Wayne Hazle takes his advice to heart. If you asked him what would make someone a good filmmaker, he would tell you to "study and take your craft to heart”. He’d add that you should read lots of scripts and break down what makes the script work. Watch a lot of movies, good and bad. Pay attention to the lighting, the shots, the acting, and all the elements that come together to create the film. Learn. He still does this and recommends that as a filmmaker you do too. Starting screenwriting a few years out of college in the 90s, Wayne found himself writing in an industry where every script was expected to be high concept. He was inspired by the Spielberg and Lucas films, but he is also a big fan of film noir detective stories and classics like Hitchcock from the 40s-60s. But it wasn’t until he cast his first film, and saw the actors in acting, that he knew he was on the right path. For him it was exhilarating.
“I started writing at a time when I was really dismayed at the lack of diversity I was seeing on screen. I wanted to see myself in the movie. It took quite a few more years to get good at doing it. Having a personal/social agenda is great but you need to actually have something to say and to be able to do it skillfully” explains Wayne.
As a screenwriter and filmmaker, Wayne has had his challenges. Cranking out the first draft is easy, but finding the time for rewrites and refining, while dealing with kids and everyday life is a bit harder. As for filmmaking, he wishes he had done more to develop contacts and connections for his growth as a filmmaker.
He has finally found the balance, with a strong Agent and Manager Alexia Melocchi, who is making sure his work is getting out there, and he’s connecting to the right people for his success. According to Wayne, a good Agent is “worth its weight in gold”.
His plans for the future are big. They come from his early career, writing, and dreaming of writing and directing and Indiana Jones film. He is currently shopping a script of a young black female journalist who is part Barbara Walters, part Jack Bauer. "Janine Henderson" is his Indiana Jones. He would love to see it become a series that he directs.
A well-rounded talented filmmaker, Wayne’s work has appeared on Showtime’s Black Filmmaker’s Showcase. His current film THE JUBILEE CAKE is receiving recognition in Film Festivals around the world.
A final message to the Writers out there from Wayne; “To all writers, keep improving your craft and keep going”
Learn more about Wayne Hazle by visiting one of the links below:
My PAGE: WWW,WAYNEHAZLE.COM
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/waynehazle/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/waynehazle
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/waynehazle/
IMDB PROFILE: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm1480064
IMDB JUBILEE CAKE PAGE: https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt14202570
FACEBOOK JUBILEE CAKE PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/thejubileecake