We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kevin Hershner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kevin below.

Kevin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

A feature length film can easily take three to four years to make. I began working on my feature directorial debut, “Normal Accidents”, in September of 2019, and we’re just finishing it right now in September of 2023. If you are going to devote that much time and energy and resources to a project you should make sure it’s about a subject matter of which you’re incredibly passionate, because at the end of the day there are no guarantees that any project will be commercially or critically successful. But by looking deep into your heart and soul and choosing a project that is meaningful to you, at least you’re guaranteed to value the experience of making the film. No matter what happens after our film is released, I will never regret the time, energy, and resources spent with my talented friends making a film that is deeply personal to me.

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

When I was 14, my friends and I starting screwing around with one of those old MiniDV camcorders: running around the neighborhood, making movies, and mostly trying to entertain ourselves. We continued making movies throughout high school, using any school project as an excuse to make another one. When I went to college at Virginia Tech I figured I should find a more stable career path and began studying journalism, but all I could think about was making movies. I switched my major to Cinema Studies and haven’t looked back since.

In college I was lucky enough to intern at Late Show with David Letterman, which was my first real taste of working in the entertainment industry. After college I moved to Los Angeles and worked as support staff for a production company at Universal Studios. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work for some of the biggest and most prestigious entertainment companies in the world, but along the way, I never stopped making independent feature films, short films, documentaries, music videos, and video podcasts.

Professionally, I am most proud of the long-standing working relationships I have enjoyed with many of my creative collaborators. Film is a collaborative medium, and those relationships are key to making a product of which everyone can be proud and, more importantly, that people actually enjoyed their time spent working on. I have been really lucky to have worked with so many incredibly talented and awesome collaborators again and again for many years. As a director, the best compliment I can receive is that my past collaborators want to be future collaborators.

Twenty years after beginning my filmmaking journey, it’s still just my friends and I screwing around with a camera, only now the budgets are a little bit bigger and (hopefully) the movies are a little bit better.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a movie director, the most rewarding aspect is the opportunity to create an environment for other talented artists to showcase their skills. By far, the most fun and exciting times making a movie are when an actor surprises you with an interesting choice, or when your composer breathes new life into a scene with their inspiring musical score, or when someone on set comes up with a new idea that you would never have thought of in a million years, or any of the countless times your fellow artists bring something special to the project. The job of a movie director is not so dissimilar to the job of a party host: set the vibe, make sure everyone is having a good time, and end on time.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to contribute to the existence of more good movies that add something of value to society. Film is an incredible medium and tool for spreading empathy and understanding on a large, even global, scale. Humans are shaped by personal experience. Not everyone can (or should) experience what it’s like have a close family member battling life-threatening cancer, but a well-made, effective movie about someone battling cancer can make a lasting impact on a boundless number of people. When those viewers go out into the real world they’re likely to do so with a new outlook. I am first and foremost a fan of films because of the powerful impact they have had on my life. I hope my creative output can be at least a small slice of that greater pie.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kevinhershner.com

Image Credits
Anthony Mongiello