I’ve taken the hard route. Over the past thirty years since leaving school, I’ve been a roofer, artist, sculptor, musician, owned a recording studio, managed a dot com, worked in VFX and game design. Each job or venture has added something to my skill set and led me practically on rails toward being a film-maker.
How would you describe your work as a director
My goal first and foremost is to entertain. I view every shot as an opportunity to connect with the audience in some way. Once that connection is made ,and they care about the characters and situations on the screen, you know they will leave the movie with something that lasts.
Shout out to Producer Sid @NewgateKnights busy working on Indie Flick “Knights of Newgate” #KnightsofNewgate pic.twitter.com/jMwDmiPxqa
— WJ Carter (@DirWJCarter) January 6, 2016
How did you get into directing
As a kid I used to love old Ray Harryhausen movies. One day my dad got us an 8mm cine camera with a frame step switch so my brothers and I could make stop motion films. I loved that camera and remember ordering my brothers around to get the shots I wanted. I was six when Star wars hit the screens and knew instantly that that was what I wanted to do. Trouble is that living in Shrewsbury in the heart of rural England, there’s no shortage of people to tell you that such dreams are impossible.
How do you choose a project to direct
I ask myself would I want to watch this? Most times when you hear of a new film, the first question is “who’s in it?” I remember hearing the log line for Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall and just wanted to see that film – it wouldn’t have mattered who was starring.
Briefly describe in a few words wrong impressions actors, writers,and directors have about directing
The buck stops with you. If you want the glory you have to put your neck on the block and be prepared for execution too. Nobody blames Peter MacGregor-Scott for Batman and Robin – Joel Schumacher gets that privilege. The commitment is greater than other jobs – you start work before everyone else and finish long after. You also have to be a supreme diplomat to get the best out of everyone, and be prepared for the chance that not everyone is going to see or even understand your vision.
Do you take courses to increase you craft
No I read a lot and watch a LOT of films in every genre, always with an eye to what’s going on with regard to the editing, art direction, lighting, performance, photography and script. I collate the information and put it to work on my own projects.
What books do you read
“In the Blink of An Eye” by Walter Murch is a favorite for editing. I find myself coming back to this quite often. “The Producer’s Business Handbook” by J. Lee and A. Gilen is cool to get to grips with the business, and I found “Independent Filmmaking From Creative Concept To Rousing Release” by Rocco Simonelli is a pretty good guide to the independent process.
Why will you choose an actor, writer or producer. What do you look for
For actors I look for someone who makes me WANT to watch them – that’s fairly difficult to do. There’s a magical thing that happens when certain people are in front of the camera ( I know because I suck as an actor!) Vee Vimolmal and Rob Reina both have that magic and were both cast instantly. I knew they would be great to work with and great onscreen. In a Producer I look for somebody who knows themselves. A creative, individual with an unshakeable passion for the project is great to work with, as is a business minded, success driven producer who will leave the creative work to others. Just don’t give me a watered down mix of the two.
When you’re offered a job, what thing do you put in place to do a good job
Preparation. I want to know everything inside out and backwards, otherwise I won’t touch it.
Briefly explain your latest work
“Knights of Newgate” is an action adventure fantasy set in modern day London about an immortal knight and evil demon battling for possession of a key that can open a doorway to Hell.
What thing/situation helps you during production
An organized production team and helpful cast.
Explain a creative choice you took on set on a recent production
I try to be as economical as possible. For one scene on the last film I did, we had a whole pile of cuts planned, but on the day, I decided to throw out all the shots apart from the master. As it framed up so nicely. We mounted the camera on a dolly and filmed the whole scene as one shot slowly moving in toward the actors. Nothing groundbreaking, but effective, quick and cheap.
Support #IndieFilm “Knights of Newgate” on #kickstarter https://t.co/yBY5BTs1RR #movie #crowdfunding pic.twitter.com/IIPWUagg83
— WJ Carter (@DirWJCarter) April 24, 2016
How do you advice directors to find projects
Get out there into the world and leave no stone unturned.
How can filmmakers finance projects
I wish I knew a good answer to this one! Collaboration with hard working people who will help hustle for that cash. Find an audience who wants the films that you want to make, and ask them to help via crowdfunding. Get good at recognizing good material – if the logline isn’t making you salivate to see the film, then it’s not going to work with anyone else either.
What do you want from an actor in production
I’m not like Hitchcock who just wanted actors to do their job. I want input and an understanding of their character. I want them questioning whether their character would say this line or do this action – it shows that they care, and if they care, then so will the audience.
How do you prefer to work with a producer during a production
If the pre-production was done right, then the production should be a natural progression, turning the ideas on the page into images on the screen. That should make both the producer and director happy. I love to collaborate and share ideas, thoughts on marketing the final product and possible footage for trailers is always good.
What do you think a director can do to get into the film industry
Make product, no matter how cheap or cheesy. If you check out the people criticizing, you’ll nearly always find they’ve never done anything themselves. Get that product out there on social media and make as many friends as possible. People are good and most want to help.
Who is your favorite director
I love the Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, Paul Verhoeven, but ultimately it’s got to be Spielberg. I know that’s not the coolest answer, but it’s honest.
Why
He manages to entertain me most consistently.
What advice would you give to directors around the world
Don’t chase affirmation, being consumed by the desire to be accepted or be cool. Think about entertaining your audience. Worthy messages to empty cinemas or preaching to the converted is a waste of your talent.
Briefly write about your career
I’ve always worked in a behind-the-scenes capacity doing whatever film/media job I could get my hands on. My directing credits are a music video “Groovimoova” by the group PeachFuzz, a short film called “Lefty” and the feature “Knights of Newgate”.
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