Today we’d like to introduce you to Shane Nelson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shane. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Filmmaking was always a passion of mine but more-so a hobby in my younger years. I can remember making our first films while in grade school. Along with my neighbor and best-friend, Brennan, we would rally up the neighborhood kids and go down to the park and film movies. We filmed our own versions of hits like Jurassic Park and Star Wars. We even had our own action/fantasy series we dubbed “Blade.” The second of which was a full rock-opera to Linkin Park’s album “Hybrid Theory.” We were inventive for a bunch of pre-teen kids. We’d record our whole soundtrack by holding a boombox next to the camcorder as we filmed. Whatever it took!
As I got older, I still made short sketch films and music videos, but sports took a hold of my life. I went on to play football for LaGrange College and my path back then would have led me to be a high school teacher and coach. A torn ACL redirected my life and was quite possibly the best thing that ever happened to me. Due to my injury and a chance opportunity, my friend took me to a concert in Alpharetta that changed my life forever. It was my first ever experience within the realm of live-music and I discovered a community I had not been privy to before. I wanted to share that feeling with people. The energy. The love. The freedom! I took an introspective look at myself and I came to the realization that I wasn’t where I needed to be. Something that could have been so devastating became the fuel for a renewed passion for film, music and art itself.
I transferred to Georgia Southern University and enrolled in their film program the following Spring. I started writing scripts, filming local concerts and even hosted a student radio show called “The Five O’Clock Bus Stop.” I wanted to be around music and film as much as I could. I was constantly creating content and looking for the next adventure. After a few semesters, I had built a strong rapport with a band called Those Cats and was filming most of their shows. My film projects bounced back and forth between live events and short form sketch films. As graduation approached I prepared to take on my first feature…
After graduating in the fall of 2014, I set off to film “Left: A Coast-to-Coast Journey on Foot.” I walked over 3,000 miles from Tybee Island, Georgia to San Francisco, California and put together a movie from the footage I captured along the way.
I asked people five questions:
1. What is your definition of happiness?
2. What’s the importance of art and music?
3. Do we communicate well as a society?
4. What’s the biggest solvable problem we face as a society?
5. Do you believe in a higher power?
After the film was complete, I realized how very much I had to learn. I was proud of my feats and of the final product, but I was far from satisfied. I knew I had much to improve upon and I will admit I was a bit discouraged. I took a back seat from filming and began working at a bar back in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia. I was satisfied with my complacency.
Luckily, my friend Logan Marshall came to me with an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Along with the help of producer Paxton Elrod, Logan and I were gifted with the chance to kayak the Mississippi River from start to finish to film a web-series. During this process, my business partner Blake Turner and I were able to officially begin Guilty Peach Productions, LLC and were able to produce an accompanying feature-length documentary titled “2320” that is nearing completion in post-production.
Since completing our river trek, I took a leap of faith and began working freelance full-time. Since then we have stayed incredibly busy, filming gigs all over the southeast and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Most every weekend we will have a shoot booked, whether it be for a live-event or just to get together to work on one of our features. We have been blessed with the opportunity to work events with the likes of Funkadelic Threads, Airbound Entertainment and Medicine for The Soul Entertainment. Stapozi Creations has also been a huge collaborative partner for us.
We’ve had the pleasure of filming bands such as Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Big Something, CBDB, and many local bands such as Funk You, Universal Sigh, The Orange Constant, Voodoo Visionary, The Night Shift, and Lady Love & The Losing Streak. We’ve even wrapped filming on one feature, with two more currently in production.
The worlds of music and film are so vastly incredible and I’ve been able to share a little piece of that with the world. I couldn’t be happier.
Has it been a smooth road?
The experience of the aftermath of my first feature was very disheartening at times. I could see all of the mistakes and I knew it was too late to improve this or that. As they say, hindsight is 20/20 and I would have done so much differently. However, I am so very glad to have experienced those bumps and gotten bruised because without them I would have never improved.
Nowadays whenever something gets tough or doesn’t go as planned I just take it as an opportunity to learn and progress forward.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Guilty Peach Productions is a film production company that specializes in live-event videography, commercials and feature length films. Guilty Peach prides itself on the original content of all forms and genre types while handling production from Pre to Post and everything in between. We put together everything from energetic: 30-second promo videos, to full-concert edits, to Ariel drone footage and are looking to have four feature-length films under our belts by this time next year.
On the live music spectrum, we understand what tour life is like and the difficulties of balancing a budget while also looking for other avenues to promote their work. We take into account many varied factors to work on a prize package that is affordable and fits the needs of each band on a case-by-case basis. We are just as passionate about the music and people we film and do everything in our power to keep forward momentum for the musicians.
Guilty Peach is always going to provide a well-rounded and quality product. Our mission is simple in that we seek to provide unique edits and works of worth that will keep people entertained and wanting more from our clients.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I do!
Atlanta is a huge hub for entertainment and the arts. People are even calling it the Hollywood of the South! No matter what avenue of entertainment you are interested in, there is something for you. If you want to create your own productions or work on the productions of others.
Atlanta will leave you with all the right tools at your disposal. All you have to do is keep your passion high and network as much as you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.guiltypeach.com
- Phone: 912-704-4564
- Email: guiltypeachproductions@gmail.com
- Instagram: @guiltypeachproductions, @shanesnelson
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guiltypeach/
Image Credit:
Larkin Wilson, Brad Boswell
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