WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.980 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. So today we're 00:00:02.980 --> 00:00:06.960 taking a really close look at a creative force, 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:10.099 someone whose career, well, it's just a powerful 00:00:10.099 --> 00:00:13.339 example of how sticking to specific personal 00:00:13.339 --> 00:00:16.780 stories can lead to, you know, huge recognition. 00:00:17.140 --> 00:00:18.879 Absolutely. We're talking about Sterling Harjo. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:21.699 Exactly. Filmmaker, showrunner. We're basically 00:00:21.699 --> 00:00:25.120 charting his his whole journey today. Yeah. And 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:29.600 Harjo is I mean, he's. undeniably a pivotal figure 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.800 right now not just in the film world but really 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:34.600 in the whole story of indigenous media representation 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:37.539 right our sources they really show this clear 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:41.500 sustained focus on place on his community and 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:43.759 that just defines well pretty much every single 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:46.070 project he's touched It's like the ultimate example, 00:00:46.170 --> 00:00:48.009 isn't it? Starting with indie films, doing that 00:00:48.009 --> 00:00:49.909 foundational work, and then having it lead to 00:00:49.909 --> 00:00:52.609 this absolutely groundbreaking success in television. 00:00:52.890 --> 00:00:54.670 Totally. And that's really what we want to dig 00:00:54.670 --> 00:00:56.609 into today. Yeah, that's the mission. We want 00:00:56.609 --> 00:00:58.229 to give you a kind of shortcut to understanding 00:00:58.229 --> 00:01:00.409 how he built this incredible career, you know, 00:01:00.409 --> 00:01:02.090 from those early independent shorts and features, 00:01:02.289 --> 00:01:05.629 using Sundance as a launchpad, all the way to... 00:01:06.120 --> 00:01:08.180 Becoming a MacArthur fellow, which is just huge, 00:01:08.299 --> 00:01:11.019 and co -creating reservation dogs. It's about 00:01:11.019 --> 00:01:13.299 the strategic steps, right? The moves that made 00:01:13.299 --> 00:01:15.260 him such an essential voice in American culture 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:18.439 today. Definitely. So to really get the work, 00:01:18.459 --> 00:01:20.040 you have to understand the roots, as you said. 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:22.459 Where does it all start? Okay, so the basics. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:27.140 Strelin Harja was born November 14th, 1979, Holdenville, 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:30.140 Oklahoma. And this is critical. He's a citizen 00:01:30.140 --> 00:01:32.780 of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and also has 00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:35.200 Muscogee heritage. And that's not just like... 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.959 A biographical footnote? Not at all. It's the 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.060 absolute core, the wellspring of his creativity. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:43.939 You look at his work, almost everything from 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:45.959 the very first films to the current stuff on 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:48.480 FX. It's set in Oklahoma. It features Native 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:50.680 American characters, Oklahoman people, often 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:53.299 tackling themes really specific to, you know, 00:01:53.299 --> 00:01:55.340 the Seminole and Muskogee experience. So his 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:58.120 identity isn't just woven into the work. It is 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:00.920 the work in a way. It's the foundation. Precisely. 00:02:00.980 --> 00:02:04.709 So how did that commitment that... really hyper 00:02:04.709 --> 00:02:07.409 -local focus translate into a national, even 00:02:07.409 --> 00:02:09.930 international career? Well, the groundwork was 00:02:09.930 --> 00:02:13.050 laid academically, artistically. He studied art 00:02:13.050 --> 00:02:14.909 and film at the University of Oklahoma. Okay. 00:02:15.030 --> 00:02:17.469 And what you see, looking at the sources, is 00:02:17.469 --> 00:02:21.189 a young filmmaker who right away, he sought out 00:02:21.189 --> 00:02:25.370 support from the kind of key players in American 00:02:25.370 --> 00:02:27.699 independent film. The institutions. Exactly, 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.319 the institutions. We're basically tracking how 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:32.740 that early focus, that authenticity and sense 00:02:32.740 --> 00:02:35.340 of place, it attracted institutional backing 00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:38.740 that really paved the way for the massive industry 00:02:38.740 --> 00:02:41.400 recognition he got later on. Okay, so let's unpack 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:43.379 those early years then, because the recognition, 00:02:43.539 --> 00:02:46.780 it seems like it came remarkably fast. When did 00:02:46.780 --> 00:02:49.039 the industry really start paying attention? Almost 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.009 immediately after his time at OU, actually. His 00:02:52.009 --> 00:02:54.090 vision, which was focusing on contemporary Native 00:02:54.090 --> 00:02:56.370 life, something incredibly underserved in movies. 00:02:56.530 --> 00:02:58.650 Back then, it just caught the eye of the major 00:02:58.650 --> 00:03:01.870 gatekeepers. Right. So in 2004, he gets this 00:03:01.870 --> 00:03:03.789 really prestigious fellowship from the Sundance 00:03:03.789 --> 00:03:05.909 Institute. Which is a huge deal for an indie 00:03:05.909 --> 00:03:08.729 filmmaker. Yeah. Oh, massive. I mean, a Sundance 00:03:08.729 --> 00:03:11.110 fellowship is often the biggest stamp of approval 00:03:11.110 --> 00:03:13.889 you can get early on. It means funding, yes, 00:03:14.090 --> 00:03:17.810 but also mentorship, connections, access. It's 00:03:17.810 --> 00:03:19.969 critical. And it wasn't just a one -off thing, 00:03:20.050 --> 00:03:22.439 was it? Getting multiple fellowships suggests 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:25.280 they really believed in his potential? Absolutely 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:27.939 right. Just two years later, 2006, he gets another 00:03:27.939 --> 00:03:31.400 big boost. This time, a fellowship from United 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.180 States artists. Okay, United States artists. 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:36.259 Tell us a bit about them. Well, they're known 00:03:36.259 --> 00:03:38.860 for identifying and backing some of the country's 00:03:38.860 --> 00:03:41.080 most compelling artists, you know, across all 00:03:41.080 --> 00:03:44.039 sorts of disciplines, writing, visual art, film. 00:03:44.180 --> 00:03:46.639 So it signals he wasn't just seen as a promising 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:49.219 filmmaker, but like a broader cultural talent. 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.319 Exactly. Getting both the Sundance and the USA 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:54.500 fellowships, I mean, that really solidified his 00:03:54.500 --> 00:03:56.620 status as someone to watch. even before he'd 00:03:56.620 --> 00:03:58.780 finished his first feature film. It showed the 00:03:58.780 --> 00:04:00.780 indie world was already betting on his unique 00:04:00.780 --> 00:04:03.520 voice. And that confidence, it was built on his 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:05.879 short film work initially. You mentioned Goodnight, 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:08.360 Irene. Yeah, that was 2005. Goodnight, Irene 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:10.180 really put him on the map. It premiered at the 00:04:10.180 --> 00:04:13.219 Sundance Film Festival in 2005. Kicking off that 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:15.599 Sundance relationship. Precisely. That became 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:17.899 a really powerful, consistent relationship for 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:20.569 him. Sundance was the platform, and Goodnight 00:04:20.569 --> 00:04:23.589 Irene, it didn't just play there. It won a special 00:04:23.589 --> 00:04:26.990 jury award at the Aspen Shorts Fest, which shows 00:04:26.990 --> 00:04:30.069 his storytelling was connecting beyond just the 00:04:30.069 --> 00:04:33.410 native film community. Critics, audiences were 00:04:33.410 --> 00:04:36.870 responding. So that pattern launching at Sundance, 00:04:36.930 --> 00:04:39.829 it leads us right into his first feature, Four 00:04:39.829 --> 00:04:43.310 Sheets to the Wind in 2007. How did this film 00:04:43.310 --> 00:04:45.970 kind of lay out the Harjo blueprint? Four Sheets 00:04:45.970 --> 00:04:48.389 to the Wind is like the definitive statement 00:04:48.389 --> 00:04:51.209 of what he was about early on. The story itself, 00:04:51.329 --> 00:04:53.790 it centers on this young Seminole man. He travels 00:04:53.790 --> 00:04:56.290 from his really small, specific hometown. The 00:04:56.290 --> 00:04:58.550 sources really emphasize the small town aspect. 00:04:58.629 --> 00:05:01.069 Right. To Tulsa. He's going to visit his sister 00:05:01.069 --> 00:05:03.329 right after their father suddenly passes away. 00:05:03.610 --> 00:05:06.029 Okay, so things of grief, family. Absolutely. 00:05:06.410 --> 00:05:09.449 Grief, dislocation, family bonds, but all framed 00:05:09.449 --> 00:05:12.970 by that physical Oklahoma landscape. And it's 00:05:12.970 --> 00:05:15.149 contemporary. And the critical reception for 00:05:15.149 --> 00:05:17.149 this debut, it was pretty significant, wasn't 00:05:17.149 --> 00:05:19.509 it? Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 00:05:19.509 --> 00:05:22.850 2007. Yeah, which is massive for a first feature, 00:05:22.990 --> 00:05:26.420 competing at that top level of IndieCentra. Right 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:28.639 out of the gate. Incredible. And beyond Sundance, 00:05:28.740 --> 00:05:31.740 he was named Best Director at the 2007 American 00:05:31.740 --> 00:05:36.439 Indian Film Festival, AIFE. AIFE, okay. That 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:38.759 recognition seems important too. It's crucial. 00:05:39.160 --> 00:05:42.279 AIFE is dedicated to celebrating authentic Native 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:44.819 representation. So winning there confirms his 00:05:44.819 --> 00:05:47.279 standing within the Indigenous creative community. 00:05:48.009 --> 00:05:50.269 While the Sundance nomination confirms his place 00:05:50.269 --> 00:05:52.410 in the broader industry, he was hitting both. 00:05:52.670 --> 00:05:54.310 And what's really interesting, you pointed this 00:05:54.310 --> 00:05:56.689 out, is how his work immediately started boosting 00:05:56.689 --> 00:05:59.250 the careers of his actors, too. Yeah, that's 00:05:59.250 --> 00:06:01.589 a really key point for you listening. The film's 00:06:01.589 --> 00:06:04.089 co -star, Tamara Podemsky, she won a special 00:06:04.089 --> 00:06:06.509 jury prize for her performance at Sundance. Wow. 00:06:06.790 --> 00:06:08.970 And then followed that up with a nomination for 00:06:08.970 --> 00:06:10.790 Best Supporting Actress at the Independent Spirit 00:06:10.790 --> 00:06:14.189 Awards in 2007. So it wasn't just about his vision, 00:06:14.329 --> 00:06:17.199 it was about creating opportunities. Exactly. 00:06:17.220 --> 00:06:19.680 It shows his authentic storytelling, his ability 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:22.519 to direct actors. It immediately translated into 00:06:22.519 --> 00:06:25.480 mainstream recognition and, you know, real professional 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:27.240 opportunities for his indigenous collaborators. 00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:29.779 He was building something bigger than just his 00:06:29.779 --> 00:06:32.319 own career right from the very start. So the 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:34.959 foundation is really solid by this point. Sundance 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:38.240 backing, major fellowships, awards, launching 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:41.139 acting careers. And all of it anchored in Oklahoma. 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:44.220 He was setting a standard. And if Four Sheets 00:06:44.220 --> 00:06:46.560 to the Wind kind of introduced that road trip 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.160 theme, his second feature, Barking Water, in 00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:51.939 2009, well, it really deepened that whole idea. 00:06:52.259 --> 00:06:54.620 Okay, so still on the road, but how did he change 00:06:54.620 --> 00:06:56.920 it up? How did he raise the stakes? Barking Water 00:06:56.920 --> 00:07:00.879 shifts the focus. It's a much more intense journey. 00:07:00.939 --> 00:07:03.160 It's a final journey, really. It follows a dying 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:05.660 man and his former lover on a road trip across 00:07:05.660 --> 00:07:08.399 Oklahoma. Another Oklahoma road trip. Yeah, but 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:10.829 with a very specific. destination and purpose 00:07:10.829 --> 00:07:13.089 they need to get to we woke up to see his daughter 00:07:13.089 --> 00:07:15.290 and granddaughter so it's not about finding yourself 00:07:15.290 --> 00:07:17.610 after grief like the first film may be hinted 00:07:17.610 --> 00:07:21.689 at this is about time running out exactly mortality 00:07:21.689 --> 00:07:24.149 and again the location we woke up it's not just 00:07:24.149 --> 00:07:26.250 some random town what's the significance the 00:07:26.250 --> 00:07:29.310 sources explicitly note It's the capital of the 00:07:29.310 --> 00:07:31.569 Seminole Nation. Ah, okay. So that grounding 00:07:31.569 --> 00:07:34.449 in specific, culturally significant places is 00:07:34.449 --> 00:07:37.050 always there. The physical journey across the 00:07:37.050 --> 00:07:39.310 state, it becomes loaded with cultural meaning. 00:07:39.430 --> 00:07:41.410 It's a return to the heart of the Seminole Nation 00:07:41.410 --> 00:07:44.089 before death. And the reception. Did Sundance 00:07:44.089 --> 00:07:46.550 embrace this one too? Yep. Premiered at Sundance 00:07:46.550 --> 00:07:49.430 2009, keeping that streak going. And it was named 00:07:49.430 --> 00:07:53.189 Best Drama Film at the 2009 American Indian Film 00:07:53.189 --> 00:07:56.089 Festival. So again, consistent success on both 00:07:56.089 --> 00:07:58.329 those important tracks. It shows a really smart 00:07:58.329 --> 00:08:01.110 strategic balance he maintained. Okay, so after 00:08:01.110 --> 00:08:02.970 two narrative features focused on these road 00:08:02.970 --> 00:08:05.009 trips, he does something quite different in 2014. 00:08:05.490 --> 00:08:08.629 A documentary, This May Be the Last Time. That 00:08:08.629 --> 00:08:11.370 sounds intensely personal. Oh, it is. Deeply 00:08:11.370 --> 00:08:13.550 personal. It's rooted right in his own family 00:08:13.550 --> 00:08:15.889 history. The film's based on the true story, 00:08:16.029 --> 00:08:18.709 still unresolved, of his grandfather who disappeared 00:08:18.709 --> 00:08:21.730 back in 1962. Happened in the Seminole County 00:08:21.730 --> 00:08:25.519 town of Sasakwa. You know, a family mystery like 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:28.120 that, it's a powerful hook for any documentary. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:30.939 For sure. But the real insight here, for you 00:08:30.939 --> 00:08:33.740 listening, might be how he used that personal 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:36.539 story to explore something much broader, right? 00:08:36.620 --> 00:08:38.899 Specifically music. How did that work? Yeah, 00:08:38.940 --> 00:08:40.919 this is where you really see his skill for like 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:44.080 cultural synthesis. The doc uses his grandfather's 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:46.779 disappearance as a jumping off point to explore 00:08:46.779 --> 00:08:51.370 Creek Nation hymns. Okay, hymns. That's fascinating. 00:08:51.590 --> 00:08:53.830 And what's really amazing is the detail it goes 00:08:53.830 --> 00:08:56.600 into about the musical lineage. The film specifically 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:59.039 looks at how these traditional Creek hymns, they 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:00.899 have these melodic connections to, get this, 00:09:01.019 --> 00:09:03.899 Scottish folk music. Scottish folk music, really? 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:06.539 Yeah, and blended with influences from American 00:09:06.539 --> 00:09:09.419 gospel and even rock music. It shows that the 00:09:09.419 --> 00:09:11.840 Creek musical tradition isn't some isolated thing. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:15.539 It's actually this dynamic, evolving mix of global 00:09:15.539 --> 00:09:17.940 influences, all filtered through their unique 00:09:17.940 --> 00:09:20.500 cultural lens. That detail about the Scottish 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:22.580 folk link, that's brilliant. It shows he's not 00:09:22.580 --> 00:09:25.230 just, you know, documenting tradition. analyzing 00:09:25.230 --> 00:09:28.470 its complex history. Exactly. And that thoughtful 00:09:28.470 --> 00:09:31.490 approach got noticed. After premiering at Sundance 00:09:31.490 --> 00:09:35.370 in 2014, AMC Sundance Channel Global picked up 00:09:35.370 --> 00:09:37.549 the distribution rights for the Sundance Channel. 00:09:37.850 --> 00:09:41.169 So we've got significant global exposure. Okay, 00:09:41.210 --> 00:09:43.470 so after that deep dive into family history and 00:09:43.470 --> 00:09:46.169 music, he swings back to narrative features in 00:09:46.169 --> 00:09:49.129 2015 with Mecco. But this one's different again, 00:09:49.230 --> 00:09:51.149 right? The sources call it a thriller. Yeah, 00:09:51.230 --> 00:09:53.820 a thriller. which is a really interesting shift 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:56.399 in tone and genre for him at that point. Why 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:58.659 do you think he made that move after these intimate 00:09:58.659 --> 00:10:02.440 dramas in the doc? Well, I think it's both artistically 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:05.539 and strategically smart. By framing Mecco as 00:10:05.539 --> 00:10:07.559 a thriller, he kind of sidesteps expectations. 00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:09.740 You know, the indigenous drama label. Right. 00:10:09.860 --> 00:10:12.340 The film's set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so he's still 00:10:12.340 --> 00:10:15.100 committed to his location. But it specifically 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:17.740 focuses on the experiences of a Native American 00:10:17.740 --> 00:10:20.120 homeless community there. And using the thriller 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:22.960 genre in that context, that must have a specific 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.559 purpose. It's not just for thrills. Oh, definitely 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:27.620 not. Genre films, especially thrillers, they 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:30.419 demand high stakes, a certain pace. They force 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:34.059 you, the viewer, to engage intensely. thriller 00:10:34.059 --> 00:10:37.159 within this often marginalized community, Harjo 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:40.259 uses the genre's intensity to shine a really 00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:43.259 bright, urgent light on the harsh realities of 00:10:43.259 --> 00:10:46.220 native homelessness in a city. He's leveraging 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:48.799 the commercial hook of the genre to deliver some 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:51.539 powerful social commentary. Makes sense. Where 00:10:51.539 --> 00:10:53.879 did METCO launch? It premiered at the Los Angeles 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:57.460 Film Festival in June 2015. So yeah, by this 00:10:57.460 --> 00:11:00.500 point, he's shown real versatility across indie 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:03.580 dramas, documentary, and now genre filmmaking. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:06.710 Yeah. Okay. So now we're moving into the period, 00:11:06.769 --> 00:11:09.850 let's say, roughly between 2015 and 2020. And 00:11:09.850 --> 00:11:12.090 this stage is actually really crucial. This is 00:11:12.090 --> 00:11:13.990 where Harjo was kind of honing all these diverse 00:11:13.990 --> 00:11:17.169 skills, comedy, journalism, directing shorts 00:11:17.169 --> 00:11:19.850 that would feed directly into the huge television 00:11:19.850 --> 00:11:22.570 success of Reservation Dogs. Right. People sometimes 00:11:22.570 --> 00:11:24.909 skip over this period, but the work he did here 00:11:24.909 --> 00:11:27.409 seems vital. He was juggling high -profile festival 00:11:27.409 --> 00:11:29.549 stuff with really local media work. Exactly. 00:11:29.549 --> 00:11:31.269 So on one hand, you have him directing short 00:11:31.269 --> 00:11:34.450 films like Sepant Katsustasin in 2009. That was 00:11:34.450 --> 00:11:36.009 part of something called the Embargo Collective 00:11:36.009 --> 00:11:38.090 Project. The Embargo Collective. Yeah, it was 00:11:38.090 --> 00:11:39.929 a collaborative effort specifically aimed at 00:11:39.929 --> 00:11:42.389 boosting the presence and quality of indigenous 00:11:42.389 --> 00:11:45.429 filmmaking. Harjo, being part of that, shows 00:11:45.429 --> 00:11:47.990 his commitment to, you know, working with others 00:11:47.990 --> 00:11:50.590 to nurture native talent and stories. And staying 00:11:50.590 --> 00:11:53.309 connected to Tulsa, to Oklahoma, that remained 00:11:53.309 --> 00:11:55.990 important. Absolutely vital. Kept him grounded 00:11:55.990 --> 00:11:58.730 creatively. He was the staff video director for 00:11:58.730 --> 00:12:01.570 this land press in Tulsa for a time. Okay. Directed 00:12:01.570 --> 00:12:03.590 a whole series of shorts for them. That's practical, 00:12:03.769 --> 00:12:05.549 boots on the ground production experience in 00:12:05.549 --> 00:12:08.090 journalism, local storytelling, fast turnaround 00:12:08.090 --> 00:12:10.370 stuff. And at the same time, he's getting recognized 00:12:10.370 --> 00:12:12.809 internationally. Yeah, like serving on the shorts 00:12:12.809 --> 00:12:15.629 competition jury for Sundance in 2010. Yeah. 00:12:15.710 --> 00:12:17.809 So he's got a foot in both worlds. Yeah. The 00:12:17.809 --> 00:12:20.190 local media trenches and the peak of the international 00:12:20.190 --> 00:12:22.230 festival circuits. It's quite a balance. This 00:12:22.230 --> 00:12:24.750 period also really - really highlights his comedy 00:12:24.750 --> 00:12:27.110 chops, which might surprise people who only know 00:12:27.110 --> 00:12:30.570 the earlier, heavier dramas. He's part of a pretty 00:12:30.570 --> 00:12:33.610 influential comedy group. Yes. We absolutely 00:12:33.610 --> 00:12:36.289 have to talk about the 1491s. Okay, tell us about 00:12:36.289 --> 00:12:39.409 them. Arjo is one of the five founding members. 00:12:39.549 --> 00:12:41.950 They're a Native American sketch comedy group. 00:12:42.269 --> 00:12:46.470 And their work, it's just brilliant, sharp. observational, 00:12:46.549 --> 00:12:48.970 often really subversive humor that tackles needed 00:12:48.970 --> 00:12:51.669 stereotypes, contemporary life, everything. It's 00:12:51.669 --> 00:12:54.169 smart and hilarious. In that collaborative comedy 00:12:54.169 --> 00:12:57.070 environment, how formative was that? How did 00:12:57.070 --> 00:13:00.750 the style of the 1491s influence what we eventually 00:13:00.750 --> 00:13:02.809 saw in Reservation Dogs? Oh, the connection is 00:13:02.809 --> 00:13:05.009 totally direct. The signature tone of Reservation 00:13:05.009 --> 00:13:08.289 Dogs, that deadpan, realistic, often kind of 00:13:08.289 --> 00:13:11.110 surreal humor about everyday life. Yeah. Mixing 00:13:11.110 --> 00:13:13.570 these profound moments of grief or identity with 00:13:13.570 --> 00:13:16.759 genuinely... funny, specific conversational dialogue. 00:13:17.100 --> 00:13:19.980 That blend of high emotion and high comedy, that's 00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:22.799 the DNA of the 1491s. Oh, okay. Working in that 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:24.980 group allowed him to really sharpen his comedic 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:27.440 timing, find those conversational rhythms that 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:29.899 make the Rezdog's characters feel so real and, 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:32.559 well, lovable. It taught him how to use humor 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:34.639 not just for laughs, but as a way to critique 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:36.860 culture and create genuine connection. And even 00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:39.120 while flexing his comedy muscles, he kept up 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.940 the commitment to community news and journalism. 00:13:41.259 --> 00:13:44.179 That's a rare combination. It really shows profound... 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:46.980 Sound dedication. He served as one of the directors 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:49.620 for the Cherokee Nation's monthly TV news magazine, 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:53.019 Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People. Wow. Think 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.399 about that range for a second. Respected indie 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.279 feature director, touring sketch comedian, and 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:00.220 directing for a tribal nation's news program. 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:04.419 That experience, capturing real life, delivering 00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:07.179 information clearly, grounding stories in specific 00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:09.779 community concerns, it made him uniquely equipped 00:14:09.779 --> 00:14:12.870 for episodic TV. He could blend the realism of 00:14:12.870 --> 00:14:16.769 journalism with the humor of the 1491s. And all 00:14:16.769 --> 00:14:19.330 of that, that whole diverse foundation, it leads 00:14:19.330 --> 00:14:22.190 directly into the television era, which kicks 00:14:22.190 --> 00:14:23.929 off, of course, with the show that changed everything, 00:14:24.330 --> 00:14:26.629 Reservation Dogs. Yeah, Reservation Dogs ran 00:14:26.629 --> 00:14:30.090 2021 to 2023 on FX. This was a huge leap, right? 00:14:30.149 --> 00:14:32.049 Co -created, co -written, executive produced 00:14:32.049 --> 00:14:34.370 by Harjo, but also with Taika Waititi involved. 00:14:34.529 --> 00:14:35.950 How important was that collaboration? Oh, it 00:14:35.950 --> 00:14:39.399 was genius. Pairing Harjo's deep, specific, localized 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:42.460 knowledge and sensibility with Waititi's global 00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:44.919 profile and proven comedic touch. Right. Waititi 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:47.840 had massive momentum then. Exactly. It gave the 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.500 project instant viability, commercial appeal, 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:53.419 while making sure the creative core stayed completely 00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:56.779 authentic, rooted in Harjo's vision. And for 00:14:56.779 --> 00:14:59.299 FX, a network known for betting on distinctive 00:14:59.299 --> 00:15:02.230 voices, it was a major win. They gave them an 00:15:02.230 --> 00:15:04.169 incredible amount of creative freedom. And the 00:15:04.169 --> 00:15:06.990 recognition was immediate and huge. That moment 00:15:06.990 --> 00:15:08.950 at the Film Independent Spirit Awards really 00:15:08.950 --> 00:15:12.789 stands out. Yes. The 37th Spirit Awards. It won 00:15:12.789 --> 00:15:15.710 Best New Scripted Series and Best Ensemble Cast 00:15:15.710 --> 00:15:18.669 in a New Scripted Series. Big wins. But the real 00:15:18.669 --> 00:15:21.190 impact went beyond the awards themselves, didn't 00:15:21.190 --> 00:15:23.309 it? Absolutely. It marked a historical moment 00:15:23.309 --> 00:15:25.620 that... frankly, needed to be celebrated loud 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:27.779 and clear. Can you recount that moment for us? 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:30.379 Because the quote itself really sums up the achievement. 00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:33.220 Yeah, actor Devery Jacobs, accepting the Ensemble 00:15:33.220 --> 00:15:35.580 Award, she gave this incredibly powerful statement. 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:38.279 She said something like, this prize is so much 00:15:38.279 --> 00:15:40.740 bigger than ourselves. Each of us come from different 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:43.159 nations across Turtle Island who survived 500 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:45.860 years of colonization. Wow. And in the 100 years 00:15:45.860 --> 00:15:48.559 of film and TV, Reservation Dogs now marks the 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.360 first project with all indigenous creators at 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:53.750 the helm. The first project with all Indigenous 00:15:53.750 --> 00:15:56.029 creatives at the helm. I mean, just pause on 00:15:56.029 --> 00:15:58.409 that. That is genuinely transformative for the 00:15:58.409 --> 00:16:00.629 industry. It really is. It proved that authenticity, 00:16:00.950 --> 00:16:02.950 that full creative control by Indigenous people, 00:16:03.070 --> 00:16:06.149 it's not a risk or a niche concern. It's actually 00:16:06.149 --> 00:16:09.090 the key ingredient for making critically acclaimed, 00:16:09.129 --> 00:16:11.450 universally loved television. And the industry 00:16:11.450 --> 00:16:14.789 responded. Peabody Award in 2021. Yep. Got the 00:16:14.789 --> 00:16:17.710 Peabody. FX renewed it for season two almost 00:16:17.710 --> 00:16:20.940 instantly. It confirmed the show was a hit critically 00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:23.759 and commercially. It completely validated that 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:26.279 Harjo Atidi model of indigenous -led storytelling. 00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:29.620 So the success of Res Dogs obviously catapulted 00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:32.240 Harjo into this position of being a highly sought 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.080 -after showrunner, someone with the power to 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:36.440 get new projects made. Which brings us to his 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:40.240 second FX series, The Lowdown. Right. After Reservation 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:42.960 Dogs wrapped up its run, Harjo launched The Lowdown. 00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:46.799 premiered in September 2025. And here he took 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:49.120 on even more creative control. Creator, writer, 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:51.360 director, executive producer. So this was Harjo 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:53.480 showing he could lead a major network series 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:57.200 solo post -YTD collaboration? Pretty much. Proving 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:59.039 he wasn't reliant on that initial partnership 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:01.460 to get a big show off the ground. And the casting 00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:03.460 for The Lowdown really speaks volumes about his 00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:06.059 status now, right? It absolutely does. The series 00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:08.140 stars Ethan Hawke. Ethan Hawke. Okay, that's 00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:11.140 major. Attracting an actor of Hawke's caliber 00:17:11.140 --> 00:17:14.440 and reputation to a brand new FX series, right 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:17.940 on the heels of Rez Dogs. It just signals that 00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:21.339 Harjo is now seen as a top -tier creator. An 00:17:21.339 --> 00:17:23.859 auteur, really. Somewhat capable of delivering 00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:27.680 prestige, high -quality TV. His name now carries 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.400 weight, guarantees artistic integrity and visibility. 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:33.079 It allows him to keep telling these unique Oklahoma 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:36.200 stories, but on the biggest possible stage. But 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:38.420 even with these massive TV shows, he's still 00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:40.619 keeping connected to his roots in indie film 00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:44.160 and music. He is, yeah. In 2023, he directed 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:46.900 a music video for the Turnpike Troubadours. They're 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:49.200 an Oklahoma country rock band. Ah, back to the 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:51.640 Oklahoma music scene. Exactly. It circles right 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:53.720 back to that deep connection we saw in his documentary, 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:56.000 This May Be the Last Time. And on the film front, 00:17:56.099 --> 00:17:58.920 in 2024, he co -wrote the screenplay for Res 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:01.279 Ball. Okay, Res Ball. Yeah, a sports drama directed 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.140 by Sidney Freeland. Him co -writing that shows 00:18:04.140 --> 00:18:06.240 he's actively collaborating with and supporting 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:09.240 other Indigenous creators, lending his expertise 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:13.200 to projects that continue exploring Native life, 00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:17.059 specific Indigenous stories. He's still building 00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:19.640 that ecosystem. It's just an incredible trajectory, 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:22.539 isn't it? From those early Sundance films all 00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:25.720 the way to leading multiple... major FX series. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:29.259 The recognition he's received It feels like a 00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:31.559 fitting summary of a career built on insight 00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:33.900 and a deep sense of place. Yeah, the recognition 00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:36.660 is layered. It starts, importantly, within his 00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:39.559 home community. Yeah. Back in 2011, he got the 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:41.680 Tildman Award from the Oklahoma Film Critics 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:44.440 Circle. Okay, local critics recognizing his focus 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:46.720 early on. Right, showing they understood and 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:48.859 valued his dedication to telling Oklahoma stories. 00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:51.740 A couple of years later, 2013, the Tulsa Library 00:18:51.740 --> 00:18:54.400 Trust gave him their American Indian Writers 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:57.839 Award. Those early local honors feel really significant. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.119 They are. They show that the communities he was 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:01.559 portraying, they were the first ones to really 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:03.759 validate his work before the national and international 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:06.539 awards started rolling in. And those bigger awards, 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:09.240 they are truly staggering, especially for someone 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:12.539 who broke through with such a specific, uncompromising 00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:15.400 focus. Absolutely. We mentioned the Peabody for 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:18.960 reservation dogs in 2021, but the real pinnacle. 00:19:19.259 --> 00:19:21.420 The definitive acknowledgement of his entire 00:19:21.420 --> 00:19:25.180 creative contribution came in 2024. The MacArthur 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:27.880 Fellowship. The so -called genius grant. That's 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:30.180 the one. Harjo was named a MacArthur Fellow in 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:33.059 2024. And here's the detail you really need to 00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:35.680 remember. The sources are explicit that he was 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.140 the only filmmaker chosen for that honor in that 00:19:38.140 --> 00:19:40.980 specific year. The only filmmaker. Wow. Yeah. 00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:44.420 The fellowship recognizes, quote, Exceptional 00:19:44.420 --> 00:19:47.319 creativity and a pronounced capacity for self 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:49.380 -direction. It's about a lifetime of contribution. 00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:51.859 That selection just underlines the profound, 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:54.079 lasting impact of his work and his absolutely 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:56.980 singular vision in redefining what American storytelling 00:19:56.980 --> 00:19:59.319 can look like, centered squarely in Oklahoma. 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:02.539 It's such a powerful arc. From being an OU art 00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:04.839 student determined to capture seminal and Muscovy 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:07.640 life in indie films to becoming this national 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:10.099 creative leader holding one of the most prestigious 00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:12.920 arts awards in the entire country. Harjo's career. 00:20:13.390 --> 00:20:16.309 just demonstrates so clearly that authentic, 00:20:16.490 --> 00:20:19.609 localized specificity that's maybe the strongest 00:20:19.609 --> 00:20:22.309 tool a storyteller has. He took the specific 00:20:22.309 --> 00:20:25.470 roads, the family stuff, the music, the humor 00:20:25.470 --> 00:20:28.289 of Oklahoma, and showed the world these stories 00:20:28.289 --> 00:20:31.589 are universal, compelling, and frankly, urgently 00:20:31.589 --> 00:20:34.670 needed. He didn't water down his vision for Hollywood. 00:20:34.990 --> 00:20:38.380 He made Hollywood recognize his vision. That 00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:40.500 really sums it up perfectly, that deep commitment. 00:20:40.660 --> 00:20:42.980 So we've seen how he used those cultural roots 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:45.200 to create a genuine historical landmark with 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.799 Reservation Dogs, the first truly indigenous 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:50.000 -led show. Right. And then immediately followed 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.259 it with another high -profile series, The Lowdown, 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:54.880 pulling in major star power. His career is like 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:57.220 a roadmap, really, showing how deeply specific, 00:20:57.539 --> 00:21:00.160 geographically rooted storytelling can actually 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.779 achieve global impact. Okay, so that leads us 00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:04.839 perfectly into our final thought for you, the 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:07.500 listener, to mull over. Harjo has proven he can 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:09.700 turn pretty much any corner of Oklahoma culture 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:12.579 into groundbreaking TV. We know he's committed 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:15.119 to the place, and now he clearly commands significant 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:17.720 resources. Just look at casting Ethan Hawke. 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:20.880 So thinking about that, what unique, maybe untold 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.380 aspects of his cultural world? Could it be different 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:26.200 musical traditions? Maybe specific urban indigenous 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:28.759 experiences beyond what Mecco touched on? Or 00:21:28.759 --> 00:21:31.269 perhaps a really deep dive into the... modern 00:21:31.269 --> 00:21:33.289 day politics or history of the Seminole Nation, 00:21:33.430 --> 00:21:35.450 what might become the setting for his next groundbreaking 00:21:35.450 --> 00:21:38.170 series? What stories are still out there in Oklahoma 00:21:38.170 --> 00:21:40.289 waiting for Sterling Harjo's unique lens?