An interview with Director, David Wachs - Part Two

Vitality Stories

8 Rounds with Hitler A Film for Life Henry Wermuth

Henry Wermuth, “8 Rounds with Hilter” by A Film for Life

an interview with

Director, David Wachs

Part Two

Use your talent for good

Last week I presented Part One of my discussion with David Wachs, director of Holes In My Shoes. This week I’m thrilled to not only share his answers to the Vitality Stories interview questions, but tell you more about his current projects. Spoiler Alert: You will be inspired to do something for the better of humanity.

Let’s recap David Wach’s many accomplishments. Holes in My Shoes won best feature documentary in four U.S. film festivals. David has created, produced, directed and written documentaries, TV pilots, children’s television for Nickelodeon, Disney and the BBC, music videos, commercials and corporate promotional videos. He has an Emmy, is a co-produced a Cannes-winner, and has been nominated for a BAFTA (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts).

Before I knew there was a chance of interviewing him, I combed through his website and watched videos of his work. I was particularly hooked on We’re Puppeteers!, and with the holidays coming up, was charmed by the Christmas marionette holiday special. My sister and I have often talked about the art of puppetry. It is such a niche, and as a child who had no idea what I wanted to ‘be’ when I grew up, my sister and I marvel that someone was able to say, “I want to grow up and be a puppeteer.” The idea fascinates us.

I was already impressed and noticing a theme in David Wachs’s work long before I spoke to him—he has tremendous respect, care, hope, and compassion for the elderly and for children.

We’re Puppeteers!

The Little Angel Theatre is one of the last three puppet theatres in London. It was established in 1961and during the theatre’s 50th anniversary, David had an idea to help Little Angel gain awareness. He approached Nickelodeon with We’re Puppeteers! David engaged Sue Dacre (of the Henson films), who helped design marionettes and costumes. In the series, children are invited to the theater, encouraged to craft a puppet show in the old workshop, and then present it to friends and families in the theatre! The show encourages children to trust their creative instincts and perform. The show is adapted to 3 minute clips for television.

His other children’s television projects are similar. They are short clips, anywhere from 1.5 to 3 minutes and, ironically, each clip encourages kids to turn off the television when the show is over and go and be active, play, or be creative.

“I’ve got a double identity in the kids TV world, on one hand, trying to create fun and inspiring entertainment, and on the other hand will also supplant the idea in the kids’ minds and hearts to get up and go do something else—away from the box!”

And with three boys himself, David’s infiltrating ideas and experiences are endless. He is proactively involved with his local Rudolf Steiner School and Waldorf Education philosophies where they “inspire children to be real, good communicators, whole, connected to the earth, creative, self-expressed, and to feel they’re a part of this wonderful world.” His work demonstrates this approach, too.

At 45, I was inspired to be creative after only 90 seconds of each of David’s video clips.

And at 45 and passionate about ghostwriting memoirs for the elderly who are afraid of being forgotten by their families, I teared up when I learned about David’s initiative, A Film for Life.

A Film for Life

David Wachs has started A Film for Life where he offers his professional filmmaking experience to people wishing to document their life stories, their vitality stories if you will, for them or loved ones. He also extends his services to organizations, such as the Hospice of St. Francis, to spread their mission to the community.

“I want to help people preserve their special life stories. It would be a shame if all these great journeys were lost.”

In my opinion, preserving stories in touching and meaningful ways is David’s talent. Consider this Film for Life of holocaust survivor, Henry Wermuth: “8 Rounds with Hitler” recently directed by David Wachs:

As you each know, I helped my mom write her life stories. When I consider the pride, relief, validation, and joy my mom felt when I handed her the paperback book of her memoirs to give to her children (my siblings), and the excitement and hope I hear in my current elderly client’s voice, I am overwhelmed with appreciation and gratitude for David Wachs and A Film for Life. THIS is a gift of legacy, and gift of recognition for a life lived.

David goes back and forth between New York and London (living near London full time), and any person, family, organization, or business can inquire about creating a Film for Life. He’s from New York City originally and can provide services to American clients as well.

A Film for Life took on the Hospice of St. Francis. While David was filming a video for The Children’s Trust (a charity for children with brain injuries), he met a young man, patient Mo Bourner, and now he is in the process of directing a feature documentary of Mo’s story.

Mo Bourner’s Rap Against Raciscm

At fourteen years of age, Mo Bourner was a victim of a racist attack. Mo had been a regular teenager—into his friends, sports, dating, fooling around. Yet, one night, after a beach party on the south coast of England, he was singled out due to his color, and was attacked. Mo lost 1/3 of his skull that night and was in a coma for eight weeks. His family and friends sat vigil, often having music jam sessions around his bed with 15-20 people. When Mo finally came to, amazingly he started writing “prolific and profound poetry and rap lyrics—inspirational, self-realizing, biographical, and moving.”

Mo was fifteen when David met him. He was one year into rehabilitation. David has arranged many wonderful things for Mo to do, like to meet the Arsenal football team and see them play, and also meet up with Britain’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Mo Farah. They got out on the track and Mo walked with Mo!

Here’s a little taster film of David’s production with Mo:

And now…

An interview with David Wachs

Q: What one word best describes you?

A: Irreverant

Q: Do you know what your purpose or passion is in life today? When did you recognize it?

A: Being the master of my mind and emotions, and not the victim. It’s about the journey.

Q: To date, what accomplishment are you most proud of in your life?

A: Fatherhood. Being a dad.

Q: What has been your biggest lesson in life?

A: Nothing is what it seems.

Q: Do you have a sliding door moment in life where you had the option to take two or more paths? What is the scenario? How do you feel about your decision?

A: Basically, as an amateur, I picked a lottery number to perform at a comedy club in NYC, early 1986. By the end of the day, I was way to scared to perform and chickened out, in a nutshell. I asked my friend in my apartment on West 86^th street to join me for a slice of pizza. We got in the manned old-fashioned elevator on the 16^th floor. Pedro was his name, he was blind in one eye, I remember. He stopped at the 10^th floor and a woman walked in, from England, with a film script in her hands. I had seen her before, and took a chance. I said, hey, I was a film director, and would she like to come up and see my new film, Rosey & Jonesy, sometime. After that, we were together for 9 years. We got married and eventually moved to the United Kingdom. If I had done the comedy show, I wouldn’t have met my first wife, and had my amazing first 2 boys, Liam and Reuben. If I hadn’t of met my first wife, I wouldn’t have moved to Britain. If I hadn’t of moved to Britain, I would never have met my current wife, and I wouldn’t have had my 3^rd amazing child, Gabriel.

Q: If you could change something about your past, whether your actions or someone else’s that impacted you, what would it be?

A: I’d take back telling my mom I didn’t love her once.

Q: Have you ever felt stuck, or polarized by fear of change?

A: Of course, everyone does, I would imagine.

Q: Do you regret anything, big or small, that keeps popping up in your life? Any plans to do anything about it? Is it correctible?

A: Life is always about compromise, but I should have been more courageous with women in my youth. I was too chivalrous when I should have been more adventurous.

Q: If you could travel back in time and speak to your twenty-year old self, what would you say?

A: Listen to your father when he tells you to treat things with humor. He used to tell me to bring humor and comedy into upsetting times. He was right—my hero.

Q: And what advice would you give every twenty-year old?

A: Lighten up.

Q: What is the best advice you ever received?

A: When traveling across the states over a 3 month period, we stopped in an amazing hostel in the forest in Georgia and the owner, Tom Dennard, a liberal lawyer, saw my film, The Life of Art , and wrote me a note that said, basically, I predict great success for you. But note that you will have reached the pinnacle of success when you realize that you are no more or no less than anyone who has ever lived or is living now. These words really helped me as a young 25-year-old man heading west on my new path of life.

Q: What is one of the best things that happened to you?

A: Healing the relationship with my mother towards the end of her life, and then expressing to her on her deathbed all the things and emotion I ever wanted to say. I told her that I forgave her for everything, and, in her honour, I would forgive myself for any way I let her down (because I know she would not have wanted me to feel bad about anything, really).

Q: What is the best compliment anyone has given you?

A: Each of my three boys has told me they love me more than anything. And, whenever someone says they got something positive out of something I‘ve done, like Holes In My Shoes, I’m forever grateful.

Q: How would your mom and/or dad describe you?

A: ‘A pain in the ass.’ No, actually my mom would say I’m too generous and my dad would say I’m a schmuck or an ignoramus (but he’d do it with a smile and he’d add in a proper New Yorker swear word – to us New Yorkers, that means I love you)

Q: When did you realize things/special powers/uniqueness/quirks/etc. about yourself?

A: I can fly in my dreams and I can also direct my dreams.

Q: What is the next dream you want to act on?

A: I’m exploring doing more conflict resolution work, possibly based on a personal and corporate workshop I created in the 1990s called “What is Your Berlin Wall?”, which helps people identify what they think is impossible to change in their lives, but actually can. Working with Mikael Gorbachev’s organization, Green Cross, on a wonderful digital project, brought home the importance of making a difference. Working with RESULTS also truly inspired me!

Q: Who would play you in the movie of your life?

A: Maybe a young, John Malkovich

What I learned

Two years ago, I hadn’t written a memoir, finished a book, or created a website. Now that I am actively blogging and writing, it is validating and encouraging to meet someone like David Wachs who pursues projects because they interest him and with a clear goal to preserve stories and promote posterity.

When I asked him if he’d ever had a client with a story he didn’t feel compelled to support, he had not, but when I confessed that I did, he said, “You are a bright light and you know what’s best. You get to make the decision if a project suits you.” I’ve taken his insight and advice and haven’t looked back.

Thank you, David Wachs, for being you and for following your passion. The results have been a gift and I look forward to following your success.

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed learning about David Wachs as much as I did and feel as inspired as I do. As always, thanks for entrusting me with your valuable time and subscribing to this newsletter.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on David’s interview, and if you’ve watched Holes In My Shoes, let me know!