Today we’d like to introduce you to John Draekul
Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started filming auditions for my wife in 2016. I continued to play around with the camera and see what I could do with it and in 2018, I wrote and directed my first short film, Swipe Right. After that, I was hooked and went on to create 4 more short films and 2 music videos. I am currently in post-production for a documentary about tribute artists called Borrowing Fame and I will be filming my first narrative feature, Haunt Ma, in late Spring 2025.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was a very rough road in the beginning. Coming from a more traditional career, there were so many people who doubted me and cautioned me not to try to make a change to movies. As I worked hard, to begin to make a name for myself, the road got a little easier. Some people began to believe in me. Others saw my lack of experience as an easy chance to try to take advantage of me. I keep fighting and the road keeps getting smoother. Through it all my wife has stood by my side and we have worked to bring all of our ideas to life.
We’ve been impressed with Draekul Films, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I run this independent film company with my wife, Brittany Myra Smith, and we are led by passion and love of the art form. We strive to present untold stories and make people think in a new way.
The biggest thing that sets us apart from others is that we always strive to find the best person for the role without regard to their following, amount of past work, or demographics.
First and foremost we want to make sure that the best movie that we can make, gets made. A big part of that is making sure that everyone on set feels welcome and valued.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The biggest lesson that I learned from the Covid-19 crisis was to always be adaptable. Right before lockdowns were put in place I had wrapped principal photography on my short film Esther’s Will. While reviewing the footage we found that we needed some B-roll shots of an actor, but we couldn’t meet up. We had to use some unique angles and make it look like my legs were his. We figured it out and made it work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.draekulfilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draekulfilms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DraekulFilms
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@draekulfilms
