Shaun Silva officially opened the doors to Forward, a new post-production facility in Nashville’s Marathon Village, at an event in the space last Friday (11/16). The multi-room facility hopes to compete for ad agency work outside Nashville’s borders from Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Austin, which is normally diverted to major markets in New York or LA.
“I believe Forward fills a gap missing in this town,” said Silva. “It doesn’t make sense to me to come here and shoot a commercial about a local company and turn around and take it out of this town. It is time for people to change their perception of what this town is. We’re as competitive, if not more so than anybody when it comes to prices and we’ve got the talent–now we’ve got the facility.”
In the center of the office space lies an impressive glass-enclosed conference room with floating staircase leading to upstairs editing rooms, all designed by Silva and Nashville Designer Chris Gill. Reclaimed wood, refinished floors, and a basket-woven whiskey barrel wall establishes a compelling vibe inside the space. Chic furniture and old film equipment accents, provided in part by Marathon Village neighbors American Pickers, creates an impactful and pleasant aesthetic.
“In 2003, I started Tacklebox Films production company, which is located right down the hall,” said Silva. “About three years ago, we started doing post-production work internally and realized we could make a real business. We will have a staff of 10-11, most of which are from Nashville. It was important to me to offer a facility that showcased their true talents. I feel like Marathon Village is one of the most creative nucleus we have in Nashville. What Music Row is for the music business, this is for the film/TV community.”
Mike Wolfe of American Pickers, Kenny Chesney, former UT football player Condredge Holloway, and Mayor Karl Dean were among guests making appearances at the ribbon-cutting event, which served up beverages and offered a full menu from the Grilled Cheeserie food truck, parked outside.
Producer Anne Popper and Sales Director Marisa Munoz can be reached by email or phone 615-320-3269. Visit Forward’s official website here.
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Eric T. Parker oversees operations and contributes editorial for MusicRow's print magazine, MusicRow.com, the RowFax tip sheet and the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart. He also facilitates annual events for the enterprise, including MusicRow Awards, CountryBreakout Awards and the Rising Women on the Row. eparker@musicrow.com | @EricTParkerView Author Profile
