Nashville’s annual film festival is back this year with brand new, never-before-seen talent. Some of the best filmmakers get a chance to show their work at this festival. Now three APSU students are getting that same chance. Senior Taylor Moore, and graduates Josef Clark and Lizzy Patterson created “Listen Hear,” a film about the Clarksville music scene. 

“I wanted to show off how Clarksville has a thriving music area. We have thriving musicians that are killing it, but no one knows about it,” Patterson said. 

The film was created in their documentary production class taught by Karen Bullis—who the group considers the driving force behind them submitting their film.

“Karen Bullis is my rock. She is the one who saw potential in me when I didn’t. She is the one who wanted to get us out there,” Patterson said.

“Karen really pushed us to do it [submit the film],” Moore said.

“We really owe it to Karen,” Clark said. 

The musicians in the film, Ryan Gardner, Justin Mobley and Rufus Dawkins, are local talent here in Clarksville.

“Everyone in it I asked them to help me out and they agreed. They kind of saw it as free publicity to a certain extent,” Clark said. “Getting their voice out there was something they wanted to do, to begin with.” 

“Narrowing down the subjects for the film was not as hard as one would expect. I knew like five people. Everybody I know makes music and plays shows around here. I thought two artists would complement Rufus very well,” Clark said. 

“All three artists are very passionate about their views on the music scene in Clarksville. This is what they do for a living. Justin wants there to be hope for it [the music scene],” Moore said. 

They were able to borrow equipment from the university to make the film.

“Zero bank accounts were harmed in the making of this film,” Moore said. 

Clark hopes to make more films in the future. “Now I plan on making more shorts—at this point, I will submit anything. Now that I have made it into one [a film festival] I can do it again.” 

Clark, Moore and Patterson want more than anything for the film to be an example of Clarksville’s thriving music scene and their local artists.

“I hope it opens up their [viewer’s] library to music. We have very talented artists. Pay attention to your local talent wherever they come from,” Moore said.

Patterson couldn’t agree more.

“I want people to see our music scene as something thriving. We could be the next Nashville, the next hotspot. I think Clarksville is coming up there. I want people to see the film, see its potential and invest into the music scene. We haven’t even hit our peak yet,” Patterson said 

The Nashville Film Festival is being held from Oct. 3 to Oct. 12 at Regal Hollywood Theaters. “Listen Hear” was shown on Oct. 6 at 12:30 p.m.