Meet Xander Herman | Cinematographer & Producer

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

Hi Xander, how do you think about risk?
There are two different types of risk that you tend to take in filmmaking. One type of risk is where you are out in danger, which I usually find myself in on documentaries. This risk I was certainly more open to when I was younger. I ended up shooting a doc on a band putting on a show in Honduras, and before I went I knew there were certain risks I was taking in the process to film the doc. While we were there we were lucky enough to stay in a hotel that had a pool and one night we got a chance to swim. We were the only ones in the pool until two large tatted men and two women jumped in the pool. When I got out I noticed that there were armed militia surrounding the perimeter and entrance of the hotel. I rushed out to my room and before I got to my door I could hear bullets whizzing through the trees above me. The next morning I was having breakfast with one of the locals and he told me that the men we saw were Nicaraguan Cartels. Although these risks where you are in harm’s way tend to make for better stories; it is the creative risks that are truly more fun in this industry. Almost every job has a certain level of creative risk, where the narratives that I do tend to have the highest level of creative risk. Whether it is a new way to tell a story, a new way to shoot something or just using a new or different piece of gear; creative risks are what push you forward in this career. I recently shot a feature and the narrative was a lot of vignettes of the past. We wanted the film to have a feeling like you are holding a polaroid and thinking of a fond memory so we shot it in 4:3 aspect ratio. When we made this decision and started to shoot; I questioned if I was making the right choice with every bone in my body. Then you finish it and see the end result and realize that the risk ultimately pushed the creative in a new and interesting direction. I try to finesse something I have never done into every one of my projects if it makes sense creatively with the story. Filming everything in the same way can definitely lead to refinement but if you are doing everything the same out of comfort then you will always miss out on creating something new and exciting.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis and always knew I wanted to be an artist but never really quite understood what that meant. I loved to paint, draw, and even make little films on my hi8 camera. Since I was also pretty good at math growing up; I ended up trying to pursue a future in architecture since it seemed like the most grounded option. Growing up in the Midwest; film didn’t really seem like a possible career choice but more of an opulent dream. When it came to applying to schools I chose USC because it has an Architecture program as well as a film program.

My first semester of architecture was rough, but there was one class that I excelled in and that was a class that constantly had us make videos. Every time we would screen the best videos in class for the assignments and just about every time mine was chosen. At the end of the first year in the program; I decided that architecture wasn’t for me and switched into film. Which took some time after getting denied from the school twice.

There were many challenges that I faced before I finally figured out what I wanted to do in life. That twisting and winding road ultimately prepared me for the very uncertainty that comes with working in this field. Between recessions, covid and industry strikes; it hasn’t been easy to stay afloat but knowing that this is where I am supposed to be has helped me weather the intermittent storms.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them around LAX several times, go to In n Out then finish with a grand finale at the Hollywood walk of fame! Kidding, but in a town like LA it always is hard to really see everything this city has to offer. Most likely I would start the day by getting a breakfast burrito at my favorite spot, Tacos Villa Corona, then either go on one of the many hikes this city has to offer or check out one of the many amazing flea markets. If it is during the summer then I would certainly take them to a summer concert in LA because there are many of them. KCRW has the “Summer Nights’ concerts and they are always amazing. If it was the winter then I would most likely take them to a vintage theater, The Vista, hasn’t reopened yet.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shout out is definitely dedicated to my colleagues at Beyond the Porch and every other director that has collaborated with me.

Website: https://www.xanderherman.com

Instagram: @xanderherm

Image Credits
I took all the photos