Meet Charlotte Verminck | Film Director & Screenwriter

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

Hi Charlotte, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Despite my intense passion and daily dedication to my work, I always had to fight so hard for people to give me a chance and believe in me. Yet, when they finally gave me that chance, I found myself working in quite a few toxic and unsafe work environments.

After another project ended, I was so fed up with being mistreated and seeing so many other souls being treated disrespectfully. So, I made the decision to put my full energy behind creating a thoughtful, warm, and kindhearted environment that gave people with a passion the opportunity to work, collaborate, learn, and grow. A genuine family feeling is what I’m aiming for. CHAR’Z Productions is built on the need to have a place where people (whether collaborators or clients) can go where they feel valued and respected, and they can be involved in projects that are truly labored with love. I’m a true believer that this feeling triples down to the end result.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It came to this point in my life where there was no other way for me to survive than without the arts. I graduated with a mathematics diploma as I’m a profound fan of problem-solving, but I felt so incredibly unhappy at the time and have always felt there’s something more in life. My teachers recommended me going to Law School, but I knew that wasn’t my calling. So, I kept looking for something that would fulfill all the parts of me.

I’ve always been drawn to “the uncomfortable”. I seek it. Trying something that you fear has always interested me more than avoiding that certain event. It’s the way I go through life and make my choices. I rather take the pitfalls than die with the “what if”’s. There’s so much opportunity and growth connected to risk.

Since a very young age, I’ve been intrigued by how the combination of the video medium, music, words, and a message can make the viewer experience a certain feeling.

When I was about 10 years old, I always made “movies” with my friends. We came up with a concept, I directed their performances, filmed them with a small camera, and tried to edit them into a smooth cut before their parents came to collect them so we could all watch our little movie together. We always thought we made the best movie ever… it’s so funny… the film always ended with “in theaters soon”! While all my friends were playing video games, I was always the one editing footage. My first love will always be the editing process.

After graduating high school, I studied International Communication and Media where I mastered the tools of marketing and consumer behavior. Simultaneously, I was working for several music artists to take care of their online visibility through creating music videos, sharing concert announcements, and managing their social media. In this manner, I was able to implement all the new tools I was learning about and test them on the job. It was a very fruitful time in my life. I got to understand how volatile the results can be and that a production is not a ‘one size fits all’ endeavor. That’s why the root of CHAR’Z Productions found its origin in a personal approach with attention to detail.

This way of thinking spans over all different forms from films to brand videos to music videos we create and will create. Each medium has its own strengths and goals, and when you understand how to nurture them, with full care, you can embrace and reach their full potential.

I first had no idea filmmaking was a career path. I always thought movies could only be made by the big Hollywood studios until I did an internship at a production company in Los Angeles and a world opened for me. I finally found a medium that combined all my interests and immediately fully indulged me in its process.

I made my filmmaker debut with a short film called “Pathless” in which I turned poetry into a visual experience. It did very well on the film festival circuit and the film received multiple awards, wherefore I’m beyond grateful. My aesthetic is a mixture of poetry and the exploration of the deeper layers of the human being, and is usually topped off with some larger-than-life ingredient. I try to play with the contrast of naturalism and a touch of flamboyance.

I’m currently making my first big short film and it’s the riskiest thing I’ve ever done. There’s a lot of money from investors involved, many international collaborators involved, many artists from all sorts involved, and many different locations with their own schedules involved. It was a true hassle to get it in production. I received “no” after “no”. It’s a feeling that can hurt so deeply, but if you start seeing that rejections are protections, you start to see everything happens how it should happen. So, keep going after that “no”; I believe when there’s a will, there’s a way, and you’ll be led to the right places and people. It’s all about perspective.

Along its process, I’m also learning the act of letting go. I’m the kind of soul who wants to perfect the smallest elements and aims to get the most potential out of a project, but I learned when you let go, are open to the unexpected, and let the universe do its thing, you allow miracles to happen. You can only control what you can control; the other parts are designed for magic.

I’m inspired by all things in life that move me. Even the seemingly small things. A colorful flower blossoming in a field full of weeds. The cooling wind rustling the leaves of a tree. My dog randomly running around in the garden. A poem in which the words are so beautifully arranged. The underdog in the room. Whatever gives me this certain feeling inside inspires me to write, to create, to live, to breathe, to be. And of course, I’m inspired by people who never give up and embrace risks. They will always be the wind beneath my wings and are the kind of souls I desperately want to collaborate with.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite Belgian city is definitely Bruges. It’s so cosy and unique! It has such beautiful architecture and makes me feel like I’m walking in a movie.

Also, be sure to check the most lovely second-hand book shops in Damme – very close to Bruges. They sell the best hidden treasures!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family and their continuous support on my journey mean the world to me.

I grew up with parents who have an extreme work ethic. No task is ever too big for them – they’re very resilient and never give up. That’s also the way they raised me: aim big and work! My work has, now, especially at the beginning of my career, always taken priority as I’m so passionate about this life purpose and they support this fully, wherefore I’m extremely grateful.

They taught me to always make sure to put all my effort into the opportunities that come my way and be beyond thankful for what happens along the ride. Life’s an adventure and you should embrace all its aspects, the good and the bad.

In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. I’m so thankful for the people who believe in my vision and who give me the opportunity to grow. When someone gives you a chance, it has such a nurturing effect on your life. I literally cried solid tears when I first heard actors speak the words I’d written down in my script. I was in such awe.

In terms of books: Rick Rubin’s book “The Creative Act” changed my life. It’s SO good! He truly understand what it means to be an artist in this current world.

Website: www.charlotteverminck.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/charlotteverminck

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-verminck/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charvrmnck

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charzproductions

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLjRY6OIghbuC7S2QmRlLjA

Other: www.charzproductions.com

Image Credits
Syntyche Boda. Kas Christiaens.