[Cynical Spotlight] On Director Waiki Harnais – @waikiharnais
(Photo Credit: Martyna Przybysz)
We’re restarting our “Cynical Spotlight,” showcasing indie talents from all over the globe starting with London’s Very Own – Waiki Harnais! Waiki is a producer and screenwriter based in London, who instead of having a dollar and dream, picked up a camera and created her own production company, LusterWorks Media, to show everyone her passion.
As a producer and screenwriter based in London, how does that type of environment inspire the art you create?
WAIKI: London is such a vibrant city. There’s always a lot going on, a rich mix of cultures and of course it is a beautiful place to live in. I try to utilise all this as much as possible – the eclectic aspect of the town which might be reflected through my choice of locations – West London with its beautiful architecture, the quirky neighbourhoods of North and East London with their bright colours, street art, vibrant marketplaces etc. Or it might just be through the cast – making use of London’s multicultural population, which I like to reflect on screen. I have worked with actors of all races. Also, my work might reflect certain societal issues that are common to some of our communities.
Although I have a strong passion for international cinema, every film I have written and produced has a clear London mark on it. Another great thing about London is that it’s not hard to find like-minded people to work with. London has a huge community of talented creatives who are ready to get down to work and once you have made the right connections, the possibilities are endless. When everyone comes together, each person bring his/her own personality and style to the project. Usually when the vibe is great on set, it shows on screen too.
You said that LusterWorks production house, “all started with just me and my camera…” what made you pick up that camera and what drives you to tell/create the stories you do?
WAIKI: I studied Media and Mass Communications at university and did a few filmmaking modules as part of my course, so I had some degree of familiarity with filming and editing. Overtime I developed an interest in creative writing, film, the production process from concept to the finished work of art. But it’s not until recently (about 4 years ago) that I decided to embark on a screenwriting journey. I teamed up with an amazing filmmaker, Olan Collardy (of Cardy Films), who helped me bring some of my projects to fruition. But lately I decided I would get behind the camera a lot more and also help others tell their stories. I realised I quite enjoyed the freedom of filming and editing stuff myself, and created Lusterworks Media as a platform to be able to do that as much as I can.
Being a Writer/Producer what are some of the things that you struggle with the most and how do you conquer those struggles?
WAIKI: As a writer I struggle a lot with creating work that will appeal to my audience. I am often tempted to just create the type of work I want, or the type of work I would want to watch. But having already identified my audience I know this might not be in line with what they would like to see. I can always tell when a piece of work hasn’t been received as well as another one. But I conquer this by remembering it’s impossible to please everyone. Sometimes you just have to do what you really want to do and stay true to yourself, stay true to your art. The rest will sort itself out. A lot of filmmakers (myself included) have this constant need to stay relevant, to the point that we sometimes put our own creative aspirations aside to please a certain crowd or to appeal to the masses. But nowadays whenever I really want to shoot something different, I just go for it.
As a producer, my struggles are more to do with the practical aspect of producing – things like sourcing the right locations, organising shooting schedules that suit all the actors and crew on board, managing very tight budgets, dealing with last minute changes and cancelations… The one thing I make sure I have is a backup plan. For everything. A backup solution to every problem, and last but not least, I always do things way ahead of time. You can’t rush art.
For those that are not familiar with funding or writing a short film, could you tell us about your writing process and how it differs from the Producing process?
WAIKI: Whenever I have an idea for a film, I start by writing a synopsis. I imagine the story, how the characters might be, their names, their appearance, where they live etc. I then go on to write the actual screenplay, dialogue, plots etc. and I usually do this by dividing the story into 3 parts, commonly known as Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3 although I just like to call them Beginning, Middle and End. This process might take a few weeks, during which I might write 3 or 4 drafts of the script. Meanwhile if it is a project I am eager to film as soon as possible, I start preparing a detailed treatment, which is a full synopsis in the form of a proposal, not just for potential funders but also for collaborators, cast and crew.
The production process consists of gathering every resource needed to bring the project to life. From the actors to the props. I write clear deadlines, a shooting schedule and begin sorting out all the logistics – booking locations, buying the props etc. My role as a producer is basically to sort everything out prior to the shoot, so that once the directors get on set all they have to do is to direct.
I used to have an executive producer who would privately fund some of my short films but these days I tend to fund my own work. In my opinion there’s more satisfaction in funding your own work, seeing how far you have stretched the budget, what you achieved with it… Of course this isn’t always possible – filmmaking is expensive and will generate very little revenue if you don’t have a profitable strategy for your film.
Thanks to Waiki for sharing her story with us! Make sure to check out LusterWorks Media to see Waiki’s newest projects as well as follow her on Twitter – @waikiharnais
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