Life & Work with Anthony Cally

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Cally

Hi Anthony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved out here right after college without any job prospects. After a year of small PA gigs I was able to get a staff PA position at a vfx house. That led to learning how to become a coordinator and eventually moving to client side. My last job was as VFX Production Manager for Netflix, for Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies. Previous work includes Fast 9, Slumberland, See and Ray Donovan.

While VFX has been my main bread and butter, I’ve been directing my own work in between gigs. I’ve done shorts, music videos, and my feature “Love and Love Not” is on amazon. Through my company Wandering Winds, we’ve recently released a short based on Hamlet’s Soliloquy. The short takes a psychoanalytic approach to the Dane and updates it to the mid-20th century. “What Dreams May Come” is available on our website and youtube.

My latest music video with Katt Rardi, “Take You There”, came out on September 4th. Video can be found on youtube.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Finances are the biggest struggle, I’m sure with most people who move to a big city can relate to. Combining trying to find a job and paying back student loans proved not an easy task.

VFX was also something I had no idea about before I moved out here. I went to school for communications and history. So although cinema had always been a strong and loving passion of mine, I had a lot to learn about how a set was run and everything.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Although VFX is my main career, in between gigs I’m able to direct my own work. Usually projects I write or adapt myself.

One of my proudest moments would be making my first feature film (Love and Love Not). It’s a bi-coastal romance film that we shot at the end of 2020, which as one could imagine brought many obstacles with most of the world being shut down. Independent films require you to wear many hatsI’ll never forget the day we made the final export. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that light and free in my life. It was almost like a floating feeling.

I don’t think my process is different from most. When I get an idea and I start writing a draft, I’m simultaneously talking to talent and department heads about the project to fill in the gaps. Pre-pro starts before the script is done just to help keep the ball moving. I find that if I wait for a final draft…the final draft wont come!

That same type of process is true for the Hamlet short, “What Dreams May Come”. I had already booked a location before the final was done. That’s another work I’m pretty proud of. It won at the Shakespeare shorts festival, which Kenneth Branagh himself is a patron of. So to have the main living guy known for Shakespeare see your work is a great feeling.

I also edit all of my own work, so having that sort of comfort in my head helps going to set that much more.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Working with new people brings a fresh perspective to whatever the new project is. And no type of project is off limits. The best way to reach me is [email protected].

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wanderingwindsproductions.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderingwindsproductions/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wanderingwindsproductions

Image Credits
Cally_Semcken_Waiting_location – tim russel
Cally_Tomlinson_Nwueme_LoveandLoveNot_set – minica casbara
Fabiana_Udenio_LoveandLoveNot – taylor tomlinson
Hamlet_location_whatdreamsmaycome – minica casbara
Hamlet_WhatDreamsMayCome – jason vizzini
howler_honey_music_video – jason vizzini
Radiator_king_music_video – jason vizzini