What do nuclear fusion physics and micro-budget filmmaking have in common? More than you’d think. In this episode, Scott Asmar sits down with longtime friend (and newly discovered distant relative!) Robert Deranian, a PhD physicist turned independent filmmaker.

Robert shares how surfing, Armenian heritage, and a love of storytelling pulled him from the lab into independent film. From micro-budget sets where everyone wears multiple hats to projects that bridge history, politics, and personal identity, his work reflects both curiosity and conviction.

The conversation spans Robert’s early documentary work to his newest film The Republic, which looks at Vietnam, January 6th, and the question of what really shapes our choices. He and Scott also talk about the freedom of independent filmmaking, the challenge of distribution, and why heartfelt stories still matter in a world dominated by blockbusters.

For anyone reevaluating purpose in midlife, Robert’s journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to connect the dots between science, art, and personal truth.

Quotes

• “I really like science, and I still do, you know. With film, and when I say film, it’s all aspects of it.” (05:30 | Robert Deranian)
• “People that make these kinds of films, what’s great about them is they’re not beholden to a budget, essentially. So on the one hand, you can’t have big explosives or anything like that, but you can make really innovative stories because you’re the one that controls it.” (06:38 | Robert Deranian)
• “At one point, the actor John Cook, playing Mike, says, “How the hell did I get into this?” Like, he doesn’t know. It just happens. That’s life, right? We get into problems. We don’t realize where it’s going to take us, you know? But I think in the end, it’s a super powerful message.” (14:16 | Robert Deranian)
• “There’s so much duplication in Hollywood of movies. It’s like, OK, the Marvel movies are like over and over and over and over again. And there’s a reason for it. My understanding is the reason they do that is because they’ve got so much money into it, they cannot afford to take chances. So they’re just going to play it safe. Whereas guys like us, like you and me, we just can go for it.” (15:26 | Robert Deranian)
• “I think my view of actors is that I think that there’s something natural about a good actor. They’re good because it’s just in them.” (17:21 | Robert Deranian)

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