Sanaa Hamri, executive producer and director of the Prime Video fantasy series “The Wheel of Time,” feels like she’s just getting started.
The Moroccan-born filmmaker began her career in the late 1990s, directing musical films for artists including Prince, Mariah Carey, Sting and Nicki Minaj. She transitioned to television in the mid-2000s, directing episodes of “Determined Housewives,” “Glee” and “Nashville.” Hamri made his directorial debut in 2006 with the romantic comedy “One Things New” for Focus Options. Since then, she has directed the 2008 hit sequel “The Sisterhood of the Touring Pants 2” for Warner Bros. and the romantic comedy “Simply Wright” for Searchlight in 2010.
With complete care for Amazon Prime Video, she is in the Primetime Emmy Awards poll for guiding the “What Was Meant to Be” episode of “The Wheel of Time”. The season two finale follows Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) and others in an inevitable confrontation with their most formidable enemies. The cast includes Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins and Madeleine Madden.
In an interview with SelectionHamri discusses the challenges and experience involved in the drama series, living in London for nine months to direct two episodes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and whether she is open to directing another sequel to “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” Brotherhood of the Touring Pants.”
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How do you reflect on your experience filming “The Wheel of Time?”
“The Wheel of Time” was an incredible work, with deep world-building involving the Aes Sedai and countless creatures. In the second season, our characters are separated and each will have to explore their own path, taking a journey from maturity to maturity. At the end of the season, they meet again.
As a filmmaker, exploring these completely different worlds and films in my home country of Morocco was exciting. A searchlight was taking the crew into the Sahara desert. Its beauty and landscape, though distant, provided a surprising backdrop for scenes like Moiraine’s seaside series, where she weaves.
Working with a professional Moroccan team allowed me to combine my American and European professional experience with my African roots, creating something special. The positive reception from fans, especially regarding the theme of female empowerment, where women hold the power, was gratifying.
Directing the season finale, with its intricate choreography and movement sequences, was a huge achievement. Seeing clips on Instagram reminded me of the incredible effort and collaboration it took to make the show visually appealing and cohesive. It was a remarkable experience.
Although people love this gift, it has not reached the necessary level yet. Has this been annoying for you?
With streaming, it’s really hard to know who’s watching what. You may need an entire family using a service and then friends or family visiting and clicking. Measuring the effect is something that goes beyond chatting on the web. Personally, I’m someone who posts and then disconnects. I only use Instagram and I try not to deal with numbers, which can be a harmful attitude for an artist. As a filmmaker, my goal is to create work that resonates emotionally, trusting that people will rediscover the shows over time, just as I often do.
You directed two episodes of the upcoming season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” – how does this experience compare to others you’ve had?
“Rings of Power” is already special because of the Tolkien tradition and its strong group feeling. Everyone was immersed in that world, from showrunners to producers, actors and artisans. I was mainly based in London for around nine months, my first time living there, and became fully involved in the mission.
The secrecy was intriguing, with pseudonyms for everything and only the right people having access to the scripts. From a cinematic perspective, building on these huge fantasy worlds was fascinating. I loved making sure everything fit into Tolkien’s world, especially working with different creatures, although I can’t reveal details until the show airs.
Seeing the actors perform in front of nothing was wonderful, counting a lot on visible results. Collaboration between manufacturing design and visible results was essential to create a cohesive body. Overall, it was quite the experience.
Preparation is essential in film production, especially on a large-scale mission like Rings of Energy. The art of preparation is essential to creative success. I would have multiple meetings for each series, storyboard and re-storyboard, discussing each moment intimately with the director of photography to make sure we were perfectly prepared. Once on set, everything happens quickly, so a meticulous approach is important. Although I’m an emotional director, I’m also extremely technical, which fits well with my style as a filmmaker, especially for a project like Rings of Power.
How much time do you spend on actors on something like “The Lord of the Rings” compared to visual effects and post-production?
For me, the filmmaking process is about 60% working with actors and 40% everything else. My process includes rehearsing with the actors to brainstorm scenes, walking them through the sets, and then blocking the scenes before we start filming. This preparation will be intense, mixing costumes and sets.
At night I often work with actors in half-built units, which is essential for identifying any missing pieces. This allows me to collaborate with the manufacturing project to make vital changes, such as widening a walkway if desired. I like to bring actors into partially or fully completed units to make it easier for them to perform in their roles. At the end of these directions, we basically completed a full rehearsal without them feeling stuck on anything.
Once we start taking photos, the actors get used to the setting and their actions. My approach includes facilitating them while the DP is already pre-lighting in your head. The luxury of a well-managed gift like Rings of Energy is the time we have for such meticulous planning.
This detailed preparation is not about money, but about careful planning. Whether it’s a big or smaller budget gift, the main difference is the luxury of time. Efficient time management and prioritizing what is essential are essential. I carry this meticulous method to every mission, along with the Energy Rings.
Phil Caruso
You directed the 2008 sequel to “The Sisterhood of the Touring Pants.” Would you be excited to direct a third one?
I can say yes, just to help these women. I’m also exploring different genres and telling new and unique stories. I don’t like repeating myself and I like to maneuver for different things. For example, “The Bondsman” is a completely different show than “Rings of Power,” and even Rings and Wheel of Time, although both in the fantasy genre, are very different.
For my subsequent quest, I would like it to have new components, worlds, and challenges. I’m interested in creating content that unites people around the world, offers food for thought, and expands the mind, especially in these difficult times. These are the questions I pursue in my future work.
Maybe a change of style for the franchise?
That’s an incredible thought. The pants are possessed (laughs). All of these women are unlikely. I could work with them again.
How proud were you to see America Ferrera receive an Oscar nomination for “Barbie”?
It was the best second. I loved her Barbie; she was unlikely. Barbie was a remarkable achievement. Blake Vigorous, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel – all women – became powerhouses in their own right.
This interview has been edited and condensed. “The Wheel of Time” is now streaming on Prime Video.