Creative of the Month- October 2012

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Robin Nations is the Co-Writer/Co-Director, and Co-Producer of "Champion." She was part of the production team that won the City's first ever Local Filmmakers Grant which was offered by the City of San Antonio Department for Culture and Creative Development (formerly the Office of Cultural Affairs) and the San Antonio Film Commission.

We took a few minutes to ask Robin a few questions about her background as a filmmaker and working in the San Antonio film community. Here's what she had to say...

1) What first got you interested in making films?

All my life I have been a storyteller and a movie fan. At a young age I remember wanting to rewrite and redirect television shows - to create the happy endings that I wanted. While pursuing a degree in Scriptwriting the R/TV/F department, at NLU where I was studying at the time, downsized and my degree program became R/TV/F Production. I enjoyed the production and directing classes. I loved working on my student film and being part of the film team.

2) What's it like to work on films with your husband, Kevin Nations (below)? Is that how the two of you met?

My husband and I met through mutual friends. Later, one of my professors was actually a fan of his and bragged about this "gifted young artist" who was a graphics and 3D whiz in advertising at the time. I only later realized she had been talking about Kevin. While we were engaged, Kevin helped out with my student film and I in return helped him with a short film idea he was working on at the time. We realized right away that we made a great team.  

My husband and I have made short films together since 1995. We have been a fantastic team ever since. Collaboration is the best thing about movie-making. It is one of the few art forms that is truly a team effort. This is especially true for Champion. I acted as co-writer with Richard Dane Scott and co-director with my husband, Kevin.

3) What do you like best about the local film community?
I love the San Antonio Film community. It is only because of film activities like "Short Ends" and "48 Hour filmSA that Kevin and I realized there was enough local talent to begin making features.

4) What have been 2 of your biggest challenges in the film industry?
In film school (at least back when I was in it) we were taught nothing about the business side of the film industry. It took me a long time to learn that a film is a product as much as it is a work of art. Financing a film is also a very difficult process.

5) How did you hear about the Local Filmmakers Grant?
Drew Mayer-Oakes, Director of the San Antonio Film Commission, announced the grant at the SAFilm Christmas Party last year.

6) What are the next steps for "Champion"?  
We are in our final stages of post-production, and then we will be making a lot of decisions about the best path of distribution for the movie.

Cast and crew of "Champion"