Jason Carman — Filmmaking at the Frontier (EP.260)

The relentlessly prolific Jason Carman is making the films our culture needs: optimistic, inspiring and positioned at the frontiers of modern tech and science. In under two years, he has shipped more than 70 high-quality mini-documentaries exploring the startups shaping the future, racking up over 130,000 YouTube subscribers along the way. His new venture, Story Company, premiered “New Space”, its 100+ minute-long exploration of the modern space industry, to a packed San Francisco theater this year. Story Company has multiple projects in the pipeline, including a full-length sci-fi feature. Ultimately, he intends to create a new generation of sci-fi films: a Star Wars for the 21st century. I love Jason’s ambition, drive and enthusiasm (not to mention his filmmaking chops), which is why we awarded him a $100k O’Shaughnessy Fellowship last year. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack. Important Links: Jason on X Story Company on X Story Company on Youtube Story Company’s Website “New Space” Frontier Film Jason’s Fellowship Show Notes: How Jason fell in love with filmmaking Laziness as an edge How to build a good team How to fix Hollywood Frontier Films: a new category of movie From science-fact to science-fiction Finding the right infinite loops The roots of the idea of America A Complete Unknown: Jason’s slideshow & Bob Dylan’s anti-authoritarianism Getting woo on Tenet’s Sator square How do you know when a movie is finished? The fragility of the artist We are all co-creators Jason as World Emperor MORE! Books Mentioned: I Am a Strange Loop; by Douglas Hofstadter The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom One Summer: America 1927; by Bill Bryson The Hypomanic Edge: What Built America; by John D. Gartner The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; by Douglas Adams Movies Mentioned: New Space (directed by Jason Carman) Flow (directed by Gints Zilbalodis) My Dinner With Andre (directed by Louis Malle) Star Wars (directed by George Lucas) A Complete Unknown (directed by James Mangold) Tenet (directed by Christopher Nolan) Dune: Part Two (directed by Denis Villeneuve)