We recently connected with Nicolas Wendl and have shared our conversation below.

Nicolas, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Storytelling has always been a part of me. For as long as I can remember, creating stories and coming up with fun and adventurous scenarios for my toys and action figures was always exciting to me. It wasn’t until I turned 11 that I first got to hold a video camera, and discovered that now I could actually capture these stories I would invent with my toys, and forever capture them on video to play back and relive. It was at that moment that my passion and desire to pursue an artistic journey was born. I always like to say that my very first actors were my action figures and my cousin’s barbie dolls, and it’s true. I loved capturing the toys going on wild adventures, traveling through time, escaping toy sharks and being covered in ketchup. Throughout my high school years my passion for visual storytelling grew and I started making films with high school friends, and eventually even local theater actors near where I lived in the South of France. All this culminated to me being accepted into Chapman University’s Dodge College for a BA in Film Production with an emphasis in Directing. I graduated in 2013 and have been directing various content ranging from short films to music videos, branded content, promotional content, and now in the summer of 2023 I just wrapped post production on my first feature film called “Stupid Games.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Wow where do I begin… I am a film director with a passion for storytelling, wherein I get to explore the core human emotions and visual landscapes throughout the various projects I get to work on. I always tell the people I collaborate with, that the most important thing for me as a filmmaker and storyteller is to find the human emotion/connection in the projects I work on. Moreover, as a filmmaker at heart, identifying that beginning, middle, and end in everything I direct is key. Film-making started as a hobby when I was in my early teens, and as I went through high school and college I refined and sharpened my skills as a filmmaker, and learned how to balance my artistic instincts with the conventions of film-making in the industry. Finding that balance was one of my main takeaways from film school.

I got into the industry in 2013 after being recommended for a video director job at LA LIVE from one of my college friends Jessica Carroll. That was my first official job right out of college. From that point on I kept putting my best foot forward and always let my work speak for itself. For me the proof is in the pudding, so I always strive to put the best work out there.
I am a film director, so I love telling stories and bringing stories to life. I specialize in various aspects of storytelling ranging from music videos to short form content like branded content and promotional videos all the way to narrative feature films and episodic television.

I always say that film-making is problem solving, and I find that every project I am on, comes with its own set of challenges to overcome. The more you work and grow in this industry the quicker you can identify these challenges and come up with solutions to overcome them. People I collaborate with always notice that I work great under pressure and don’t let the stress of the production distract me from my artistic vision. I feel that having been so in love with my craft from a very young age has enabled me to tap into this intrinsic behavior of knowing how to roll with the punches on a film set. I am very efficient when it comes to delivering projects and my clients know that they can always count on me delivering things on time.

Something I am most proud of… wow that is tough because every project I have done so far is something I am proud of otherwise I wouldn’t have signed on to do it. If I had to pick a few I would have to start with a promotional video piece I directed for Amazon and their Amazon Home division in the summer of 2021. Amazon partnered with Alicia Keys to help give a family in need a full home makeover. It was such a heartwarming and rewarding project to be a part of and definitely a milestone for me as a filmmaker. Earlier this year I also had the honor of working with William Shatner directing segments with him for the Netflix Show OUR PLANT that was gearing up for it’s US tour in concert. Another more recent highlight for me has been wrapping up post production on my first feature film as a director called “Stupid Games” which is coming out soon.
I am happiest when I get to create and tell stories with people who share that same passion and dedication to the craft as I do. I have been lucky to work and collaborate with individuals who value that as well and I am excited about future projects I am currently developing and that I can’t wait for everyone to see.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is getting to use my passion and skills to capture stories and visuals to then share with people around the world. It’s being able to capture something special and unique on camera, simultaneously having it as a memento, a moment in time captured forever as a video, but also for the world to see and enjoy. As filmmakers we get to create art that can move and inspire people across the globe without ever having met them. It is truly a universal language. Getting to be a part of a community of artists that bring stories to life and coming together with a common goal and passion to create something unique and then sharing it with everyone is the real gift of being an artist. You get to live in the moment and craft your film or music video or branded video, and then you release it and let it, and hope that the spark and passion that was poured into it will resonate with the person watching it.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My motto has always been “everything happens for a reason.” It may sound cliche but I truly believe that every choice we make, every project we sign on to and every person we encounter along the way, is meant for a reason. Life is full of lessons, and life is also full of curve-balls, but ultimately I feel like it always sets you on the path you are destined to, even if it doesn’t always make sense right away. The life of an artist can be very unpredictable, and much like art which is often times a gut feeling and instinct driven, I know that every step I take towards my goals as a filmmaker are happening the way they are meant to in order to best prepare me for my goals. It’s all a journey, and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead.

Contact Info:

• Website: wendlwood.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/nicolaswendl/
• Facebook: facebook.com/nwendlwood
• Twitter: twitter.com/nicolaswendl
• Other: imdb.com/name/nm3091396/

Image Credits
Photos by Capra Photography, Tiziana Giammarino, Jule Concepts, Parker Matthews, Travis Flores