Having only launched a couple months ago, Nitty Gritty Productions already has some rad projects under their belt. Founded by Mason Bryde and Elijah LaPlante, the small media production house is located here in Asheville and specializes in creating content for local artists and entrepreneurs. We interviewed them about their creative journeys thus far, biggest inspirations, advice for fellow creatives, favorite food spots, and more. Read it all after the jump!
Tell us about who y'all are and what you do.
The dude with the beanie and boots is Mason Bryde and the mixed-Asian dude with slides is Elijah LaPlante. We’re recent college grads with a love for filmmaking, but really all things storytelling. Earlier this year we joined forces and launched Nitty Gritty Productions. Together we produce, shoot, and edit media content for local artists and entrepreneurs at an affordable price.
When did y’all start getting into photography/video production?
Mason: My personal journey with video and media started in late high school. I was always interested in creative pursuits (arts, music, etc), but having laptops at our High School forced us to use more video based programs. In junior year I was making short films on iMovie just about every week with a certain amount of creative freedom to make what we wanted. Usually my goal was to make the most funny and creative film in the class. Then around senior year was when I was hit with a realization that this was what I wanted to do. Though I contemplated still majoring in visual arts in college, I realized that my passion was no longer in that outlet, so when I got to college I majored in Mass Communication and dug in. Elijah: In high school I made a short film called “Shadows” for my senior project. There were six people in the cast and crew all together, we used my friend’s parent’s camera, and ended up with a 12 minute story about a dysfunctional family. When I presented it, three of my classmates cried and that pretty much affirmed to me that storytelling is what I wanted to pursue. So before I even started at college (UNCA) I had my major picked out (Mass Communications) and a goal to build my skill set in the various areas of visual storytelling.
What do y’all enjoy most about being creative?
M: My favorite part is the challenge. It gives my brain a sort of workout when I need to construct and build something, in that I’m building off what I have planned beforehand but also letting the project grow where it wants to and recognizing the difference. There are so many times a project turns out way different than what I had initially intended and for the better, just watching the evolution and seeing what it turns into is very fun. Even the frustrating moments feel rewarding in that it puts me in a position where I have to think about the entire thing differently. Brainstorming is also very fun for me because that allows the seeds to grow and possibilities to rise. Nothing like a good Brainblast in the morning, Jimbo.
E: In short, creativity is great therapy. Personally, I’ve discovered a lot about myself by being creative. By putting those ideas in my head about myself and the world around me into characters in a story or lyrics in a song, I’ve been able to better settle with tough situations or empathize on a deeper level than I would have had I not gone through the process of funneling my perspective through the rules of the artistic medium. There’s also this exhilarating feeling that comes from reaching that state of flow.
What's one of y’alls favorite projects you've done so far?
M: Um, well I don’t like to pick favorites. BUT, if I have to choose I’d say the State Park Ranger/Cowbaby collaboration video comes to the top of my head. That whole session was super fun as well as very experimental. We were very much learning how we wanted to make it as we went along, or as Elijah would say very “run and gun”. But the environment going into that was very warm and inviting, and became a very enjoyable space to be in which I think is super helpful whenever you’re making a project. ALSO, fun fact, if you listen to their cover of Bright Morning Star (on State Park Rangers new EP) you can faintly hear Elijah and I’s voices, which I think is just neat.
E: Haha yeah, I agree with Mason in that every project we’ve done so far have each been such a uniquely different experience that it is difficult to choose. But I guess I’d choose our spotlight with Emotion in General, where he showcases his eurorack and experimental music (coming soon). We just had a lot of fun messing around with lighting and camera setups in that shoot, and I look forward to playing around more in the edit.
M: Well, as far as Nitty Gritty goes, the biggest inspiration for that was the Netflix series Abstract, which has these hour long episodes that highlight different artists. But each episode’s set up and aesthetics are unique to each individual artist, so you get a unique feel for the artist themselves as well as not feeling you’re not watching something that is formulaic and “cookie cutter”. It was the main reference point when I pitched the idea to Elijah. But, as far as my own personal inspirations, that's tough to answer. For film it ranges from dark stuff from directors like Ignar Bergman to goofy such as the Older Godzilla films from the 50s and 60s (My life is just whatever is on the criterion channel) . But I think my go to genre is always Comedy because of its versatility and ability to pull and capture so much from the wells of human emotion. I think recently though a lot of the more “art house dark comedy” esque shows such as Fleabag, Atlanta, Master of None, & Barry have really caught my attention.
E: Christopher Nolan, Denis Villenueve, Alex Garland, to name a few. I think they exemplify some of the top directors that are able to imbue blockbuster level films with deep philosophical ideas without losing the entertainment aspect. Also Bong Joon-ho is my boy and I love him. But a more down to Earth inspiration for me would be this Youtuber named Josh Yeo (aka MAKE. ART. NOW.). He is just this talented, hyperactive videographer that knows all the tricks of the trade.
What's some advice y’all would give to fellow creatives?
M: Trust your gut. Your head will tell you a lot of things, but so much of creating involves feeling and letting yourself be honest and sincere in your work. It’s good to get outside advice and constructive criticism and collaboration is an amazing process, but you are still a part of it and your input and feelings are important, don’t forget.
E: Experiment! I think my biggest obstacle when it comes to any artistic expression is my perfectionist side. I think that it’s necessary in some form in order to hold oneself to a certain caliber, but personally I found that experimenting has allowed me to better figure out the puzzling nature of creating. Also collaboration is a wonderful thing, and surrounding yourself with peers who work in the same medium as you is a great way to motivate yourself.
M: Most of my influence in our work is more behind the scenes. I usually set up and interview our subjects as well as come up with most of the interview questions. For me I always want our subjects to feel comfortable and have the ability to feel sincere in their answers. I also like to have them open up into more of a conversational feel once they’re more familiar with the questions. I also occasionally make suggestions to Elijah about technical stuff, but that’s still all his department.
E: Since I handle the technical side of things, such as the camera work and editing, I’m reflected in the visual language of our videos. In that the cinematography carries the viewer’s eyes, while the edit tells the story beat by beat. Influence is certainly a fluid area and luckily we’ve collaborated on several sizable projects before this venture so we don’t hesitate to give notes or step in if one of us finds the need to.
Music y’all have been listening to lately?
M: Man, I’ve been on a Psychedelic/Garage Rock kick as of late. I have a playlist I made called “riffage, my dude” and it has Otto from the Simpsons on the cover. But occasionally when my brain is feeling worn out from that I’ll switch it up to something random (Patsy Cline, Herbie Hancock, the soundtrack to The Man Who Fell To Earth, or my “Case of the Empties” Playlist etc)
E: Cymande, Thundercat, Childish Gambino, Smino, Sylvan Esso’s new live album, 1970s Japanese funk thanks to Youtube’s algorithm, and lofi beats haha. Also some good old ‘devil music’ to get my mind in the right space for a script I’m writing.
Favorite food spot in Asheville?
M: OOOF, I’m just gonna spill em out because I just can’t pick one (I don’t pick favorites). I’d say All Day Darling, Homegrown, Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Taco Temple, Wasabi, and Tastee Diner when I’m feeling greasy.
E: Ooh, well All Day Darling has my heart, El Chapala is always there for me, but Nine Mile has my wallet.
Anything else you'd like to add?
We have a few video projects in the post-production stage that we’ll be rolling out soon-ish, so stay tuned for updates. We’d also like to thank our collaborators and followers so far. We’re a recent startup, so it’s been so nice to work with friends of ours and provide a service that aligns with our creative goals. Also thanks Holden for reaching out, it’s always cool to see artists supporting artists and that’s what we’re all about! Lastly, we think it’s important to state that once our current projects are posted, further projects will be put on hold due to current events, but we still have big plans for the future of Nitty Gritty.
Mason: My personal journey with video and media started in late high school. I was always interested in creative pursuits (arts, music, etc), but having laptops at our High School forced us to use more video based programs. In junior year I was making short films on iMovie just about every week with a certain amount of creative freedom to make what we wanted. Usually my goal was to make the most funny and creative film in the class. Then around senior year was when I was hit with a realization that this was what I wanted to do. Though I contemplated still majoring in visual arts in college, I realized that my passion was no longer in that outlet, so when I got to college I majored in Mass Communication and dug in. Elijah: In high school I made a short film called “Shadows” for my senior project. There were six people in the cast and crew all together, we used my friend’s parent’s camera, and ended up with a 12 minute story about a dysfunctional family. When I presented it, three of my classmates cried and that pretty much affirmed to me that storytelling is what I wanted to pursue. So before I even started at college (UNCA) I had my major picked out (Mass Communications) and a goal to build my skill set in the various areas of visual storytelling.
What do y’all enjoy most about being creative?
M: My favorite part is the challenge. It gives my brain a sort of workout when I need to construct and build something, in that I’m building off what I have planned beforehand but also letting the project grow where it wants to and recognizing the difference. There are so many times a project turns out way different than what I had initially intended and for the better, just watching the evolution and seeing what it turns into is very fun. Even the frustrating moments feel rewarding in that it puts me in a position where I have to think about the entire thing differently. Brainstorming is also very fun for me because that allows the seeds to grow and possibilities to rise. Nothing like a good Brainblast in the morning, Jimbo.
E: In short, creativity is great therapy. Personally, I’ve discovered a lot about myself by being creative. By putting those ideas in my head about myself and the world around me into characters in a story or lyrics in a song, I’ve been able to better settle with tough situations or empathize on a deeper level than I would have had I not gone through the process of funneling my perspective through the rules of the artistic medium. There’s also this exhilarating feeling that comes from reaching that state of flow.
What's one of y’alls favorite projects you've done so far?
M: Um, well I don’t like to pick favorites. BUT, if I have to choose I’d say the State Park Ranger/Cowbaby collaboration video comes to the top of my head. That whole session was super fun as well as very experimental. We were very much learning how we wanted to make it as we went along, or as Elijah would say very “run and gun”. But the environment going into that was very warm and inviting, and became a very enjoyable space to be in which I think is super helpful whenever you’re making a project. ALSO, fun fact, if you listen to their cover of Bright Morning Star (on State Park Rangers new EP) you can faintly hear Elijah and I’s voices, which I think is just neat.
E: Haha yeah, I agree with Mason in that every project we’ve done so far have each been such a uniquely different experience that it is difficult to choose. But I guess I’d choose our spotlight with Emotion in General, where he showcases his eurorack and experimental music (coming soon). We just had a lot of fun messing around with lighting and camera setups in that shoot, and I look forward to playing around more in the edit.
Who/what are some of y’alls biggest inspirations?
M: Well, as far as Nitty Gritty goes, the biggest inspiration for that was the Netflix series Abstract, which has these hour long episodes that highlight different artists. But each episode’s set up and aesthetics are unique to each individual artist, so you get a unique feel for the artist themselves as well as not feeling you’re not watching something that is formulaic and “cookie cutter”. It was the main reference point when I pitched the idea to Elijah. But, as far as my own personal inspirations, that's tough to answer. For film it ranges from dark stuff from directors like Ignar Bergman to goofy such as the Older Godzilla films from the 50s and 60s (My life is just whatever is on the criterion channel) . But I think my go to genre is always Comedy because of its versatility and ability to pull and capture so much from the wells of human emotion. I think recently though a lot of the more “art house dark comedy” esque shows such as Fleabag, Atlanta, Master of None, & Barry have really caught my attention.
E: Christopher Nolan, Denis Villenueve, Alex Garland, to name a few. I think they exemplify some of the top directors that are able to imbue blockbuster level films with deep philosophical ideas without losing the entertainment aspect. Also Bong Joon-ho is my boy and I love him. But a more down to Earth inspiration for me would be this Youtuber named Josh Yeo (aka MAKE. ART. NOW.). He is just this talented, hyperactive videographer that knows all the tricks of the trade.
What's some advice y’all would give to fellow creatives?
M: Trust your gut. Your head will tell you a lot of things, but so much of creating involves feeling and letting yourself be honest and sincere in your work. It’s good to get outside advice and constructive criticism and collaboration is an amazing process, but you are still a part of it and your input and feelings are important, don’t forget.
E: Experiment! I think my biggest obstacle when it comes to any artistic expression is my perfectionist side. I think that it’s necessary in some form in order to hold oneself to a certain caliber, but personally I found that experimenting has allowed me to better figure out the puzzling nature of creating. Also collaboration is a wonderful thing, and surrounding yourself with peers who work in the same medium as you is a great way to motivate yourself.
How are y’alls personalities reflected in your work?
M: Most of my influence in our work is more behind the scenes. I usually set up and interview our subjects as well as come up with most of the interview questions. For me I always want our subjects to feel comfortable and have the ability to feel sincere in their answers. I also like to have them open up into more of a conversational feel once they’re more familiar with the questions. I also occasionally make suggestions to Elijah about technical stuff, but that’s still all his department.
E: Since I handle the technical side of things, such as the camera work and editing, I’m reflected in the visual language of our videos. In that the cinematography carries the viewer’s eyes, while the edit tells the story beat by beat. Influence is certainly a fluid area and luckily we’ve collaborated on several sizable projects before this venture so we don’t hesitate to give notes or step in if one of us finds the need to.
Music y’all have been listening to lately?
M: Man, I’ve been on a Psychedelic/Garage Rock kick as of late. I have a playlist I made called “riffage, my dude” and it has Otto from the Simpsons on the cover. But occasionally when my brain is feeling worn out from that I’ll switch it up to something random (Patsy Cline, Herbie Hancock, the soundtrack to The Man Who Fell To Earth, or my “Case of the Empties” Playlist etc)
E: Cymande, Thundercat, Childish Gambino, Smino, Sylvan Esso’s new live album, 1970s Japanese funk thanks to Youtube’s algorithm, and lofi beats haha. Also some good old ‘devil music’ to get my mind in the right space for a script I’m writing.
Favorite food spot in Asheville?
M: OOOF, I’m just gonna spill em out because I just can’t pick one (I don’t pick favorites). I’d say All Day Darling, Homegrown, Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Taco Temple, Wasabi, and Tastee Diner when I’m feeling greasy.
E: Ooh, well All Day Darling has my heart, El Chapala is always there for me, but Nine Mile has my wallet.
Anything else you'd like to add?
We have a few video projects in the post-production stage that we’ll be rolling out soon-ish, so stay tuned for updates. We’d also like to thank our collaborators and followers so far. We’re a recent startup, so it’s been so nice to work with friends of ours and provide a service that aligns with our creative goals. Also thanks Holden for reaching out, it’s always cool to see artists supporting artists and that’s what we’re all about! Lastly, we think it’s important to state that once our current projects are posted, further projects will be put on hold due to current events, but we still have big plans for the future of Nitty Gritty.
Follow Nitty Gritty Productions on Instagram (@nittygrittyproductions)