When you make a music doc, shooting and editing is only the beginning—you have to clear all the music rights. Scott Evans takes us behind the scenes of the battle to secure the rights to release THE ROAD TO RUANE (IFFBoston 2024).
After taking on Michael Gill’s footage, Scott brought THE ROAD TO RUANE to light. But having so many rare performances meant a lot of legal legwork—and a lot of money. Scott brought his expertise to BUTTHOLE SURFERS: THE HOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUTT (IFFBOSTON 2025), not just as a producer and editor, but as someone with deep experience with music and archival clearance.
Hear the behind the scenes stories of both these films in a conversation moderated by Mike S. Ryan (Emerson College professor and producer of FREE IN DEED, IFFBoston 2016). This panel is a must for anyone thinking of making a music doc, or anyone who loves watching them.
Watch an encore fundraising screening of THE ROAD TO RUANE on Monday, April 28—9:15pm at the Somerville
Watch BUTTHOLE SURFERS: THE HOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUTT on Saturday, April 26—8:30pm at the Somerville
About Scott Evans
Scott is a filmmaker with over 20 years of experience, including editing KATY PERRY: PART OF ME for Paramount Pictures, editing and co-producing the Sundance selection TIG, and editing the Sundance selections THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN DOCUMENTARY and McMillions, which was nominated for 5 Emmys.
Scott edited for director Craig Brewer on URBAN COWBOY starring James Belushi and Edward James Olmos, a forthcoming documentary about Rihanna directed by Peter Berg, and Warriors of Liberty City, a documentary series for Starz that premiered at SXSW. Scott edited and co-produced the 2020 documentary #UNFIT: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DONALD TRUMP, and was editor on SELENA GOMEZ: MY MIND AND ME for Apple+, A THOUSAND POUNDS OF DYNAMITE directed by Bryan Storkel and Theo Love, and HEROES FOR THE PLANET by Academy Award-nominated director Kief Davidson.
About Mike S Ryan
Mike S Ryan has produced 30 plus independent features including award winning features for such directors as Todd Solondz, Kelly Reichardt, Hal Hartley and Bela Tarr. JUNEBUG is one of the lowest budgeted films to receive a Oscar nomination (Amy Adam’s first ). His films have played all of the top international festivals including winning awards at the Spirits and Gothams. He has had two films play the IFFBoston , ABOUT SUNNY and the Venice FF winner FREE IN DEED. Mike’s one non fiction film is the film JOURNEYS the Neil Young film directed by Jonathan Demme. Mike’s most recent film is BALLAD OF SUZANNE CESAIRE by Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, which won best experimental Feature award in 2024 by the National Films Critics Society. Mike is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and he is an Associate Professor at Emerson College where he teaches Producing and Narratology.