Arkansas can keep you safe. We've got the resources here, um, to, to make movies still, even during the pandemic, no matter, you know, no matter if LA is shut down or other parts of the country are, are not able to produce at the time, um, that we can still do it here. And, um, Priscilla was fantastic. Um, her safety protocols obviously worked no one on that set, um, ever tested positive for COVID-19. Everybody was safe and felt safe during filming. And then, so we asked Priscilla to come on board to the project in October, as well as a health and safety. Um, they have a new team now sag does, and it's called, um, the health and safety service team. And Priscilla came on board and really ran that and did a fantastic job. So, we've got a few people here, um, Zak and Priscilla and myself in the state that have worked on multiple projects during the pandemic. And I feel like we have a really good understanding of what works, what didn't work, um, you know, new ideas that people had in each project. So, um, you know, we're, we're definitely getting better at it. I would say. Wouldn't you say that feeling more confident?
ZH: Yeah, absolutely. I think there's little things that we've learned along the way that, you know, for, for one thing, you know, is like location shooting. There's a lot of things when you get into locations right now that, um, can make COVID safe shooting kind of difficult. Um, you know, like for an example, be if you're filming, if one of your locations that you're wanting to film in, uh, is like a small house, uh, it can be really hard to socially distance, even a small crew in a small house. Um, and so, uh, there's, there's certain things we've learned as far as like location scouting for a movie during this time, has it has to look a little bit different. Um, your requirements for a location have to be different. Um, and if you can't find the location that works well, sometimes the best solution, um, is to build it where other times it's like, Oh, that that scene isn't that long. It really wouldn't make sense to build that location. Sometimes now it makes more sense to build in studio. Um, another sense, another piece of that is we found is like with Western district, um, we found it, you know, one of the things that was really nice about shooting in studio during Western district was that it allowed us to have a semi-permanent COVID protocol in place where when we're on a film, that the location is changing every day, every week, whatever. Um, it's a lot of work to set up a COVID procedure to keep zone separated on set. Um, it's a lot, it's a lot of logistics every time you change locations. Um, not that accompany move is not already a big task, but, um, this adds a whole another level to that, um, down to who needs individual bathrooms for people or what zones needed individual bathrooms. Um, and so it can be very, very, very difficult where, um, you know, when we were shooting in studio, it really allowed us to set up one game plan for the entire production. Um, and basically just kind of turn the lights on every day. Um, and so, uh, there's certainly some benefits, um, to shooting in studio right now during COVID, um, versus being on location. Uh, but it really depends on the location if you have, um, an enormous space. Uh, for instance, our film in October, uh, took place in a, in an abandoned hospital that we had managed to find. Um, and that hospital was huge, right? We had, um, we had enough room for a crew of 500 if we wanted to. Um, and so we, you know, we were really that one was easy for us to be able to separate different zones out. Everyone could have their own bathrooms and their own access to entry and exits and, you know, the ventilation everything had been looked through and we thought, well, we were able to go through all of that. Um, but, uh, there's other locations that we scouted like different homes and stuff that we, we, the director loved, uh, they would have been perfect for the script, but there was no way for us to make them COVID compliant, um, in a way that we could even put, you know, a crew of 10 and then we had a much larger crew than that. So, um, I think, uh, that those are some of the things that, um, I would add when it comes to locations and, and, and COVID protocols.
AL: Yeah. And, and let me just say, um, and could you just feel free please, to interrupt if I'm going off in the wrong direction here, but, you know, let's, let's talk about expenses and, um, some of the things that are cost-effective right now, because obviously COVID, and the protocols that are in place, whether it's union or non-union, they're really expensive. I mean, this is a whole new budget, right? For, um, for safety and keeping things compliant. Um, and what I have found from the producing side of things is that, you know, sometimes when you're looking at a studio space and, um, you have, you have your costs there, whatever the cost is there, and you think, Oh, well, we can just go on location and shoot it, and it will be cheaper, right? So, let's try to save some money right now, location in is costing a lot because of the safety protocols, um, that you have to implement. And also because of the time that is used in keeping everybody safe. And I do think that if people are working right now on projects, for me, the studio is the way to go. As much as you possibly can is to, to be in a studio space so that you can control that environment. That's always cost-effective whether it's the pandemic or not. Right. But especially now, I think, because you start going down these rabbit holes of safety when you're on location and trying to make sure that the air filters are correct and trying to make sure that there's hot water available and trying to make sure that, you know, people can distance. Um, it's, it, it does get even more complicated on location.
KF: Yeah, definitely. You're making a good point on that. Uh, so, uh, yeah, it's just something to consider and, you know, Zak, if someone was interested in working at your studio, how would they get in touch with you guys?
ZH: Yeah. You can reach us. Um, the easiest way is just go into farmstudiosnwa.com, um, and reaching out to us there. Um, we've got lots of contact information on their phone numbers and emails. You can reach us, uh, also info@farmstudiosnwa.com is a great email for us. Um, and we're here to help, right? We want to, we want to partner with people. We want to walk alongside you. Um, ultimately our goal here at the studio is, uh, it's to make our consult production succeed, um, whatever that looks like. And so, um, if that means co-producing your movie with you, if that means helping you find distribution, if that means, um, helping you location scout, um, whatever, whatever you're looking for, gear, crew personnel, um, we're here to help we're, we're a resource we want to be here for you. Um, we're not here to charge you for all of this, uh, sir, there's fees associated with using the space and using the studio, but, um, our knowledge is a lot of times free and, you know, we're here to help people come alongside you, uh, give you the advice you need, uh, to be as successful as you can in Arkansas. Um, ultimately, you know, a successful, um, for, for us, we measure our success for the studio and, and how many films are being shot in Arkansas, not necessarily how many films are shooting in farm studios. Um, so, uh, we're here to help. We want to help make the process as easy as possible for people, um, and, uh, and make sure that, you know, they don't have to learn any of the, uh, the mistakes, especially around COVID the hard way. Um, cause those can be very expensive or even honestly, deadly mistakes.
KF: Yeah, for sure. Well, um, are there any other projects you guys have coming up, you're going to be working on some more things?
AL: Well, I personally, I'm looking right now, I'm, I'm developing a few things, but nothing's greenlit at this point and, um, I'm still open to finding the right project, um, to be filmed here in Arkansas, for sure.
ZH: Exactly, big things for Farm Studios in 2021. Yeah. We've got a couple of really great projects that are slowly kind of lining up. Everyone's kind of in this place, obviously with the COVID pandemic, where it is, where it kind of we're in this place where it's like, we're so close to like the light at the end of the tunnel. Um, that there's a, there's a lot of productions that are kind of on the fence right now of like, do we want to spend the extra money to shoot during COVID cause without a doubt there is added expense. Um, just in tests alone, you're going to spend, um, an additional six figure amount on an, on that, in your budget. And so, um, the conversation now is, do we want to do it now or are we going to push till August? Um, the studio does have a few projects that are looking at, um, kind of a March/April timeline. Um, so we'll, we potentially could have some stuff lining up there. Um, and if, uh, if so then I imagine we'll, I know, I know we will be busy in the fall, uh, without a doubt, but I think this, the spring here, we're kind of in the middle of trying to figure out whether or not we're going to push forward and do, um, some more COVID productions or whether or not we're, uh, we're just going to pump the brakes just a little bit and push off till, um, August. And we have a little bit more of the population that's been, um, vaccinated. So outside of that though, um, our production company, Intercut Productions, we're doing lots of commercial work every day, um, all around Northwest Arkansas. Um, I think from that standpoint, we've seen the industry really recover, um, Northwest Arkansas. I think we're back to almost a normal level of, of commercial production happening in Northwest Arkansas, which is great. It's keeping a lot of our freelancers busy, um, and, uh, and that's, that's always exciting. I think everyone everyone's going back to work, which I, I, it makes me excited. It makes, it makes me happy to see all of us, uh, back on set and, uh, getting to see each other's pretty faces. Even if it's mostly covered by a mask.
KF: It's in the eyes, you know.
ZH: It's in the eyes. It's, it's amazing what you've learned, what you can learn to like tell from people through their eyes. Like I'm amazed now. Like I can tell a lot of emotions from people that I know really well now just by their eyes.
KF: Yeah, absolutely. There's some people that, some people I can't tell if they're smiling, but there's definitely some people who just really smile with their eyes and you don't realize it until they haven't the bottom part of their face covered up. It's interesting.
ZH: Right.
KF: Yeah. I think we've all learned just, there's a lot of different things we've learned over the last 14 months or however long it's been since this really got started. Well, I guess shutdown in March of last year, so around a year, really, but it feels longer than a year for sure. Yeah.
ZH: I really want to give a shout out to just like the entire state as a whole, like when we started, um, pursuing our first like union project in the state during COVID, um, the state just absolutely had our back. Um, we in a single day went from, um, I mean we talked to the department of health. I was able to talk to multiple senators. We had the governor, we had, we had an army of people fighting to help us make this movie happen. Um, and it really was just a flip of a switch. Like we said, Hey, we've got an opportunity to bring a project to Arkansas, uh, in the middle of all of this, but there's some speed, there are some hurdles that we've got to overcome in like the next 24 hours. Um, and the state just absolutely came around us and said, we're going to make this work. We're going to make this happen. And I think that's part of what makes shooting in Arkansas, uh, really, really special is just the absolute love for production and desire for it here. Um, and so outside of even just like state departments, um, I think I would also want to shout out Bentonville, the City of Bentonville and Visit Bentonville. Um, Kayleen, there is absolutely amazing. Um, we can call the city with absolutely anything I can close a road down with like an hour of notice. Um, and they are just absolutely amazing to work with. Uh, and once again, just when it came to any hurdles we had any speed bumps we had, uh, especially during COVID finding vendors that were still able to service us in certain ways. Um, they had just rose above and beyond, uh, to make it happen. So I just want to give all of those people, um, the biggest shout out, just because without, without everybody involved, you know, filmmaking is a huge team effort. Um, and without, um, everybody involved, those even that even didn't get a credit on the film, um, it wouldn't have been possible. That's fantastic.
KF: Amber, do you have any shout outs?
AL: Yeah. I just want to say that Christopher Crane did a great job helping us too. I mean, he's been so busy this year. Um, of course I'm sure for the same reason that, Hey, Arkansas is open, we're not shut down. And I know he's been busy working to get films here and, um, really, I mean the, the entire year, I think every, everybody has been filming, um, around the state and he was so accessible, so helpful. And, um, you know, it's, it's, it's not easy, but everything that Zak just described as far as the help coming from our state and from our community, you know, whether it is somebody, you know, getting an ambulance over to set or whether it's the governor saying, Hey, yeah, you know, let's approve it. All of those people in between, uh, they just, they have a passion and it shows and it paid off. And so many filmmakers benefited from it. I mean, we employed a lot of people, not just Zak and I, but other filmmakers, uh, during 2020. And that's really something that I'm proud of, um, is that we were able to bring those jobs. Um, especially when there weren't a lot of jobs right now, even in other states, even our filmmakers that travel out of state. You know, when everything's shut down, we were able to provide some jobs. And, um, I think that, I think all of the people involved, whether in a tiny way or a big, huge way can be proud of that, for sure.
KF: Yeah. Definitely. I mean, that's such an important aspect of this. It's, you know, it's fun to talk about the creative side, but it's such a huge economic driver and hopefully we'll be even more so as the years go by here in the state. Uh, you know, I definitely feel like there is, you know, down a Little Rock there there's groups like Arkansas for the Arts, and we are talking to them what ACS is talking to them about, “Hey, let's not forget to talk about film with the legislators and things.” So, definitely I think in the arts community, I think everybody's kind of coming together and seeing that we're all sort of in this together, whether you're film or theater or even visual art, it's all the big driver to get the state behind us is letting them know that it grows the economy and helps save the work. And I think, you know, you guys saw like once you can convince, you know, the governor, the legislators or whoever of that, you know, it's a lot, the wheels greased more and you can make things happen faster. And, and that's awesome that you guys had such a good luck with that. And with just, you know, not getting shut down over COVID, that's fantastic. So congratulations on that guys. And thank you for being on Reel Talk Arkansas today and, uh, you know, chatting with us, come back. Anytime you have a project that you want to discuss with us.
ZH: Will do, will do. I appreciate you taking the time with us today. Thanks.
KF: So much. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you.
AL: Thank you, Kody. Good luck. And I'm really excited to see everything that the Arkansas Cinema Society is going to do this year. Thanks so much.
KF: You're welcome. We're excited. So thank you.
[THEME MUSIC]
KF (voiceover): Reel Talk Arkansas is produced by Christian Leus and Kody Ford. Theme music by Amos Cochran. Thank you for listening and tune in next time. To find out more about Arkansas Cinema Society, visit our website: arkansascinemasociety.org.