Ruben Rodriguez: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker

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Keep your idea small (at first). Just because you dream it doesn’t mean you will be able to shoot it. When I first started out I was writing spec scripts for Hollywood and those were all over the top with effects and action. But to do a film like that on your own with a shoestring budget is crazy. I guess you can try to do it on your own… but the time and money that will go into a project like that could be best spent on something smaller. Just because your story is small doesn’t mean the idea is small. You can make a great movie that is small…

As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ruben Rodriguez.

As Rodriguez’s career evolved, he nurtured an unremitting passion for filmmaking. By fusing a proclivity for writing and infatuation for filmmaking, Rodriguez made the decision to focus his labor of love on horror films. To date, Rodriguez has written, produced and directed a number of short films and is the director of a television series on Mun2/NBC Universal titled: The Mun2 Look.

Proceeding the completion of the aforementioned shorts was a moment of clarity. Rodriguez not only accepted, but welcomed his mission to hone his craft as a producer and director of full-length feature films. His first feature film the Death of April was inspired by his love of true crime documentaries and the horror genre.

Rodriguez’s film work has been met with critical acclaim and recognized with multiple Telly Awards for Television Excellence, a 1995 Animated Eye Award for best Video Animationz from the New York Underground Film Festival and the 1994 Grand Jury prize for the best artistic short in the Aspen Shortfest.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?

I grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. My love for films came about after seeing Halloween and Star Wars. I loved both genres as a child and wanted to read as much as I could about becoming a filmmaker. Not to date myself… but the internet wasn’t a thing when I was growing up. So, I had to venture to my local library to pick up as much reading material on the art of filmmaking as I could. That is how I learned the craft… I nagged my parents until they purchased me a camcorder and I would run around the neighborhood shooting all matter of things. Nothing was Spielberg in quality but I loved it.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I grew up watching anything and everything and my curiosity about the filmmaking process continued to grow. So, I would volunteer on small movie sets as a teen. I would go to meet and greets for indy filmmakers to broaden my contacts with other struggling filmmakers. It made me appreciate the craft even more to learn that people were willing to commit so much of themselves (time and money) into their films.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I have to thank my friend Karin. She got me my first studio job… which got me more into the industry and pushed me do more as a producer and director. If it wasn’t for her opportunity, I don’t know where I would be… I would still be making movies. I just don’t know at what level being as the studio job exposed me to higher level individuals who helped develop my management as well as directing skills.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Some people will follow their minds without listening to their hearts, and others will follow their hearts without listening to their minds.” That quote is what a filmmaker is all about. We struggle with the passion for filmmaking (that is our heart) and business of doing the right thing financially (that is our mind). It is a hard thing to balance especially in the indy film world when you are helping to finance a project that you love. So, you have to know when and how to balance your passion over your mind and vice versa.

I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

It’s no secret that Hollywood has had a noticeable problem with diversity and inclusion for many years. Audiences crave new perspectives we are previously unfamiliar with. I crave more diversity in film for one simple, succinct reason: I want to hear a fresh, engrossing story I have not heard before. That is my only reason. We should be more open to new tales from different artists. Film is the medium to do just that… it can open up discussions on race, sex and other socially relevant topics. I love to make horror films, so how I effect diversity is in my casting choices. I try to diversify my cast as much as possible. Ultimately, when we go to the theaters or turn on your favorite streaming service, we hope to relate, see, and recognize ourselves and parts of our lives in the films we watch. We want to feel represented. We want our experiences to feel seen, heard, and valued. Therefore, growing up and being able to see someone who represents you on-screen is crucial.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I have a new film I am currently developing. I am still working on it… so I really can’t share much, but if you follow me on social media I will be dropping some information soon. I am hoping to start production on the project in the fall of 2023.

Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?

The Death of April makes me the most proud. This was a film that I put together with a small team of family and friends. It is my first feature film and hopefully not my last. It took a long while to get the project off the ground but thanks to supporters and Terror Films… people will get a chance to see the film on December 9th. This film taught me that you really have to fight to make your dreams a reality. I am taking everything I have learned from this film into my next project.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

Okay… five things I wished someone told me when I first started…

  1. Keep your idea small (at first). Just because you dream it doesn’t mean you will be able to shoot it. When I first started out I was writing spec scripts for Hollywood and those were all over the top with effects and action. But to do a film like that on your own with a shoestring budget is crazy. I guess you can try to do it on your own… but the time and money that will go into a project like that could be best spent on something smaller. Just because your story is small doesn’t mean the idea is small. You can make a great movie that is small…
  2. Don’t cast your friends in everything. Casting your friends to be in your project is great and simple… however, it doesn’t help you to become a better filmmaker. You need to be able to direct people who aren’t your friends and get the proper performance out of them. If your goal is to become a filmmaker you need to reach beyond your friends as actors and learn the craft of directing others… directing is a fun and stressful process… but the only way to become better at the craft is by taking on the challenges of directing people who you aren’t your friends.
  3. Be confident in your material. You are the leader on the set, people are relying on you to know your material inside and out. Actors will come to you to discuss their characters, crew people will come to you to speak about the needs of the set and how they can help. You really need to come to set knowing and being confident in your material. Remember you are the captain of your ship… and you best know how to be a captain. You can definitely lean on people for assistance… but the idea is yours and people are there to help you bring that idea to life.
  4. It’s going to be HARD work. Filmmaking seems like so much fun. However, it is also a lot of work. I learned that the hard way on each and every set I have worked on. Filmmaking takes a lot of time and a lot of work. You move gear from one location to another. You set up this gear and then you break it down. This happens a lot during the day. It’s not just calling action and sitting behind a monitor with a latte in your hand (I only wish). Filmmaking is a down and dirty job that is completely fun and rewarding. But just be prepared to work long hours and do your fair share of lifting gear.
  5. It’s always sad when it ends. A project can take months to prep, shoot and post. But the end is always a bit bitter sweet… you get so involved with a project and the people that when a project is done you miss the everyday work that goes into it. It’s crazy. You start off wanting to have the project done and wrapped so you can move on to the next thing… but when it finally does come to an end you will miss it. So, appreciate it while you have it. Every project is a sort of adventure and despite it sometimes causing you sleepless nights… you will miss it when it comes to an eventual end.

When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?

I would have to say… it’s my own vision. I do take in what others have to say (especially investors and producers), but in the end the film is a vision that I have and only I can tell that story. If I allow people to make me alter that vision then it is no longer my project — my vision. And that is never a good thing. I do understand that filmmaking is a collaboration… but in the end it’s your vision. So people should trust your vision (you should be able to defend your vision and explain why this or that is important to the story). Sometimes people just need to hear the reason behind an idea and that is usually enough to make them believe in your vision.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

That is tough question. I am a filmmaker and I love that this medium gives us a voice. So I think that would be my movement… show people that they too can tell stories that move people. You don’t need film school to become a filmmaker… use what you have around you… a mobile camera nowadays has more resolution than the cameras that were used to shoot the Blair Witch Project… so you have a tool that can change people’s way of thinking right in your hands. You do need to learn some basic filmmaking rules (but those you can pick up on Youtube). Filmmaking is an art form that can definitely move and educate people.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂

I would love to have a sit down with Robert Rodriguez. I admire him as a filmmaker. He was the first latino filmmaker that I followed. I love his story. How he started as a filmmaker with his debut feature El Mariachi, shot for the unheard-of total of $7,000 when Rodriguez was 23 years old. Well, for starters, he never intended for his film to hit the big time. Rodriguez had been interested in making movies since he was a kid. So, it would be great to speak to him about his process.

How can our readers further follow you online?

I am on instagram. They are welcome to follow me at Mojogroup. I post work alerts for upcoming projects as well as call outs for actors.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!


Ruben Rodriguez: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.