Meet Nicolas Wendl of WendlWood in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicolas Wendl.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Nicolas. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
Filmmaking started as a hobby for me. I remember picking up my dad’s camera when I was ten years old, and from there just began to film my toys in all kinds of scenarios. Eventually, I began asking high school friends to be in my short films, and later local theatre actors. Getting to create short films while in high school and then having them be recognized at festivals is what encouraged me to keep pursuing my dream of becoming a director. When I was a junior in high school, I was the first non-college student to be accepted into the American Pavilion Cannes Film Festival program. The people I got to network and made friends with eventually lead to me wanting to pursue my studies for film here in the US. I got accepted into Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and graduated with a BFA in Film Production. During my time at Chapman I got to direct multiple short films, and through internships even had the privilege of collaborating with the talented Richard Burgi known from such shows as “Desperate Housewives” and “The Sentinel.” After graduation, I started working with AEG/Staples Center thanks to a fellow Chapman Alum Jessica Carroll. I’ve been creating and capturing video content for them across their various venues for over five years now, while also directing Music Videos and short films on the side. I got to work with such talented people like Jim O’Heir on Stacy Clark’s music video, and talented musicians like Hamish Anderson, Fabriq, The Catching, and the band ELOVAY. ELISA was a short film I got recommended to direct, which was written and produced by Tiziana Giammarino, and went all the way to being nominated in two categories at the Academy Awards Qualifying LA Shorts Fest in 2o15. At the moment, I have a few feature films I’m attached to as a director, including a feature-length adaptation of my award-winning senior thesis film From The Woods. I like to see it as the slow and steady road to my goals in life as an artist.

Great, 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?
I don’t think that any career path/road is a smooth one. There are always going to be bumps and unexpected turns or detours. For me, simply the fact of having been born and raised in Europe, and then moving out here to California has had its fair share of obstacles and challenges. Ultimately it’s character building, but at the moment you wonder if you’re doing the right thing and if it’s going to amount to anything. Post-College life has definitely been the toughest adjustment for me. When you’re fresh out of film school and are trying to get your bearings of what it’s like to survive in the real world as an artist can be scary, but the key is to keep your head in the game and keep going. A lot of the projects I’ve had the privilege to be a part of thus far have come through the connections I built along the way, the people I stayed in touch with, and the positive word of mouth that my work has generated. I’m a strong believer that “the proof is in the pudding” and therefore letting my work speak for itself as I move along with road as a filmmaker.

WendlWood – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
WendlWood was a name that I created for fun when I was still in high school, making my own short films, and I guess it just stuck with me ever since. Directing is second nature to me, and getting to collaborate with talented people and bringing stories and ideas to life is truly invigorating.

I’m proud of the projects my team, and I have gotten to be a part of. I always strive for the next bigger and better project, in hopes to reach more people, inspire more people, and ultimately entertain, be it through narrative or music video projects.

I’m a big believer in delegation and working with individuals who are masters of their craft. Coming together as a team and each of us bringing what we are best at to the table ultimately makes for a better project, and also a smoother set. Filmmaking is teamwork, and getting to work with such talented DPs like Sten Olson and Nico Aguilar, and the team of people they bring on board has been amazing.

Moreover, having an international background has enabled me to collaborate with individuals from different parts of the world and address projects that go beyond the English language. I had the honor to come on board as co-director for an animated short film ZOUA. Tiziana Giammarino approached me with the project after she came back from a children’s workshop she created in Switzerland and asked me if I wanted to direct it. She told me all the kids come from a Swiss cancer support organization, and that she wanted to encourage them to embrace their imagination and creativity.

It’s getting to work on such diverse projects with such creative and fun people that makes this whole journey worthwhile and so exciting.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
It’s so tough to pick because, in a way, each project comes with its own achievement and moment of pride. Off the top of my head, I’d have to say that having a music video premiere on Billboard was definitely a recent highlight and bucket list item. It was my first time working with the band Fabriq on their single “Get Behind the Feeling” and having this video be so well received was amazing.

I also got to shoot and direct the official commercial for the Frank Sinatra Exhibit at The GRAMMY Museum at LA LIVE, which aired nationwide. That was quite exciting!

Having the short film “ELISA” and “ZOUA” go as far as they did in terms of festivals and audience reception has been a major highlight as well. There’s no better feeling as an artist than knowing that your art touches and inspires someone. That’s truly what I strive for as a filmmaker, and with the projects, I attach myself to. Knowing that it can go across the world and even play on Virgin Australia like it was the case for ZOUA, is truly a confidence booster and the most humbling feeling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wendlwood.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolaswendl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nwendlwood/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolaswendl
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3091396/

Image Credit:
Adam Ottke, Armand Nour, Hannah Nixon