Video Talks Podcast: Episode 06
Hasraf HaZ Dulull began his career as a VFX compositor, moving to producing and supervising VFX teams. After a period of creating several sci-fi short films, in 2017 he directed his debut sci-fi indie feature film - THE BEYOND, which premiered at #2 on the iTunes charts, before trending on Netflix. His second feature film 2036: ORIGIN UNKNOWN, which starred Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Another Life) had a limited theatrical release in the US before also landing on Netflix.
In this interview (split into two separate episodes) – loaded with advice for aspiring and established filmmakers and creators, HaZ breaks down how his start in a video games company led him to venture into movie VFX for films like The Dark Knight and ultimately go it alone with a carefully planned vision to make his first feature film.
HaZ used every trick in the ‘thinking outside the box’ book to go from compositor to eventual movie director.
In Part #1 he takes us through the journey of his career, his unique casting process, how he built up a wealth of contacts in the film industry, working with an investor, finding sponsorship to fund projects and so much more valuable wisdom.
The interview is split into two parts so it’s more easily digestible. There were so many nuggets of gold from HaZ that it felt wrong to cut it down.
You'll learn...
- How HaZ built an audience online
- Why you should bring sound design and music into the process early
- How independent film sales companies can help you define your next film subject
- How to shape your movie into a commercially viable film
- How he created his fly-on-the-wall online course with behind the scenes and b-roll footage
- The best bit of advice he’s ever been given
- How to finish a project
- How to clear you mind so you can see things in a fresh light.
- Why you can’t always fix it in post
- Why you should always have a plan – whether a meeting or a film shoot.
- How to get through an animation block
- How HaZ made an animated film using gaming tech Unreal Engine
- Why virtual production is the major buzzword of the moment
- How reaching out to podcasts and filmmaking websites can accelerate you marketing
Jump to...
- 04:46 Haz's career journey
- 10:19 Short film Project Kronos goes viral
- 12:40 Developing & making his first feature The Beyond
- 18:06 Marketing & the success of his debut feature
- 24:26 Marketing tips for filmmakers
- 27:00 The importance of audio in your films
- 29:12 Making 2036: Origin Unknown
- 32:05 Casting actors
- 40:02 Early influences and education
- 46:25 The best bit of advice he's been given
- 48:12 Essential habits for productivity
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