Cass Warner is a maverick, a Woman with a capital ‘W.’ The proud granddaughter of Harry Warner, one of the original Warner Brothers who founded the legendary Studios, has resurrected the Warner legacy in a vibrant and moving documentary. The Brothers Warner is the story of a family who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies, persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience — an intensely intimate portrait of the four film pioneers who founded and ran Warner Bros. studios for more than 50 years, presented like a love letter.

Written and directed by Cass Warner and produced by Warner Sisters Productions, this epic story includes never-before-seen footage and photos from the Warner family archives.  Recently, The Brothers Warner won the HBO Film Producers Award. It is for those who crave the lore and lure of old Hollywood.  With an iconic cast like Dennis Hopper, Debbie Reynolds, Norman Lear, Sherry Lansing, Tab Hunter, and many others, The Brothers Warner invites you to rediscover why people used to speak of the Golden Age of cinema — an age when social consciousness and creative legacy was more important than the report of the weekend gross at the box office. The movie is a refreshing tale full of inspiration and hope. Cass Warner is truly a well-crafted filmmaker who gives us the hope that movies can be important and change the world. We had the chance to meet Cass, one sunny Sunday morning, in her paradise city of Santa Barbara. Let the good old times roll, over and over!

Emmanuel Itier: Tell me about the genesis. Why the urge to make this movie?

Cass Warner: I hope everyone has someone in their life who creates a great impression. My grandfather, Harry Warner, was that in my life. I knew him for the first ten years of my life. He gave me so much, I wanted to give something back. His belief in mankind was refreshing — the importance of creating films as an instrument of peace and to understand others. He was also such a caring person, I have never seen that in a man — such a caring for the whole world.

EI: Is this the message of the movie?

CW: The original motto for Warner Bros. studios was to use films to educate, entertain and enlighten, and this is what I want to carry forward and remind those who make films, that this is a wonderful responsibility.

EI: How is the audience’s response to your movie so far?

CW: The response is super positive and people do get back to me. I had the honor of filming the movie for Barry Meyer, who is the CEO and Chairman of Warner Bros., and he fully acknowledged and endorsed the film because he got the message.

EI: What is the biggest legacy of Warner Bros.?

CW: Their social consciousness of their films in the ’30s and ’40s, and the fact they were willing to gamble everything with the synchronization with sound and film. (Note: The Jazz Singer was a Warner Bros. release.)

EI: What was the biggest challenge to put your film together?

CW: The money! It’s about gathering agreements from others to believe in your dreams, but sometimes you just have to do it, despite the gamble or the personal damage it might cause your own finances.

EI: Is there a lack of balls and daring today in our industry?

CW: The studios are corporate machines today; they are not a family-run business. The studios have to appease the bankers, the board of directors…so there is not the same sense of freedom to take risks. The Warner Bros. were the original independent — they had an independent mentality and consciousness, and they kept it, even as they became big afterwards.

EI: What is the life of a doc in the market place?

CW: We are in a very big transition — a revolution in the distribution world. You can look at it with excitment because of the possibilities, which I choose to do, and explore all of the avenues available. It’s a great time for documentarians because every festival I have been to has had lots of docs. People like them. Docs are more desired, and the challenge is to reach people. The Internet and any viral marketing, like streaming your own film on your own website, is the key of the new distribution model. I have taken the broadband distribution model to distribute my film on my own. Also, you need to find people like you who are my audience: film societies, social medias, films school… It’s all about knowing your public.

EI: What’s coming up next?

CW: I have 80 hours of interviews, so I’m doing some stand-alone vignettes with them. I have hundreds of photos, hours of audios… I have so much product, I’m going to continue to make those into viable products. But also, Warner Sisters will keep doing low-budget films. I have a drama like To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s about prejudice told through the eyes of a child. It’s called A Shade of Grey and is based on a true story.

EI: What has been the worst and best experiences about doing this doc?

CW: The worst was not knowing if I could do it, especially financially. The best is I got it done! Ha! There are so many rewards, such as bringing my family more together. Working with an Oscar-winning editor, Kate Amend, and David Campbell, my composer, was truly, creatively, a dream-come-true.

EI: How did this movie transform you as a human being, as a director?

CW: I proved to myself I could keep my promise to myself and to my grandfather.

Look for The Brothers Warner on American Masters/PBS on your cable network.

Go check the site: www.thebrotherswarner.com