Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zenon Samuels. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Zenon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Wow, there have been so many meaningful projects throughout the years, from films, to music, to creative writing, and even art pieces! But to me the most meaningful ones have always been the most personal. The ones where I learnt something about myself and my place in the world and how I can have an effect on society.

I’ve always had an interest in single-character driven stories that explore darker ideas such as loneliness and despair, that are then uplifted by hope – such as in my novel “Feedback” about survivors guilt and depression, and my film “Thrasher. remove period” about lost youth and life choices. These sorts of stories mean a lot to me, as it has given me a way to explore my own personal ideas, issues, demons, and beliefs; and allows me to release them into the world in the hope that someone else out there finds comfort in exploring their own issues as well.

I also enjoy delving into stories about race, discrimination, and other heavy themes; and to me the best way to tackle this sort of story is through science fiction or fantasy as in my short films “Survive” critiquing the 2017 political era, and “brobot” exploring bullying and disability. By creating grounded human stories in worlds that don’t exist, it allows me to explore a message that perhaps people don’t always want to talk about; and seeing someone react with critical thought, empathy, and positivity toward a project or idea is a huge reward.

Lastly, some of the most meaningful moments have come from learning – understanding people on set, collaborating, discussing ideas and sharing different opinions! Nothing beats human interaction and creative critical thinking, and just letting yourself by open to new ideas and challenges amongst friends can lead to some of the most meaningful moments.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Zenon Samuels and I am a Burmese-Australian film director, writer, and producer. I got into filmmaking from about the age of seven, being that nerdy kid with a camera running around the local neighborhood filming my friends shooting cap guns and blowing up action figures. From there I went on to study film and eventually moved to LA to pursue my dreams!

I dabble in all areas of filmmaking from features, shorts, music videos, corporate videos, and photography; as well as music, art, and fashion. My proudest work is probably my film “Thrasher”, but really I do love (and hate) every project I’ve done, even if just for the learning experience of each one! I love collaborating and enjoy dissecting ideas, opinions, and emotions, and one of my favorite things about living in LA is that there are so many different cultures, and ideologies to learn about and discover! It truly is a melting pot of the best of the best and I can’t wait to work with more and more bright and talented people!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Honestly, it’s just to create! To be creative and use my creativity to have a positive impact. If there’s a way I can get a personal connection and meaning into a project, and pass that on to someone in the audience, then I’ll be happy! To give someone a new thought, an unexpected emotion, or an outside of the box idea to think about is a true joy. If you can make even just one person in the room laugh or cry or feel, then you’ve made their day and hopefully affected them positively in their future.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Control! In the past I think I’ve been somewhat of a control-freak, probably trying to imitate some of the auteur filmmakers that inspire me. That meant, being so strict and regimented with things like set work, shot lists, line deliveries, edits, etc….which, of course, is sometimes very beneficial, but leaves little room for true collaboration. It became a whole thing of “the director is always right” and “you have to be so firm with your vision”, that it it didn’t allow for a natural looseness to any of the projects I was doing.

It was only once I made my super no-budget feature “Thrasher” that I started to trust the process, trust the actors, trust my gut instinct, to the point where the film was almost entirely improvised! No rules set, it was entirely based on collaboration and trusting in ourselves that it would work! Now, of course, this isn’t a recommendation every time…but I think a perfect blend of control and freedom is a great way to make a collaborative project!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.zencoproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenonsamuels/li
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenonsamuels/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@zenonsamuels
• Other: https://vimeo.com/zenonsamuels

Image Credits
Juan Fernando, ZenCo. Productions, Ginnie Palm, Narelle McLoughlin, Amanda Shaheen