Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road (2020)
The story of guitar icon Tommy Emmanuel, who’s journey takes him from Australia’s youngest guitar prodigy to the world’s most acclaimed acoustic guitarist.
Traumatic revelations about the father he idolized send Tommy into a decades-long battle with addiction which threatens to derail his family and career, even as he drives himself to become one of the world’s most compelling performers. The film also tells the touching story of the relationship between Tommy and his hero, mentor and surrogate father figure, the legendary Chet Atkins.
Told through intimate backstage footage, explosive concert performances, rare archival material and unfiltered interviews with Tommy’s closest friends and family (as well as stars from Joe Satriani to Jason Isbell to Monty Python’s Eric Idle), the film examines the scars of childhood trauma, breaking cycles of self-destruction and the ambitious rise of a man determined to bring happiness to all corners of the globe with his music, even as his own life was in danger of toppling.
Directed by Jeremy Dylan and produced by Jaime Lewis.
Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (2014)
Grammy Award-winning bluegrass singer, hit country songwriter, prolific recording artist, radio DJ, awards show host, harmony singer and guitarist for Elvis Costello and Willie Nelson, tai chi master… Jim Lauderdale‘s journey from banjo-playing Beatles fan in North Carolina to the face of Americana music takes him through the 1980s ‘Urban Cowboy’ NYC country club scene, playing James Brown covers in a honky-tonk in LA where he was spotted by Dwight Yoakam‘s producer, failed albums and record label frustrations before country superstar George Strait sold six million albums with two of Jim’s songs and put Lauderdale tunes in the ears of music fans around America.
Abandoned by major music labels, Jim pioneered the Americana sound, collaborating with idols like Dr. Ralph Stanley and Robert Hunter and working overtime to produce a string of albums encompassing bluegrass, country, rock and R’n’B, which have won him critical acclaim, awards success and a passionate worldwide following. Jim’s story is told through interviews with Jim, Elvis Costello, Buddy Miller, John Oates, Gary Allan, Tony Brown, Jerry Douglas, Randy Kohrs and more. It also features performances with his country and bluegrass bands from the start of his career through to recent shows in the wine country of Australia and Nashville’s legendary Station Inn.
This feature length documentary was shot in iconic locations such as Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio A aka Ben’s Studio, the California desert and the 25th annual MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC. The film is directed by Jeremy Dylan and produced by Chris Kamen and Jeremy Dylan.
Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins (2011)
Look, this is not a good film. But I got to work with Stephen Fry, my boyhood idol, so I have no regrets. It also gave me a directing career, so I will forever owe gratitude to Stephen, Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo, as well as all my collaborators on the project who did great work trying to make my script entertaining.