We were lucky to catch up with Cody McGlashan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Cody, so excited to have you with us today, particularly to get your insight on a topic that comes up constantly in the community – overcoming creativity blocks. Any thoughts you can share with us?
I go for a walk, I pet my dog, I talk to people, I talked to strangers on the street, I work out, I eat better, I shower, I let my mind wander, I get goofy, I let it get Goofy on its own, and let it get mad, I don’t hurt myself, I let it come out of my system. I pretend to be the people that are in the script, I turn on music that the script asks me to turn on, or really it’s the vision that’s asking me to turn it on, or really it’s the vision that I can’t help but see and hear, and so I do that. I listen to the universe. I let the magic intercept my head.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m super focused on feature films, perhaps too much so. They take so much time and take a lot of time to pay you. But I also like helping out other people’s projects as an actor whatever they may be. I am from Vermont, there’s a lot of writers there, and I went to school in Chicago where there are a lot of actors. I’ve acted in so many short films, most of them have only been okay, some were really good, but regardless of quality not many saw them. I wanted to make the best one ever so I made Gary Screams for You. I put my heart and my soul into it, I starred it, I wrote it, edited it, I directed it with my friend Nolan, I produced it with a few other friends. It went to TIFF and some other big boy festivals which was great and the response was great, and now it’s on Canal+ and will be seen somewhere on an American streaming service relatively soon. I did short films for so much of my life. All I’ve ever wanted to do really is to make feature films that people see in the theaters, as an actor, writer or director. I’ve known I wanted to make movies since I was very very young, 5 years old. I did make movies but they were just movies that no one saw or could see and I didn’t even have a camera. I would get on a log pile and I would make movies. Very Vermont. Funnily enough now it is the best time ever to make short films, on the cheap, cheap and you can make millions of dollars doing so on social media, but all I want to do is make giant f****** movies that people see in theaters. Epic Cinema that transcends time and space and transforms us, and gives us catharsis, gives the audience catharsis. Cinema that is seen by millions, potentially billions. Cinema that lasts for Millenia. That’s what I’m focused on. Movies that are as good as Star Wars. As beloved as Star Wars. Movies that are like the Sistine Chapel. Holy film. I want to tickle people with my movies I want to make them scream and laugh and cry for joy. I want them to leave the movie theater and go talk to other people, strangers, friends, build community, share Joy, share the story. I want to make people Yelp in the theater, grab each other. I want my movies to free people. Now I live in Hollywood which I love, and I write a lot! I write a lot and I also audition a lot. I hunt for inspiration when I can, I drive around and go to parks and coffee shops, and I write. I look at the people, I talk to the people and then I write.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The top quality is definitely a lack of giving up. That is the number one. Whatever you you want to do, need to do, you can do, and you can’t give up. My dad taught me that. But other people have been saying it in different ways for years.
I think another quality is to reject negativity, this is very difficult but it is very important.
That’s the third quality I think is not being afraid of failure. Not being afraid of being laughed at. Because it is fear that holds us back, fearlessness or at least going straight into our fear heading into what we are afraid of is what makes us grow.
My advice is to do the things that you’re scared of right away, if you’re scared of them for the right reasons.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
They gave me hope.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.backstage.com/u/cody-mcglashan
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codymcglashan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codymcglashan
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-mcglashan-33196889/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/codymakesmovies
Image Credits
Eben Schumacher, Lejla Subasic, Brian Mcconkey, Skyler Knutzen,
