An Inspired Chat with Nicolas Wendl of Los Angeles

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Nicolas Wendl. Check out our conversation below.

Nicolas, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Thank you so much for having me, I look forward to sharing some of my insights with you and your readers. Outside of work, wow, it’s funny how doing what you love for a living can make it feel like you never really stop working. I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing… maybe a bit of both.
Lately though, l’ve found an unexpected way to unplug and recharge: thrifting. There’s something about it that feels so peaceful, like a little adventure of sorts. It’s kind of like going on a treasure hunt, except you have no idea what you’re actually looking for until it finds you.
I love wandering through aisles filled with things people have let go of. Every piece feels like it carries a story, moments, and memories I’ll never know, but still feel strangely connected to. There’s something really comforting about that. And every now and then, I’ll stumble across something that just clicks. I didn’t need it, I wasn’t looking for it but somehow, it feels like it was waiting for me, and that brings me joy.
The most recent item that gave me that feeling was this beautiful Tiffany-style lamp. The stained glass was covered in delicate floral patterns, and the second I saw it, I knew it had to come home with me, and now it illuminates my living room at night.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Of course, well my name is Nicolas Wendl, I am a film director and editor based in Los Angeles, been living here for over 15 years. Filmmaking has always been in my blood since my early teens, and this passion has lead me to pursue my goals and dreams out here in LA by studying at Chapman University’s Dodge College and graduating with a BFA in 2013.
Over the years, l’ve had the opportunity to direct and edit a wide range of projects, from narrative short films to commercials and promotional branded content for brands such as Amazon, Hulu, Disney, AEG, to name a few.

On the narrative side, my short films have taken me to festivals across the nation as well as internationally like “ELISA” which premiered at the LA Shorts Fest, an Academy Awards-qualifying festival, and my earlier works like “How They Smiled” and “From the Woods” which both starred Richard Burgi, were well-received at festivals around the world.

One of the projects I’m particularly proud of is “ZOUA”, a Swiss-American animated short co-created with children battling cancer . It was a deeply meaningful collaboration with a unique perspective on storytelling and the power of collaborative art.

Most recently, I directed and produced my first feature-length horror film titled “Stupid Games,” which released in 2024 and is now streaming on various platforms… shameless plug… on tubi, mometu, and prime.

Storytelling is at the core of everything I do, and through WendlWood, the brand I founded, I aim to create emotionally resonant work that captures the complexities of human emotions, suspense, and the timing of choices one makes in life.

This past year I wrapped post production on a powerful and eye-opening documentary short about the LBTQIA+ community that reflects the real harsh reality of the world of go-go dancers and drag queens in the community, it is called “When Pride Becomes Prejudice” and will be going to festivals next year. A friend of mine approached me with a personal story of his and together we worked on bringing it to life. I am also developing some more original feature films and am attached to a few others currently in early stages of development.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
That is a pretty deep one indeed, wow, where do I begin… I believe there is a single word powerful enough to both dismantle and restore even the most deeply rooted bonds and that is TRUST. It is the invisible string that holds together the fabric of every meaningful relationship. Whether personal, professional, or even the one we hold with ourselves, trust forms the foundation upon which love, collaboration, loyalty, and vulnerability are built. It’s around us in every aspect. Without it, the entire structure of your project, your relationship, your job, becomes fragile, prone to collapse under the slightest lack thereof.
What makes trust so profound to me is its dual nature. It takes time, consistency, and integrity to build trust with people, yet it can be undone in the blink of an eye. And yet still, when nurtured and rebuilt with genuine intention and care, it has the rare ability to heal those wounds that once seemed irreparable, and that to me is the true magic of this word. When it is restored, often times slowly, with humility and effort, it becomes stronger than it was before. There’s something so deeply human in that process to ultimately choose to trust again. In that sense, trust is not just structural, it is in fact transformational.
When I think of the work/life balance I lead, I see how trust isn’t just important, but essential. It goes both ways when I work with my team on a production. Trust is the number one thing that binds us, that enables us to move forward as one, and to deliver on the vision that best serves the film project. It allows you to vibrate at your highest level because you know you can trust the team around you to do the same.
In personal relationships it is the same, you have trust between you and your partner, and the emotions flow freely because the bond is maintained through that honesty and trust created between both individuals. The more I think of it the more it fascinates me how trust can be both the glue and the fault line. How we care for it often defines the longevity and depth of our connections. So yes, for me trust is that one thing that has the power to both break bonds and restore them, and truly make them unbreakable.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
That’s an interesting question, I think about this often, because as you grow older, this question comes up more and more: What would I tell my younger self? And perhaps just as important, at what age would I say it?
If I could go back, I would find my 15-year-old self, at school, in France. Young, passionate, navigating acne and puberty, and trying so hard to fit in with the popular crowd. I see him clearly, full of potential, dreams and passion, but not always sure where he belongs.
I would look him in the eyes and say: Do not let their words, their actions, or their silence dim the light you carry inside you.
I would tell him to embrace his differences not as burdens, but as strengths, the very things that will shape a stronger, wiser, and more grounded version of yourself in 20 years. I know that when you’re young, the world feels overwhelming and the opinions of others feel final. It seems like every moment in school is the most important moment of your life. But it’s not. There’s so much more waiting for you, so much beyond those
hallways, and the kids and teachers who don’t understand you and your passion.
And so, l’d tell him: Keep going. Stay on your path. You’re doing better than you think. But most of all, don’t shrink yourself to make others comfortable. Don’t trade your fire for their approval. Don’t settle for anything other than what you feel deep down in your gut.
Wear your dreams boldly. Stand tall in your uniqueness. And never, never, let anyone convince you that your light is too much. Because that light is your power. And it will take you farther than you can imagine.
A quote I always lived by as I was finishing high school was “my road to success is under construction” and oh man did I follow that quote, and am steadily building that road piece by piece.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Yes, I love this one. The project I’m most devoted to is the art I breathe into life through filmmaking. As artists, we are never truly finished, only ever evolving and refining our craft. We experiment, we evolve, we sharpen the edges of our craft with every frame, every story, every film or music video or visual content. I see my journey in film not as a destination, but as a lifelong devotion. An ever-growing project of heart and vision, no matter how long the road stretches ahead.
They say it’s not a race, but a marathon, and I feel that deeply. This calling has lived within me since childhood, a quiet fire that’s carried me through darker times and lifted me in moments of light. It has given me so much joy over the years, and in every hardship, it’s given me purpose, in every joy, it’s deepened my gratitude for what I get to do.
So yes, I see both myself and my art as ongoing works in progress, a project to be devoted to. Fluid, imperfect, and alive. I’m in this for the long haul, through rain and sunshine alike. Filmmaking fills me with a happiness too big to name, and that, above all, is why I stay.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
It’s been such a pleasure talking with you, thank you for such thoughtful questions. This is a great one to end our interview on. An artistic calling isn’t something you find, it’s something that finds you, quietly growing inside you as you begin to understand yourself and grow as a young adult. It’s a kind of cosmic coincidence, the ultimate meet-cute, that moment when you and your passion lock eyes for the first time and somehow just know, this is meant to be.
For me, that moment was directing.
Even as a child, it felt effortless yet electrifying, like stepping into a current I was always meant to follow. It felt right and it felt like it was me.
Directing didn’t just inspire me, it ignited something visceral. It gave me a rush that words couldn’t quite hold. And I was lucky my parents never stood in the way of what was calling me. They nurtured it, gently and consistently, allowing it to grow, and always there to be my first audience and also my first critics of anything I would produce. Always supporting me.
Still, when you discover such a deep and specific passion at a young age, especially one that doesn’t mirror the interests of your peers, it can be lonely and isolating. While others played games, I staged productions. I turned playdates into filming days. Only a few friends were willing to indulge my endless ideas between school and homework haha, but those moments meant everything. Those moments shaped my artistic eye and reinforced my instincts as an artist.
Now, I look back and realize: this was never a phase or a fleeting interest. This art form, this storytelling through lens and movement, is stitched into who I am. It’s the thing that makes me light up, move, smile, and dance without music, if that makes sense. It feels less like something I do, and more like something l am.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wendlwood.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolaswendl
• Twitter: https://x.com/NicolasWendl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nwendlwood
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3091396

Image Credits
Tommy Flanagan, Capra Photography, 1329 Productions, John Salangsang