Han West of Washington Square Films on Finding Common Ground

And how DIY projects keep him sane

Han is EVP of production and a producer at Washington Square Films. 

We spent two minutes with Han to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired. 

Han, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in West Newton, Mass., and I currently live in New York.

How did you first realize you were creative?

There is a video of me at about 5 years old. I’m standing in front of a world map, explaining where every country is located. Everything I’m saying is factually inaccurate. But I was, in my own way, making sense of the world through a fabrication that borrowed a little from reality and a little from my imagination. Isn’t that what creatives do—present their version of the world?

A person you idolized creatively early on.

In film, it was Darren Aronofsky, whose Pi showed me that even if it’s just one man in a room for most of the story, great storytelling in cinema is possible (and affordable). For music, it was Zach De La Rocha from Rage Against the Machine. He was the first artist who showed me that music can transcend the medium and spark ideas and movements. 

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

The summer after my freshman year of college, I went home to Boston and found out that a Scorsese film—The Departed—was shooting in town. I found the set and handed out copies of my resume to anyone who would take them. A few days later, I was offered a job as a production assistant. I worked on set for five weeks, eventually being given the coveted “lock up” of Marty’s tent, where I was able to observe him working with DiCaprio, Damon and Nicholson. My fate was sealed after that lucky break. I had to be a part of the motion picture industry.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

Cy Twombly. His work is raw and emotional and deceptively simple. Some people might say his work looks like it’s drawn by a child. I’d agree. And that’s what I love about it. Ridding yourself of formality and getting back to pure, honest forms of expression is one of the hardest things to do.

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on. 

Working with Pedro Almodóvar on The Room Next Door has been a career highlight. I was fortunate to be an executive producer and support him alongside Josh Blum and Washington Square Films for his first production in the U.S. (with all English dialogue!). Pedro is a master, and his confidence, specificity and sheer aura made him unlike anyone else I have ever worked with. His team was incredible—from sound mixers to producers—and it proved to me how mastery in film requires an astute ability to grow with great collaborators.

A recent project you’re proud of. 

I’ve been working with director Andrew Lane for the last few years on the “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign, with the brilliant minds at Gerry Graf and Maxi Itzkoff’s agency Slap Global. For the most recent installment, “Chip Cam”, we shot a live stunt with David Beckham and Thierry Henry in front of 80,000 people at San Siro Stadium in Milan. It took six months of planning and a coalition of collaborators for an execution that lasted less than five minutes. The stakes could not have been higher and we pulled it off. It’s been gathering a lot of awards lately. But the fact that it’s something that’s never been done before (and may never be done again) is the real source of pride.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

Alejandro González Iñárritu is a director I’ve admired since his first film, Amores Perros. But his career in commercials is also noteworthy. In 2012, he directed a commercial for P&G’s Summer Olympics campaign centered around Mother’s Day. It portrayed the rigor and tenacity required of individual athletes to be able to compete on a global stage. But the spot takes an emotional turn when we land on images of the mothers who were there every step of the way. I cried. Maybe a few times. The work is a prime example of the powerful storytelling that advertising is capable of producing.

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Someone else’s work you admired lately. 

The work of director C. Prinz at Smuggler. I met C. years ago when I was living in L.A. and she jumped onto a film I was producing; she served as an office assistant. She had a background in dance and wanted to get into the motion picture game and you could tell she had the right stuff: grace, tenacity and immense talent. I remember when she sent me a music video she directed a few years later for Clipping called “All In Your Head.” I was just floored. She most recently did an On sneakers campaign featuring Zendaya, and I think her ongoing work with Jeremy Pope is mesmerizing.

Your main strength as a creative person.

My main strength is something that’s perhaps the counterpoint to the act of creating: listening. It’s a big part of a producer’s job—listening to everyone involved in a creative process, compelling them to share what they’re envisioning, feeling and worried about, so I can help find solutions that reveal the path forward. In a highly structured and mediated format like motion pictures, in order to do great things, everyone has to be listening to each other.

Your biggest weakness.

My inability to say “no” and understanding the importance of negative space. Just because you have 20 percent of your schedule open doesn’t mean you should fill it. Your mind and spirit need that space to feel safe and committed to your current work. I’m learning this in middle adulthood. In your 20s and 30s, you take on a lot in order to gain experience and credibility. It’s hard to shed that impulse as your responsibilities increase and the need to focus on better choices becomes the true ask. 

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

Since joining Washington Square Films, having Joshua Blum and Jonathan Schwartz—who together have over half a century of experience—has been absolutely indispensable in navigating through challenging times. They’ve experienced many ups and downs, and I always seek out their wisdom because their success is evident in their longevity. They’ve maintained a company successfully for 30 years.

How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.

I occasionally teach a course in Independent producing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where I went to film school. I also participate in an annual workshop for students, where they make a short film in three days under the mentorship of me and a few other filmmakers. There are also a lot of younger people in our office at Washington Square Films, maybe more than at any other time in the company’s history. It’s important that they feel heard, guided and supported. That only happens if you give the time to be with them on a one-on-one basis, so I try to do that as much as possible. 

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

Building furniture or doing contracting work of some kind. I do a lot of DIY home projects, because so often in our business, the process of creating takes a long time to realize. The ability to take raw materials and make something out of them in a matter of hours or days keeps me sane.