Julien Wagner shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Julien, 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 do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Basically it’s me trying to hit that sweet spot of caffeine; enough to figure out which timezone I’m actually in, but not so much that I’m flirting with cardiac arrest. After that it’s usually the gym. Most of my day is spent climbing metaphorical walls and staring at blank pages, so I need the physical stuff to keep me at least semi balanced. It’s the only way to stay vaguely sane in an industry that pretty much thrives on you being not-so-sane.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Julien M. Wagner. A writer, director, who’s spent far too much time convincing people that making films is somehow a rational life choice. I run The HUB Media AG, which is basically my sandbox for telling stories that sit somewhere between the poetic and the ridiculous. My first feature September Babies did the rounds in Hollywood and ended up on HBO, Apple, Amazon, all the streaming places where people watch things with one eye while scrolling Instagram. Right now, I’m developing a handful of new projects, from darker dramas to lighter action packed sci-fy with a twist. What makes it interesting? Probably the fact that I don’t really separate my life from my work. It’s all the same mess of family, memory, absurdity, and trying to capture it before it disappears
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I think I have always been deeply insecure. And I somehow believed that gaining recognition in the industry would fix that. I do not know. When you are the weird kid in class, you daydream about the glaring lights and the deafening applause and think that might be the solution. It pushed me to work tirelessly, to never be satisfied with my work or achievements. And even though I have advanced and reached many goals, underneath it all I am still the same insecure ball of anxiety. So that part, the part that feels like I am not enough, that can probably leave. Because it never had any purpose in the first place.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Every day.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
This is what the audience wants.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Not take steroids.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjulstar/?hl=de
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm8204913/
