The old historic building where I live in North Asheville is the kind of place that attracts interesting people, and it didn’t take long for me take note of a fellow Gen Xer — a film industry veteran who lives in one of the building’s one-of-a-kind, quirky apartments. A man of many titles, still active in Hollywood, he also happens to be a climate philanthropist.

A few months back, after reading my pilot for The French Broad Revival, the man of many titles thoughtfully and unassumingly sent me a text message — a link to the NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship.

I stared at my phone, genuinely taken aback. Climate Storytelling?

After years of transition, North Carolina is making a measured return to film production investment.

With the state’s recent announcement of expanded film grants supporting productions shooting in North Carolina in late 2025, a clear signal has been sent: the door is open. Not just for blockbusters, but for meaningful, place-based storytelling that reflects who we are now — culturally, environmentally, and creatively.

The French Broad Revival is exactly that kind of project.

This past month, I submitted The French Broad Revival to the Sundance Episodic Lab — a program that champions bold, personal storytelling and supports emerging writers in developing original television series. The application process asked a series of thoughtful, deeply reflective questions — not only about the project itself, but about the writer behind it: Why this story? Why you? Why now?