We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ethan Nelson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ethan, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve wanted to make movies since I as long as I can remember. The majority of my childhood was spent with my friends and now creative partners, Cameron Duncan and Zachary Bakken, running around town with cameras and zombie makeup. For most of my childhood that was seriously as it was ever taken. Eventually we went off to college, and I started to study other things now believing that film was behind me. But in the spring of summer 2021, Cam reached out to me about a short film that he had written and really wanted to make that summer. It was a coming-of-age story very reminiscent of classic John Hughes films we had grown up loving, hence the title we gave it – ‘A John Hughes Jawn’. That project really reignited a fire inside of me that not only reinvigorated my passion for movies but also changed my perspective on what I wanted to pursue in my life. In the years since, we have grown as filmmakers with newer and bolder films as well as expending our creative team by adding our longtime collaborator Jeff Steele as an official member of the team. Our growth has resulted in our most recent outing, a horror short called ‘The Ant’. It’s our first step into the horror genre and by far our biggest project to date. The film recently premiered at Screamfest at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. It’s a huge step for us and we’re really excited to keep the momentum going with this film and others we have in the pipeline.

Ethan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an actor and writer as well as the content development director at So Good Productions. SGP is creative collective and production company that Cam, Zach, Jeff, and I develop and produce our films through. Our current focus is on genre-based narrative shorts with some of our previous work ranging from coming of age to adventure, neo-western, and now horror. Our collective north star however is of course to make feature films. We work very collaboratively in all facets of our projects to ensure that what we are making is the best possible outcome that will help us get closer to that goal. The collaboration is a huge strength of our dynamic and it allows us to all contribute to the writing and development process as well as let us focus on our key roles when the camera is rolling. With every film we do, our personal skills are refined, and our collective voice grows louder and more confident.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

To make good movies. It really is as simple as that. I want to create something that excited me and something that I know will excite an audience. My parents took me to the theater practically every week and I loved. I still do. It really is one of the best feelings to sit in a dark auditorium with a crowd of people and watch a good story unfold. I know that feeling is shared by Cam, Zach, and Jeff. We collectively want to bring something memorable lasting to the big screen, and I cannot wait for that opportunity to come.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I mean, who doesn’t want to be working with their best friends? I grew up an only child, so these three guys are basically my brothers. We push and support each other in our own lives, and we trust each other when we come together to make something. In true brotherly fashion, we bicker and argue plenty, but we will also always stick up for one another. It’s a bond I feel very lucky to have and be a part of. Making movies is really special. But getting to make movies with your best friends? You can’t ask for anything better than that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sogoodproductions.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethan__nelson_/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SoGoodProductions

Image Credits

Grayson Reed
Paul Archuleta