We were lucky to catch up with Will Mazzola recently and have shared our conversation below.
Will, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
As a source of inspiration, I always like to keep in mind one of Bruce Lee’s thoughts: “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” These words serve as a constant reminder to build the resilience needed to navigate through life’s challenges.
During my journey, I have never been one to conform to traditional paths or follow the conventional rules. I was never an outlaw, but rather a misfit who sought extraordinary results. Recognition for my achievements has always been a driving force behind my aspirations. However, I quickly learned that easy paths rarely lead to extraordinary outcomes. It is in the face of difficulty and adversity that we find the opportunity to cultivate resilience and grow as individuals.
So, rather than settling for a comfortable life, I have always been open to change and have pursued transformative experiences to keep myself engaged and interested in achieving my ultimate objective. One significant decision I made was to leave behind a comfortable life in Brazil and become part of the largest film industry in the world.
Moving to the center of the film industry was a daunting and challenging task. It required immense resilience and adaptability. I had to face unfamiliar territory, language barriers, and intense competition. However, I always remind myself of Bruce Lee’s quote, and it motivates me to continue pushing forward.
Embracing change has become a crucial aspect of my journey. I understand that stagnation breeds complacency, and I believe that constant growth and evolution are necessary to reach my goals. By willingly embracing change, I remain open to new opportunities, challenges, and diverse experiences that keep me engaged and excited about my final objective.
In the pursuit of my dreams, I have come to realize that resilience is not just about endurance, but also about the willingness to adapt and evolve. It is through change that we discover new strengths, refine our skills, and broaden our horizons. Each new experience and every hurdle I encounter only strengthens my resolve and propels me closer to my desired outcome.
So, with Bruce Lee’s quote as my guiding light, I continue to cultivate resilience while remaining open to change. The film industry presents countless obstacles, but with a resilient spirit and a willingness to adapt, I am confident in my ability to navigate this challenging path and ultimately achieve the success I strive for.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I believe the best way to start introducing myself is by making it clear that I’ve never been all that normal, or even better, I’ve never been one to stick to conventions or the obvious. To be honest, I don’t know how this all works inside my head, but despite having a clear rational mind, much of it is influenced by my family, I often, if not always, make surprising decisions and tend to step out of my comfort zone.
For me, the comfort zone, first and foremost, represents something dull, with little potential to amaze and therefore very slim chances of becoming something unforgettable and above any standard. I’m deeply interested in “feeling,” experiencing the emotions that life offers us, and that’s why I embrace the risk of less obvious choices.
I come from a family of mathematicians; all the men in my family are exact science people, precisely engineers. The women are too, except for my sisters, who ventured into the healthcare field. This leaves me completely alone in my family in the field of communication, or what we call in Brazil, the humanities.
So I had to carve much of my own path. There was no ready-made trail for me to follow. My options were to create a genuine path, choose a route that wouldn’t lead me to my dream, or just remain stagnant.
Initially, I thought about pursuing a seemingly safer path, but I quickly realized that I would be the one to suffer from those choices. So I followed my heart and decided to chase my dream. At that time, my dream was to create music videos, much like the ones I watched on MTV. I was captivated by them and would spend hours watching MTV and recording my favorite clips on VHS. My parents thought it was a waste of time, but today, I understand that it was the first time I was studying the language of audiovisual communication.
Life went on, and I ended up enrolling in a Communication and Marketing college. Although I found it interesting and had some internships in that field, cameras fascinated me more. I wanted to film, create videos, and take photos. This was a major paradigm shift, and I think my parents were quite concerned for a few years about what my adult life and professional future would look like, as well as whether I’d be able to financially support myself doing this.
I eventually landed a job as an editor, working on TV commercial films. But instead of my parents relaxing, they were baffled by my new schedule, often working throughout the night and going 10, even 12 days without a break. I was loving what I did.
Time passed, and I felt that everything was becoming monotonous, so I made a change. I went to Portugal to work for a production company called Show Off Films. It was one of the happiest and most exciting periods of my life. To make things even better, I started creating and directing my own films. It was a dream come true.
As life moved forward, I became more of a director and less of an editor of films. I went on autopilot, had good relationships, good clients, made great films, and was back in São Paulo. Money was far from being a problem, everything was going really well. But in 2018, I faced a serious health issue and ended up hospitalized for 7 days. It was my life calling for a pause. I understood and took the opportunity to rethink my path and adjust my goals.
From that week onward, I decided I wouldn’t let a single day go by without thinking about personal projects, without creating, and most importantly, without being grateful for everything I had achieved and where I was. My goal is to create more and more films or audiovisual elements, to stay young, and to keep on learning. Today, I’m about to complete my Cinematography program at UCLA and building my path here in Los Angeles, even if it’s just for a while.
In Los Angeles, one year ago, I directed my newest short film, Johnny Malibu, the second one in collaboration with Carol Saraiva. I started to venture into cinematography, and I’ve already been involved in two projects that made me extremely happy and fulfilled.
The next steps include turning the short film Johnny Malibu into a feature-length format, and new stories keep popping into my head. I feel young, full of energy, and at one of the most creative moments of my life.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
It’s quite challenging to enumerate the qualities or skills that have had the most impact on my journey, but I’d like to emphasize three that I believe have made a significant difference in my life.
The first is the ability to work with a team/group. Cinema is a collaborative language, and the process of building films involves the help and support of many talented and dedicated individuals. I see it as a universe of collective effort, where the director has a vision and shapes it with the assistance of others.
Observing to build a repertoire. The art of observing society, in addition to watching films, reading books, and attending music concerts, or theater performances, is extremely important. Taking note of what you liked or disliked and recognizing the emotions involved in your relationship with the subject matter is crucial for creating your own stories.
Embrace your emotions. Cinematic technique is essential to help you achieve your goals. While the technique can sometimes pose limitations in obtaining the desired outcome, it should never prevent you from cultivating your emotions and artistic expression, in other words, finding your voice.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Walter Murch’s book “In the Blink of an Eye” is an essential read for directors and anyone interested in the art of film editing. Murch is a highly respected film editor and sound designer known for his work on iconic films like “Apocalypse Now” and “The Godfather.” His book delves into the art and craft of film editing, offering valuable insights and wisdom that can greatly benefit directors.
Throughout the production of a film, a screenplay is often revised and rewritten in three crucial stages: pre-production/script creation, during filming, and finally in post-production. Each of these script iterations plays a pivotal role in the development of the film. They reflect the different needs and perspectives throughout the cinematic production process, from the initial conception to the final edit. Each version of the script contributes to shaping the narrative and ensuring the director’s vision is expressed as effectively as possible on screen. However, the editing phase is the finishing touch, after which nothing more can be done, and the audience will finally get to experience the work.
In the editing script phase, it is often created in collaboration between the editor and the director. This script focuses on the narrative structure and editing choices. Scenes can be reorganized, dialogues can be cut or adjusted, and the soundtrack is integrated. The goal is to create the best possible version of the story, optimizing the pacing and coherence of the film.
In the case of Murch’s book, he explains the intricacies of film editing, shedding light on how editing decisions impact the storytelling process. Directors can gain a deeper appreciation for the role of the editor and learn how to work effectively with their editing team. Murch also highlights the importance of narrative flow. The book emphasizes the significance of maintaining a strong narrative flow in a film, helping directors structure their storytelling to engage the audience and convey their vision effectively. The book also discusses the emotional impact, showing how editing choices can evoke specific emotions in the audience.
Furthermore, the book delves into the creative collaboration of the editor in this part of the process. It also discusses how editing can provide practical solutions to problems, whether they stem from the unpredictability of filming or the script itself. Despite being written a while ago, the book remains highly relevant, making it essential reading for anyone looking to develop their skills in the language of narrative audiovisual storytelling.
Contact Info:
- Website: willmazzola.com
- Instagram: @willmazzola
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Image Credits
Daniel Caselli Orelha Fotos Self Portrait
