BPS 273: How to Deal with Filmmaking Depression with Lucas McNelly

I read an article the other day about a filmmaker who spent the
better part of a decade trying to finish a movie due to unforeseen
circumstances and spiral depression. I was immediately intrigued
because that's part of the package that this line of work comes
with that we don't talk about as much.

So, I brought on the award-winning filmmaker and writer Lucas
McNelly to talk about his movie, Up Country, and how depression
affects his life and creativity. Lucas McNelly has written and
directed feel-good projects like Blanc de Blanc, A Year Without
Rent, L'Attente, Gravida, Maine Noire, and Indies for Indies
series.

He currently works as Director of Films and Assistant to Marla
Singer at Long Winter Soap Company.While his interest was initially
in sports broadcasting like basketball and baseball, he pivoted to
filmmaking in his sophomore year of college after winning a
students' film festival by happenstance. The production of his 2021
movie, Up Country, took almost a decade to complete.

Lucas wrote and directed Upcountry--- a true labor of time and
passion because he came to the brink of losing this project.The
movie plot is about a group of friends from New York City who hires
a guide to take them on a fishing trip deep in the woods of
northern Maine. But, when the guide takes all their gear, they find
themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere.He goes in-depth about
the process and all the curveballs he dealt with over the
decade.

Perseverance is one word I can use to describe Lucas's story and
the making of Upcountry, but you have to listen to be your own
judge.He has another upcoming project, Maine Noire; you can check
it out on his website--- you can find all the details in the show
notes below.

Not to give too much away, but let's dig into my interview with
Lucas McNelly.

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