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How do you capture the essence of sentimental memories? This was the task given to 23-year-old film writer, director and editor Evan Hara when he was chosen to direct the video for Jeremy Renner's song "Wait."
Renner is a world-famous actor, musician and producer. His long list of accomplishments includes playing Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Oscar-nominated performances as Staff Sergeant William James in The Hurt Locker and Louie in The Town.
Hara describes filming with Renner as "extremely eye-opening. I've never met someone so passionate about being alive." There is a good reason for Renner's passion: On January 1, 2023, Renner nearly lost his life when he was run over by a 14,000-pound snowplow. The actor was trying to help his nephew, who had been stuck in the snow, when the vehicle began to roll downhill. Renner was hospitalized with severe injuries.
Sometimes the most tragic moments can inspire beauty. Upon returning home from the ICU after months of intensive treatment, Renner was inspired to write "Wait." The song was written with his daughter Ava in mind. Renner was channeling his gratitude for his family's unwavering support, promising them that he'd heal and become his old self again. He merely hoped, as a line in the song goes, that they'd "wait for me now."
The song needed a video that would complement the message. Renner connected with Hara, and they, together with actress Charly Jordan, produced a poignant music video that has trended globally and been viewed by millions.
Hara's intention with the video was to help people "think about the concept of time and appreciate how fast or slow different moments in life can be. We wanted to spread a message of positivity and presence—to inspire people to look up, embrace the life around them and remember what really matters."
Evan Hara grew up in Plano, Texas, a Dallas suburb. An only child, he spent much of his time watching movies and pretending he was one of the characters. He attended acting school every weekend for years, playing new characters and gaining an understanding of the filmmaking process.
At 15, he directed his first film, The Boundary—a science-fiction story featuring astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Then came a leap of faith: He dropped out of college and moved to Los Angeles. He had long dreamed of making films in Hollywood, and this was a step in that direction.
Hara made this leap without a real backup plan. "This was a pretty scary time in my life because I only had about a year before I'd go broke and have to move home."
Boldness sometimes pays off. Hara landed a gig with trending boy band Why Don't We, filming videos as they toured. On the road, he became friends with Randy Phillips, who had been the manager for celebrities like Michael Jackson and Prince. Recognizing Hara's drive and passion for filmmaking, Phillips took a chance. He gave Hara the opportunity to direct his first music video, "Chills," which has over 18 million views on YouTube. Hara swiftly became an in-demand music video director, making music videos for Atlantic Records with collaborator Brandon Phillips and directing trending videos for DJ Kaskade.
Hara owes much of his success to the people in his life. He credits one of those people, Romilda De Luca, with being a major catalyst for his career. De Luca was the person who introduced Hara to Renner. Hara says De Luca is "the most badass woman I have ever met, with the kindest heart and an unbelievably fiery passion to make meaningful films." Her production company, Movie 4 Inc., went on to produce the video in collaboration with Hara's UNFILMED production company.
Renner's approach to his work is different from that of most celebrities. Above all else, Renner is real. Hara describes the experience of filming the video as feeling like "everyone was part of one big family. This was not a high-budget set with hundreds of random people running around. It was a group of friends hanging out, filming something meaningful in Jeremy's house and backyard. This sort of intimacy is not something you find everywhere, and I think it was an important ingredient in producing a special film."
Renner's commitment and determination serves as an inspiration to everyone around him. Just one year after breaking 38 bones, he is walking around, and even running. His secret to recovery seems to be a superpower for love. Renner says that "the only thing that's really shifted, to be honest … is accepting being seen and witnessed for who I am as a man, as a father, as a brother. It's a powerful love and it's overwhelming."
For Hara, the overall experience was eye-opening. "It can take a brush with death for a person to truly embrace life. You would think that recovering from something like this would take the willpower out of you, but seeing Jeremy's fire to overcome adversity has sparked so much motivation within me."
For a small production using a first-time actor, Renner's daughter Ava, Hara hoped to create a tangible authenticity. He says, "We wanted everyone to be themselves, and it really came through. It would have been a big mistake to make everything too choreographed. I set up the scenes, then acted as a fly on the wall to help the actors feel like they could be themselves, to act naturally and flow in the moment."
Hara's favorite moment of the film was spontaneous: Renner passed his wristwatch to Ava and told her, "Time is your most important currency."
This is the sort of message that Hara feels is missing from modern pop culture. He wanted to show that when you nearly lose everything, you don't turn to flashy items; rather, you turn to the stable foundation of family and friends. That is Renner's message—he wants people to breathe in the moment and not take for granted the simple things that are right in front of them.
Hara says, "Nowadays, anyone with an iPhone can tell an incredible story. Anyone can pull out their camera and start recording. The real question for people is whether they can balance the pull of ambitious, creative ideas with the grunt and grind of getting into the dirt and details. Some people like to think that you need some massive team to put everything together. I prefer things to be smaller—I prefer to have my hands and eyes involved in every stage of the filmmaking journey so I can make sure that it all connects together in post-production."
Evan Hara's hope is to continue scaling up his talents and passion. One day, he wants his work to make it to the big screen, but he is open to seeing where the universe leads. Wherever the journey takes him, he will carry with him Jeremy Renner's gifts of optimism and gratitude—lessons that will last a lifetime.