During the pandemic, the independent live music industry was facing an existential crisis with 2000+ independent venues on the verge of extinction. Our client, YouTube Music partnered with NIVA (National Independent Venue Association), to launch Save Our Stages—a three-day music festival dedicated to supporting these vital spaces.

This is the film we created to promote the event. With no budget to work with, my partner and I took on the challenge of directing it ourselves. Against all odds, we convinced the legendary photographer Danny Clinch to contribute his stunning images—and, unbelievably, Neil Young himself to lend his voice to our script.