In this throwback episode from 2010, host Andy Coon sits down with independent filmmaker Todd Tinkham from Hillsborough, North Carolina. Todd's journey into filmmaking is as compelling as the stories he tells on screen - after spending 17 years working with at-risk youth, he made a bold mid-life career change following the deaths of his parents, who he realized had "died with their music still inside them."

Todd shares how his difficult childhood and experience with family dysfunction influenced his storytelling, particularly his focus on characters in transitional periods of life learning to love themselves and others. He discusses his methodical approach to film festivals, having screened his short films at over 250 festivals worldwide, and how attending festivals as a viewer helped him understand what makes exceptional independent cinema.

The conversation explores Todd's evolution from making short films to completing his feature "Southland of the Heart," which he describes as "an end-of-life road movie" about two women - one dying of cancer who must learn to love herself, and a younger woman from an abusive background who must learn to love others. Todd also reflects on the collaborative filmmaking community in North Carolina's Triangle region and how working with other filmmakers has helped him grow both as an artist and a person.

This insightful conversation reveals how personal experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from others can lead to authentic, powerful storytelling that resonates with audiences.

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