Justin Allen's motto for his work is very simple, it's to "make cool stuff." Sounds simple, and yet, his passion for life and his art has taken him on an extraordinary path from the Wilson Projects to Amherst College, New Zealand where he met his wife, back to the Berkshires where he carved his path as a filmmaker. And, oh yeah, he's also an exceptional musician...and bartender. He's a husband, a father and an artist. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, including his filmmaking style and inspiration, various projects that have taken him places he never dreamed of, backing up his video files! the CAGED guitar method, growing up on Linden Street and in the Wilson Projects and seeing different worlds spending time with his stepdad in Williamstown, parenthood and how his own childhood informs his approach, the power of making a concrete decision and manifesting, creative freedom, opportunities for working feature films in the Berkshires, interpretation of dreams, the Waldorf School philosophy, his time in New Zealand, trekking cross country to promote his T-shirt company, being broke and bouncing back, bartending at Methuselah's, ideas for Pittsfield and the downtown, reigniting momentum, balancing new investment and gentrification, the carousel, bowling alleys, large parties and events as a business model and more!

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Justin Allen.