The Gardener

Jude Icarus is a New York based musical and performance artist with an eye for contrasts: between beauty and ugliness, human and mechanical, intimacy and alienation, control and loss. His work is darkly cinematic, both in the evocative scope of his songwriting and the expansive visual world around it. Layers of abstract vocals swell, masked … Read more

For a long time, we’ve given the same advice to filmmakers about making a short. Don’t do it. Make a feature instead. However, our recent series of discussions on ultra microbudget filmmaking have pushed us to reconsider. Or at least add a little nuance into the conversation. (Nuance = the acknowledgement that issues might not … Read more

For our Artist Member Spotlight this month, meet another winner of the 2024 10×10 contest. Rachel Lisbona is a filmmaker from Brazil who recently graduated from a dual degree program at Columbia University and Tel Aviv University. After graduation, she plans to move to Los Angeles to start her career in film. Before then, she … Read more

HV and Film Independent are excited to announce the winners of the 10×10 contest for 2025. For this year’s contest, we awarded one year of Artist Memberships to 10 emerging filmmakers from CalArts, Columbia, UCLA, and Yale. The winners also received a full year of Filmmaker Pro memberships from Film Independent. As HV Artist Members, each of the winners … Read more

On April 15, HieronyVision and Film Independent hosted the installment of On a Shoestring, our series of discussions on Ultra Microbudget Filmmaking. In this panel talk moderated again by HV founder Felix Werner, filmmaker Toby Jones and producer/filmmaker Liz Manashil (Speed of Life, Bread and Butter) discussed their work on the upcoming indie AJ Goes to the Dog Park. … Read more

For this month’s Artist Member Spotlight, we focus on a painter featured in HV’s original series the art of Art (now streaming). Mark Acetelli is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work explores the dance of the conscious and unconscious. Growing up in Detroit in artistic family, Mark can recall the aromas of turpentine and oil … Read more

On March 18, HieronyVision and Film Independent hosted a virtual panel discussion with the creative team behind the award-winning independent film 7 Days. Director/co-writer Roshan Sethi (A Nice Indian Boy, World’s Best), actor/co-writer Karan Soni (Deadpool, Miracle Workers), and producer Liz Cardenas (A Ghost Story, Never Goin’ Back) shared insights from their experience making a film for … Read more

For this month’s Artist Member Spotlight, we introduce another winner of our 10×10 contest. Daphne Joyce Wu is a Midwest-born and raised writer, filmmaker, and actress, currently studying Film & Media Studies at Yale University. She has directed four short films: a drama, Black Coffee (2024), a comedy The Very Sad Tale of Gerald Humm (2024), a romantic comedy Heartbreak … Read more

If you’re familiar with what we’re trying to do here at HieronyVision, then you know we’re committed to independent film. Not just “indie” in the trendy sense. Especially not the often formulaic but independently financed and produced features with A-List stars looking to score acting credibility (and satisfy the overseas sales reps in the process). … Read more

Originally from Nigeria, Ugo Nwachuku is an Actor and Creative Artist currently based in Montreal, Canada. In his journey through the arts, he studied at Drexel University in Philadelphia, where he discovered a love of both literature and philosophy, especially the works of Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut, Søren Kierkegaard, and Marcus Aurelius. After college, he has … Read more

For many, the wildfires that devastated LA already feel like a distant memory. This is understandable. Such is the hyper-frenetic pace of news, disasters, outrages, and other distractions in our age. We don’t intend to judge. However, at HieronyVision, we’re still putting the pieces back together as we process the aftermath. We have no other … Read more

For our last spotlight of 2024, meet another winner of the 10×10 and participant in the HV Film Incubator program, Romina Samaniego. She is a filmmaker from Paraguay currently studying at Columbia University. From a young age, Romina had a passion for the arts, especially painting and dance. This love for art led her to participate … Read more

If you’re here, you’re probably interested in independent movies. You may even want the same thing to make independent films. So why not do it? Too many filmmakers sit on the sidelines. They try to make that dazzling short film. They work their way up in various industry jobs, hoping to catch a break. Even … Read more

Meet another rising filmmaker from the 10×10 winners! Ellie Atlee is a writer-director originally from Los Angeles currently finishing her double major in History and Film and Media Studies at Yale University. Ellie got into filmmaking at age 17 with an unauthorized feature length adaptation of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Unfortunately, she’s unable to share that work, as … Read more

This Halloween, we’re offering a different kind of reissue. Enjoy this real-life true crime horror story that’s unfolding in real time! We say it all the time. Story is everything. We encourage people to tell their stories, from children just learning to talk to elders counting down the number of words they have left. Those … Read more

Meet another winner of the 10×10 contest from Film Independent and HV! Elijah Joshua Pajarillaga is a young filmmaker from Saipan, a small island in the Pacific. He followed his dream to direct movies from those tiny shores all the way to Connecticut, where he is currently studying at Wesleyan University’s College of Film. His upbringing … Read more

There’s a football game tonight. Did you know that? Or rather, how could we know that? Chances are, no matter when you’re reading this, a commercially luxrative football organization will be cashing in on its streamlined version of modern gladiatorial games. Thankfully, in recent years, the physical and mental toll of the game on players’ … Read more

For our next Artist Member Spotlight series, we’ll be introducing one of the winners of the 10×10 contest each month. Meet Victoria Cornejo! Victoria is an Ecuadorian-Indian filmmaker and fashion designer based in New York and Connecticut. She currently majors in Film Studies at Wesleyan University. Victoria works across numerous mediums such as photography, film, … Read more

HV and Film Independent are excited to announce the winners of the 10×10 contest. In this year’s contest, we awarded one year of Artist Memberships to 8 emerging filmmakers from CalArts, Columbia, Wesleyan, and Yale. We also selected 2 non-film school winners ages 18-25 from an open application. The winners also received a full year of Filmmaker … Read more

HieronyVision is proud to announce the extension of our Film Incubator project. Through this program, HV will continue to help filmmakers independently develop, produce, market, and distribute their first feature. How It Works The focus of the Film Incubator is on microbudget productions, based on our continued belief that this is the future of truly … Read more

At HV, we’ve been telling a pretty consistent story lately. If we want a future for truly independent film, we have to make it ourselves. And if we’re making it ourselves, we’re doing it on a microbudget. “But I can’t make a movie for less than $100,000!” Yes, you can. Here’s an incomplete list of … Read more

For our Artist Member Spotlight this month, meet Tivoli Silas! Tivoli is a writer and filmmaker from Tampa, Florida currently based in the Los Angeles area. Tivoli recently received her MFA in Film Production, Directing Emphasis from Chapman University. A long-standing desire to create and tell stories has led Tivoli to pursue a career in … Read more

We are excited to announce that episodes covering all 13 artists featured in the first seasons of the art of Art are now available to stream on HieronyVision. The flagship original series focuses on the artists you need to know in the Southern California art world. Host Shane Guffogg, an internationally celebrated painter and sculptor, … Read more

For our Artist Member spotlight this month, we introduce you to Solana Adedokun! Solana is a Nigerian-American filmmaker, animator, artist, and writer currently based in Chicago. She describes her unique voice as a mix of jollof rice, a voracious love of animation, and showtunes, even though she’s not sure those things can actually be mixed. … Read more

On March 19, HieronyVision proudly sponsored On a Budget: The Evolution of Microbudget Filmmaking hosted by our friends at Film Independent. The sold out live event offered a fascinating panel discussion about the highs, lows, pains and joys of making movies on a microbudget. HieronyVision founder Felix Werner moderated the discussion, which featured the panelists … Read more

Last month, the online magazine Canvas Rebel featured an interview with none other than Felix Werner, founder of HieronyVision. In the conversation, Felix talks about his inspiration for creating an online hub and platform for artists and storytellers. Longtime HV Members and loyal readers of the Garden blog may find some of this sounds familiar: … Read more

For this month’s Artist Member spotlight, meet Jacob Harding! Originally from Kansas City, Jacob is a writer and director based in Los Angeles. His humble filmmaking origins started at the age of 12 with a cheeky parody video called Fatman. After studying film in high school and college, he moved to LA with his brother … Read more

Max Bosch makes a provocative argument against the idea that video games define the future of storytelling. But what will?

As part of our new series, we caught up with Artist Member Alis Lopez this month. Alis is a Mexican-American filmmaker, artist, and sound designer currently working and living in San Francisco. Alis was also one of two filmmakers selected for the inaugural HV Film Incubator program. She talks about her experience discovering HieronyVision and … Read more

It’s a new year at HV. It’s time for a new creative ecosystem. Here’s why.

This week, HieronyVision hosted a special sneak preview of upcoming episodes of The Art of Art. The event took place in an intimate brick-and-mortar pop-up site in Los Angeles, with special invitations going out to HV Artist Members and The Art of Art series contributors. The new episodes featured intimate conversations with painter Michael Rosenfeld, … Read more

Haven’t tuned into the art of Art recently? It’s not too late to catch up on the new episodes of HV’s flagship original documentary series! In the art of Art, host Shane Guffogg introduces us to some of the most exciting contemporary artists in Los Angeles. The most recent episode features Jim McHugh, a photographer … Read more

Happy Halloween from the entire team at HV! Our annual tradition is to dig into our archives to offer our fans a special treat. This year, we’re breaking out the good candy. The late, great character actor and director Norman Lloyd talks about his friend and collaborator Alfred Hitchcock. It turns out that Hitchcock’s wicked … Read more

It’s not every week we have something truly groundbreaking to share at HieronyVision. This week, we are excited to announce our newest project, the HV Film Incubator. Through this initiative, HV will help develop, produce, market and distribute the debut feature films of two young directors. The program grew out of the inaugural group of … Read more

HieronyVision is proud to sponsor this year’s Film Independent Forum happening this weekend! The event takes place on September 29 & 30 at the Directors Guild in Los Angeles. The in-person forum includes exclusive looks at new works from Pedro Almodovar and a screening of Billy Luther’s Frybread Face and Me, a festival favorite at … Read more

Throughout history, the humble café, provider of hot coffee and sweet cakes, has disproportionately drawn artists, writers, and other intellectuals. How many of our greatest works of art and literature began as a doodle or hastily jotted lines in a coffee-stained notebook? How many revolutionary ideas began as caffeine fueled conversations? How many movements started … Read more

We were saddened to hear the news about our friend Nancy Buirski, a great advocate for documentary film. Buirski produced, championed, and directed numerous award-winning documentaries. Her films often dealt with the role of race in society, covering subjects as diverse as forgotten hate crimes and beloved tennis stars. Perhaps her best known film told … Read more

More than 40 years ago, a small American independent film from a quirky character actor and French arthouse auteur revolutionized storytelling. With a middle finger pointed firmly in the direction of Sergei Eisenstein’s montage theory, My Dinner with Andre returned cinema to the more theatrical staging of the early silent film era. The catch? It’s … Read more

The ’95 Thesis Almost 30 years ago, Denmark’s two most bombastic directors lit a fuse. Inspired by the French New Wave, while at the same time rejecting many of the movement’s artistic principles, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg sought to purify cinema through a set of rules. The cheekily named Vow of Chastity (just … Read more

Last month, HV contributor Gus Greene took an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Roger Corman. At first glance, it might seem strange. Why would an independent arts site that releases 7-hour silent French cinema serials would get inspired by a man whose best film of this century is Sharktopus? However, as Greene … Read more

Starting in July, HV presents a regular look back at some films that have faded from our cultural consciousness. This isn’t your typical movie recommendation. Though we think every film in this series has some value. So we’re setting out some ground rules. What Makes a Forgotten Film? Like all descriptions of art, forgotten films … Read more

On May 15, HieronyVision and Film Independent surprised 30 young filmmakers with a year of free membership in recognition of their talents. The winners of the 30 x 30 contest were hand-selected by both organizations. 25 of the winners are current film school students at NYU, UCLA, CSU Los Angeles, University of Chicago, and Chapman … Read more

We lost a friend, mentor, and inspiration this week in Harry Mastrogeorge. Harry was a beloved acting coach who first began teaching the craft in 1956. In the past 70 years, he has worked with a number of notable performers: Robert Redford, Bryan Cranston, and Elle Fanning, just to name a few. At the age … Read more

Okay, maybe we’re becoming a bit death obsessed at HieronyVision. This week, we’re talking about the death of storytelling. At least it’s not a literal death? In the new piece out this week, our brother from another mother Max Bosch examines the detrimental effects of social media on storytelling. Spoiler alert: he basically says that … Read more

New on HV this week: a potentially controversial reassessment of the classic 1966 version of Alfie starring Michael Caine. That’s right, Alfie! If you haven’t thought about that movie ever, we don’t entirely blame you. The piece by HV Artist Member and film writer Adam D-F focuses on two scenes. One’s crucial to the plot … Read more

Here’s a crazy idea: artists don’t have to make money from art to be successful. To some extent, this seems obvious. History is full of examples of celebrated artists who found no recognition and little reward in their own time: Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, Nick Drake. Financial success and artistic innovation are often two … Read more

New on HV! Max Bosch explains why talented directors shouldn’t direct big franchise movies. Whether you’re over-, under- or properly whelmed by Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Max makes a compelling case for rising filmmakers to stay away from Marvel. Read the excerpt below. Stop us when this starts to sound familiar. A young … Read more

This past year, HV hit the road! If we’ve been quieter than usual, that’s because we were filming on location in Europe for big chunk of 2022. If you follow us on social media, you may have heard about the documentary examining the life and legacy of Oskar Werner. The late Austrian actor, who would … Read more

Happy Thanksgiving from Max Bosch and the HV team! Enjoy these Max Bosch comics… and stay tuned for Max content on the site and social media! Penguins by Gerhard from Pixabay

For film and TV writers, the eternal dilemma: Should a screenwriter pursue their passion project, the story they love and believe in above all the other ideas in their notebook? Or should they write that script that can get made? Agents, managers, and producers will always say write the idea that sells. Press those same … Read more

We recently posted a piece written by our awesome summer intern Ethan B. about electro swing. The niche musical genre first gained traction in 2010 with the popularity of “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda Be Cool and DCup; the song, a reworking of Renato Carosone’s classic “Tu Vuò Fà L’Americano” was such a global … Read more

Now streaming EXCLUSIVELY on HV! In the newest episode of The Art of Art, host Shane Guffogg talks with the marvelous Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Find out how Michael went from filming the Beatles to painting whimsical, eclectic portraits.

The terrible assault on author Salman Rushdie last week served as a sobering reminder to artists of the continuous struggle for free expression. While the attempt on Rushdie’s life is the most extreme example, censorship continues to remain a potent political and cultural force, even in societies that protect free speech. Of course, the stated … Read more

In general, bots have a bad name on the internets. Bots can lie, cheat, steal—even from artists—not to mention undermine democracy. Or rather they get programmed to do all those things by bad actors until they can pass the Turing test and decide on their own whether to be complete dicks. Of course, most recently … Read more

Whether through the continued cultural dominance of The Simpsons and South Park (full disclosure: your humble Gardener no longer watches new episodes of either show), the globalization of anime, or the all-ages approach of Pixar, cartoons haven’t been just “kids’ stuff” for some time. In fact, some might even claim we’re at peak adult animation … Read more

Ten years ago, Tupac caused a collective freakout when he played Coachella. The deceased rap legend appeared as a hologram performing with the very much alive and in-person Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. A few years prior to that, Celine Dion sang a duet of “If I Can Dream” alongside Elvis Presley on American Idol. … Read more

Now streaming on HV! The newest episode of the art of Art spotlights Susanna Schulten. The German-born painter has straddled the worlds of art and film, which explains how she established herself in the LA scene. In this episode, host Shane Guffogg and Schulten discuss how she brings a storyteller’s sensibility to her neo-expressionist painting. … Read more

Your humble Gardener proudly presents another HV reissue: Friday the 13th edition. Maggie Hagan’s “Don’t Talk to Me Until I’ve Had My Coffee” is a surreal account of a day in Los Angeles. Or an average trip to Starbucks for actor James Cromwell. Enjoy! Considering how jittery I get and how I feel like my … Read more

The great comedic actor Robert Morse passed away this week. He was best known for his work on Broadway and roles in prestige television like Mad Men and American Crime Story. However, his singular role as a leading man in the oddball cult comedy The Loved One. Which is also the greatest movie about the … Read more

How did a middle-aged Victorian-era mother turn photography into a viable artform? Julia Margaret Cameron took up the still new media format of photography as a hobby when her children were grown and gone. While most of the other early practitioners of photography valued the more scientific applications of the medium, Cameron focused on the … Read more

The Smithsonian Institute usually preserves history. This past week, the museum made it with the decision to return its collection Benin Bronzes to their place of origin. For American and European cultural institutions, this could turn into the first domino in the repatriation of African works, as well as perhaps other pieces from former imperial … Read more

The world could always use a little more poetry. Please enjoy this piece by the award-winning poet Jeremy Schmidt as much as we do. -The Gardener Colorways So far as a sofa is softskin no matter how distant is sway. So long as near-silk and reduction run over it, nightbakingnights are clear sky. So near … Read more

Born the son of former slaves, Paul Laurence Dunbar carved out a significant place for black American voices in literature. Considered the first major Black American poet, Dunbar developed a few distinct voices. He distinguished himself not only as a master of literary works in the American Romantic tradition but also the use of Black … Read more

Back in the early days of HV, contributing editor Adam D-F published this in an essay from our series about the state of contemporary art: From the perspective of an interested observer, so much of the art today – painting, sculpture, video, performance, conceptual, multi-media installation – isn’t technically unsound but spiritually uninspired. Nor is … Read more

The Gardener, Max Bosch and friends at HV would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday this season! If Max says you’ve been nice, please enjoy this inspiring Christmas song from featured member William Carr. William is an incredibly talented singer-songwriter, originally from Maryland, trained in Los Angeles. We are proud to share … Read more

Harry Mastrogeorge is a legend in the acting community. As a teacher, he famously has rejected the idea that performers need to draw on their own experiences and emotions to understand their characters. He also has some thoughts about all those methods, starting with Stanislovski 👇 His notable students include Ray Liotta, Bryan Cranston and … Read more

Last month, HV hosted our first LIVE AND IN PERSON CONCERT EVENT! The evening featured performances from headliner Kate Grahn, along with singer-songwriter Michele Lu, pop/rocker Maisyn, Peter Saputo and a surprise set from LA-based alt rockers MatchHouse. The artists from this talented group of emerging performers brought their own style to the night. Michele … Read more

This week, HV released the newest episode of our EXCLUSIVE original series the art of Art. Hosted by artist Shane Guffogg, the show features in depth conversations between Shane and other artists in the contemporary LA art scene. The first episodes explored the world of expressionist painter Laura Hipke. In this newest release, Shane sits … Read more

No deals on cheap, disposable goods here. Why not? Because for $2/month (or $20/year if you REALLY like savings) you can join HV and help keep the small, independent arts alive. A membership includes access to all our EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, including original films, series, and featured members’ work. It also features additional benefits like invitations … Read more

The HV Featured Member is one of our favorite artists

As part of HV’s commitment to the arts LIVE & IN PERSON we are proud to present our FIRST FULL CONCERT. The event will take place in a private location and feature performances from up-and-coming Los Angeles area artists. Featured Member and HV Live alum Kate Grahn will headline the show. The evening will also … Read more

It was only a matter of time before crypto went to the movies. This week, Quentin Tarantino announced a secret auction of NFTs related to Pulp Fiction. On the one hand, this makes sense. Tarantino is the auteur equivalent of a viral video and blockbuster franchise—all of which had dominated the film and video NFT … Read more

Don’t worry if you missed Omar Zahzah’s vampire satire

We should be focusing on the role of new and social media in this American poetry renaissance

As a Bosch-inspired site, we’re not not jealous

Everything you REALLY need to know.

This summer, HV hosted our first in person live event to present the first episode of our newest series

The photographer and HV Featured Member chronicles two distinct worlds through his portraits.

It was a tough week for the alliance of sex workers and free speech advocates.

Now on HV! This EXCLUSIVE new series features intimate conversations with California’s most exciting artists. Host Shane Guffogg offers insights into how and why we make art

Art, porn, censorship, and smartphones. When the Louvre takes on PornHub, we all want to see who wins. But who should win? And why?

HieronyVision is proud to present a new original series from Featured Member Nick Hansen. Always the groomsman. Never the man. Will Knight is the perpetual groomsman. He has been standing by the lucky guy’s side in every one of his friends and family’s weddings. Over 15… not that anyone’s counting or anything. Can Will finally … Read more

How does one of the greatest, most memorable pop/folk songs ever recorded come to life? Apparently off the top of the head. In this vintage interview with Dick Cavett and Paul Simon, the legendary singer-songwriter describes the process behind composing “Mrs. Robinson” (with a heartwarming but humorous apology to the real-life Mr. Robinson, Mel Brooks). … Read more

Everything is for sale on the internet if you look in the right places, and love is no exception. Thanks to algorithms and dating apps, the “shop ‘til you drop” approach to romance has only tightened its stranglehold on modern society. Still, there’s something that’s disheartening – pun intended – if not deeply disturbing about … Read more

For Ruth Asawa, the materials were the message. Her hanging biomorphic wire sculptures represent the most visionary breakthrough in the history of modern sculpture. They were such a brilliant piece of experimentation that the Japanese-Amereican artist initially had to defend their categorization as sculptures to museums and galleries. In her own lifetime, Asawa achieved reasonable … Read more

Ask yourself a question: do you put more thought and effort into buying a pair of shoes online or whether to swipe right? It’s okay, we’re not judging you for it. A good pair of shoes can last years, while you might only get one awkward date out of that internet love connection. To be … Read more

As part of the new and improved HV, each month we will highlight one of our beloved featured members on the site and in the Garden. This month, we’re catching up with Chris Wu. Chris grew up in suburban Texas with Taiwanese immigrant parents. He studied economics at Yale and USC, and after a brief … Read more

Last week, we said goodbye to the oldest working actor in Hollywood. The legendary Norman Lloyd worked with everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Judd Apatow. He was a charter member of Orson Welles’s Mercury Theater. Yet his experience provided him with a wealth of stories and the wisdom of experience. His professional career extended across … Read more

If you’re a returning member or have ever visited our site before, you may have noticed a few changes around here. Don’t worry. All the old familiar content you loved is still around. It just might be in a different category. For starters, the Garden, this section, is now the official HV blog. It’s the … Read more

The great shame of the digital age: true independence and authentic community are becoming relics of an analog past. This is especially true for artists, as those pockets of culture, conversation and, by necessity, commerce that serve as beacons for the creative class had already begun to wither away before the coronavirus deemed them extinct. Somehow, in the name of saving civilization, it’s always … Read more

Careful readers may notice that they are in the Garden. Many of these featured posts are authored by the Gardener. So who exactly is the Gardener? So have you figured out who the %&#! the Gardener is? Let us know!

PROVOKE! Hey Instagram. We knew you’d shut us down. Even though we went out of our way to follow your written guidelines, as well as the shit you don’t mention but still enforce. We didn’t post any nude pictures, impersonate someone else or spread hate filled lies. Still, we knew you’d shut us down. See, … Read more

As part of the new and improved MUSIC section, we’ve added a new category: THE INDUSTRY. This section moves beyond individual artists to take a holistic look at music: how we make it, why we like it, how it transforms our culture. Features in this section will explore issues of cultural appropriation in hip-hop: Articles … Read more