Director and filmmaker Gary Wheeler chatted about directing “Blue Ridge: The Series.”
‘Blue Ridge: The Series’
“I loved every minute of show-running ‘Blue Ridge: The Series’,” he exclaimed. “My favorite part of this industry is building communities and working with incredibly talented people, and we do that every day on the set of ‘Blue Ridge’.”
“Plus, I got to create a show set in my beautiful home state of North Carolina,” he added.
Working with the cast of actors on ‘Blue Ridge: The Series’
Wheeler praised his cast of actors, which include Johnathon Schaech, Jesse Kove, Mike O’Hearn, and James Maslow, among others. “All these guys are a dream to work with,” he exclaimed.
“They are supremely talented and professional. They show up on time, know their lines, and bring their ‘A’ game every single day to every single take,” he noted.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations as filmmaker, he revealed, “2025 will be my 30th year in the industry, and what still motivates me is telling stories of hope to an audience around the world.”
“Hope is one of the most powerful forces, and I want to reflect that in everything I do,” he acknowledged.
Future plans
On his future plans, he shared, “Right now, we are in the middle of shooting Season 2
of ‘Blue Ridge: The Series,’ and it’s going fantastic.”
Career-defining moments
When asked about his career-defining moments, he responded, “I’ve been blessed to work with so many talented people and some of the most special moments I’ve had have been finding myself working with actors that I’ve always looked up to.”
“People like Johnathon Schaech, Jill Wagner, Neal McDonough, Matthew Modine, Sarah Lancaster, Esai Morales, A Martinez, Bruce Boxleitner, Martin Kove, and many more,” he elaborated.
“To call them all friends, in addition to collaborators, has been amazing,” he added.
Advice for young and aspiring filmmakers
For young and emerging filmmakers, Wheeler said, “This is a hard business, and you had better love it, or you won’t be able to make it. But if you do love it, then stay in the
game.”
“Know that it will be hard, but everybody goes through hard things. If you love what you do, let that passion fuel you and keep moving you ahead. You must also study your craft and develop a muscle that makes you a lifelong learner,” he elaborated.
“There is always room to grow,” he underscored.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “To me, success means having a family that loves me, working with people I like and admire, and doing the one thing I feel I was put on this Earth to do.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Blue Ridge: The Series’
For fans and viewers, he remarked, “I want viewers to see that this show was made with a lot of love and heart by a group of people who want to make a difference in this world.”
To learn more about filmmaker and director Gary Wheeler, follow him on Instagram.
