Meet Gavin Wegener: Film Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gavin Wegener and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gavin, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I really think that if I hadn’t taken any risks I would never have experienced a profession I love. It’s funny how I’m aware of that, yet still, I find it challenging to take further leaps sometimes. The best outcomes in my career have been from just closing my eyes and jumping not completely knowing what’s below…quitting the corporate job, moving to a place that supports my profession, those kinds of leaps. So it’s an on-going thing, trying to remember that risks have paid off and to not shy away from them… and my career life isn’t that old, so I’m still seeing where those leaps lead me. But almost more importantly, realizing that these “risks” aren’t any riskier than the practical route of a profession. People seem to think that working for a corporate entity is a “safe job”, and that is such an illusion. The COVID pandemic was an eye-opening example of that. So considering that, if no jobs are certain, you might as well choose the one you love. I love something Jim Carey once said: “We often choose the path of fear disguised as practicality”. That really makes you think about why you are doing what you are doing in life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My preferred style of filmmaking is really getting my hands dirty, literally. I love being out in the elements, shooting in intense weather situations and unique environments. I started in cinematography and always leaned towards really active visuals, so most of my films are design to fit into a landscape that represents a heightened level of visual expression. But also intense in a fashion of unfiltered honesty. I’ve come to love creating documentary films that really showcase the raw reality of a topic, feeling, or experience that most viewers find uncomfortable. Pushing people out of the normal routine of how they experience the world is always thrilling to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m not a big outing person, I tend to travel away from my normal routine living or location for the experience of just being in a new environment. If I was recommending an incredible experience to someone entering Houston, id take them to a favorite place of mine called the Garage Mahal, a yoga and meditation experience led by John Tran. I partake in this weekly, and the experience is an incredible self-finding and creative deep dive. I always come out with clarity and new ideas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A lot of people deserve credit for my current level of success… whatever that is lol. Creativity is a team sport in my line of work. I rely on a lot of people to take the idea I have and come together to bring it to the screen. Before anyone watches it, it passes through a lot of creatives. It can’t be done alone so I owe all the people I’ve worked with for teaching me what I know…which isn’t a lot in comparison to most people I learn from. I still go on film sets just to watch how some people achieve a certain lighting set-up or ask a friend out for coffee and pick their brain on something. No one does it alone, and you never know too much

Website: https://www.gkfold.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gkfold/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gkfold/

Image Credits
Lupe Chavez, Don Lee