Meet Karan Wadhwa: Film Director

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

Hi Karan, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Thanks for taking the time! Like many others in this field, I draw inspiration from films and projects I grew up watching. This could be anything from a 1940’s movie to a Bollywood movie in the 2000’s. I also draw a lot of my inspiration from music. Seeing the ebbs and flows of a film is often a similar to a well curated album. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is a perfect example. Also: hikes. I try to do between 30-36 miles in a week, and I use that time to compartmentalize my thoughts and flesh out some ideas.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Whether it’s being on a set, writing, or doing research, I try to keep hands far from idle. Learning from and working with others trying to accomplish the same goal is the best way to stay busy. When I wrote and directed my first project, The Duo, I was nervous as hell. But I quickly learned that Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it built alone. That project won a few awards, and I solely have the crew to thank for that. For The Duo, I co-wrote and co-produced a song called “Inside Out” with Mikaela Seegers & KOLA, based off a little melody I wrote my freshman year of college. I got a chance to direct a music video for that song in LA & Oakland, which now has over 200k+ streams across all platforms. As a completely independent project, I think that’s pretty cool. Currently, I’m doing client shoots for other musicians, businesses, and creatives under my production Broken Pieces Productions, with future personal projects coming up soon under the same banner. This is also a great reminder that this this is a long, long, long, journey. I’m nowhere where I want to be yet, but I’m just trying to take one step at a time. Phew, that felt like a lot! By the way, you can watch “Inside Out” here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvTz9Ym6Lh4)

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Great question! Alright, you gotta grab a burrito at KOGI Taqueria, try and catch a show at the mecca of comedy, The Comedy Store, and find a rooftop or beach view that makes this big city feel just a little smaller. Also remember: $1 street tacos are better than that gentrified taco plate that costs you $18. I’m just sayin’.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Besides my family, my shoutout goes to Boman Irani, Rajkumar Hirani, Nick Wright, & Jon Bellion. They are all champions in their field who have have taken chances on me, aided me professionally, and taught me lessons on carving your own path by seeing the world differently. Also, shoutout to you for reading this!

Website: brokenpiecesproductions.com

Instagram: instagram.com/ijustgobyk

Facebook: Directed by Karan Wadhwa

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvTz9Ym6Lh4

Image Credits
Shot & Stylized by: Brian Lau