22
Daniel Goldhaber
Movies by Any Means Necessary
His 2018 debut feature, Cam, a provocative, psychological thriller about a camgirl's stolen identity marked him as a director unafraid to dig deep into the darker recesses of contemporary culture. Cam captivated audiences with an unexpectedly feminist perspective using a technique Goldhaber calls "sensory ethnography," while putting forth a vision of how horror can reflect the anxieties of our digital age.
But if Cam was Goldhaber's statement of intent, his 2022 feature How to Blow Up A Pipeline solidified his place as a filmmaker with something to say. Boldly political yet tightly constructed, Pipeline is further proof that Goldhaber is mastering the art of genre with a conscience, a rarity in the landscape of popular cinema often content with spectacle over substance.
Daniel's films and Daniel's life explore the tension between capitalism and activism, between creativity and the imperative of commerce. In this conversation, you'll hear the best parts about his film education at Harvard, how he crashed a party at Cannes to get his movie financed, and how a weekend raving in Berlin changed the course of his life forever. He gives us hot takes on how the film industry is unexpectedly changing, and on the ethical rationale of controversial climate activism.
Call him a raconteur, a provocateur, but just don't call him an auteur - either way I have a feeling that Daniel's career as a filmmaker is just getting started. So whether you're listening to this conversation in 2024 or doing retrospective research in 2034, please enjoy my conversation with Daniel Goldhaber.
Listen : Spotify | Apple | YouTube
Hollywood is making movies for the average person but “the ‘average person’ doesn’t exist.”
Show Index
- 02:10 - Daniel’s Film Beginnings at Harvard
10:01 - How Daniel Collaborates & Dismantles On Set Power
15:44 - How Daniel Uses Capitalism as an Antagonist in Storytelling
19:40 - Can Film Create Social Change?
25:42 - Daniel on Shamelessly Pitching Ideas and Getting Financing
33:05 - Faces of Death - Daniel’s Next Film
36:04 - Berlin Raves Changed Daniel’s Life & Art
40:50 - Longmont Potion Castle Prank Calls
45:15 - At Large & Off The Cuff (It’s a Really Good One)
Show Notes
Sauce Boss Meets Girlboss
Movies by Any Means Necessary
Have Your Cake and Tweet It Too
Greens to Greatness
Writing Your Way Ahead
Liberté, Intégrité, Simplicité
Peace, Love, and Advertising
The Unprofessional Professional
Idea Virus Patient Zero
Chasing Liquid Gold
Making MSCHF
Internet Funnyman
Building a Digital Hearth
No Mud, No Lotus
You Can’t Just Switch It Off
Purpose & Play
Creative Courage and Talking Stuffed Animals
Silencing the Discursive Mind
Striking Internet Gold
Givers Are Getters
Hosting a Rave for the Intellect
The Hunt for Big Ideas
Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
Not investment advice. Read important disclosures.