Lars Walther
Lars Walther was born in Herford, Germany, with a working class background. His love for acting sparked in high school theater, which led to acting school in 2006.
After shooting a couple of films, he found his passion for voice over work as well as the work behind the camera.
Since then, he works in multiple fields, from directing, editing, writing and voice acting.
His latest short film, "what we leave behind", which he has co-written, directed, shot and co-produced, has won multiple awards.
Your project takes a part in our festival. What is your project about?
"what we leave behind" is a music video for the German doom metal band [ B O L T ].
It's a story about love, commitment and our human drive to explore.
As she prepares for the mission of her life, an astronaut has to come to terms with the price she has to pay for her dreams... and the love she needs to leave behind.
What were your requirements for actors to take a part of your film?
We cast two actresses I've worked with before. Especially the lead, Antje Hamer, had to have an emotional range and believably play a woman of strength and character.
All of that had to be portrayed in a very short amound of time, so that was the focus of our casting.
How did you communicate with the cameraman?
The project was tiny, I just had a grip and lighting assistant for the shoot, so I operated the camera myself.
To plan out the project and communicate my vision, I cut together a complete edit made out of film stills from other films.
This way, I was able to get the idea across and could fine tune the pacing of the short before filming started.
The choice of lenses was very important as well, since the relationship needed to feel very loving and organic, I chose vintage glass for that part of the film, while filming everything that takes place in space and at the space station with modern lenses.
What locations did you choose for your project? And why?
Due to budget constraints, I chose to shoot the entire project in Krefeld, Germany, as I had access to locations that fit the overall narrative.
All the space scenes were filmed in my small studio space on a greenscreen.
I didn't want to make the film feel "american", but emphasize that this could be any European city in the future.
Why should distributors buy your film?
Even though music videos are their own beast and genre, I hope that distributors find the appeal in considering short narratives that go off the beaten path, or get in touch with filmmaking talent that can work with tiny budgets to make films feel bigger than their production circumstances are.
What expression elements did you use in your project? How would you characterize your work?
My work is visual, and very much centered around concepts of exploration, hope and love. In a world that has its fair share of dark stories, I hope to bring a perspective that lifts people up.
The clear influence of science fiction and my background as an indie filmmaker combine a natural style with scope.
At what festivals have you had success? Has the film already premiered? If so, where?
The short has had its online premiere in may 2023, and has been screened at the Brussels Capital Film Festival (winning best music video), Orlando Film Festival and Novella Film Festival (also winning best music video).
What motivated you to become a filmmaker?
Growing up on classics like Star Trek, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and all the rest, I wanted to build worlds from an early age.
At first, I thought the stage would be my calling, but starting out as an actor, I quickly felt that there is more to telling stories than theater - or just acting.
Creating empathy and inviting people in to share different perspectives has been a constant inspiration for me.
Which movies are your favorites? And why?
Picking favorite films has always been a really difficult task of course.
But defining and inspiring films are definitely The Lord of the Rings Series, Star Trek, Star Wars, Fight Club and the Matrix.
Escaping into other worlds that can also teach us something about who we are as human beings is just so special!
Also these films have been milestones in visual storytelling as well as in music and sound.
What topics do you like to deal with in your work?
The older I get, the more I want to tell stories with a positive outlook.
Hope in the face of constant challenge, intersectional feminism and environmental issues are topics that are very near and dear to me.
What genre do you like to shoot and why?
I'll always be a sucker for science fiction.
Taking human issues and giving them a unique spin through sci fi makes them more relatable and timeless in my opinion.
Through recent developments in technology, it has become easier to tell big stories even with little means, so that is always something I will go for.
What project would you like to shoot one day, what would it be about?
My dream project would be a space opera series, where the adventures of a diverse crew reflect our current struggles in the world.
A compelling and action packed yet thoughtful modern take on exploration and our need to connect with each other, to overcome our differences.
Think of a modern Star Trek with a more Afro-European perspective.
What do you do if you're not thinking about a movie? What are your hobbies?
I've been converting quite a few hobbies into my carreer, so if I'm not making movies, I'm directing or voice acting for the German localization of films, video games and series.
Apart from that, I am a portrait and food photographer and I am super passionate about food - so you'll always find me in the kitchen sooner or later.
I love to cook for friends and make people happy with good vegan food.
What projects do you plan to shoot in the future?
My plans for 2024 include banding together with fellow creatives to start shooting more short films, and to work our way up to our first series in 2025.