Today we’d like to introduce you to Harley Wallen
Hi Harley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started out a martial artist and a dancer who made it onto a Swedish TV series “Solstollarna” and fell in love with acting and as I did I wanted to move to the States and pursue it on the highest level. It was anything but a straight line for me. I started off alright but with family and bills I ended up side tracked climbing career ladders to pay the bills as acting wasn’t a reliable income at first. Then I found myself getting older and hobby acting in independent films and I felt it was time to go after it again back in 2014 and I went to online film school and started my production company with my wife and here we are 13 feature films and a tv series later. It’s pretty magical I must say and I’m so grateful to be here as a filmmaker continuously growing and striving.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all, it’s always tough when it comes to show business because you have to remember that it id both. The art has to be “worth it” either financially or how important what you want to say needs to be told. It makes me think about our film that id just wrapping up its film festival run “Finding Nicole” a True Story about surviving, overcoming and thriving was a hard subject to tackle but so important and I can’t wait to share it with the world later this year!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an actor and filmmaker focused on directing and telling the best stories I can to entertain and to engage my audience.
A few of my films have been popular enough to reach a pretty broad audience and they’re all available on multiple streamers. I’m blessed to have found an audience who appreciate what I’m trying to do and I don’t take any of that for granted.
I think what sets me apart is that I have great work ethic and discipline so I stay on target, on budget but more so I think I have a good story telling mind and I am as comfortable directing an actor as I am a cinematographer or editor and that helps a lot when you can extend your vision to your team.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My family is absolutely crucial as I’m blessed with a fairly big family both here and in Sweden, they’re always first.
As far as filmmaking I’m the ultimate collaborator with my team after they know what I’m trying to do and say and we all end up making “the same movie”, and that’s a good thing!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paintedcreekproductions.com/
- Instagram: @thehsrleywallen
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/HarleyMWallen/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harley-wallen-36600713?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Twitter: @harleytheswede
- Youtube: @paintedcreekproductions
