Check Out Phillip Cordell’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Cordell. 

Hi Phillip, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
“Nashville Dads Club is a show about 3 dads doin dad s&*t in Music City. Watch it now on YouTube or IGTV!” 

Ever seen the movie City Slickers? Curly, the gristled old cowboy played brilliantly by Jack Palance, explains to Billy Crystal that the Secret of Life is “one thing” and that everything else “don’t mean sh$t.” When asked what that one thing is, Curly replies “that’s what YOU’VE got to figure out.” Well, my mom taught me at a young age that “that one thing” is finding a way to MAKE IT HAPPEN. 

I grew up in East Nashville and went to school at Rosebank Elementary followed by Meigs and Hume-Fogg. I acted in plays, performed improv, and fronted a few bands. I always knew that I wanted to create and to contribute to the world, but I never really knew how that might look. Excessive partying and drinking knocked me off of my path for a while in college, and when I finally sobered up and graduated, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it as a creative. 

After college at MTSU, I took an entry-level opportunity that was in front of me and joined a stellar, small company started in part by my dad called M3 Technology Group where we helped schools, hospitals, and other companies communicate through Audio/Visual tech. I got deep into the day job and feared my creative life may be officially over. So, I wrote a song about my new gig and was surprised when it became the most popular music I’d ever made. Maybe this was the path, I thought…hold down a day job but always find ways to stay creative. I put out a slew of music videos aimed at our industry, gave talks at conferences, and even wrote and shot a TV Pilot based on my experience which got some decent traction. 

But our small company grew tremendously in the 13 years I was there. After moving up year over year and being given a chance to join ownership, I found myself as a member of the Executive Team overseeing a department with 100 people. I’d “found a way to make it happen” in my professional life and had climbed the corporate ladder. But while a dream scenario for someone who revels in data-crunching, the process of analyzing spreadsheets and P&Ls was honestly pretty soul-crushing. And I could feel the creativity dimming in myself save for moments of work with the Marketing Team doing case studies or other videos. 

So, I made a decision: I’d leave my well-compensated Executive-level position to and go “all in” on my dream. And thanks to the success of my TV Pilot, I finally had a well-defined idea of what that dream looked like. I sold my shares of the company and started HiPhi Productions, a video production company focused on creating Narrative projects for Film and TV. 

I know what you’re thinking…is there enough narrative TV/Film work in Nashville to do this full-time? Well, our state’s TV/Film incentives are well below places like Georgia and North Carolina, so it’s an uphill battle. Most production companies take their shows and movies to those other areas because it’s better for their bottom line. But along with my production partners Danny Dones, Rashad Rayford, and Chuck Hargett, we’re dead set on building something here in Nashville. And with the success of projects like “Nashville Dads Club” and our first feature film “Clone Cops” in pre-production, we’re laser-focused on finding that “one thing” with our friends and creative partners in the Nashville TV/film community. We’re gonna find a way to MAKE IT HAPPEN. Love Ya 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I was told that obstacles, like mistakes, are an invitation to a lesson. In that case, I’ve learned a TON of lessons. 

I went about my career backwards. Instead of passionately pursuing my dreams in my early 20s and 30s as many of my peers, I had climbed the corporate ladder and established a career in another field. My Primary Challenge was finally knowing what I wanted to be doing in life…and knowing that I wasn’t even attempting to do it. 

Since I made the decision to pursue my passion full-time, doors have opened for me that I never imagined possible. While certain trials and low spots have appeared, like the freeze in production in Feb of 2020 as the pandemic hit, I remind myself that everyone faces these obstacles and we all have our own burdens to bear. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
On the Production side, we pride ourselves on running professional TV/Film sets without the drama and burnout that are regularly found in our industry. Because so many people would love a career in TV/Film, the industry is filled with Producers that are happy to overwork and underpay their employees. We favor a work/life balance that allows these creative individuals to still have time to pursue their own passions outside of work, instead of working 16-hour days on-set as is too often the industry norm. 

What are your plans for the future?
We’re currently in the middle of our Season 2 release schedule for Nashville Dads Club. The intention with this project from the jump has been to position it as underlying IP on which to base a full-length comedy show. With over 2 million views on Season 1 and inclusion in the Nashville Film Festival, we’re well on our way to selling the property. And with the addition of some much larger Guest Stars in Season 2 such as 5X CrossFit Champ Mat Fraser and Nashville’s own Jaren Johnston, the hit songwriter and frontman of band The Cadillac Three, we love our chances at developing the project into our ultimate vision. 

Additionally, along with my writing partners Danny Dones and Chuck Hargett, I’ve written 4 Feature-Length Screenplays that can be shot on a modest budget, well within the SAG Low-Budget parameters. With a solid business plan and a few marketable names signed on to Star, our next step is to produce our first feature film “Clone Cops” this fall. Big things poppin! 

Contact Info:

• Website: nashvilledadsclub.com
• Instagram: @nashvilledadsclub
• Facebook: @nashvilledadsclub
• Twitter: @nashdadsclub
• Youtube: youtube.com/nashvilledadsclub

Image Credits
Mick Jacob
Sammy Hearn
Barrett Dennison