While filmmaker John Wilson was touring Europe with his latest movie, The History of Concrete, someone gave him a large slab of the material. “I had to fly from Barcelona to Warsaw with a ton of concrete in my bag that I thought was basically contraband because it was sidewalk tiles that people literally ripped out of the ground [in Barcelona] to give to me,” he tells Vogue over Zoom. “Thankfully, they didn’t weigh my bag at all on the Polish airline.” This wasn’t a one-time thing; other concrete gifts Wilson has collected this year now decorate the backyard of his home in Ridgewood, Queens. Others serve as ornaments on his coffee table. “I don’t want to discourage anyone from giving me more concrete, but just try to be mindful about how far away I am from home, potentially,” Wilson jokes. (Perhaps his micro-movie theater Low Cinema in Ridgewood would be the best place to deliver him such a heavy bounty.)
So why concrete, and why a feature-length film (Wilson’s first) about it? It’s a long story. “I accidentally made a movie, in certain ways,” Wilson says.
The History of Concrete follows his successful HBO docuseries, How To With John Wilson. During a break between projects, with the Writers Guild on strike, we see Wilson sign up for the only class being offered: how to write and sell a Hallmark movie. In it, an instructor lays out the core tenets of the Hallmark brand: aspiration, escapism, love, and inspiration. “Trauma is fine if it ends on a high note,” she says cheerily. “You get bonus points for dead relatives.”
When the foundation of his house begins to crack and the basement floods, Wilson becomes fascinated with how ubiquitous concrete is in our modern lives. “It’s embarrassing to know so little about something that occupies so much of your visual environment,” he narrates while the camera pans into a freshly paved sidewalk. Thus begins an odyssey that takes Wilson to Rome, Astoria, a 3,100-mile race in Queens, a Las Vegas concrete convention, a rock concert, and back—all in an effort to secure funding to make a movie about concrete, guided by the principles of the Hallmark class.
Though the pace of production was different, The History of Concrete can be seen as an extension of the How To series, in which Wilson explored everything from the mundane process of putting up scaffolding to “How to Be Spontaneous.” What unites these seemingly unrelated topics is Wilson’s knack for putting himself into situations with unusual people that lead him into unexpected territory—a lesson in the virtues of simple observation.
When Wilson is working on a project, he imagines himself collecting material for a collage, or completing a pattern. “I always have these mini games that I’m playing in my head,” he explains, “because I’m guilty of this too. I passively consume a lot of stuff on my phone, and it is an active decision you have to make to replace your phone with another object, whether it’s a pencil or a dedicated camera.”
Photo: ©Magnolia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Though Wilson’s face is generally not visible in the frame, his voice and scenes from his life are present throughout the film, weaving together his interviews with a rotating cast of characters. “I’m constantly doxing myself,” Wilson jokes. But he likes to approach his work as though he’s just making it for himself, and its intimate, homegrown quality is ultimately central to its appeal. “Even if you’re just showing something really banal within your house, I think that’s really rare and shocking imagery to certain people because it’s underrepresented in a certain way,” he says. “We’ve gone so far in the other direction that I think people might crave something a bit more human.”
Despite his general aversion to doing press—”People just seem to want your skin, in a way”—he understands the need to play the marketing game. Early inIn the film, Wilson asks actor Michael Imperioli for advice on getting a project financed. His advice is simple: make it as cheaply as possible. (A few months ago, at a press screening for The History of Concrete at Low Cinema, Wilson introduced the film by joking that he had created the theater specifically to have a place to show it if no one ever bought it.) Now that the movie is finished—and being distributed by Magnolia Pictures—Wilson appreciates Imperioli’s advice. “You should try not to worry about gatekeepers who have a fixed idea of what will sell,” he says. “When someone doesn’t want something I’m making, that’s the hottest fire I can light under myself.” The History of Concrete is in theaters now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about John Wilsons viral documentary John Wilson Still Cant Believe That The History of Concrete Got Made
Beginner Questions
Q What is The History of Concrete
A It is a short documentary by filmmaker John Wilson about the history and impact of concrete
Q Who is John Wilson
A John Wilson is an American documentary filmmaker and the creator of the HBO series How To with John Wilson
Q Is The History of Concrete a real documentary
A Yes It is a real short film that Wilson made before his HBO series He has often expressed surprise that it was actually produced and released
Q Why is John Wilson so surprised the film got made
A Because the topic sounds extremely boring and niche He never expected anyone to fund or watch a film about concrete
Q Where can I watch it
A It has been shown at film festivals and is sometimes available on streaming platforms or Wilsons Vimeo page Availability changes so check online
Q How long is the film
A It runs about 20 minutes
Q What is the main point of the film
A It uses concrete as a way to talk about modern life urban development and how we ignore the everyday materials around us
Advanced Questions
Q How does the film fit into Wilsons larger body of work
A It shares his signature style deadpan narration found footage and finding humor and meaning in mundane subjects It is a precursor to How To with John Wilson
Q What makes the film funny or interesting if concrete is so boring
A The humor comes from Wilsons earnest narration and the absurdity of treating concrete with such serious curiosity The contrast is the joke
Q Did the film get a wide release
Q No It was a small independent project It gained attention mainly after Wilson became famous for his HBO show
Q What are some common problems Wilson faced while making the film
A Finding funding getting people to take the topic seriously and dealing with the logistical challenges of filming construction sites and interviews
Q What is one practical tip from the film for aspiring filmmakers