Punk Rock HR Episode 136:
Every once in a while, I get to lean into my punk rock roots and do something a little different on this podcast. On today’s show, I’m introducing you to David Mahmoudieh and his new movie called Snake Dick.
David is the writer and director of this film and today we are talking about his creative journey. You don’t just wake up one morning and say, “I’m going to write and direct a film.” There’s actually a lot of heartache and a lot of lessons learned along the way. I think it’s interesting to talk to a creative professional about his journey and think about the parallels to your journey in marketing, sales, procurement, or even in human resources.
If you’ve ever dreamed about taking a risk and following your dreams, or even if you’re just a film of neo-noir short films, you’re going to love this conversation with David.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- David’s origin story.
- The part of the creative journey that he enjoys the most.
- The recurring themes in each of our lives.
- What Snake Dick is all about.
- How he demonstrates humanity in a way that brings something different to it.
- His experience writing a script in the midst of all the changes happening in the world.
- Where you can find David’s film.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
WHAT IS SNAKE DICK ALL ABOUT?
Snake Dick is a short film that was made with the intention of becoming a feature film. It tells the story of two women on a journey across the California wilderness while in possession of a deadly mysterious weapon. Their car breaks down at a gas station where they encounter two very MAGA-centric individuals. These men begin giving them a lot of unwanted attention. From there, it escalates and becomes a tale of predacious female empowerment. However, it also has a lot of other allegories for the state of our country right now. The whole feature is set against the backdrop of the 2020 election.
HOW DOES DAVID DEMONSTRATE HUMANITY IN A WAY THAT BRINGS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO IT?
He has taken a lot of care and time to not write something that is from a one-sided perspective. This took a lot of soul searching and a lot of outlining. His goal was to figure out how he could tell the story in a way that attacks what Trump stands for without attacking those who stand with him. Cinema is such a universal tool that can be used to unify people. No matter your political party, you can still enjoy the latest Marvel movie without getting into a political argument over it. Therefore, this film doesn’t pick a side besides the side of feminism and what it means to be a feminist in Trump’s America.
WHERE CAN I WATCH DAVID’S FILM?
The film is in a lot of film festivals right now where they have won a lot of awards. People can watch it at many of these. As for online, the film is on multiple streaming platforms, such as Alter (part of Gunpowder and Sky) and On the Letter. Both of these are hosted on YouTube, so if you type Snake Dick into YouTube, you will likely be able to find it there.
Resources from this episode: