University students and attendees of the TEDxLSU talks in March will have the opportunity to hear about the evolving nature of filmmaking from seasoned local screenwriter and filmmaker Zack Godshall.
Godshall, independent filmmaker and screenwriter-in-residence for the University, will be one of the 24 speakers at the event. A producer of documentaries and fiction, some of his films include “Lord Byron,” “God’s Architects” and “Low and Behold.”
Godshall attended the University as an undergraduate and went on to receive his master of fine arts from the University of California, Los Angeles.
“I returned to Louisiana to produce some independent films. This job at LSU came up and it worked because [the University] is very supportive of what I’m doing with filmmaking,” Godshall said.
The theme for the TEDxLSU talks is “evolve,” and curator Joey Watson said the filmmaking industry in Louisiana has and is continuing to evolve in positive ways.
“Zack sort of embodies that,” he said. “[His films] speak well of LSU and the communities here.”
Watson said he expects Zack to be passionate and to talk about how filmmaking is inspirational and creative, as well as the creative process he uses when making films.
Godshall said the theme of “evolve” is at the heart of what he does.
“A lot of artists think of themselves as evolving with each new concept. Working in creative ways is an evolution,” he said.
Godshall said the theme is also present in his films.
“Some of the films I’ve made, the characters face some kind of adversity and are forced to confront it, and these stories depict evolution or devolution of a character. The theme of evolve is pretty common to storytelling,” he said.
Godshall said many of his films are low-budget and are not big productions but close collaborations with others.
“Working with minimal resources, evolving each project, each one is a new challenge,” he said.
Watson said Godshall’s tremendous success resonates with the South Louisiana culture.
Godshall’s most recent film is specific to the Louisiana coast. There are plenty of interesting stories from the region that are untold or ignored, he said.
“[Zack] is someone we will continue to hear from. He is evolving,” Watson said.
“I think a lot of artists think of themselves as evolving with each new concept; working in creative ways is an evolution.”
