Episode 20: Adam & Monique Madrid - 48 Hours to a Feature Film

What happens when a married couple turns a question asked in the back row of a movie theater into a 10-year film festival — and then one of them ends up running the city's film office?

In this episode, Quinn sits down with Adam and Monique Madrid, the creative partnership behind the LOL JAX Film Festival and the Jacksonville 48 Hour Film Project. Adam is the Film Production Coordinator for the City of Jacksonville Film & Television Office and director behind the upcoming feature Let Me Be Corey. Monique is the Festival Director of LOL JAX — now in its 10th year — and the recent Cultural Council Small Business of the Year. Together, they represented Jacksonville on the international stage at Filmapalooza in Lisbon, Portugal.

Quinn gets a little selfish in this one. She has spent 25 years producing work for global brands in cities she doesn't live in — and she wants to know how a company like hers finally plugs into its own hometown.

What we get into:

• How the City of Jacksonville Film Office actually works — incentives, permitting, crew connections, and what makes filming here a genuinely smart business decision
• The $50K Jacksonville shoot vs. the $200K quote from LA — and why more brands should be paying attention
• Building LOL JAX from a Sun-Ray Cinema back row idea to a 10-installment institution
• How Adam and Monique divide creative, logistics, and marriage — and why compartmentalization might be the best relationship advice we've ever accidentally recorded
• The 48 Hour Film Project: why you should register a team, and what happens when you put yourself in a bunker for 48 hours with sleep deprivation and a surprise genre
• AI in film production: the 48HFP has banned generative AI — and why the global filmmaking community agrees
• Why Atlanta credits say "Georgia" and not "Atlanta" — and what that means for Jacksonville's future
• Cobra Kai filmed here. Malibu is actually Jacksonville Beach. Travis Hunter is insisting productions stay here. The city is moving.
• Adam's dream: bring Hollywood back to Jacksonville, where it started with Norman Studios. Not someday. Now.

The quote Adam ends with — borrowed from Jacksonville poet Oddrod — might be the best closer we've had on this show: "Our losses carry wins."

Connect with Adam & Monique:

• LOL JAX Film Festival: loljax.com
• 48 Hour Film Project Jacksonville: 48hourfilm.com/Jacksonville
• City of Jacksonville Film & Television Office: coj.net
• Let Me Be Corey — coming soon

Find Now, Near & the Future:

• Website: nownearfuture.com
• Spotify · Apple Podcasts · Amazon Music · YouTube
• Follow: @nownearfuture

TIMESTAMPS (from transcript — confirm against final export)

• 00:00 — Welcome & opening
• 02:00 — Around the Room: Tiger Lily social, Naila's change management cert, Adam's missing movies, Monique's intentional summer
• 07:15 — Guest introductions: Adam Madrid & Monique Madrid
• 11:00 — NOW: How the City Film Office actually works — incentives, permitting, crew
• 15:00 — Florida vs. Georgia: why the state incentive gap matters
• 20:00 — The LOL JAX origin story: one question, one back row, one sold-out screening
• 28:00 — How they built the 48 Hour Film Project in Jacksonville
• 30:30 — Running it as a married couple: lanes, compartmentalization, and the conflict-of-interest conversation
• 35:00 — NEAR: AI in film — what's real, what's noise, and why 48HFP banned generative AI
• 39:00 — Quinn's AI video experiment: $10K budget, Nielsen, and the character named Colette
• 43:00 — Across the Pond: Why London and Atlanta are winning productions (it's incentives, not glamour)
• 45:00 — Cobra Kai filmed Jacksonville Beach as Malibu — and Travis Hunter is demanding productions stay here
• 48:00 — FUTURE: Bringing Hollywood back — Jacksonville had it once with Norman Studios
• 52:00 — Quinn's EverBank shoot: $50K in Jax vs. $200K quotes from LA
• 55:00 — Mayor Donna Deegan and the political will to build a film city
• 58:00 — The wrap + Adam's closing quote from Oddrod: "Our losses carry wins"

Transcript

Quinn Harrington (00:02.326)
Welcome to Now Near in the Future. I'm Quinn Harrington.

Naila Mir (00:06.242)
I'm Naila Mir. Today we've got two guests and a story that starts with a question asked in the back row of a movie theatre.

Quinn Harrington (00:15.606)
Nine years ago, almost to the day, and now it's a ten year old film festival, a city film office partnership, and a couple who just represented Jacksonville on an international stage. We'll get into all of it.

Naila Mir (00:29.198)
Adam and Monique Madrid, welcome to the show!

Quinn Harrington (00:33.28)
Welcome.

Adam & Monique Madrid (00:33.646)
Thanks for having us. Yeah, thank you. Thanks for having us. Thank you. We appreciate it. Yes.

Naila Mir (00:35.648)
No, thank you for coming and we're going to do a proper introduction in a few minutes but first a confession from Quinn. Most of her work doesn't happen here in Jacksonville. Right Quinn?

Quinn Harrington (00:49.866)
Yeah, unfortunately guilty. my company, Harrington Design Company, has been in Jacksonville for twenty five years. In fact, this is our twenty-fifth anniversary, and we've produced dozens and dozens of of videos and documentaries, short films, things of that nature. But it's primarily for like global and national companies like Nielsen. So, you know, the T V ratings people.

we've been working with them for about fifteen years. And we have done some productions here in Jacksonville. What?

We have some done some productions in Jacksonville shooting here locally and we always enjoy that when we can do that. you know, 'cause I love this city and we haven't done really enough work for the local local regional companies here in town. So today's a little selfish. I wanna know how someone like me actually plugs in.

Adam & Monique Madrid (01:56.378)
Okay. Well yeah, I mean you wanna I just say you gotta go outside. that's the first thing. I think one of the biggest

ways to get to know the community is actually going to their events or going to the companies, getting to know them and then like seeing how you can organically fit into their sphere. that's just I mean it's it's cliche, but that's what kind of works in Jacksonville. everybody's gotta, you know, tune in to what the other person is doing and the more we do it, the more we get familiar and we're talking about each other and then it grows because now I want you to meet this person. Same with us. Like we

got to meet you through awesome people. So yeah.

Quinn Harrington (02:39.82)
Very cool. well before we go deeper, let's go around the room, shall we, Nyla?

Naila Mir (02:46.477)
Let's do it.

Quinn Harrington (02:48.31)
So what's on everyone's mind that has nothing to do with the job title? And I will go ahead and go first. obviously it's summer in Florida and it's hot as Hades. it's it's humid, it's it is almost unsufferable. but one fun thing that happened recently, and I don't know if you heard about it or were there, but Tiger Lily, which is a local production company here in Jacksonville.

Through like their first social at this new place called the Blockjacks. And it was totally awesome. I felt like this is what a big city should be doing, you know, bringing our community together. And rather than fighting each other and stabbing each other in the back, we're actually supporting one another. And that gives me a lot of encouragement for what's going on in Jacksonville. How about you, Nyla?

Naila Mir (03:44.29)
I'm not into film, I get films made, but I'm in communications and sustainability. So I haven't been doing anything around that. This week was all about studying, because I was doing a change management course, Quinn, which I hadn't prepared for, but I passed. So that's all good. Yes. So I'm now certified and that's what the one thing I did.

Adam & Monique Madrid (03:48.025)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (04:02.836)
Yay. Awesome.

Adam & Monique Madrid (04:07.053)
Nice, nice.

Quinn Harrington (04:09.022)
Excellent, excellent. how about you guys, Adam and Monique?

Naila Mir (04:11.392)
Whatever you.

Adam & Monique Madrid (04:14.495)
okay. you know, my thing is you know, without the job title, I just been kinda like wanting to I I feel like I want to catch up on movies that I'm missing out on. And again is even though like I'm talking about like movies that are in theaters, I I miss I miss

Quinn Harrington (04:27.467)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (04:32.077)
you know, going there on a regular basis is like I've been really busy with a lot of things going on here on my end. But, you know, I'm hearing about like this the movie Obsession, I'm hearing about back rooms, I'm hearing about a lot of these independent movies that are making a big, you know, statement in the theaters. So, you know, I kinda wanna check those out and, you know, I feel like I'm missing out a little bit on that. But but other than that, no, that's that's what and also I think we just missed each other by the Quinn at the block, at that networking event 'cause I was there yeah, I was there as well and I guess we must miss each other. But I was there

Quinn Harrington (04:56.427)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (05:01.089)
Bye.

Quinn Harrington (05:01.32)
It was it was cr very crowded, so you know, and I I was just like, you know, I know Varick and Ad Andrew Fallon and a few others, but you know, I'm not as plugged into the the film community as I used to be. I know I actually helped out with some film festival probably ten years ago. It used to be at the Five Points Theater. But

Adam & Monique Madrid (05:02.011)
yeah, yeah, yes, yes. It was awesome. Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (05:29.548)
It was g it was kinda like an Oscar party and I think that's what it was. But definitely would like to get engaged again.

Adam & Monique Madrid (05:31.897)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (05:37.037)
Monique, were you doing something different?

Quinn Harrington (05:38.998)
Cool.

Adam & Monique Madrid (05:41.134)
Yeah, for me, you know, summertime, you know, there's a lot of you know, like a lot of my friends that have kiddos

they're you know, summer, they're they're doing activities, so they're kind of wanting to go outside and spend time, but then they also want to get away with their kiddos too, so 'cause they're in the house for so long. So being really I don't have any kids, but just being really intentional with my friends that I'm dear and near with, of, you know, like I I went out with a girlfriend the other day and I was like, Bring the kiddo along, it's all good. We'll we'll eat and I included them on the conversation and so they felt a part of the girlfriends group. So

Quinn Harrington (05:59.935)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (06:19.759)
Really just trying to make time, because we all get so busy with our lives and summer is a season of relaxation, you know, usually because it's so hot you can't do anything still. But just it's it's a time to relax, so I really want to be intentional with making time for, you know, my day one friends. So putting people on the calendar and and really sticking to that appointment has been something on my heart that I wanna do better at.

Quinn Harrington (06:30.816)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (06:49.827)
While you're juggling on the things. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Quinn Harrington (06:49.884)
Awesome. That makes a lot of sense. okay, so now is the perfect time to properly introduce our guests. Adam Madrid is the film production coordinator for the City of Jacksonville Film and Television Office, a director and editor at Argyll Force Films, and the city producer for the Jacksonville 48-hour film project. He was named an Art Innovator of the Year by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.

And his first independent feature, Let Me Be Corey, is out this year. Must be very exciting for you.

Naila Mir (07:24.941)
Interesting. Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (07:26.615)
Yeah, I'm really excited. It's it's it's been a long time coming on this one here, so I'm I'm very happy that it's it's finally happening. So

Quinn Harrington (07:33.001)
Awesome.

Naila Mir (07:33.271)
Yes, and let's not forget Monique. Monique Madrid is the festival director of, and I'm going to say it right, LOL Jack's film. Not LOL. Right? Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (07:41.834)
You got it. Means laugh out loud. Means laugh out loud and love our love our locals. Yes.

Adam & Monique Madrid (07:42.029)
Yes. Yes. No.

Local.

Naila Mir (07:53.206)
I like that. So you are the festival director of LOL Jack's Film Festival, which you and Adam co-created and it's nearly been 10 years. We're going to hear more about this. She's a Jacksonville Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree. okay. And woman of influence. And the festival itself was just named Small Business of the Year by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. Good stuff.

Quinn Harrington (08:19.605)
So the festival itself got the award. that is so awesome. I got the Small Business O of the Year award for the from the Cultural Council in 2005.

Adam & Monique Madrid (08:21.847)
Yeah, the festival itself. Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (08:35.443)
Nice. Look at that. Yes. that's so pretty. And they're different every year. It's so gorgeous. That's awesome.

Quinn Harrington (08:37.437)
Yeah, here it is. It is very pretty. I know. This is amazing artist.

Naila Mir (08:39.821)
Adam & Monique Madrid (08:48.184)
Yes.

Quinn Harrington (08:48.843)
Proudly display that. I have I gotten any awards since then? no, but I'll rest on that Laurel. And together you two represented Jacksonville at the forty-eight hour film festivals project international festival in Portugal. So that must have been a blast.

Naila Mir (08:54.189)
you

Adam & Monique Madrid (08:54.322)
Naila Mir (08:56.781)
You

Adam & Monique Madrid (09:10.497)
Yeah. I mean that was that was an amazing time. and and every anytime that we get to go outside of Jacksonville, you know, we ha we we wear a Jacksonville hat proudly and you know just kinda talk about what's going on in our city. That gives us opportunity. And I say this to everyone too, that that's works in a film or anything that's doing in the film community, if they have an opportunity to have their movie screened outside of Jacksonville, like whether it's Toronto International Film Festival or wherever, you know, that's an opportunity to talk about Jacksonville.

Quinn Harrington (09:20.288)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (09:38.504)
you so a lot of times people are like, where are you from? and where was this movie made? And you know, then that you can have an opportunity to, you know, discuss what Jacksonville is all about and, you know, have that opportunity. So that's what for us that's what's great about going to a film with Palooza is we get to meet all these amazing filmmakers from all over the world and they get to see our you know, one of the films that made it that won to see Jacksonville in its glory, you know, and so it's great to see those films but also see all these amazing films from all over the world and just be inspired by those. So

Quinn Harrington (10:05.897)
Yeah, that's glad you're representing our our fair city here. where should people find LOL Jax, the forty-eight hour film project, and let me be Corey on social or the web or whatever?

Adam & Monique Madrid (10:22.571)
start. Well with L O L Jax it's at loljacks.com

And so it's a website and it has all the handles on there to where you can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and on YouTube. And then of course with the 40 hour film project, it's 48hourfilm.com forward slash Jacksonville. and it'll take you directly to the Jacksonville, Florida chapter, and it'll tell you about registering your team, all our events, whether you want to come to our meet and greets that are free to just learn more about it, our screen.

Quinn Harrington (10:49.343)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (10:57.403)
It just gives you a lot about a lot about the process as well too. So it it really gets you informed so you know what you're getting into 'cause it is a ride with the forty eight. Yeah, yeah. And when

Quinn Harrington (11:06.963)
So just for peop for people who don't understand what the forty eight hour film festival I mean L O L Jacks is fairly you know, it's comedy shorts essentially. but the forty eight hour film approach is pretty unique.

Naila Mir (11:10.485)
Yes, please.

Adam & Monique Madrid (11:14.648)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (11:24.791)
Yeah, yeah. So with LOL I try to keep it very simple and calm and fun and upbeat. With forty eight I say you're gonna have every emotion that full weekend. You're gonna laugh, you're gonna cry, you're gonna be hungry, you're gonna, you know, have to problem solve around time, but at the end you're a stronger filmmaker. So what do I mean by that? The forty eight hour film project is a the one of the largest, oldest contests around the world to where you sign up your team to make

make a film in forty eight hours. So on a Friday night you're gonna learn what genre they're gonna throw a line, a character and a prop that you must have in that film and then they make you race to go make a film from start to finish in forty eight hours. You turn it in on a Sunday night and if it's on time it goes on to be judged, and you see if you can become a winner and win other awards at our screenings. if it's late, you can always get audience choice. So, you know, you still get to come to the party and play but you just

you you get audience choice as as as the option. But it's a great, great time and then of course like we said before, the winner will go on to represent our fair city and compete against other cities that won their city at Femapalooza.

Naila Mir (12:40.589)
Wow.

Quinn Harrington (12:41.713)
even know if I could edit a film in forty eight hours, much less, you know, write, you know, stage, decorate, you know, produce all that. That's you know, y I mean, no way you don't do it by yourself. You have a you have a team of people.

Adam & Monique Madrid (12:44.505)
Well yeah.

Naila Mir (12:45.451)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (12:54.819)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (12:58.391)
You what, believe it not, we've had one person one year do it as a one man band and they said they'll never do it again that way, but they they they they turn in a film. It was late, but it was it was well received by the audience and they gained the respect. So it's a very rare thing. And then the other thing I would say is just make sure whoever your team is, it's people you you you really are okay with being in a bunker with for forty-eight hours, sleep depri like they're gonna see all of you, right? and and be

Quinn Harrington (13:03.681)
wow.

Ha ha ha.

Quinn Harrington (13:26.378)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (13:27.021)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (13:28.335)
Okay with that on the other side, for sure.

Quinn Harrington (13:31.825)
Excellent. so let's move into the now sections, s shall we? Great. I wanna start exactly where I live, which is a little uncomfortable to admit. And as I mentioned, having produced so much of this video content outside of Jacksonville, like it gets edited here, but in terms of shooting and things like that, it's usually gonna be in like New York, Chicago or San Fran or, you know, London or wherever.

Naila Mir (13:33.175)
Hmm.

Naila Mir (13:38.654)
Bye!

Quinn Harrington (14:01.75)
so selfishly, how does a company like mine actually use what the film and television office offers?

Adam & Monique Madrid (14:10.903)
Yeah, so I mean in regards to that, I know there's like so there's like film incentives and that are out there in regards to if you're making a commercial or

you know, a TV show or a movie. but again they're they're just depending on like how much are you you know how much is the the budget, you know, in regards to that. There's right now in Jacksonville, there's there is like if say for instance like it's a film that comes in here, the independent feature film, you know, it's gonna be at like four hundred thousand dollars is where they qualify for fifteen percent rebate and then it goes if it goes up to a million then it goes up to twenty percent. And you know s right now this is just an a city incentive. You they this isn't a a state incentive.

which unfortunately we don't have right now at the moment, which other states do like Georgia and Louisiana and you know and Carolinas, you know, just other places where you know those states you know have a a a pro a program in place. Unfortunately Florida right now does not and then but you have cities like Jacksonville Tampa, Orlando and Miami, you Fort Lauderdale that are

Quinn Harrington (14:54.42)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (15:12.845)
that are, you know, they do have their own city incentives at this current time. So we're hopefully waiting to hear word and, you know, things start looking better here down the road to get state film incentives back. Now in regards to

Like you know, like local production. I know, like we talked about Tiger Lily here just recently. And I don't know, Tiger Lily, you know, they're the ones that actually took advantage of a s incentive to where, you know, they were working on a production here and then they ended up using an incentive a couple of years back. but I think what it what's happening now is like we're trying to for the city to start seeing what what other options we can do to I mean possibly, you know, lower down the threshold. you know, in regards to

Quinn Harrington (15:29.802)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (15:55.022)
you like I said, other productions, you know, that may not qualify for that higher, you know, budget. To like, you know, if there's a lower budget to be like, let's let's see we can work with them, you know, work with these production companies to offer those rebates back. And and then regards to crew, there's you know, we got a lot of crew here in Jacksonville, a lot of talent in our city. they can always go to filmjacks dot com, go to the production guide and they'll be able to find if they're looking for an editor, if they're looking for seminatographer, director, producer, craft services, makeup, it's all there and it's all, you know, people

Quinn Harrington (16:17.236)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (16:24.985)
In Jacksonville, so they give an opportunity to be hired by local crew. that's just an opportunity for people to take advantage of as well. but you know, there's just a lot of options there, but you know, also there, you know, it just realistically, you know, there's it's limited as well. You know, like you know, we'd love to have, you know, where there's all these amazing incentives in place and we can just go ahead and take advantage of it. Let's just bring more productions here. But right now it's just it seems like it's a lot of you know.

very independent of, you know, a lot of people doing it on their own. Like doing it as like hey, you know, like, hey, I'm gonna make it no matter what. You know, there's a lot of people that have that mindset is like, you know, yes, I may not qualify for this incentive, but I'm still gonna make my movie. Or I'm still gonna make my music video. I'm still gonna make this and they may not qualify for the incentive, but they still make it. Yeah, it's defin definitely

Quinn Harrington (16:56.082)
Right.

Quinn Harrington (17:11.272)
Yeah, four hundred thousand is pretty high budget for a lot of like ours are like in the sub fifty thousand range. So which I think are still substantial productions, you know.

Adam & Monique Madrid (17:20.459)
Right, right, right, right. So

No, absolutely, absolutely are. And I think that's I think that's discussions that are that are being had right are being made right now, like in regards to the film office is is trying to see what, you know, are the options or other opportunities that can, you know, be provided for again,

you know, budgets of that range, you know, because yeah, it just seems like, hey, you know, hey, there's people that wanting to spend money here in Jacksonville and yes, it's not the four hundred thousand dollar range, which is very high, or, you know, even commercials, something like that. But, you know, there there's a lot of that you know that we wanna try to work with and try to bring more productions here and they can take advantage of the incentives. So yeah. So

Quinn Harrington (17:41.406)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (17:57.705)
Right.

Very good. what's the most comp the most common misconception companies have about filming in Jacksonville? The thing they assume is true that is not true.

Adam & Monique Madrid (18:11.257)
Mm. That's a good question. That's a good question. you know what? I think that one there is the con misconception is you know you know What about locations? Locations, I guess, yeah, I guess, you know, yeah. I mean I guess I'm I've I feel like maybe maybe the misconception it's hard to film in Jacksonville or it's not, you know, like it's it's hard to get permits.

in in Jacksonville. I think 'cause they've had a lot of encounters with other cities outside of Jacksonville and I think that's what it w what it is like, I don't want to get a permit because it's too expensive. Or or it's gonna be too much work. And that's actually a misconception because permits are free in Jacksonville, film permits and also as long as you have a s certificate of insurance, C O I, then you're fine. You get a free permit and we tell people, yeah, if you got a a film permit request normally it's about ten

Quinn Harrington (18:45.064)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (18:58.046)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (19:05.611)
business days that we request, but we've had some film permits that turned over in about twenty four hours. and and that's unheard of a lot of Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 'Cause a lot of times a lot of people do take, you know, fill in permits and it the reason why sometimes it takes longer is because some people are submitting permits for the first time ever.

Quinn Harrington (19:12.456)
Wow. Okay, so that's two things I didn't know about that permits are free.

Adam & Monique Madrid (19:24.741)
And they're you know, they're they're not they're not aware of like a lot of things they have to fill out and then we just as a film office have to just like here, you know, we give a sample of like just fill in you know, like here's how you fill in the the film permit or the COI the sort of insurance to make sure everything's covered so then when we send it to risk management and we send it to other people to get approv approval, that it's instantly approved and there's no issue and then we can go ahead and f you know, give you that permit issued immediately. So and then two years. Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (19:24.777)
Right.

Quinn Harrington (19:29.085)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (19:49.524)
Does the does the film office offer like grants or anything like that?

Adam & Monique Madrid (19:55.096)
Yes, yeah. that's for the first time ever we have these Jacksonville fostering filmmaking grants. then these are for independent fee feature filmmakers here in Jacksonville. this has never been done before, so it's this is year two that just happened recently. and yeah, we awarded so far six I've been awarded. three for twenty twenty four, three for twenty twenty five, and then we're looking to try do it this year. the obviously depending on the the city budget when you know it gets re you know, announced and everything like that. So but yeah, no, this is been something that's been a very

Quinn Harrington (19:59.529)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (20:20.679)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (20:25.029)
positive impact in Jacksonville, especially when a big thing is return on investment. when you offer a filmmaker ten thousand dollars, you know, sometimes people are just like, ten thousand dollars really isn't a lot for a feature independent feature film. But you know, I always I say yes. I mean obviously we want to probably do a little bit more than t 10,000, but for now it's obviously it's more like a a pilot test pilot, you know, like test, you know, like a we're like, hey, yeah, yeah, right. And it's like, all right, well we're gonna give you $10,000 and for this, you know, we're gonna see how this goes.

Quinn Harrington (20:47.102)
Yeah, it's seed money.

Adam & Monique Madrid (20:54.497)
because then it can possibly increase the show what what the return is on. So like right now, like take for instance, w there was one movie that was filmed here that was a hundred thousand dollar budget. And they said if they had a ten thousand dollar grant, that would have definitely helped out in that budget. You know, so it's like so technically you're looking at is like, okay, well ten thousand dollars would have been a significant impact on that

that feature film. so these the filmmakers that were rewarded here were Michael Carter, Jaron Wallace and Alexa Wint were the first recipients. And their films, one of them has already been completed. and then two other films are on post production right now. And yeah, they're you know, again getting awarded their grant money of ten thousand dollars. it's just it's just amazing to see that a lot of these films also just they gave back they put back into the community money spent on, you know, like I said

Quinn Harrington (21:27.796)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (21:42.249)
Right.

Adam & Monique Madrid (21:44.19)
either whether it's rooms or whether it was catering to the to the filmmakers themselves or you know to the actors. It's just a lot of money was put back into the city and then that's what you show and someone will say like well ten thousand dollars, you know, that's city money going to filmmakers here in Jacksonville is like, Yeah, but you're giving back to the arts, you're gonna then that's like the that's another thing, case in point. But we're trying to get back to, you know, showing we care about these filmmakers in our community.

Quinn Harrington (21:53.448)
Right.

Quinn Harrington (22:09.545)
Well definitely keep us informed as to to that. So Nylon I'm gonna kick it over to you.

Naila Mir (22:09.953)
Yeah, sustainability.

Naila Mir (22:15.393)
Yeah, you know you're talking about grants. My friend here in the UK who is a spoken poet, he's trying to make a film too and he was asking like do you know anyone who could give £10,000 a sponsorship or funding and I'm like I know nothing. But maybe I'm gonna learn from this now. Do you know people in London? Do London offer grants?

Adam & Monique Madrid (22:32.009)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I mean, you know, I don't know, but I mean but but we do we do connect with people over there because we do the film we do city producers. We talked a lot of city producers all around the world, so Yes, yeah. With the f with the one thing I will say, we may not know what's going on totally all around the world.

But the one thing is possible is we always connect with our city producer colleagues that do forty eights in different cities. And usually with the forty eight, most of our city producers, if not all, they they have to learn the landscape because they're not only creating the safe space for them to compete, but they're also creating community and they're trying to learn more about the community so that way they can kind of make sure their artists know what's all going on so that way their artists stay.

Naila Mir (23:09.517)
you

Adam & Monique Madrid (23:23.131)
right in their city just like we're trying to keep our artists here in Jacksonville. So we may not know the answer, but we might know a friend that can give you the answer. So you're it's it's like that six degree separation. We got one degree. We got one degree separation

Naila Mir (23:32.174)
Hey, it's all about connections. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's part of my values or principles. It's about connecting with meaningful people to contribute to meaningful work and collaborate together. This is great, why we do this podcast, to meet all these people. Monique, while I have you, you talk about the city offices one half, but the LOL jacks.

Adam & Monique Madrid (23:48.277)
Yeah, sure. Yeah. Smack.

Naila Mir (23:59.374)
and the 48 hour film project are the other half of the work you do. And to walk us through what it actually looked like to build the L.O.J. from a single sold out screening into a 10 year institution. How did you do it?

Adam & Monique Madrid (24:17.057)
Yeah, so I will say, I'll I'll I'll I'll bring this back up in a second, but I'm for community built by community. And and I think there's power in that too. so I mean my husband obviously were just making films f just a long time. I just always wanted to support my filmmaker husband and I help in any way possible to to make his dreams come true. And we were at a screening and in Jacksonville.

And I wanted to do one, but in a comedy sense. you know, and kind of make my own grounds with you know, not just supporting my husband, but also having something that I have built. And so it was an idea and I pitched it to my husband because he is the kind of guy that will, if you say it, he'll do it. Like, and he's he's very a man of his word in that way. And so I was like, let me pitch it to him, and if he calls me crazy.

Then I'm crazy. And he didn't say anything, and then the next day he woke up and he's like, I thought on it and let's do it. And so I really hit the ground running with learning about what it takes to make a festival and listening to what my audience needed. What did they want to see in a festival? And I chose the the route of doing it local and supporting locals. So with this festival, every part of it venue, the artists, the the small businesses that I partner with, all of it represents.

Quinn Harrington (25:18.217)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (25:46.764)
The fibric and and the people of Jacksonville. And I wanted to celebrate that because we were kind of at the time a city to where, you know, people were looking to move. It was just like a a stop in the road, and I wanted to be a final destination for a lot of artists and businesses here because I think we can be no different than major cities like say London. and so I I year one the community really believed in me and I continue to

listen to what they had to say. I of always get feedback from the community, from the artists. And then I'm always trying to figure out ways to how can I incorporate more artists and make it you know really more invested into the arts. So I I started out with comedians and films. I've grown to have musicians with the four I've I've pivoted it with the 48 and I've I've had muralists compete and while the filmmakers are making a film muralists are making murals and 48 hours with the same elements.

So I'm always trying to look for ways to to mix the arts because everybody's in their own little community and I figure if you get everybody in the same room together, not only can they appreciate someone else's art, but they'll start thinking outside the box of how can I make that person be a part of my team to make my endeavors more vibrant and and stretch it, you know, stretch the limits, right? and so it's grown because the purpose has changed. I went from I wanted to do a festival that, you know

it i i a little bit selfish, you know. I wanted, you know, to to have my own identity in my own film community. And then when I saw how much the filmmakers were networking and collaborating and we were creating this ecosystem together to where your resources are right in the room with you. And while the city has amazing, amazing incentives, if you didn't know that, it starts with being in that room sometimes and know and hearing someone talk about those incentives or hearing someone say

Hey, I also have a way that we can work or I want to invest in you. and so that grew to be purpose and it and and it became for community by community. I have people that will come, network, build their own brand, but then I also have people that are so appreciative that they're saying, Hey, how can I help you? Because we need this around. We feel seen and we feel our voice voices are heard. And that's what I try to do. I try to make a safe space so voices can be heard.

Quinn Harrington (28:15.144)
It's great.

Naila Mir (28:15.181)
So close to my heart, isn't it Quinn? Everything purpose-driven, because I'm all about purpose as well and throughout life have followed what I loved and it was always about helping others and community but you get success out of following your purpose and you know and everyone being committed. I love it. You've answered most of the questions I was going to ask in your answers but there's one more. You two are...

Quinn Harrington (28:17.658)
It is. Yes.

Adam & Monique Madrid (28:37.108)
Yes no.

Naila Mir (28:42.039)
co-creators and a married couple running overlapping organizations. How do you actually divide the work? What's your line and what's Adam's line? And you know, working with family is not the easiest.

Adam & Monique Madrid (28:51.339)
So Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'll I will say this. So it so yeah when when when when first off, when she was coming up with this idea about L Jacks Film Festival, which again w now that it's grown into this

big huge film festival here in Jacksonville, you know, it's it's gone on to its own thing where people are calling it whatever they want to call it, like the L O L or the L O L Jax or, you know, the O L Film Festival. But I'm like, they'll come up to me and say, Let me tell you what L O L Jax means. I'm like, okay. Yeah, yeah, so and and and for that for that it's like, you know, like you can say like, hey, I'm I'm getting ready for the L O L so people know what it is, you know, people are you know are aware of of the event. But it's also like, you know, we're still trying to get out there and with

Naila Mir (29:19.828)
Yeah

Adam & Monique Madrid (29:31.874)
Like conquering and dividing a lot of times. Now it's like so because of L Jackson, the success it had, the forty-eight on when the city producer stepped down, people were looking at us to run the forty eight hour film project. And when going back to when Monique was saying, have this idea of this comedy film festival and you know, doing all this stuff, and what do you think? And I'm like, that's a lot of work. I don't know about you I don't know if we want to do a film festival, you know, I just want to make movies. I don't want I don't wanna, you know, do all that. But but I again thought about it overnight and I said, Yeah, you know what, I think this is a great opportunity.

For the city to, you know, it's a comedy film, it's a local comedy film festival. It has a great touch to to to you know, like with a lot of things that go on in the world and all the sadness and hurt that happens, it's okay to laugh and it's okay to smile. And I think that is what that's why the success of the LOL film festival, LOL Jackson Film Festival, is going is happening. So with that, the 48 came about, and then that's when it's like, all right, we're looking at us, and they're like, You guys should run it. I'm like, no. I'm like, I want to compete in it. I want to run this thing. I was like, what do you have? Why does everyone want to give us more work? I'm like, no, I want I want

Naila Mir (30:27.447)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (30:28.531)
No, I've I've ho I've hosted I hosted a week long design conference called Recharge and I did it like two years in a row and I just like it nearly killed me. You know, you know.

Adam & Monique Madrid (30:31.727)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (30:31.767)
Yeah

Adam & Monique Madrid (30:35.915)
Huh? Right.

Adam & Monique Madrid (30:42.269)
Yeah, yeah. I mean a lot of people don't know what happens behind the scenes, you know, we make it look easy and I didn't mean to cut you off, but if we do make it look easy, but I will say staying in our lane, like he he definitely knows a lot of

Quinn Harrington (30:48.678)
Yeah. We make it look easy.

Adam & Monique Madrid (30:55.511)
you know, the technology side to things and I'm just very logistics driven. So we just knew right away, this is what you're good at, this is what I'm good at. And honestly, when we're on D Day, I barely see him because I'm running behind one way, running behind the other way. and and that's just kinda how we make it work. And then we just keep it professional. Like, you know, if he if we're in the quote unquote workplace, you know, while he is my husband and I definitely respect him, you know, I'm respecting him as

Naila Mir (31:08.407)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (31:08.924)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (31:25.435)
as a business partner or a volunteer depending on the capacity and and and giving him that that respect and then at home you know we will will decompress we'll feed back and then we don't talk about it it's like now it's time to just be us and so it's easy when we stay in our own lane and then compartmentalize you know this is the workplace us and this is you know home us and this is date night us and this is when we're you know

Naila Mir (31:46.368)
you

Naila Mir (31:54.198)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (31:55.355)
And we're good friends too, so

Quinn Harrington (31:57.319)
I I didn't know we were gonna learn about marriage and family counseling. this is this this episode's gonna kick ass. So awesome.

Naila Mir (32:00.631)
compartmentalization.

Adam & Monique Madrid (32:02.322)
Yeah, no. Yeah. Yeah, no and and the

Yeah, no, and for and for this though, it was like what happened was not with that with I got the job with the city, they reached out and you know, because they saw the impact that was going on with the city, what we were doing, and then also with working with films and you know this stuff. But but I knew that if I was gonna get this job with the city, I knew that there was gonna be probably an issue with me working at the film office and then also I'm running film festivals. 'Cause there's gonna be that overlap of like, hey, yeah, conflict of interest. And so I actually ended up w which great, it was like I kne we knew this kind of going in, so we kinda already had a talk.

Naila Mir (32:07.265)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (32:30.793)
Hmm... conflict,

Adam & Monique Madrid (32:36.815)
about that but also I I I had a conversation with the ethics department with the city and I found out that yes, you know, with eligible jacks because we were the you know co-owners, you co-founders

Naila Mir (32:42.241)
you

Adam & Monique Madrid (32:47.127)
that it would have to be all Monique's name. So legally everything got changed to Monique. So it is Monique's film festival. Like everything from L L Jux now for the past couple of years has been Monique. And so but with the forty eight, what we found out is actually we can I can still be a co city producer with it because that's not our that's not our company. It's not our event. It we're just city producers. So there's no there's no like again, like also the I'm not on a payroll.

Quinn Harrington (33:04.988)
Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Naila Mir (33:05.773)
Bye.

Quinn Harrington (33:09.19)
No conflict, yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (33:10.561)
yeah, I'm not compliment, I'm not on the payroll with the forty eight. It's like literally we're like more ambassadors, with the forty eight than we are, you know, like I said, kinda And the good thing with our marriage too is like, the good thing with our marriage is like that's the the love part too. I could have selfishly said, No, this is our baby, you stay. But you know, being able to c allow him to have his own lane was very important for for both of us and I'm really glad he did because all the time we hear from people how wonderful

Naila Mir (33:11.415)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (33:40.268)
how happy they are that he is in that office and how wonderful a partnership him and Todd Rubin, the commissioner, are able to just push forward because it's not easy to just be one person in that office. and so now to have that partnership and be able to, you know, preach all these opportunities that are out there and like you like hearing what you say, like I didn't even know that. You know, like hearing all these I didn't know that, that just means the word is getting out. And so I'm grateful for you doing that.

And and it was, I will say the first year was very interesting when I couldn't powwow things off of him. I'm like, I can't ask him anything anymore. But but to see what he's doing now, even more so we're in now we're definitely like in our own lanes because now it's with the 48 short, but with LOL, I am literally the owner, the sole decision maker. And then with him at the film and television office, that's not my world, that's not my lane, that is his. So we definitely it I think us being like that in the beginning made it so much easier.

Naila Mir (34:16.685)
You

Adam & Monique Madrid (34:40.141)
easy to when he pivoted to this beautiful role, staying in our own lane didn't even seem like a blink, you know, like it wasn't even a hesitation.

Quinn Harrington (34:50.45)
Gotcha. Yeah. Let's all right, let's take a let's take this power couple into the near segment.

Naila Mir (34:50.989)
What a great partnership in every sense, work wise, personal.

Adam & Monique Madrid (34:56.003)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Naila Mir (34:59.245)
No, is that me? I was about... Good you stopped me because I had more questions. like LOL Kevin Cox... Kevin Hart!

Quinn Harrington (35:00.988)
That's you.

Quinn Harrington (35:04.722)
Hey, you see that little red button at the t top that says thirty five minutes. And then this says this segment is supposed to go to thirty-eight minutes or twenty-five minutes. So but it's okay. We we we flex. This happens all the time. So go ahead, Nyla.

Naila Mir (35:13.581)
30. Okay, let's go to the Nair. Yeah. Okay, I will take to the Nair, which is what the next three to five years, right? So we're zooming out of Jacksonville for a moment and looking at the whole industry conversations happening right now around production. And it's shifting fast and AI, which is the biggest topic we have.

Adam & Monique Madrid (35:20.525)
Yeah. Yeah.

Naila Mir (35:42.318)
is already reshaping pre-production, VFX, even casting and marketing, we can go on. From where you both sit in the city office and independent festival, what's the change you're actually seeing on the ground versus what you think the industry is talking about?

Adam & Monique Madrid (36:04.013)
You wanna for this one because the fast whole race Sure.

Naila Mir (36:06.605)
48 hours, are they using AI in those 48 hours?

Adam & Monique Madrid (36:10.505)
So there actually been yeah, forty eight, yeah, you want to go talk about it. Forty just made a made a stance about it. Yeah, forty eight did make a stance. forty eight is not allowing AI Generative AI, yeah. Generative AI, exactly. Non generative is different, so we're talking about a little bit of color correction, things like that, like really light touches that kinda enhance the human made creative work. But when it comes to like prompt driven, they are all against it. and you know, around the world

I we got to sit in rooms and listen to a lot of sit producers and a lot of filmmakers have discussions and it is definitely a topic around the world to where there's a lot more no's than they are to yeses because they're they're feeling the they're feeling fear of being replaced, they're fearing fear of emotions being taken out of film, and then also just the fear of what is it gonna be like ten years from now? What is that landscape and not having any pulse on what it could be because right

Now everything's moving at a millisecond. I'm on the stance personally of I need to know more about it, but I want to always have conversations on both sides to hear both sides and continue to learn. but I I am definitely in support of human made things and and and not replacement of humans. What about you? Yeah, and like for me, I think with the film office side of it too, it's like, yeah, I mean we have taken notice. we've noticed some people have reached out about like, you know, filing for permits or filing for productions, then ultimately hearing

Quinn Harrington (37:29.285)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (37:40.452)
that they went with an AI, you know, commercial or they went with, you know, they end up the the production company went with that way and then, you know, it's kind of you know, you're devastating to hear because you know you have like a lot of crew that are, you know, anticipating working on a set or anything like that and you just now hear the company deciding, we're gonna go with AI and just work that way. And and and the same with the you know, I think we're still trying to understand

Naila Mir (37:45.463)
Bye.

Adam & Monique Madrid (38:02.455)
you know, everything here. And obviously like the whole thing is I think everyone understands like we don't want it to you know, have AI where it's replacing everybody, right? You know, we want to have it to where okay, you there's tools for it. You know, there's, you know, with the with audio enhancements or, you know, a little special effects here and there. You know, like to where it's it's filmed, it's everything's done, everything we had a crew, but, you know, th there's just a lot of things that again that's we're still learning about it, you know, and but it is happening very fast too. So I know it's one of those things like you know, you better catch up or you know better stay on top or you're gonna be left behind.

Naila Mir (38:10.188)
Yes.

Quinn Harrington (38:27.099)
Yeah. You know, I th that's what I've been sounding that Clarion call for about two years now because, you know, the work I do with Nielsen TV ratings, actually don't work that there's a consumer division too. It's like a separate company, but it's they you know, measure all of the CPG products pretty much around the world. They're like the world's largest, you know, marketing company. And

In December, they wanted to create like the future of AI video. And so Pepper and I put together a an estimate for about 50 grand for like a two-day shoot. And the client said, we have more like 10. Like, what can you do with that? And I was like, not much. but we, you know, managed to pull off something that was

Adam & Monique Madrid (39:19.416)
Yeah, yeah.

Quinn Harrington (39:26.523)
fairly decent in December, but the the renderings were just really kind of like old, like look it look like two th year 2000 stock video. It was kind of cheesy, you know. Two months later in January, we went back and redid this video, and the some of the newer models had come out that allow you to have continuity of character.

Adam & Monique Madrid (39:53.913)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (39:53.99)
You know, same outfits, same environments, same lighting, you know, and we created a continuous sequence that was about a two and a half minute video, with this character Colette and her little AI agent Sam, and was really pretty awesome. Like to be able to create something out of thin air that if we had just come back and they gave us the ten grand budget and

Adam & Monique Madrid (40:12.097)
Yeah, yeah.

Quinn Harrington (40:23.269)
we would have just had to say no. You know, but instead we were able to to pull that off. And given that it was a AI video about AI, you know, it kind of was like a moment of time of of like, here we are, you know, my little agency here in Jacksonville is now able to do stuff that we just couldn't do before, either th through cost or talent or whatever.

Adam & Monique Madrid (40:25.399)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (40:46.679)
Yeah, yeah.

Quinn Harrington (40:49.849)
is needed. So that's sort of my side of the o the argument. But I think the ethics in this are are really important. That's probably a whole nother conversation.

Adam & Monique Madrid (40:54.935)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (40:55.212)
No.

Adam & Monique Madrid (40:58.261)
Right, right, absolutely. And that's where people are being vocal about it. Which is good. I'm glad people are being vocal. It needs to be conversations so it can hopefully steer us and continue to make that as it grows, if it grows as it grows, to be the pulse of it. It has to be an integrity thing. It it could totally be useful if we're doing it with integrity in the right way and not trying to replace. Yeah. And I think that's where that's where it was brought up at Lisbon when we were there. That's it was a whole big discussion. They brought in people of AI that do filmmaking.

Naila Mir (41:00.535)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (41:02.022)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (41:22.033)
Mm-hmm.

Naila Mir (41:22.614)
Exactly.

Adam & Monique Madrid (41:28.225)
in AI. Successfully we're doing filming with AI. Yeah, yeah. And and then and then but it had the the the people, filmmakers that are actually making movies with real people having that back and forth, you know, conversation. So that ultimately made the decision of they're gonna stop using generative AI or have that as part of the contest because it's about making it with real people, you know like that, but it's not saying you can't use AI if you're using like an Adobe Premiere Pro or dissolve you know Da Vinci, whatever, you know where where Yeah, so so yeah.

Naila Mir (41:42.37)
Right.

Quinn Harrington (41:53.647)
Yeah. But, you know, not just ripping your whole video in Gemini, you know, VO three point one, so

Naila Mir (41:56.065)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (42:00.026)
Correct. Correct. Yeah. Celebrate payments.

Naila Mir (42:01.483)
Yeah, and there's a whole credibility like, yeah, I agree. I mean, I'm not there yet with the use of AI. I'm getting there to get my work done. Coms, yes, it can create some graphics, but I have not even touched anything else that it can do because sometimes very skeptical, right? And also I want to stay true to my work as well. So in order to create that credibility, you have to be putting in your own judgment, your own, you know,

Adam & Monique Madrid (42:07.885)
Yeah. Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (42:18.957)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (42:29.805)
and making sure it's ethical and it's sourced correctly, we can go on forever. But while we were talking about geography...

Adam & Monique Madrid (42:34.589)
Yeah. 'Cause I mean there's there's some videos that you see on social media that are I I was like, okay they're funny, you know, stuff like that, but it's like, this AI, but you know, I don't think it's you know that it's just meant to be as a joke or something like that, you know, kind of thing. But it's like but then it's just like when you're talking about having Vil K Val Kilmer in a whole movie and he's no longer with us, it's like then it's just like, yeah, there's like all right, well where's this gonna end? Is it gonna be now we're gonna Mel Melon Monroe in a whole movie? You know you know, like how is this you know, where are we gonna go with this? So

Quinn Harrington (42:43.142)
Mm-hmm.

Naila Mir (42:47.201)
Yeah, yeah.

Naila Mir (42:59.501)
my God.

Quinn Harrington (43:03.904)
wow, it's it's a definitely fascinating point of view. so Nile, we went a a little long in the these last couple segments. This is good stuff, so

Naila Mir (43:03.999)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

Adam & Monique Madrid (43:04.099)
So

Naila Mir (43:12.225)
Yeah. Good.

Adam & Monique Madrid (43:15.692)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (43:18.509)
Cross the pond?

Quinn Harrington (43:19.556)
Yeah, let's do the cross the pond real quick. I think this is your leading this, so yeah, just pick one club what all we have time is for one question.

Naila Mir (43:22.303)
across the pond perfect London, Lisbon everywhere that you've been

Adam & Monique Madrid (43:26.21)
Yay.

Naila Mir (43:30.797)
no. no. Okay, should we talk about London and then about London film and TV production, which I believe is booming right now. I don't know, but you will tell me. Sound stages are full. Actually, we have a lot of theatre as well, right? International productions are flocking in. What's actually driving that from what you've seen or heard? Why is this all coming to London? I thought it was expensive here.

Adam & Monique Madrid (43:37.241)
Yeah. Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (43:47.095)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (44:00.626)
No, yeah, I mean I I think the the I it's it's going back to the incentives. It's going back to what you know, like what companies are s gonna, you know, find a way to save money. And in the end of the day, it's that's what it's gonna come down to. that's where when Georgia took it you know, took Georgia got you know took advantage of that. It's like, hey, come to Atlanta, you know, they had sound stages there. a lot of people were leaving LA. And not saying LA and New York are gonna lose business, but it's like it's n a lot of people have been moving 'cause it's it is expensive.

at these places, you know, and it's like, well, you got Georgia here, which has Atlanta, and then you got London, you know, like I said again, even though it's across the pond, it's still you're saving money filming there. You know, I know we just had Marvel that moved overseas. Spider Man, yeah, the the recent Spider Man, you that takes place in New York but was filmed, you know, overseas, so it's just like, you know, it's it's one of those things that they they end up saving money. Yeah, you know, so

Naila Mir (44:47.789)
you

Quinn Harrington (44:48.846)
Yeah, it kinda blows my mind.

Adam & Monique Madrid (44:50.829)
Yeah, right. And so it wasn't because Tom Holland lived in L. I mean, probably Tom Holland maybe has had a s you know, something you know. but yeah, so it's I I think it just goes to show that you know, with with a lot of that's what's been going on, also you gotta figure out it's like, okay, that's great that they're gonna save money, but what can they do as as a city

Naila Mir (44:56.993)
Gotta bring it home.

Adam & Monique Madrid (45:13.069)
To like all right, you don't have these numbers that they have for incentives wise, but what can you do to promote your city, to bring productions in? So you have like Atlanta had this show called Cobra Kai that was filming there on Netflix. Yeah, Cobra Kai and then but they needed to film beach scenes for our C's Malibu and beach scenes, but they don't have that obviously in Atlanta. It's all filmed in Atlanta, but then it's like all right, well then they actually reached out and it was Todd Rubin, then they reached out to Jacksonville and they said, Hey, we can disguise Malibu, you know, Jacksonville Beach as Malibu.

Quinn Harrington (45:24.304)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (45:42.956)
And they filmed Cobra Kai here in Jacksonville, you know, and and then it's yeah, so you know, just those are the kind of things there, but I know I also get a lot of things like, why isn't Jacksonville Atlanta? And then I, you know, then I'm I love this argument because it's like, well not argument, just like I love to bring this point to across like, well, Atlanta has Georgia. You know, Jacksonville has Florida, and unfortunately that's Georgia has the state incentive. The state incentive. So I tell people like when you see the credits roll up, do you see an Atlanta logo? No, you see the Georgia Peach.

Quinn Harrington (45:46.992)
That's cool.

Naila Mir (45:47.271)
I didn't know.

Quinn Harrington (46:12.078)
State of Georgia, yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (46:13.562)
Georgia. So, you know, when you think of Jacksonville, you it's like well you don't see, you like Jacksonville. You and so that's where I'm saying it's a lot of you know, a lot of businesses were a lot of film producers were going to Atlanta.

because of that film incentive. And also Savannah and Brunswick and Macon, there were lot of places being done there. But now you know a lot of people are kinda looking at other places to see what other places that they can go, like Kentucky and, you know, Louisiana. And then of course London, you know, and UK, you know, just there's a lot of Canada. Canada, you know. A lot of productions in Canada. So Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And then this while we don't have a state incentive, we do have city incentives in the Right, and and that's where it's I think the city incentives is trying to compete. Now obviously with the

Naila Mir (46:40.205)
I love Canada. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (46:51.873)
lower budget, you know, like low budget kind of films. But then that's also kind of a good thing that things like Obsession and, you know, Back Rooms are kinda having success right now because those movies didn't cost much to make. But it's kinda showing you the wave of, you know, and and not taken away from

you know, great popcorn movies, you know, like Toy Story just had great success and, you know, you had Michael, the movie Michael had a great success 'cause all the they spent big budgets, you know, on these movies. But but it's just great to see a lot of independent boom happening because a lot of sometimes people want to see fresh new ideas or fresh take or fresh actors that they never seen before. So

Quinn Harrington (47:24.955)
Right.

Naila Mir (47:26.125)
I need to watch scary movie. It's on my list.

Adam & Monique Madrid (47:28.649)
yeah, that's fun too. I love a good comedy. Yeah. Or or a good horror. Yeah, it's horror too, but it's comedy. I hope it's comedy. But yes, he's like yeah, yeah, yeah.

Naila Mir (47:39.949)
Quint, we gotta move to the future.

Quinn Harrington (47:41.792)
all right. Shall we move to the future?

Adam & Monique Madrid (47:44.621)
Yeah. Okay.

Quinn Harrington (47:46.17)
We've got to. Now we're only three minutes behind schedule. We we're we're not really that that locked into it. You know, Pepper will give us a a little notice in the chat.

Naila Mir (47:47.809)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (47:50.014)
Adam & Monique Madrid (47:54.22)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (47:55.8)
She's not telling us anything either, so we're pretty good.

Quinn Harrington (47:59.514)
I think she's I think she's probably like watching TV.

Adam & Monique Madrid (48:00.085)
yeah.

Naila Mir (48:02.741)
It's good. She said it's so good.

Adam & Monique Madrid (48:04.242)
Quinn Harrington (48:06.565)
I thought she stepped away. okay. We're at the part of the show I've been saving. We call it the future segment. Not three to five years out, but fifteen to twenty. This is crystal ball time, so I hope you brought yours. So fifteen to twenty years from now, what does Jacksonville's film and television industry actually actually look like if everything you're both building right now succeeds?

Adam & Monique Madrid (48:08.993)
No.

Adam & Monique Madrid (48:33.721)
Alright, well I'm gonna say this. since I've gotten to the film office, my my my objective has been you brought me the Todd Rubin, I'll say thank you for Todd Rubin for bringing me on. he's been the film commissioner there. He's been s he just celebrated forty years, forty years, four zero at the National Film and Television office. And, you know, a lot of times it's just been him, and a lot of people don't realize that it's just been him at the office. Now the occasional obviously intern will come and go, but

Quinn Harrington (48:48.087)
Mm-hmm. Wow.

Adam & Monique Madrid (48:59.395)
for him to handle like film productions, you know, and everything like that, and then now for me to come in, so I'm able to handle more you know, more of the permits, more of the the the grants.

you know, more of the marketing, you know, to where and like, you know, like social media wise, I feel social media plays a huge impact in regards to, you know, getting the word out of what you're doing here. So for me, it's been about building within, you know, showing what's going on in our own city with our filmmakers, with our, you know, just a lot of the crew, a lot of people that a lot of the actors that are here, because a lot of them do go to Atlanta, LA, New York, Nashville or wherever, to try to make it. And they're just like and for us we're gonna congr you know, congratulate them, say good luck, go, you know, go do your thing. But for

Me selfishly, like you know, I want people to be here, I want people to stay here. And what are we gonna do to make that impact? And what's grow what's great as of this past couple years, and past 10 years actually, whatever, it's like you've seen a lot of the local impact of local filmmakers making their movies, no matter what, being told you can't do it. Well, watch me. you know, a lot of you know, music videos, a lot of commercial, a lot of things are being done in our city, especially a lot of commercials. There's a lot of commercials being done here our city, but then you also got people that our recent Jaguars.

draft pick that we got here. Travis Hunter. Travis Hunter. He's demanding that you know, they want to ship him, you go, hey, go to LA to make this movie. He goes, no, film in Jacksonville. If you want Celsius to film, you know, the energy drink, Adidas to film here. No, you're filming here in Jacksonville. And that's allowing local crew to be involved. Yeah. So it's people it's people asking the people saying, no, let's film here. And then now we have a lot of local filmmakers that are doing that are having success.

Quinn Harrington (50:25.071)
Wow, that's amazing.

Adam & Monique Madrid (50:35.009)
outside of Jacksonville and they're saying, No, we're wanting to film here. We have a film incentive in place. Now it's not the greatest obviously because again what's what we have, but it's good. That's a start. You know, and it's something that it shows that if we can build on this and now you're talking about ten to fifteen years. I honestly think that we once had Hollywood here in Jacksonville back, you know, early in the early days, with Norman Studios and everything like that, and he goes, and it was gone, you know, went to LA. Well, my fight is I want to bring that back.

Quinn Harrington (50:56.037)
Right.

Quinn Harrington (51:03.609)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (51:03.969)
I want to fight for it to come back here. It's like, so let's take back what's ours. It was once ours, let's take it back. And that's for me, that's where I feel like you know, I honestly when people say, Yeah, you're a dreamer, you're dreaming too big, you know, like what if it doesn't work? And then I always like to say, Well, what if it does?

Naila Mir (51:09.677)
you

Adam & Monique Madrid (51:20.673)
You know, like you know, a lot of times everyone goes to the straight negative point of it. It's like it that's not gonna work. You know, we tried this once before, it's like, well then try again. You know, and I think people sometimes just feel like they feel defeated when they were told no or they told that you weren't good enough. And that's been my whole life is been told I'm not good enough. I can't get into film school, I can't do all this stuff, and I'm just kinda just every time trying to prove people wrong to say, I'm put in this position for a reason. I'm here for a reason. And these film festivals, me being a filmmaker, me being at the film office is the first ever film production.

Naila Mir (51:20.685)
Exactly.

Adam & Monique Madrid (51:50.59)
Coordinator is not a mistake. It's like something was a plan in place for me to be here and be in this position to where I'm at. And for people to believe in me, Monique to believe in me, my family for Todd Rubin, for people and you know to say, Hey, we believe in what you're doing here. That's the impact that I want to leave, but also I want to continue on because we deserve to have movies being shot here. We deserve these filmmakers to be recognized. And I with Monique for Ella Bull Jacks Film Festival, for her to say, Hey, I want to recognize the talent that we have here right now, because what if they go off to do other big things? But they say, you know.

What I was really appreciative in my own city of Jacksonville. I want to come back and film there. You know, I want that impact to last. Yep. Yep.

Quinn Harrington (52:25.549)
Yeah, do you want to be a big f a small fish in a big pond or a medium to big size fish in the the smaller pond? And that was always my rationale. quickly we and Pepper will attest to this. we produced a a a shoot for Everbank. It was film and stills. Twelve actors, ten people on the crew, catering, all this. it was fifty grand.

Adam & Monique Madrid (52:34.925)
Right, right.

Adam & Monique Madrid (52:46.744)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (52:55.832)
Mm-hmm.

Quinn Harrington (52:55.849)
Everbank's big agency shopped it in LA and a couple other places, and they were coming in back with quotes of like $200,000 for one day. One day. I mean, what I was like, I can't even imagine what I would spend all that money on. You know, it's like not like we, you know, cheaped out on, you know, the the staff and the crew.

Adam & Monique Madrid (53:08.889)
Mm. Yep.

Naila Mir (53:11.639)
away.

Adam & Monique Madrid (53:17.769)
Right, right.

Quinn Harrington (53:24.695)
It just happens to be that Jacksonville is a very inexpensive place to produce. You know, maybe you got to get talent from some talent from Orlando or some other places. But in terms of crew, I mean, I don't feel like we missed a beat. Killer lighting, awesome videography. We produced this, like what we produced in that day for that price was just astonishing. And I feel like no people

Adam & Monique Madrid (53:31.203)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (53:45.785)
Uh-huh.

Adam & Monique Madrid (53:52.536)
What?

Quinn Harrington (53:53.271)
More people should know that if you're tired of spending, you know, a hundred, hundred and fifty, two hundred thousand dollars in a major market, getting essentially the same thing, come to Jacksonville, give it a try. You'll be surprised. It's it's a beautiful city. I mean, it really is. We've got the beaches, we've got downtown, we've got, you know, Riverside, Avondale, San Marco,

Adam & Monique Madrid (54:06.169)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (54:11.575)
It it really is.

Adam & Monique Madrid (54:20.163)
A lot of history and then Saint Augustine right in your backyard, like it's just so

Quinn Harrington (54:21.602)
Yeah. Yeah, Saint Augustine is right in your backyard and you can't really get a better location that in terms of authenticity. That's about as good as it gets. So that's my

Adam & Monique Madrid (54:31.201)
Yes. And and I think I think it's just people Yeah. No, I don't say I think it's just people in our city. I'll I'll give a shout out really quick to the mayor.

our our mayor, Donna Deegan that actually believes in the arts, believes in filmmaking and believes that, you know, hey, they she wants to go all in in regards to bringing productions here, even more productions. So to try to see what they can do in the film in the city, you know, there. So again it's just it's appreciative of the people that are in the city that believe in like the arts and believe in filmmaking because I think that shows that they're be they got our backs, you know, and and and and that's so important for leadership like that to happen, you know.

Quinn Harrington (54:41.411)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (55:02.009)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (55:06.22)
Yeah, I mean we we ha we have to have, you know, the backing of, you know, political leadership of financial institutions willing to invest in loan to communicating the the the value and the the virtues of of this this town and and our history and our our people. And that's from my point of view, how we'll get to that place in you know, fifteen to twenty years from now where

We are l maybe like a smaller Atlanta or, you know, a smaller London doing really high quality productions here. and I hope you guys and all of us together are able to achieve that. So

Naila Mir (55:49.698)
Yeah, yeah. Keep true to it and you will get there. I mean, the energy you, the energy that you both bring, it's amazing. I love it. I've had a great time on this, on this podcast.

Adam & Monique Madrid (55:49.714)
Absolutely, absolutely.

Adam & Monique Madrid (55:55.424)
Yeah.

Adam & Monique Madrid (56:01.838)
No. No, I no, I I you know we can't just thank you enough for having us here. And I like in regards to London, like I've never so she's been to London. I've never been. I saw Billy Elliott in in London and Yeah, eons ago. And I loved it. Yeah. And it London is beautiful. Yeah. yeah. We wanna yeah. yeah, yeah.

Naila Mir (56:12.159)
you did? I have not seen it. Well next time you come, yeah you will. Quinn and I watched The Stranger Things, yeah in theatre. Yeah, so yes.

Quinn Harrington (56:18.296)
Yeah, I was just there. Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (56:26.168)
Yeah, I w I was just there for a week, and is it March or something like that? And it was the first time we have ever done a podcast together in the same room. we rented a studio, so you should it's like a couple episodes back. yeah.

Naila Mir (56:31.373)
Yeah, it's a really

Adam & Monique Madrid (56:36.725)
Yeah. Yes, no, I no, I saw I saw it. I remember you guys you all you both geeked out or were just like, We're here together. It's finally I loved it. That was awesome. That was a great episode. Yes.

Quinn Harrington (56:44.086)
Yeah, we're here for the first time in fifteen years, so it was very, very sweet moment.

Naila Mir (56:48.173)
So now when you come get in touch lots to do.

Adam & Monique Madrid (56:53.281)
Okay.

Quinn Harrington (56:54.4)
Nyla's a fantastic ho host, great cook. She's, you know, you know, part well, I guess you're mostly Pakistani. And yeah, mo mostly Pakistani, but made us a legit Pakistani meal and her and her sisters, and I'm just like, wow, this is so cool. It's very good.

Naila Mir (57:05.045)
I'm mostly Pakistani, yes.

Adam & Monique Madrid (57:17.217)
Yeah. So no, we we look forward to coming down and yeah, 'cause we are I plan to wanna go down there to watch a Jaguar game about it. So so that that that's what that was one of my things. So drink some proper tea, all the things. Yeah. Yeah.

Naila Mir (57:17.239)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (57:22.924)
Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. Absolutely.

Naila Mir (57:28.129)
Yes, yes, yes. yes, Pepper, I would love to come actually to Jacksonville too. We should put that on the plan. Yes. Put the podcast that way now. I know we're running.

Adam & Monique Madrid (57:35.263)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's do that.

Quinn Harrington (57:40.076)
Yeah, for real. I mean that was like that was an expensive episode.

Adam & Monique Madrid (57:40.249)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (57:44.596)
I know.

Quinn Harrington (57:46.916)
very good. You wanna take us to the wrap? Or well no, before we do that, is there anything else you wanted to share with us?

Naila Mir (57:47.181)
was expensive. I do... yes?

Naila Mir (57:56.385)
Yes.

Adam & Monique Madrid (57:57.06)
midline. I listen, I will say this. for anyone who's listening to a podcast and they're just kind of like, I don't you know, I I'm not getting the resources I need or I just you know just whatever. Just build and and and and learn that your resources are right there right beside you. but then also just to say it again

Go outside into your community and and really get familiar with all that's going on because your your community expands and when your community expands your resources become more revealed and I that's that's what I've noticed. in Jacksonville and I think honestly it's true in other communities no matter where you are around the world. Yeah. Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (58:42.22)
Wonderful. Well said.

Naila Mir (58:42.541)
I love it. I love it.

Adam & Monique Madrid (58:43.705)
I can't I'll just leave it on that. That was she was great. No, no, no, no, no. I I'll all I I'll no no. All I say is I always use a quote from a Jacksonville poet here named Oddrod, our losses carry wins. Mm-hmm. And I use I say that every time is because every time that you're told no, every time this door slammed in your face or whatever obstacle you have, whether in it's regards to filmmaking here in Jacksonville, you're being told you're not good enough, you're not you know, you don't have the resource, then make it happen. Do it yourself and that's

Naila Mir (58:46.741)
Hahaha.

Quinn Harrington (58:56.642)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (59:11.137)
again, I think it's being told like, you know, you can't make a great film festival. It's like, well watch us. You can't make a great feature film. Well watch this. You know, we're gonna make a romantic comedy here called Let Me Be Cory. You know, you can't you can't, you know, be you know, the head of this or do this. It's like, well now I'm at the film office and my job now is to make sure that people are appreciated in our city and are highlighted in a in a positive way because give flowers to these these amazing people here in our city because they deserve it.

Quinn Harrington (59:15.48)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (59:15.874)
Yeah.

Quinn Harrington (59:21.4)
Mm-hmm.

Adam & Monique Madrid (59:37.729)
And we have the talent here, we have the structure here in Jacksonville. We have amazing people like Pepper Lindsay, you know, like a lot of these amazing producers here in Jacksonville, a lot of filmmakers like Sam Farmer and Franklin Rich and Carlos Smith and just a lot of great talent that we have here that just it's amazing and let's just give their props while they're here. So

Quinn Harrington (59:54.622)
yeah. Well we give pro Pepper props every day. You know, she's not not a full timer or anything like that, but she has been instrumental in over the last year just taking our professionalism and our ability to the next level. So appreciate you, Pepper. She produces this show as well. All right, Niela, now you can take us to the wrap for real.

Adam & Monique Madrid (59:57.486)
Yes. Yes.

Naila Mir (59:57.822)
Yeah.

Naila Mir (01:00:10.305)
Yes, thank you. Yes. Quinn.

Adam & Monique Madrid (01:00:12.511)
Love you, Pepper.

Naila Mir (01:00:19.233)
But I was going to say what was the one action, but they've already done that one action. So that's, yeah, so we can probably go for the rap, Quinn. Do you want me to do the rap?

Adam & Monique Madrid (01:00:24.15)
Okay. We got you.

Quinn Harrington (01:00:29.848)
Yeah, I think that's you start.

Naila Mir (01:00:32.191)
Okay, all right, that's a wrap for this episode of Now, Near, and the Future. You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube. Follow us at Now, Near, and the Future or visit nownearfuture.com.

Quinn Harrington (01:00:48.312)
And just to remind everyone, loljacks.com, 48hourfilm.com slash Jacksonville. And you can contact the City Film Office and go see Let Me Be Corey wherever it is showing. this is exactly the kind of conversation we built this show to have. So thank you very much to the both of you for for being here and I hope you'll spread the word about your

Naila Mir (01:01:05.047)
Yes.

Quinn Harrington (01:01:18.42)
conversation and chat with us. Niala, did you already tell everyone where to find us? Okay.

Adam & Monique Madrid (01:01:21.154)
Absolutely.

Naila Mir (01:01:22.221)
Yeah? Yes I did and if people loved this podcast and it stayed with you go support some local, submit a film, buy a film festival ticket or just go watch like Quinn said, let me be Corey. I will do that if I can somehow.

Adam & Monique Madrid (01:01:43.811)
Yes, they guess, yes, yes, definitely.

Quinn Harrington (01:01:47.672)
Well, wonderful. as always, stay curious and keep dreaming.

Naila Mir (01:01:53.121)
and we will see you in the future.