July 23, 2025 • 9 mins
The Flyover Film Festival features a wide of array of flickering images but none is more compelling than the story of Phil Sharp. He was born in a home with a dirt floor to parents who had no high school education. Sharp goes on to earn a Nobel Prize for his work on RNA splicing.
CRACKING THE CODE: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution
Producer/director Bill Haney spoke with Terry Meiners about shooting this film and the challenges facing a creator in the editing process. Sharp's story is incredible, and Haney has 900 hours of film that must be whittled down to 90 minutes.
This film will be screened Sunday, July 27 at the Speed Cinema.
louisvillefilmsociety.org
CRACKING THE CODE: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution
Producer/director Bill Haney spoke with Terry Meiners about shooting this film and the challenges facing a creator in the editing process. Sharp's story is incredible, and Haney has 900 hours of film that must be whittled down to 90 minutes.
This film will be screened Sunday, July 27 at the Speed Cinema.
louisvillefilmsociety.org
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know what news radio Wait forty whas Terry miners here.
The Flyover Film Festival lands in Louisville this week and
they're featuring a lot of really fascinating films. One keys
in on a Kentuckian who's made quite a life for himself,
and it is the heck of a story. It's called
Cracking the Code, Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution. Phil's
(00:22):
journey's a roadmap for the future of science and innovation.
Cracking the Code not only celebrates his achievements, but also
challenges us to imagine what comes next. Mark Ruffalo is
the narrator on this particular film. See and learn more
about this Kentuckian story. He's listed as a Kentucky farm
boy and he's made it as a Nobel laureate, embodying
(00:45):
the American dream and the triumph of an entrepreneurial spirit.
So let's bring in the director and producer of this film,
Bill Haney. Hey, Bill, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thanks so much for having me. Terry.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, you must have worked hard on this project, but
it's one of those projects where you learn learn a lot,
don't you.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, it's been very inspiring to get to spend time,
you know, in Kentucky and to watch the roots of
this extraordinary American you know, develop into something that changes
the world in really profound ways. You know. Phil Sharp
is born in a one room, dirt floorhouse in Tobacco Country,
(01:23):
Kentucky on d Day to parents, to parents who haven't
been to high school.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Wow ahead, Yeah, he's so severely dyslexic that he you.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Know, still can't read fully. And the fact that with
grit and perseverance and a love of basketball, he makes it,
you know, to winning the Nobel Prize for discovering how
RNA works, so sort of fundamental human biology. He gives
us totally novel insights into fundamental human biology and and
(02:01):
and he will simultaneously be part of starting the first
biotech company in the world and the second. And when
he starts, there's not a single patient on Earth who's
being treated with the biotech medicine. And last year seven
point six billion people took a biotech.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Is that unbelievable. I mean, like you said, coming from
a dirt floor house like that and making his life,
just shaping it this way. Tell me about how you
gathered information on him. Did you go to that area
for this documentary.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, we had the great pleasure of filming in the Midwest,
you know, in various places that Phil spent some of
his early years and it was incredibly beautiful, but you
can understand at the time, you know, the time he
grows up, it was also sort of isolating and in
a way that kind of independence, you know, is a
(02:55):
lot of what turns out to be false character. And
life on a tobacco farm is not now and was
not then an easy life, and in a way that
that teaches him the grit that he needs, you know,
to go through the challenges that will be before him. So,
you know, from the Nobel Prize to you know, in
(03:16):
a Great Indianian Larry Bird is in the movie, and
you know, we have we've got a chance to see
a part of America in a really powerful and beautiful
way of the kind of crucible of innovation.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
It's tough to edit things as well. You know, a
guy like you goes out, you have a vision and
then you collect information. You get surprised by certain things
that you learn. So tell me about your craft of
collating all this stuff to put it into a coherent
message and still getting out as much information as you
possibly can cray him into the allotted space.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I don't know, Terry. I'm listening to you, and I
think you're kind of a master of the craft. Maybe
you should tell me. You know, you're you're assimilating lots
of information and turning it into something that is, you know,
thoughtful and available and engaging for your listeners. And in
that sense, you and I are doing the same work.
It's true you look at lots of things, and in
(04:13):
our case, you know, to get to a ninety minute film,
you know, we've film nine hundred hours of footage and
interviews with people all over the place, and we try
to weave this is This tells the story of America
over this time, and it kind of asks a lot
about the entrepreneurial roots of America and how innovation works
(04:35):
in our in our beautiful country. And so you're right
that weaving those pieces together in a way that is
fun to watch and emotionally engaging and kind of exciting
for the viewer. And I think, at least so far,
most people have found it pretty inspiring. Is you know,
it takes a lot of work. If you're better than me,
(04:56):
probably take less work. But for me. It takes a
lot of work.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
How challenging is it for you to watch other people
watch your work and then you wait for their responses
and so that's tough. And I mean, that's your baby.
You created it, and then you sit back in and
wonder if it's if it's landing on people the way
you intended.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, it's a good question. You know. John Ford was
one of the great American directors, as you know, and
celebrated from, among other things, his iconic look at the
American Western, and made a lot of movies with John
Wayne and you know, kind of a central figure in
nearing the end of his work life. He was out
on set and it was his seventy fifth birthday and
(05:42):
the cast and crew found a local theater that would
screen his greatest work. And they they're all sitting and watching,
and the first thirty minutes past, and then the film
started to flicker and they looked up and they could
see john Ford in a fist fight with the projectionist,
and he hear him saying, you know, I'd always hated
this scene, and I finally I can take the darn
(06:03):
thing out. And you know, I think they I think
you always think things can be better. And we've now screened.
The opening screening for this movie was in Sweden at
the Nobel Institute, and you know, I was nervous as
a cat on a hot tin roof about.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Hey, that's a good phrase for a film, cat on
a hot tin roof.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
You might want to borrow that. Yeah, exactly. Somebody should
write a play. It's a It's so you know, I'm
getting This is my nineteenth movie. So I'm getting a
little better at the handling it and hoping people, Yeah,
helping people have a good experience. But I'm not good
at it. I'm just better.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
But we're all sensitive. People that are creators are sensitive
to the way other people take in what's created, you know,
what comes out of our minds. And so I know
that's got to be nerve wracking for you, even at
this stage, this far along in your career.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yeah, look, you understand. You do this every day, and
so you you know, you probably understand much better I do.
You can't do good work if you don't.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Care deeply, that's right.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
And if you do care deeply, sometimes people's reaction, you know, well,
they say you therefore want people to have a good experience.
You bet. I'm sure much.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
People are excited to hear from you because I know
there's a Q and A that goes along with the
showing of this film at the Flyover Film Festivals this Sunday,
two thirty to five, and then you're doing a Q
and A right after it's over.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
There's going to be a whole ceremony there. And then
I have to say, there's a screening on Friday, this
Friday at Phil's high school in Pendleton, Kentucky. Oh cool,
And I think he might be more nervous about that one.
You know, you know, it's a you know, high school.
High school grabs you by the road and never quite
(07:56):
let's go.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
That's right, that's part of your bone marrow, your whole life.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
If only we knew the Yeah. So I really I
think that it's a great story about the power of
Midwestern values, and I think Phil reflects that really beautifully.
I think your viewers will find it fun and inspiring. Well,
people in ninety minutes with him.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
People who have seen your film just are raving about it.
So I'm looking forward to seeing it. All right, Bill Haney,
thank you so much, and we'll see you on Sunday.
And like you said, Friday at his high school and
penalsy and that's even phenomenal too. But the Louisville Flyover
Film Festivals this week, it's going on. There's all kinds
of great films, including this one Cracking the Code, Phil
Sharp and the Biotech Revolution, and then a Q and
(08:43):
A with this gentleman on the phone right now, Bill Haney,
who directed and produced a great talking to you, my friend.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Privilege being with you, Terry, Thanks for everything.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
You bet you. That's Bill Haney and the Flyover Film
Festivals going on all week. Just go to Louisvillefilmsociety dot
org and learn more.
You know what news radio Wait forty whas Terry miners here.
The Flyover Film Festival lands in Louisville this week and
they're featuring a lot of really fascinating films. One keys
in on a Kentuckian who's made quite a life for himself,
and it is the heck of a story. It's called
Cracking the Code, Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution. Phil's
(00:22):
journey's a roadmap for the future of science and innovation.
Cracking the Code not only celebrates his achievements, but also
challenges us to imagine what comes next. Mark Ruffalo is
the narrator on this particular film. See and learn more
about this Kentuckian story. He's listed as a Kentucky farm
boy and he's made it as a Nobel laureate, embodying
(00:45):
the American dream and the triumph of an entrepreneurial spirit.
So let's bring in the director and producer of this film,
Bill Haney. Hey, Bill, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thanks so much for having me. Terry.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, you must have worked hard on this project, but
it's one of those projects where you learn learn a lot,
don't you.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, it's been very inspiring to get to spend time,
you know, in Kentucky and to watch the roots of
this extraordinary American you know, develop into something that changes
the world in really profound ways. You know. Phil Sharp
is born in a one room, dirt floorhouse in Tobacco Country,
(01:23):
Kentucky on d Day to parents, to parents who haven't
been to high school.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Wow ahead, Yeah, he's so severely dyslexic that he you.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Know, still can't read fully. And the fact that with
grit and perseverance and a love of basketball, he makes it,
you know, to winning the Nobel Prize for discovering how
RNA works, so sort of fundamental human biology. He gives
us totally novel insights into fundamental human biology and and
(02:01):
and he will simultaneously be part of starting the first
biotech company in the world and the second. And when
he starts, there's not a single patient on Earth who's
being treated with the biotech medicine. And last year seven
point six billion people took a biotech.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Is that unbelievable. I mean, like you said, coming from
a dirt floor house like that and making his life,
just shaping it this way. Tell me about how you
gathered information on him. Did you go to that area
for this documentary.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, we had the great pleasure of filming in the Midwest,
you know, in various places that Phil spent some of
his early years and it was incredibly beautiful, but you
can understand at the time, you know, the time he
grows up, it was also sort of isolating and in
a way that kind of independence, you know, is a
(02:55):
lot of what turns out to be false character. And
life on a tobacco farm is not now and was
not then an easy life, and in a way that
that teaches him the grit that he needs, you know,
to go through the challenges that will be before him. So,
you know, from the Nobel Prize to you know, in
(03:16):
a Great Indianian Larry Bird is in the movie, and
you know, we have we've got a chance to see
a part of America in a really powerful and beautiful
way of the kind of crucible of innovation.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
It's tough to edit things as well. You know, a
guy like you goes out, you have a vision and
then you collect information. You get surprised by certain things
that you learn. So tell me about your craft of
collating all this stuff to put it into a coherent
message and still getting out as much information as you
possibly can cray him into the allotted space.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I don't know, Terry. I'm listening to you, and I
think you're kind of a master of the craft. Maybe
you should tell me. You know, you're you're assimilating lots
of information and turning it into something that is, you know,
thoughtful and available and engaging for your listeners. And in
that sense, you and I are doing the same work.
It's true you look at lots of things, and in
(04:13):
our case, you know, to get to a ninety minute film,
you know, we've film nine hundred hours of footage and
interviews with people all over the place, and we try
to weave this is This tells the story of America
over this time, and it kind of asks a lot
about the entrepreneurial roots of America and how innovation works
(04:35):
in our in our beautiful country. And so you're right
that weaving those pieces together in a way that is
fun to watch and emotionally engaging and kind of exciting
for the viewer. And I think, at least so far,
most people have found it pretty inspiring. Is you know,
it takes a lot of work. If you're better than me,
(04:56):
probably take less work. But for me. It takes a
lot of work.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
How challenging is it for you to watch other people
watch your work and then you wait for their responses
and so that's tough. And I mean, that's your baby.
You created it, and then you sit back in and
wonder if it's if it's landing on people the way
you intended.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, it's a good question. You know. John Ford was
one of the great American directors, as you know, and
celebrated from, among other things, his iconic look at the
American Western, and made a lot of movies with John
Wayne and you know, kind of a central figure in
nearing the end of his work life. He was out
on set and it was his seventy fifth birthday and
(05:42):
the cast and crew found a local theater that would
screen his greatest work. And they they're all sitting and watching,
and the first thirty minutes past, and then the film
started to flicker and they looked up and they could
see john Ford in a fist fight with the projectionist,
and he hear him saying, you know, I'd always hated
this scene, and I finally I can take the darn
(06:03):
thing out. And you know, I think they I think
you always think things can be better. And we've now screened.
The opening screening for this movie was in Sweden at
the Nobel Institute, and you know, I was nervous as
a cat on a hot tin roof about.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Hey, that's a good phrase for a film, cat on
a hot tin roof.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
You might want to borrow that. Yeah, exactly. Somebody should
write a play. It's a It's so you know, I'm
getting This is my nineteenth movie. So I'm getting a
little better at the handling it and hoping people, Yeah,
helping people have a good experience. But I'm not good
at it. I'm just better.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
But we're all sensitive. People that are creators are sensitive
to the way other people take in what's created, you know,
what comes out of our minds. And so I know
that's got to be nerve wracking for you, even at
this stage, this far along in your career.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yeah, look, you understand. You do this every day, and
so you you know, you probably understand much better I do.
You can't do good work if you don't.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Care deeply, that's right.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
And if you do care deeply, sometimes people's reaction, you know, well,
they say you therefore want people to have a good experience.
You bet. I'm sure much.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
People are excited to hear from you because I know
there's a Q and A that goes along with the
showing of this film at the Flyover Film Festivals this Sunday,
two thirty to five, and then you're doing a Q
and A right after it's over.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
There's going to be a whole ceremony there. And then
I have to say, there's a screening on Friday, this
Friday at Phil's high school in Pendleton, Kentucky. Oh cool,
And I think he might be more nervous about that one.
You know, you know, it's a you know, high school.
High school grabs you by the road and never quite
(07:56):
let's go.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
That's right, that's part of your bone marrow, your whole life.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
If only we knew the Yeah. So I really I
think that it's a great story about the power of
Midwestern values, and I think Phil reflects that really beautifully.
I think your viewers will find it fun and inspiring. Well,
people in ninety minutes with him.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
People who have seen your film just are raving about it.
So I'm looking forward to seeing it. All right, Bill Haney,
thank you so much, and we'll see you on Sunday.
And like you said, Friday at his high school and
penalsy and that's even phenomenal too. But the Louisville Flyover
Film Festivals this week, it's going on. There's all kinds
of great films, including this one Cracking the Code, Phil
Sharp and the Biotech Revolution, and then a Q and
(08:43):
A with this gentleman on the phone right now, Bill Haney,
who directed and produced a great talking to you, my friend.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Privilege being with you, Terry, Thanks for everything.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
You bet you. That's Bill Haney and the Flyover Film
Festivals going on all week. Just go to Louisvillefilmsociety dot
org and learn more.
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