The figurative meaning of viewing “through a prism” reflects a way of thinking about or observing something that causes you to see or understand it differently. You might see something through the prism of memory or time, for example. In the case of Han West, partner/executive producer at New York-based Washington Square Films, his multi-faceted assessment of the recently concluded South by Southwest (SXSW) 2025 Conference & Festival in Austin, Texas, comes from varied perspectives–as a session speaker as well as in the context of premiering a feature film, laying the groundwork for another movie, and soaking in the experience as an attendee looking to network with those he might not come across otherwise.
As a speaker, West engaged in a SXSW fireside chat, “Surviving Creativity: How Production People Carry On,” with Maria Fabro, European production consultant and executive producer of Ukraine-based 23/32 Films. West shared that his experience as a producer has positively impacted and helped shape his life. Often asked to problem solve on set or location when encountered with the unforeseen or with adverse circumstances has trained him well for dealing with the pitfalls of everyday life. His initial response now as a person is to figure out a way to navigate through troubles and come out better on the other side. He observed that dealing with risk on a production is “kind of like parenting” in that there’s “no rulebook” as you make decisions for the people around you–to protect them first and foremost while also protecting the content you’re supposed to deliver. A producer continually has to figure out where the line is drawn in that ongoing balancing act. You lead people through “muck and mire,” he said, noting that a successful shoot ultimately finds that everyone is safe, sound and fed, and the project has been realized from executional and creative standpoints.
However, a new deeper meaning was given to dealing with crisis as West marveled at Fabro’s experience working in Ukraine as it’s under siege by Russia. For example, Fabro talked about shooting logistics which had to incorporate access to a bomb shelter, and deploying a “de-mining squad” to make sure locations were safe from landmines. She observed that her job was to protect people while somehow helping to make creativity thrive.
While projects have continued in Ukraine during the Russian invasion–including Fabro helping to facilitate Sean Penn’s documentary, Superpower, featuring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy–23/32 Films has also diversified into supporting productions throughout Europe.
West told SHOOT he was struck by how humble Fabro was about her circumstances as she also showed empathy for crises experienced elsewhere, including the global COVID pandemic and the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. “That’s something I admired in her,” related West who added that “our hope for the panel was for it to be a little bit cathartic for the people who were listening,” underscoring that producers and assorted other craftspeople are part of a community dedicated to finding the inner strength to cope and uncover “pathways to higher ground.” West noted that producing “prepares you for almost anything. You feel prepared to act. Paralysis is fatal on a film set, fatal in prep, fatal I would say in life itself. You have got to react and move when things befall you. You have to act and move.” At SXSW, talking with Fabro was a highlight for West who found her inspiring.
During the course of the fireside chat, the subject of artificial intelligence–and its perceived threat to physical production–was also touched upon. West brought up the “fabric” of the situation, literally, likening AI to the introduction of nylon or polyester. While synthetic fiber has its place, people will still want handmade clothing like a tailored wool suit. All clothes will not be made exclusively of polyester. People will aspire to something only world-class craftsmanship can create–in attire and in production. Fabro chimed in that part of a producer’s responsibility is to “preserve craft.”
West later told SHOOT that AI has a part in the process, and carries utility value particularly in pre-roll ads and other social media vehicles. But he remains a steadfast believer in the “intrinsic value of human input.” He added that “conjuring humanity is a really difficult thing to do. I’m a believer that only humans can do that. AI can be an accessory to that process but will never circumvent that process.”
The in-theater experience
When Sean Baker accepted the Best Director Oscar earlier this month for Anora, he made an impassioned plea for the theatrical motion picture. “Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater,” he affirmed, adding that it’s “a communal experience you don’t get at home.” The shared experience of being in an audience–being moved to tears, laughter, or stunned into silence–is like no other. And it is all the more invaluable in a world where we’ve become increasingly divided.
West experienced that in-theater dynamic with the premiere of Washington Square Films’ alluded to feature, The Dutchman, directed by Andre Gaines who also served as co-writer. The film introduces us to Clay (portrayed by André Holland), a successful but troubled Black businessman who attends therapy sessions with his wife, Kaya (Zazie Beetz), in an attempt to salvage their marriage. But their therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson) is not all that he seems to be–and he begins to unexpectedly appear to Clay outside of their sessions. On a New York subway, Clay encounters Lula (Kate Mara), a seductive but sinister white stranger who slowly begins to unravel his life. Clay must discover the truth behind this encounter to get back to his wife, heal his soul, and survive the night. A modern adaptation of Amiri Baraka’s 1964 Obie Award winning play, The Dutchman deftly explores themes of race and identity in America.
A veteran of the festival circuit, West values the premiere screenings of an indie film and found that of The Dutchman at SXSW especially gratifying. Though he isn’t sure this is the case, West feels the audience in Austin is a bit more inclusive with greater representation from the general public as opposed to just cinephiles and film industry insiders. The Dutchman was well received and the SXSW exposure brought light to the arduous journey of making an indie film, related West.
Though he wasn’t yet at liberty to discuss specifics relative to distribution, West said that The Dutchman made significant gains at SXSW and that the film has a definite future.
Speaking of the future, SXSW also had a hand in helping Washington Square Films’ next feature to move forward. While West could not talk in detail publicly, he noted that a filmmaker was at the festival debuting a feature. West had dinner with that director during the course of the fest, paving the way for them to work together on the upcoming production.
Soaking it in
As an attendee, West was also able to soak in the SXSW experience from another vantage point. He recalled one afternoon which turned into evening as he sought out the work of a director he admired, Jake Oleson, who took part in SXSW’s XR Experience Competition with Currents, a live-action VR film created for the Apple Vision Pro. Currents follows Linh, a young woman leaving her tranquil countryside in Vietnam for the high energy of Ho Chi Minh City. As she navigates the chaos of urban life, the film examines how rapidly growing cities reshape our identities, dreams, and connections, offering a poignant reflection on the human cost of progress. Blending traditional filmmaking with motion capture, intricate animation, and an original score by Oleson, Currents taps into Vision Pro’s experiential fidelity, bringing viewers into Linh’s world as she breaks generations of farming tradition to forge a life of her own in one of the world’s fastest-growing cities.
West loved being engaged immersively with Currents via Apple Vision Pro, then got to meet Oleson and others. West went on to a late night festival party with several of these colleagues, hanging out at a speakeasy type environment. There he came in contact with a disparate group of people with backgrounds spanning commerce, filmmaking, brands, ad agencies, even a policy person from Meta. Exchanging ideas and perspectives, networking with this eclectic mix of folks, proved to be yet another benefit of being at SXSW.
Big picture assessment
West is a veteran of the festival circuit on the feature and commercialmaking fronts, regularly attending the Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the Venice Film Festival, Sundance, the Toronto International Film Festival and Tribeca, among others. Going back several years, he felt that SXSW’s reach across varied arenas, including features, commercials and interactive, bordered on being cacophonous and a bit overwhelming, making it “hard to parse where to go and what to do.”
Now, though, the overlapping of disciplines is more coherent, clear and relatable. West found conversations about production spanning commercials, features, AI and other technologies to be deeper, longer and “of greater utility for someone like myself.” He described SXSW 2025 as “one of the best festival experiences I’ve ever had”–not just for SXSW but across all the different festivals he’s attended.
West’s favorable assessment is colored by not only his different capacities at this year’s fest but also the feeling of the event being simpatico with Washington Square Films which is turning 30 years old. He observed that SXSW “this time around had the kind of eclecticism that we try to exemplify as a proudly New York company. Whether by necessity or intentionally, everybody has to be multidisciplinary as we’ve been–in independent film, commercials and more recently, live theater. It’s hard to find venues where you’re not leaving part of your own identity at the table. We often go to places which cover one aspect of your creative sphere.”
By contrast, West noted that he and Washington Square Films founder Joshua Blum felt that this year’s SXSW–marked by an organic meshing of disciplines–reflected the entirety of their production and management company’s identity. West has contributed to that identity over the years as his work has played Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW and the Super Bowl, gaining recognition from the likes of Cannes and the Film Independent Spirit Awards. He has produced numerous feature films, hundreds of commercials, and other forms of content including VR and experiential. The Spirit Award nomination came in 2018 for Best First Feature on the strength of director Atsuko Hirayanagi’s Oh Lucy! which also garnered a pair of Cannes Film Festival nods–for the Golden Camera honor as well as the Critics’ Week Grand Prize.
