POV: The Filmmaker's Filmmaker - Felix Werner
Felix Werner's journey through the arts has taken him down many paths, eventually leading him to carve out his own place in the world of all things indie. Hailing from an illustrious showbiz family (his father was celebrated stage and film actor Oskar Werner, his maternal grandmother was Joan Bennet), he naturally demonstrated a proclivity towards the visual arts, but it wasn't until after studying Art History at UCLA and working in the education and film departments at LACMA that he rediscovered his love for film.
Diving into the studio system in various capacities left Werner wanting more autonomy and creative control so he and his wife Katherine Werner, launched Modern Media Company to bridge that gap. Under the umbrella of MMC they have produced content with a wide variety of styles, formats, and budgets, and Werner has helmed the company as an independent media financier, producer of films and original series, channel creator, and distributor.
Werner's latest endeavor is the launch of the platform Hieronyvision (or HV.cool), "an online creative hub for independent movies, music and art, like all those neighborhood cinemas, record shops, galleries and bookstores." The site is populated with iconic content as well as lesser known gems from unsung visionaries, incisive commentary, original and authentic programming, and a robust community section that has dedicated itself to celebrating and promoting up-and-coming artists of all walks.
Find out more about Felix Werner in his own words...
FW: To better answer your previous question, I see the entertainment industry as a business with some folks who are absolutely remarkable at their craft and it leaves me in awe. That said, when filmmaking really elevates to an art form though, it is probably the greatest creative medium of the 20th century, and can be transformational - at least it was for me as a teenager. I remember watching Kubrick’s 2001 on a big screen in high school and feeling like I had just dropped acid. Consciousness expanding! At least I tell myself that.
WMM: What films and filmmakers made an impression on you? How? Why?
FW: Kubrick, as mentioned, is my favorite for visuals and genre bending. Krzysztof Kieslowski is my favorite poetic filmmaker. My favorite comedy is hands down BLAZING SADDLES - from the greatest year of Hollywood filmmaking in IMO - 1974. The film is hard to screen these days because it needs TONS of context to explain the outrageous dialogue. My favorite film of all time is THE THIRD MAN - because it's a NOIR WESTERN set in post-war Vienna, where my father was from. It’s one of Orson Welles’ great roles but it's also peppered with some incredible Austrian actors in smaller roles, and directed with just the right amount of camp by Carol Reed. The music is mostly a Zither - so simple and effective.
WMM: How do you feel indie film has evolved in the last 50 / 30 / 10 years? Where do you think it is headed?
FW: The distribution company we acquired and then sold before starting our new Hieronyvision project had a tiny but very solid group of independent films. They aligned with our aesthetic and long term goals. For our new HV projects we look for a clear voice and vision from the filmmakers and a practical sense of what they want for the project. That makes our life much easier. Then we evaluate if it fits with our goals and if we know how to market it. Not easy to find and we are small so it takes time to evaluate all those areas. I am really excited about one of first new HV releases though THE ART OF ART, a series hosted by artist Shane Guffogg, who examines the life of a number of LA artists. It matched ALL the above points.
WMM: We feel that your artistic vision, aesthetic, and purpose is very aligned with what we are all about at WMM. How do you see us? How do you think we help artists and what have you found to be particularly useful or inspiring about us?
FW: We completely agree and love what you guys are doing. Your educational resources are so helpful and it’s great how what each our WMM (funny they have the same initials!) complement each other. Ours is more theoretical and focused on story but also some practical business advice. Yours is so helpful in understanding all the great tools available to filmmakers during production and post. I’m glad we’ll be working more together. It's also been great to watch the evolution of your projects. I’m excited to see what comes from your new film competition. It also helps that you are a really good group of folks who are nice to work with! All things that should NOT be taken for granted in the entertainment world. I think it all helps explain why your membership is growing and folks like us at HV enjoy working with you!
WMM: What would you change if you could, about the entertainment industry? About your own career trajectory?
FW: On the business side, it’s time to bring down the walled gardens and oligarchies and have a more democratized media landscape. There should be a lot more smaller creative tribes (excuse the cliched terms) that work together, allow more unique content to be created and expertise shared. On the creative side, I wish the young folks coming up through the YouTube experience would be bolder. Take some real creative risks. As for my own career, I wish I had seen the bigger picture a lot sooner. Taken some real creative risks sooner. Also I also wish I had learned the “business’ works sooner, so I could have more creative freedom sooner. Right now I am exactly where I want to be and am having so much fun that it's great. Also, I am glad that I accepted having two jobs was part of that path.
WMM: Any advice/humor/warnings you can impart to other filmmakers/artists/educators/
FW: HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR. Listen to constructive feed back from folks you respect. Develop a thick skin but stay vulnerable and open. Be honest with yourself and other about why you are a filmmaker - it makes it easier to follow a path - and for others to avoid you if they need to (haha!). Remember filmmaking is a team sport - so be kind and play nice. Have a professional work ethic. Have a sense of humor, you’ll need it (did I mention that already??). Oh yeah, don’t forget to have FUN!
Sapna Gandhi is an actor, singer-songwriter, and content creator. In addition to TV credits such as BOSCH, SHAMELESS and SCANDAL, she has appeared in numerous shorts, features, and series, including festival darlings IN ABSENTIA (Raindance) and THUMPER (Tribeca). Gandhi has produced several series and films under the umbrella of her production company Elegant Grotesque (most recently SCRAP, starring Anthony Rapp and Vivian Kerr, and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ STRANDED ON THE EARTH, directed by Mike Bruce). She is also 1/2 of the musical duo, VATAVARAN, was born in England, raised all over the states, studied English and Women’s Studies, and trained at the American Conservatory Theatre in SF.
