Meet Fanni Fragner | Assistant Director

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

Hi Fanni, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always been a movie buff, and I’ve spent countless hours watching them since I was a kid. As a kid, I had this wild dream of becoming an actress, but I soon realized that Hungary, where I was born, wasn’t the best place for me to pursue that dream. So, I started thinking about what I could be good at and what I would enjoy doing behind the scenes. I started exploring different roles and positions, and when I read about assistant directors, something clicked. I felt like this was exactly what I was meant to do. I’m organized and good at coordinating people and also I’m an extrovert which is a good fit for this position. I love working with others and being social. I’ve always been in awe of how incredibly creative this industry is. It’s amazing how creative people can express themselves through their movies and how many talented and driven individuals are collaborating to create something truly exceptional. Surrounding myself with creative and inspiring people is incredibly motivating for me. I love the whole movie-making process, from pre-production to finishing post. But my absolute favorite part is filming and being on set because that’s where the real magic happens! Back when I was working in sales before joining the film industry my ex-boss said: “You should read books and going to trainings connected to sales instead of watching movies because that won’t contribute to your career.” This made me be 100% sure that my path is in the film industry.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been working on a bunch of projects that I’m really proud of, but if I had to pick one or two, I’d say Dune: Part Two and Dune: Prophecy. These were my most exciting and biggest projects. I always love making sci-fi movies because the filming process is always the most interesting. They have these amazing sets that make you feel like you’re actually in the movie, and the costumes are so beautiful and unique. They always create a whole new world. Dune is a perfect example of this. This genre is the most creative in my opinion. To create something like this, you need to be incredibly creative and have a huge imagination. I’m excited to see how many awards Dune: Part Two will take home. Achieving the level where I could work on the biggest movie projects wasn’t easy. It took a lot of hard work, including long hours, sometimes 15 hours a day, and exhaustion. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. In this industry, you have to love what you do and be willing to put in the time and effort. If you have to wake up at 2 am to work in freezing weather, you do it. These challenges can be tough, but they’re worth it. Would I change these days for a job where I’m sitting in an office from 9 to 5? No way. There were days when I wished I could just stay in my cozy apartment and not have to work, but I learned that if you want to be successful in life, you have to focus and make sacrifices. There’s nothing quite like seeing the results of your hard work on the big screen, and that’s what really matters at the end of the day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When I visit my friends in LA usually I’m the one who gets shown around, and it’s always a blast. I love hanging out with fellow filmmakers there. Although I’m usually spending a lot of time in LA and NYC, right now, I’m working on a project in Hungary, so I thought I’d share some cool places to visit here. I’m pretty sure many of my fellow filmmakers will end up in this city at some point. First up, the Buda Castle. It’s my favorite spot in Budapest. It’s packed with history and there’s so much to do there. You can start with the castle itself, and there’s this hidden gem called the Labyrinth – an old tunnel system under Buda Castle Hill. For the best view of the city, head to a rooftop bar called White Raven. It’s located at the top of the Hilton Hotel. If you’re looking for the best restaurants and bars, I recommend walking around the 5th district near the basilica. You’ll find something for everyone there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Honestly I think I would like to dedicate my shoutout to myself even if it sounds a little bit self-indulgent. I was always my own biggest inspiration. Even when people around me said things like: “it’s gonna be though” or “you have to have a more stable job what if you won’t have work for months” or something like this I just kept going and ignored them. I believe that if you want to be successful, you first have to love yourself and be happy with who you are. Otherwise, there will be people who will try to talk you out of your dreams. Always listen to yourself first! I don’t mean you don’t have to listen to other people sometimes or listen to people who are already successful in your field but never to people who aren’t on your level. Surround yourself with people you can look up to! Luckily, my family has always been supportive, so I give them a shoutout because they’ve always let me chase my dreams and never tried to stop me. And let’s not forget my biggest inspiration, Madonna! She’s been my role model since I was a kid. She taught me that never giving up and keeping going is the key to success.

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12229687/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fannifragner/