Ep241 - Xan Parker, Producer for Ron Howard’s ‘Rebuilding Paradise’

Xan Parker is a seasoned documentary producer, obsessed with character. Across her career, she’s worked on projects like The Hill, Racing Dreams, Big Men, Tigerland, and most recently, Rebuilding Paradise. The latest story, directed by Ron Howard, focuses on the community of Paradise, California, a town in the Sierra Nevada foothills and their attempt to rebuild after the wildfires of 2018. In this interview, Parker talks about the history of documentary filmmaking, how to quickly make decisions or pivots as a true story unfolds, how to choose subjects within a story, and how to tell the truth about the spirit of what happens. Also, if it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at www.writerfieldnotes.com