Timecode Cowboys | Ep. 9 | Renaissance Man Robert Young III
This week we’re catching up with one of Danny’s oldest friends and collaborators — filmmaker, actor,
musician, and bona fide creative polymath Rob Young III — for a conversation that spans decades,
mediums, and mindsets.
From their first short film together (a teenage neo-noir called Bulletproof) to Rob’s latest political rock
opera Nixon King, this episode is a trip through the wild roads of DIY filmmaking, Detroit artistry, and
the strange freedom that comes from doing it all yourself.
Here’s what we cover in this cinematic hangout:
From CalArts to Harvard — the winding path of a multi-hyphenate storyteller
Working at Detroit Public Television and learning the craft from the inside out
The genesis of Nixon King, a rock opera where MLK meets Nixon behind bars
Collaborating with (pre-fame) Damien Chazelle and the power of early creative circles
Reimagining Batman, JFK, and other icons on his long-running YouTube channel
The raw genius and controversy of Last Tango in Paris — and the cost of creative risk
Why filmmaking is still the most democratic art form… and the hardest to sustain
From Detroit diners to CalArts casting calls, Episode 9 is an ode to persistence, friendship, and the
lifelong pursuit of making something—anything—worth remembering.
Saddle up, hit play, and join us for a ride with the one-man studio himself, Rob Young III.
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