Director Haolu Wang explores journeys from within through psychological drama and fantasy, most recently directing the Hotel Reverie episode of Black Mirror.
We spoke with Haolu on the ways in which directing anthology series differs from episodic work, and the prep work that went into her Black Mirror episode.
Read our conversation below.
Image courtesy of Netflix
What was your path into filmmaking?
I was an investment banker in Hong Kong, but I’ve always loved cinema growing up in China. One day I watched an Ingmar Bergman film that changed my life. I quit my job and used up my savings for an MA making shorts. I wrote, directed, produced, edited, did sound effects and everything on my first short, Flip Flops. It went to some big film festivals and eventually earned me a place at UK’s National Film and Television school on the Directing Fiction MA course, where I trained as a director.
How did you make the shift into TV directing?
My second short, The Pregnant Ground, got me an agent, a foot in the industry and my first TV job directing the Easter Special of Doctor Who starring Jodie Whittaker. After that I met Executive Producer Will Gould at Moonage Pictures and convinced him to bring me on to direct the second block of Bodies. I spent two years directing episodes 5-8 of the show and I loved every minute of it. I received a BAFTA nomination for it and felt extremely lucky and grateful that Will took a leap of faith on me. I learned loads from the entire process and the success of Bodies got me more attention in the industry. Later I was introduced to Black Mirror executive producer Jessica Rhoades and creator Charlie Booker. I loved the script of Hotel Reverie and felt like I got the dream job in directing it.
Image courtesy of Netflix
How did you approach directing Black Mirror as opposed to other series?
Bodies is episodic and Black Mirror is an anthology series, so the experiences between these two have been very different. When it’s episodic, as a director, I’m very much part of a huge ecosystem, especially as a second block director on Bodies, I had to adapt to what the first block was doing — we were double banking and shooting concurrently. We also follow each character a lot longer. The dramatic shape per episode is different — you have to think about ending on a certain note, to make the audiences continue watching. Black Mirror: Hotel Reverie was a standalone 90-page script, nearly feature length. I treated it as a film within the Black Mirror universe. As a director, it feels creative and free because you get to realise your vision for it. It is exhilarating.
How long was your prep and what did that time allow you to achieve?
Prep time is precious. We spent the three months casting, assembling a stellar team of creatives, scouting locations and finding the right stages for studio builds. The most special time I had was a week-long rehearsal with Issa Rae and Emma Corrin. It was really fun. We talked about the story, the characters, and I made up a few improv games — one of them was Emma being a blind prisoner and Issa trying to convince her to leave the cage she was born into. I played the prison guard. It was hilarious. By the time we got on set, we already knew each other and that definitely helped crafting this emotional intimate story. My producer Susie Liggat made sure we had a day on the actual hotel set to prep the black and white look. Emma and Issa had a moment to be alone on the hotel set to immerse themselves in the 40’s world. On that day, we did camera tests, lighting tests, hair and make up tests, and costume tests to determine the right choices per department to achieve an aesthetic in black and white we were happy with. It was invaluable for all the cast and crew.
Image courtesy of Netflix
Hotel Reverie is set in a high-tech, unusually immersive remake of a vintage British film, sending the lead character into another dimension to act alongside AI generated characters from the original film. Do these themes bring up thoughts for you about the future of filmmaking and technology?
I feel that Hotel Reverie presents a more positive way AI can be used, in the revival of old films. But the story itself doesn’t come alive because of the technology. It comes alive when the lead characters fall in love. It comes alive when Clara connects with her real self and becomes human rather than an AI. I hope Hotel Reverie celebrates humanity and reminds people that falling in love is the most creative thing, and that it is built on genuine connection and vulnerability.
What interests you about psychological narratives?
I’m primarily interested in people’s interior world. That’s how I connect with people — I like to know who they are, from the inside. People interest me, fascinate me. I find endless narratives within us. In my approach to directing, I try to make everything feel alive. I hope the audience can feel the life I inject into the work.
What’s coming up next for you?
I’m developing my first feature film Monster in the Lake with my wonderful producers Sophie Vickers and Julia Godzinskaya with the support of the BFI.
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