How long have you been doing movies? How did you decide to start making movies?

I first started making films when I was 10 and began pursuing it seriously after college. I studied Architecture with a minor in Film Studies, where I took a course called “Great Directors”. It was a deep dive into auteur filmmakers and my first real exposure to filmmaking beyond the blockbuster. After graduating, I started figuring out how to make more films. I’ve been working on projects ever since. 

 

Why did you do this project?

This project is a means to elevate my craft, explore different techniques, and tell an entertaining story with deeper significance for those who wish to chew on it. It had been a year since my last film when the project began. I was staying in San Cristobal de las Casas where I met Jesse Kolosick. He was inspired by my passion for filmmaking and offered to fund a small project while I was in town. A few weeks later, I saw Compañía Delirio perform and knew I wanted to work with them. We agreed to adapt their play “Delirium in Restaurant ‘Romance’”. The rest of the pieces quickly fell into place. 

 

(If you can say). How much budget did you have to do this project?

$10,000 USD

 

Was it self-funded or did you get budget/producers/investors?

It was funded between myself and co-producer Jesse Kolosick. 

 

How long did it take from the initial idea to being able to release?

It was 28 months from my initial meeting with the troupe to officially completing the film. 3 weeks were spent in pre-production, principal photography lasted 3 days, and then about 27 months were spent in post-production. 

 

Are you happy with the result?

Very happy.

 

What phase is this project in right now? Are you in the initial phase of sending it to festivals, middle phase or finishing the circuit?

We are in the initial phase of sending to festivals. 

 

Normally, filmmakers use many references, favorite directors, favorite movies, etc. Were you inspired by any director or film? If so, tell us your references.

There were many on this project. There’s an overarching blend of stylistic influence from Burton, del Toro, and Jodorowsky. Some of our reviewers have also called out Jeunet, Gondry, and Peter Greenaway. Visually, cinematographer Carlos Hernández  and I looked at scenes from Fellini’s “8 ½”, Bava’s “Blood and Black Lace”, Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”, and Del Toro’s “Crimson Peak”, among others. 

 

Your favorite movie?

The Prestige

 

Favorite series?

24

 

Do you see yourself making movies in 5 years? Where do you see yourself?

Yes, I’ll be making films. I see myself doing more of what I am doing now: traveling, making films, and enjoying the process. 

 

Do you have any other project in mind?

I have two other projects in post-production and am writing a feature length script. 

 

What do you ask of 2023 cinematographically speaking?

Be interesting.

 

Your best experience in a movie theater?

Hard to choose a best. The most influential was seeing the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” when I was 10. It captivated me and sparked my initial interest in filmmaking.