5Q's w/: Michelle Fenn "Beyond the Herd" Director, Producer

QUESTION#1: What excited you the most when making this film?: I set out to make a horse film for non horse people, hoping I could bridge a niche topic to a universal theme - feeling like you don't belong, and shedding light on conservation issues of wild horses. It's been exciting to see that goal come to fruition, and to experience that connection real time with each audience we screen with. This short doc also presented the challenge of only having two days to capture all of the footage that I needed. I loved the additional experience this gave me as a filmmaker, testing my pre-production planning and execution abilities to be both detailed and extremely judicious with all of my choices. It's been a "wild" ride (pun intended).

QUESTION#2: What was the most significant film you've seen AT THE THEATER in 2024, and how did it influence your filmmaking?: I watched an unhinged amount of scripted television and doc series in 2024 and spent less time at the actual theatre this year, and the standouts for me were American Nightmare and Britney Vs Spears. Both re-instilled how important our jobs are as filmmakers, especially in documentary filmmaking, as green lighting a project can completely change a person's life.

QUESTION#3: What's an obvious and not-so-obvious question someone might ask about your film?: Usually a statement I get is usually something along the lines of "Wait, we have wild horses in the U.S?" and then it's generally followed by "What can I do to help the situation?"

A not-so-obvious question might be "How did you discover this story?"

QUESTION#4: A magic movie genie is giving you an unlimited budget for your next production! However, you're only allowed to use it on either "above line" or "below line" resouces. Which do you choose and why?: As a scripted filmmaker, talent sells scripts so I'd pour it onto my director, writer and actors. From a documentary perspective, post production can really make or break a project, so I'd chose that to have a limitless budget for my editor, composer, sound, colorists, etc. I have projects in development on both sides, so if this genie wants to materialize, you know where to find me.

QUESTION#5: What is it about your current movie that will influence your next film?: I have a doc series in development that is loosely inspired by the subject matter and style of this short doc.

Social media tags to share with our readers: @michelle_fenn, @beyondtheherdfilm