We were lucky to catch up with Wesley Clark recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Wesley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I recently just released my first indie feature film and it was a very exciting yet difficult process. I set out to make a Sci-Fi film called “Sirona”. I wanted to try to make a movie that I’d pay to see. Most indie filmmakers that are brand new stick to dramas or comedies but I really wanted to challenge myself. This film was made for very little money (in movie terms) and I think we did a fairly good job for a first feature film. I had to learn through being self taught by watching YouTube videos, reading articles, watching tutorials, etc. But at the end of the day, I’m not professionally trained and I had a ton of things I fell short on that I want to learn and improve on as I pursue this passion.

For instance, I’ve gotten a ton of feedback on the dialogue/writing in my film. Some people loved it and others had problems with it. As a new filmmaker I wanted to take this feedback and look into how I can improve it. Something I took away from this is I learned that I needed to get someone that understands scripts/screenplays and have them read it. If something’s not working they should be able to make that pretty clear. The other thing I had to learn was how to make a film more cinematic on such a low budget. My director of photography did a phenomenal job and there’s a lot that can be improved upon. However, Indie filmmakers need to think outside the box and be creative to make a film visually engaging while also keeping the audience interested through storytelling and performance. So that’s where I felt I needed to pour most of my focus.

We had very little to work with crew wise. If anything, my director of photography and I mostly carried the load in order to see the film through. Doing this taught me so much about lighting, lenses and set design. We had to be incredibly crafty with the limited helping hands that we had as well as making sure that we were efficient yet thorough. Some people (including myself) think that making a movie can be as simple as pointing the camera and filming but my time on this film set taught me that is not the case. It takes time and a good eye to make a film visually interesting which is why it is so important to find yourself a good cinematographer.

In post production I outsourced a few VFX shots and the music for the film. However, at this stage we ran out of funds from our budget, which meant the rest I had to learn and do myself. I learned so much through YouTube tutorials and blogs on how to properly edit a film, mix the audio/sound design, color correct and complete VFX. My ambition to make this film definitely blinded me to how hard some of these things could be. But I pushed forward because I wanted to see the film through. In the end I learned a ton to this craft and I still have way more to learn from my successes and my failings in the final product.

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

My name is Wesley Clark and I’m an aspiring filmmaker who loves to create visual storytelling. I got into the craft because I love movies. I eventually convinced myself that if I love it so much, that I should try and pursue it and see if I can make a business out of it. My first film forced me to learn a large amount of skills which I have been able to translate into services that I can provide. Those services include: Script/Screenplay Writing, Video Editing, VFX, & Sound Mixing/Design. The problems I can help clients with involve individuals that are looking to create visual or audio narratives. Whether it’s to promote their business or if they’re looking to pursue something creative such as film or audiobooks, I have the tools & skills necessary to help. What sets me apart from others is most individuals are only experienced or skilled in one thing or the other. Pursuing my passion has forced me to learn everything that I previously listed which means I have an understanding of the process for each item, giving me the ability to help or explain the reasons for certain things when creating. The thing I am most proud of is I was able to collect a team of individuals and create a feature film for an incredibly low budget. This film is the first thing I have really gotten to do, and I believe it is a good showcase of all the services that I could potentially offer to clients. The main thing I want clients/followers to know is that I understand how to work with low budgets but I also give the best outcome possible even if you have very little to work with.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to express yourself and share those expressions with others. Film, music & writing is all art. And while art is subjective to the individual that is experiencing it, if you can reach one person that appreciates/enjoys what you did, it can be the greatest feeling in the world,

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My parents raised me to always see things through and stick to your word. A few years ago, my friends and I decided that we wanted to make a feature film (not realizing what we were truly about to pursue). The road was long and difficult but completing this project was a dream for many of us that were involved. Some wanted to pursue acting and wanted their shot to perform in a film while others wanted to be involved in the process to learn about how a film was made. For me, I’ve always loved movies and I wanted to pursue and fulfill my dream of actually making a movie that I could call my own. The road to complete this was tough though. We faced countless obstacles. Things ranging from key individuals that became unavailable, to having no money to complete certain aspects of the film such as post production. We pushed through. Upon completing the filming of the production, I knew there was little to no money left in our budget which meant that if I wanted to see it through, I had to learn a multitude of skills ranging from video editing to sound design. My parents’ teachings always stayed in the back of my mind, I said I’d see this through and so I made sure that I would. Which leads to today. After months of learning and working, the film I set out to complete was picked up by a distribution company for global release. The production team and I get to share our art with the world and also share this amazing feeling of accomplishment of seeing this project through.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sironafilm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sironathemovie/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sironafilm/

Image Credits
Red Carpet Photo: Amber Lynn Johnson BTS Photos: Courtney Gonzalez Poster By: Nathaniel Shields Movie Stills By: Kyle Hanchett