INTUITION FILMS
PRESENTS
In celebration of the countless contributions people of historically marginalized identities have made and continue to make to the entertainment industry, Intuition Films has launched our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. Through this, we are offering our platform as a space for POC employed in all corners of the industry to share their stories, experiences, and insight. Four trailblazers are invited to participate each Heritage Month, so that they may exhibit their work as individuals and inspire members of their communities hoping to follow similar paths. While we have elected to take advantage of these designated celebrations as opportunities to spread awareness, we are also committed to acknowledging and uplifting the work and words of members of these communities year-round. We believe this initiative will provide an invaluable opportunity to help combat the idea that lack of representation in the media is the result of a scarcity of creatives of color, and make sure that these frequently overlooked but deserving individuals are given a chance to assert their presence and voices.
PRIDE MONTH
To celebrate Pride Month, Intuition Films interviewed four queer/LGBTQ+ professionals in the entertainment industry as a part of our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. We are honored to spotlight writer-director Matthew Jacobs Morgan, multihyphenate filmmaker Kymon Greyhorse, post-production professional Cris Cardenas, and filmmaker Ocean Vashti Jude.
Queer creatives like those we had the privilege of speaking with have for centuries been pushing boundaries and expanding the collective’s imagination of what it means to make art. As Bell Hooks once said, “‘Queer’ not as being about who you’re having sex with (that can be a dimension of it); but ‘queer’ as being about the self that is at odds with everything around it and that has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live.” We are thrilled to have had this opportunity to platform a few of those who are cultivating and creating in the spirit of this.
Scroll to read what they have to say.
June
MATTHEW JACOBS MORGAN, WRITER-DIRECTOR
What drew you to becoming a creative? I started in the industry as an actor, and had always had a desire to be part of the creation of the stories I was in. I have always had various creative outlets growing up; music, creative writing, making films with my friends, and ultimately, I found that the form of creative expression which I loved the most was screenwriting and directing. I had also been inspired by many other fantastic filmmakers, both in my orbit and in the industry at large.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? Yes -whilst working on a script, my execs requested I change the sexual orientation of some of my characters, from being queer to straight. I perceived this request as an attempt to remove queerness from the project. When I expressed my discomfort with making the changes, the execs responded by hiring a lawyer and threatening legal action, to sue me for the rights to the project and for defamation (for very gently and diplomatically saying their request was offensive to me as a queer person. This experience shed light on, the issue of what could be perceived as white male fragility, and it provided me with valuable lessons. Firstly, I learned the importance of asserting my own power and recognizing that sometimes saying no is literally the only option. It also taught me that, when confronted by what I found to be bullying behaviour from powerful individuals, I actually hold the power. By refusing to yield and by standing up for myself, the situation was eventually resolved, whereas if I had not recognized the power I have, I might have ended up retreating into fear or shame around my identity. It is not one which needs to be sanitized or removed from any part of myself, including my work. Now, I consider myself a pragmatic creative who really values collaboration and welcomes feedback and notes, particularly if it improves our chances of bringing the project to fruition. However, I am not interested in telling stories devoid of a queer sensibility. Also, any discussion about altering characters' sexual orientations to cater to a broader audience not only oversimplifies and diminishes the creative process, but also goes against the principles of meaningful artistic dialogue.
What are your short term and/or long term goals? Have you noticed any evolution in your aspirations? On a much lighter note! I am super excited to move some of my slate to production. I’m staffing on a brilliant BBC show which will be shooting later this year, and with my own personal slate, I’ve been mainly focussed on my feature film. In the shorter term, I’d love to direct another short, as most of my work has been in TV land these past few years! And longer term, I would love to get to a point of being able to support other queer creatives, whether it’s through financial grants and support with getting their first spec scripts written; providing them with development support which will help them fly when they enter the industry, or having a first look deal somewhere which provides me with the means to employ other queer/black creatives to work alongside me as my projects progress. In the even shorter term, my hope and wish is for the WGA to be given a fair and just deal for their members, which allows us all to get back to what we love doing: telling stories!
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other queer/LGBTQ+ creatives who are just starting off in the industry Your individuality is your asset, not a hindrance. And do not quit your day job too quickly - having some secondary form of income while your making a start in the industry will take the pressure off of your writing and mean you won’t take writing gigs you’re not keen on just for the sake of eating!
Matthew Jacobs Morgan is a British writer-director. He was included in Deadline’s list of Eight Rising TV Scribes To Watch Out For In 2021 and has just been on the HBO/ Bad Robot adaptation of JOHN CONSTANTINE as a contributing writer and co- producer. He is currently a contributing writer on DOPE GIRLS (BBC/ Bad Wolf). His other writing credits include THE RIG - Amazon Studios/Wild Mercury and the London Critics Circle and Iris Prize nominated POMPEII (Film4/Try Hard Productions).
Instagram: @jacobsmorgan_
KYMON GREYHORSE, FILMMAKER
What drew you to becoming a creative? I think there was a moment in my early childhood where I was in limbo when family or teachers asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t know. I knew that I loved watching movies and loved the places they would take me. Movies and TV shows were always by my side, becoming my best friend at times when I feared and questioned who I was and what I was supposed to be. At the age of 7, my favorite thing to do was click ‘top menu’ on all my favorite films and watch the behind the scenes. When I saw all the people it took to create these iconic scenes, I told my Mom, this is what I want to do.
My mom bought me my first brick verizon phone that had pause and resume capabilities. I gathered my cousins and we would make our own horror and action films in my grandma’s basement and backyard. It was fun and liberating. I had to edit in camera, because I had no idea what “editing” was at that age. I recorded from one angle, clicked pause, and resumed the action from a different angle, so that it still flowed once played all together. Once we finished our short video my favorite thing was to gather the family and watch. My favorite part was witnessing everyone's reactions, excitement, and adoration. I’m lucky and fortunate to be able to do what I love as a career. I want to thank my Auntie, Uncle, and Dad for igniting my passion for filmmaking and allowing me to recognize the comfort, love, acceptance, and support that can come from them.
What impact, if any, has your identity had on your work and the way you approach story? My dad introduced me to martial arts movies and Japanese horror when I was a kid. Everything in the frame grabbed my attention and maintained that attention for 90 minutes. From the editing to the colors of the film, I was in awe. My auntie and uncle introduced me to the gory stylistic violence of Tarantino and pulpy movies along with classic American horror. All these films had something to say and weren’t afraid to take it there. And my mom only allowed me to watch Disney and Nickelodeon, haha! I had the privilege to be exposed to so many genres of films that taught me editing, pacing, and what moments should be exaggerated and held on to build suspense and invoke thought. I never want to bore an audience, my goal is always to have their attention and take them on a cool journey.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? Honestly, I have to pinch myself a lot. I have a bad habit of not allowing myself to live in the moment. I was honored to be a 2022 Sundance Indigenous Fellow. I was almost intimidated by the fact that this was my first real baby step into film and was a sign from the Universe that I am on the right path. The most memorable moment for me was seeing all these incredible Native and Polynesian artists that I could relate to and really see them and share a part of ourselves. I was also blessed to have had my directorial debut at 2023 Sundance with I AM HOME - A poetic memoir, a love letter that speaks of introspection and what it means to rediscover who you are and cherish where you come from. I almost couldn’t bask in the reality that I was a part of the festival. A favorite moment for me was being on a panel at the AAPI house. I had the opportunity to be vulnerable and share my story, and was met with so many people feeling the same way, coming from similar experiences. Some of my Pasifika people came up to me with tears in their eyes, so excited and proud to see someone that looked like them taking up space. I felt that love. I’ll always remember what that felt like. Shout out to Krit at Peak Pasifika, Gold House, Sunrise Collective, and The Asian American Foundation, and CAPE for giving me that unforgettable experience. Always create art that is true to you, and the community will follow.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? I am the second in my family to pursue higher education, my mom being the first. She grew up on the Navajo reservation and was the backbone of our family, the responsible one that grew up too fast with dreams she thought might’ve been too big. This is what inspired my first narrative short film, “Can I Love You?” I developed the script with the belief that her story was universal and would inspire many in similar situations. It was the largest scale project I had done at the time. The first obstacle was being the one to ask my family the difficult questions. We spent several months over Zoom, phone calls, and texts figuring out the timeline of when my mom left for college. I was ignorant for not realizing the trauma and suppressed emotions that these conversations would dig up, but I think hearing both perspectives allowed a form of closure and healing to an unspoken trauma. This taught me how raw and real stories can be. It was 16 pages of script that needed to be shot in 3 days. I put a lot of pressure on myself and battled with self-doubt. Unfortunately, days leading up to production, it was the cherry on top to have several team members drop at the last second. One of them being my assistant director. At this point I felt defeated and I wanted to give up. I scheduled a cold read with my all-Indigenous cast the following day, and planned on breaking the bad news to them. However, during the session they all shared how important and relatable this story was for them and spoke about how they have never seen Native stories told in such a realistic way. I knew I couldn't let them down and had to piece myself back together. After we wrapped in March 2022, I really spent time reflecting on all that I’ve learned in such a short amount of time. One big takeaway that I will always carry with me is that you cannot let others' doubts stop you from believing in yourself. Sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader and push through the noise.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other queer/LGBTQ+ creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Something I wish I learned earlier is to move like water. Once you overcome the fear of failure, the possibilities are infinite. Lastly, never wait for people to validate you or what you have to say, continue on, fearlessly.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to discuss or share with us? I’m so lucky I AM HOME is having its moment on the festival circuit, it's very light-hearted and inspirational and is introducing me to so many talented people from all over. Although I love that my work can be seen as light hearted and inspirational, I want to show the other side of me. I want to showcase my version of horror/mystery and bring a Native/Pasifika nuanced lens of revenge and action films to the forefront. I am working on a proof of concept for a short film that’s exploring my Tongan roots – following a girl who, after being away from her father for 11 years, finds out he’s been murdered. A journey of resentment, regret, and rekindling old relationships. Get excited! You can follow me on IG: @kymongreyhorse
Kymon Greyhorse is a Navajo + Tongan + 2Spirit film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter. Greyhorse’s work explores the human experience, normalizing Indigenous existence. His work has screened at 2023 Sundance Film Festival to art installments in Montreal, Canada, and screening in La Paz, Bolivia in partnership with the Soul of Nations Foundation. In the digital space, he has created content for the notable non-profit climate activist organization, Slow Factory, bringing awareness to Oahu water protectors. Kymon is honored to be a 2022 Sundance Indigenous Fellow and holds a BFA in Film & Digital Arts from UNM. He wants his future films to inspire and empower yearning voices that have been silenced for too long.
Instagram: @kymongreyhorse
CRIS CARDENAS, POST-PRODUCTION PROFESSIONAL
Cris Cardenas is a post-production professional currently living in Los Angeles — though will always be a Texan at heart. Cris has worked his way up the post-production ladder starting from internships to assistant editor work, editing, and supervision, and now finds himself helming a post-production as a Director of Post. As a director, his passion lies in fostering positive, healthy, and inclusive workplaces for all employees.
What drew you to becoming a creative? When I was younger, like 12 years old, I wanted to be a politician. I was one of those kids who followed elections, was in political clubs and stood on many a soap box. In college, I came out and, at the time, being a lesbian in Texas and trying to become a politican felt pretty impossible. I made the switch to film school, thankfully, and thought, “Well, being a producer isn’t that dissimilar to being a politician…” When I started to work my way through the industry, I was quickly drawn to management because of the similarities to the political world. I love to advocate for my employees! I often call what I work on “campaigns.” I campaigned for parity, I campaigned for having our company to donate funds and energy to local communities… hell, I even campaigned for better, healthier snacks. The way I approach my work now, is the exact same way I would approach a political position – it’s the people first and foremost.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? I would say actually the biggest challenge I’ve experienced happened this last year – which was a surprise to me! I originally would have talked about my first few years in LA, the struggle, the low bank account, etc… but this last year I was asked to open an international office in Mexico City for our agency. I’m a 3rd generation Mexican-American who doesn’t speak Spanish. I used to feel a really large amount of shame about not speaking it which, I think, isn’t uncommon for folks like me – a pocho, if you will. It had taken a lot for me to accept that my parents come from a generation that was taught to be “the most American you can be,” and to accept that generational trauma was the reason for me not getting to have that part of my culture.
I vividly recall my first solo trip to Mexico City for work and walking up to immigration upon arrival and my hands shaking. I’ve since gone out there every month and just faced my fear head-on by getting a Spanish tutor, asking friends to help me speak conversationally, studying like a crazy person… and while my Spanish isn’t perfect, these trips have been really special to me because I feel so much more connected to my culture and like a really big wound is in the process of healing.
What are your short term and/or long term goals? Have you noticed any evolution in your aspirations? When I was younger, I think I was really focused on just being able to “make it” in LA. I pulled the crazy hours and had the weak boundaries that I think were glamorized at the time. Now that I’m over a decade in, a lot of my goals are focused around making sure that younger folks don’t have to experience that sort of break down between work/life balance. In my current position as Director of Post Production, I always make sure my employees are first. I don’t believe in working over your limits or that anything we work on is worth risking our mental health and safety. If you had told me that as 21, I would have shrugged it off. I don’t like the narrative that gets tossed on millennials and now Gen-Z that we are lazy just because we want to take care of ourselves. As I continue to progress in my career, that goal of fostering safe and healthy work environments continues to grow with me.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other LGBTQ+/queer creatives who are just starting off in the industry? I try to live my life as openly as possible. If you feel like you can safely do that, then express your identity in the workplace. It’s beautiful and it creates a safe little beacon for others. I often try to integrate that I’m transgender in conversations at work because I feel like it’s important that we let people know we are there too. I noticed the more openly I was able to communicate this, the more people around me would slowly come out as well. I can’t tell you the number of times where I’ve led a meeting and have been able to say I’m trans and a coworker messages me after and feels comfortable saying they’re gay or they’re queer or they’re thinking about coming out. It’s how we are able to build a community within our little ecosystems and it only makes us stronger and better together.
OCEAN VASHTI JUDE, FILMMAKER
Ocean Vashti Jude is a Black award-winning filmmaker and DGA director. She is a native Chicagoan now based in Los Angeles, California. Øcean graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in Film and a concentration in Screenwriting. As a filmmaker, Ocean’s mission is to unravel the truth of the unseen and unheard through a cinematic landscape. She is a precise director with a style that serves her focus on the human condition and the characters of fiction she creates. Through compelling visuals and unflinching authenticity, she delivers stories and visuals that make people perk up.
What drew you to becoming a creative? I have always been a deep thinker and sensitive to the world around us. Early on I felt like stories were a way to make sense of things, to challenge, to heal and to set forth a new way of thinking about topics. In a way I feel like film is the best translator of truth, so how could I resist?
What impact, if any, has your identity had on your work and the way you approach story? I have existed in so many spaces where I had to make myself small or step away from parts of me. So when I approach writing and story, it is with an unflinching eye and the fullness of not being perfect but being complex human beings who are made up of a multitude.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? Community has been one of those things that has been easy to cultivate. You build a fire and people will seek out that warmth. I’ve been very vocal about being surrounded by like-minded folx - mentally, culturally and spiritually. Even on sets or in preproduction I bring up what is the visibility on set and so being intentional upfront means I can ensure my communities get onto my sets.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to discuss or share with us? Looking to make my first micro-budget feature called Sweethearts. I will be calling on all my communities for this one, but really excited to jump into the casting portion. I want to find real black and brown girls from south central who are charismatic, street-smart, and courageous to venture into the unknown. So if that sounds like you or the homie, hit me up!
Instagram: @oceanvashtijude | Website: www.oceanvashtijude.com
AAPI HERITAGE MONTH
The past year has seen a boom in AAPI representation in Hollywood, but the fight for equal visibility both in front of and behind the camera is ongoing. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, Intuition Films is platforming four of the entertainment industry’s AAPI creatives as a part of our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. We are honored to spotlight filmmaker Thy Tran, costume designer Kim Ngo, producer Christina Radburn, and filmmaker Derek Nguyen. Continue reading to learn what they have to say.
MAY
THY TRAN, FILMMAKER
As a Vietnamese immigrant and filmmaker in the US, Thy Tran is drawn to the politics of social and sexual identity. With film, he wishes to explore and confront the issues therein. He sees film as not just entertainment but a reflection of humanity and society as a whole. Since moving to LA in 2007 to pursue a career in film, Thy has worked in advertising for Big Brother and the James Corden Show while developing his screenplays into feature films.
In 2020, Thy debuted his short film, SummerWinterSummer, as a writer and director. The short has since been an official selection at CAAMFest, Vancouver Queer Film Fest, and Viet Film Fest where it was nominated as Best Short. Thy is currently developing the short into a feature film - about a young graphics designer as he navigates a recent heartbreak, loneliness, & racism against Asian men within the LGBTQ+ community.
What impact, if any, has your identity had on your work? In film school, I just wanted to make movies and tell stories that fascinate me. It didn’t matter whether these stories reflected my heritage. But after 15 years of being in LA and seeing how Asian stories keep getting dismissed as unimportant or irrelevant, I started to see that if I don’t tell my story, who would? Now, I want to make sure that my work has some kind of meaning, and at the very least, give representation to the communities that I identify with.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working? I have been lucky, for the most part, in finding my tribe in LA. Right from the start, after dropping out of film school and moving to LA, I met Bret Roberts, who is a kind, beautiful, and well-connected actor and producer who introduced me to his clan of indie filmmakers and talented musicians. He brought me on every indie film project that he was involved in, and the experience was exactly the education I was seeking but couldn’t find in film school. And because most of the films that we worked on were ultra-low budget, everyone involved was in it for the love of filmmaking, and nothing else. I got to meet so many talented and passionate cast and crew members that I am still friends with today, 15 years later.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? For so long, I’ve grappled with the mindset behind the headline “No Asians!” on gay social networks. I couldn’t comprehend what is so revolting about Asian men that people feel the need to tell us to stay away from them. As a way to cope with my frustration, I decided to write the screenplay SummerWinterSummer to show how deeply, emotionally, and psychologically, the issue has affected me.
I haven’t been successful at finding the funding needed for the feature, but I managed to shoot the short version. Much to my surprise, the short was selected to premiere at CAAMFest, San Diego Asian Film Fest, and Viet Film Fest, which are some of the biggest Asian American film festivals in the US. I was truly worried that because the short is an LGBTQ story, it would not be well received at all. Instead, I was met with nothing but love and support, especially from my Asian community. Now, I’m beyond proud and honored to share that my film has been chosen to screen at the Segerstrom Arts Center as part of their AAPI Heritage Month program this year, 2023.
What are your short-term and/or long-term goals? Have you noticed any evolution in your aspirations? My goal is to be able to continue telling stories that tug at my heartstrings while being able to survive financially. I also want to help open doors for those from underrepresented communities, not just my own. I think each of us can become richer as an individual when we learn and understand perspectives that are different from ours.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to discuss or share with us? I am planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the feature version of SummerWinterSummer in July. Hopefully, we would be able to go into production by the end of the year. In the meantime, I am also trying to get my second screenplay off the ground. It is about a 19-year-old Vietnamese girl having to sell herself as a mail-order bride so that she could pay for her mother’s medical treatments and keep her younger brother in school. Tragically, she finds herself in an abusive situation with no way out.
Instagram: @thy80 | Website: https://www.swsfilm.com
KIM NGO, COSTUME DESIGNER
Kim Ngo is an acclaimed Vietnamese American costume designer with a diverse portfolio of work spanning film, television, and theatre. With an astute sense of observation and an ability to breathe life into characters through design, Kim has left an indelible mark on various notable productions.
In the realm of television, Kim has made significant contributions as an Assistant Costume Designer on highly acclaimed shows. Her work can be seen in the groundbreaking series "This Is Us", where she helped shape the visual narrative with her knowledge of various time periods. Additionally, she played an integral role in the fashion-forward series "Dollface" (Season 1), bringing her creative expertise to enhance the characters' personalities. Most recently Kim's skills were showcased in "The Sympathizer", where her cultural acumen and adept at finding solutions helped create a more genuine world.
What drew you to becoming a creative? The journey of establishing myself as a professional creative in the entertainment industry has been filled with challenges and unique experiences. Each person's path is distinct, requiring a combination of adaptability, visualization, and courageous leaps to become a successful, well-compensated, and thriving creative professional. My attraction to this profession stemmed from the sheer joy it brought me, particularly in the process of hand-crafting costumes and transforming ideas into tangible expressions that serve the purpose of storytelling. I find immense satisfaction in bringing characters to life through the art of costume design, weaving together fabric, texture, and color to create visual narratives that enhance the story's depth and impact. I am privileged to channel my passion for creativity into a tangible form that contributes to the magic of storytelling.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? I take great pride in the film "Accidental Get Away Driver," which garnered acclaim at prestigious events like the Sundance Film Festival and the recent CAAM Festival in San Francisco. Its achievement in winning the Best Director award at Sundance was particularly gratifying. Equally fulfilling is the sincere portrayal of the nuanced Vietnamese American experience, specifically within the vibrant community of California's Little Saigon. It has been an amazing experience to witness audiences’ deep engagement and strong connection to the story.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Asian creatives who are just starting off in the industry? To fellow Asian creatives embarking on their journey in the industry, I would like to offer some advice: In these times, it holds greater significance than ever to be an artist who reflects truth and contributes to the advancement of our society towards a more sustainable and peaceful world. Building success in this field requires immense courage, love, and support. One of the keys to thriving is to find, create, cultivate, and immerse yourself in a community of like-minded individuals. Surrounding yourself with fellow artists and industry professionals can provide invaluable inspiration, collaboration opportunities, and a sense of belonging. Remember to lead by example, extend a helping hand to others, and be open to receiving assistance when needed. Together, we can create a powerful network of support and make a lasting impact through our artistic endeavors.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to share with us? Recently, I had the privilege of contributing as the Assistant Costume Designer for "The Sympathizer," a notable HBO/A24 television series. This captivating fictional spy thriller delved into the gripping narrative of Vietnamese refugees, and I am honored to have been part of such a significant production.
Instagram: @kimngoknows | Website: https://www.kimngodesign.com
CHRISTINA RADBURN, PRODUCER
Christina Radburn is an award-winning independent producer based between Australia and Los Angeles, California. Having worked with diverse communities for over 20 years, she is a storyteller with a strong commitment to creating screen content about the human condition that is honest and representative of the world we live in today. Christina is a 2017 Fast Track Finance Market and 2016 Producing Lab, Film Independent Fellow (USA). She is an alumna of the 2015 Screen Producers Australia Ones To Watch program, for early career Australian producers. Her films have screened at notable film festivals, including Sundance, SXSW, Melbourne International Film Festival, Palm Springs and Outfest as well as acquisitions with Teen Vogue and the ABC.
What drew you to becoming a creative? To be honest, I kind of fell into it. My previous career was in community development work and organizational management. There was a moment in this life when I project managed a short documentary about refugee families living in so-called Australia at a time when these communities were being demonized by the government of the time. I discovered the power of the moving image and visual storytelling as a way to impact hearts and minds. I have always been surrounded by creatives - writers, directors, dancers, performance artists, musicians, and so on - I started to be approached to “produce” short films and whilst at the time I had no idea what this would entail, I jumped in and did it! Everything grew from there and eventually, I became a full-time producer and realized very quickly I was a creative producer - this was a calling and a newfound purpose.
What impact, if any, has your cultural heritage had on your work and the way you approach story? It is impossible to separate myself from my Asian heritage - it inherently impacts all I do, how I view the world, and how the world views me. This creates a deeper understanding of the experience as an “other'' in this world. I have experienced racism countless times in my life; surviving this and understanding we have to fight for so much in this life has 100% informed the way I work, my advocacy, the projects I work on, and the folks I choose to collaborate with.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? Finding community wherever I am is always a priority. None of us can make it through this world alone! I am a true believer in the philosophy - we are stronger together. I would say my journey with this hasn’t been unique to working in Hollywood, or solely linked to my career and professional life. There is a thriving AAPI filmmaker community in the industry. The challenge at times is the struggle to find “community” at the executive level - it has been hard to find other Filipinas in positions of leadership. I am very often the sole face “in the boardroom”.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? My identity and existence mean I face barriers every day, whether they are overt or covert - the barriers are always there. I have learned to trust my instincts, speak up, and rally. I have also deeply learned the importance of having a resting place and slowing down.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Asian creatives who are just starting off in the industry?
Find your people. Folks you can grow with, learn with, and support.
Find your trusted advisors and mentors. Folks you can lean on.
Find and nurture your voice.
Stay grounded, and prioritize self-care, boundaries, rest, and joy.
Practice, practice, practice your craft.
DEREK NGUYEN, FILMMAKER
Award-winning filmmaker Derek Nguyen captivates his audience with heartfelt narratives filled with magical realism. With a strong focus on art-design and nostalgia, Derek’s colorful and emotional storytelling shines through his work whether it's in branded content or music videos. He comes from a diverse professional background serving as a Head of Production for Lamborghini, Porsche, and McLaren Philadelphia to directing content for LiveNation.
Derek's primary goal is to push underrepresented stories to the forefront, and some of his works thus far have highlighted the struggles of Vietnamese-American immigrants (Hermes: A Legacy of Us), Black girls (BRON Studios: Black Girl Magic), and the LGBTQIA+ community (HausLabs: The Root of Kindness). Traveling through Europe, Central America, and Asia, Derek’s collected stories from all over the world. These include surviving emergency motorcycle crash treatment from a countryside doctor, talking his way out of Mexican jail, and sacrificing a water buffalo on the top of a mountain. Finding beauty in any story, Derek strives to captivate his audience.
What drew you to becoming a creative? My love for storytelling began from my mom’s fantastical, larger-than-life stories of her past life in Vietnam, ranging from her “teacup” elephant joining the circus to her grandmother’s butterflies breaking free in Da Lat. I loved how these stories would transport me to different worlds, times, and points of view. Combine that with how my family would go to the movies every single weekend (ranging from “The Pokemon Movie” to “The Departed”), and the writing was on the wall for me to one day become a filmmaker!
What impact, if any, has your cultural heritage had on your work and the way you approach story? As I grew up absorbing my mom’s fantastical stories along with my family’s more grounded-in-reality immigration journey, I found myself in a fun intersection of story-style. Much of my work delves into the realm of magical realism, and I love utilizing magical realism’s imagery and surrealism in stories about marginalized peoples. Whether it’s the mother-daughter relationship of two Vietnamese immigrants (Hermes: A Legacy of Us), the dreams of a young black girl (Black Girl Magic), or the hope of a trans woman (HausLabs: The Root of Kindness), I find it incredibly fulfilling to make these stories universal through symbols, themes, and motifs.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? I have faced countless rejections that have definitely hurt. But they also taught me the importance of kindness. First, to be kind to myself and not take rejections personally, which is easier said than done. Second, to be kind to the person delivering the rejection. Multiple times someone who rejected me for a certain opportunity ended up referring me to another one. Rejection has also taught me how to believe someone when they say they want to support your work.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? Growing up in a family of doctors, I was expected to follow suit and happily went down that path until right before the end of college. Because of that, when I started freelance directing, I really didn’t have a creative circle since most of my friends were in business or medical fields. I very quickly realized though that it’s almost never difficult to find people enthusiastic about stories and film, especially in Los Angeles. As a director with no technical experience, I made it my priority to simply empower whoever I teamed up with to the best of my ability. I’d ask my cinematographer, my production designer, and my editor about what kind of things they were passionate about making, and I’d make sure to incorporate them in my projects. This all led to us constantly working together and pushing each other to new heights on each project. Working through short projects like music videos and commercials, we got reps in and met new people with each project eager to team up again. The next thing I knew, I had the circle of creatives I never thought I’d have.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Asian creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Just do it! You can read theory, watch tutorials, talk shop, but you’re only going to become a great creative by diving headfirst and actually creating. My parents taught me that to become good at anything, whether it’s piano, tennis, or public speaking, you gotta put in the reps. It’s the same for any creative endeavor. Simply waiting for inspiration isn’t going to cut it, so find people to team up with and go out and make something no matter how good or bad it is!
Also, don’t underestimate the beneficial power of social media. It’s easy to decry social media, and there’s definitely many reasons to, but it is an incredibly helpful resource and tool. Follow art accounts and creative accounts, use the algorithm to your advantage and make your feed filled with inspiration, and never hesitate to send a DM to connect.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to discuss or share with us? My first narrative short film, “Everything and Nothing at All,” is finally done and will be making its festival circuit! Inspired by my upbringing as a Buddhist in the western world, the film reflects on hustle culture and how that melds with Buddhism’s mantra of finding contentment in simply being. The film’s an incredibly personal story that I was able to create thanks to all the friends I’ve made on my filmmaking journey in music videos and commercials. Not only that, the Vietnamese-American community also helped me immensely as we filmed at my childhood Buddhist temple. I’m excited to see how audiences connect with my story and I can’t wait to take the lessons I learned from this film into my next!
Director Deck: https://drive.google.com/file
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Even in 2023, Hollywood remains a notoriously male-dominated industry. Women and femmes, particularly those of color, are woefully underrepresented amongst the ranks of directors, writers, producers, and several other key BTS jobs. Though they have never let this stop them from endeavoring to make space for themselves, being a part of the change we want to see means working proactively to uplift women and femmes at every opportunity. This Women's History Month, Intutition Films is honoring five incredible non-men who are working to create their own content and representation. They have graciously agreed to disclose their journeys and share insight with us for our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. We are honored to spotlight content creator Samantha Durán, filmmaker Jade Phoenix Martinez, filmmaker Reaa Puri, and film director Jalena Keane-Lee. Continue reading to learn what they have to say.
MARCH
SAMANTHA DURÁN; CONTENT CREATOR
Samantha Jade Durán, (she/her), is a Disabled Latina, content creator, and activist from Miami, Florida who uses her colorful maximalist outfits and stylized wheelchair to spearhead misconceptions and stereotypes about disabled people. Moreover, she is a creator with Meta's Latinx Content Creator Program called Dale Tú. In her content, Duran brings awareness to the vast spectrum of disability rights — anything from inaccessibility to adaptive fashion styling videos and everything in between — all while infusing her colorful maximalist outfits into her content. She also encourages other disabled people to be unapologetically disabled by expressing themselves authentically with their style, as well as by accessorizing their mobility aids. She aims to continue spreading awareness while looking iconic in her endeavors as a content creator and activist.
What drew you to becoming a creative? It wasn’t until I was 20 years old that I met someone else with a disability. Growing up unapologetically disabled in an extremely ableist society, I was told constantly that my existence wasn’t worthy; that being disabled was a “bad thing.” Even as a little girl, I knew they were wrong. Although there weren’t any other disabled people in my life, I knew there were countless other disabled little girls that needed someone to look up to - to see that it’s okay to be disabled - that they, too, are whole, disabled and all.
What impact, if any, has your identity had on your work? As an adult, still grappling with ableism in every facet of my life, and as a fashionista, I wanted to create awareness and be a catalyst for encouraging other disabled people to be unapologetically disabled. To express themselves just like any non-disabled person would without a second thought - whether that be fashion, makeup, or by decorating our mobility aids. That’s why I infuse my colorful maximalist fashion into my content creation and dismantle ableism in heels and decorated wheels.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working? When I initially dove into content creation, I received countless ableist, vile hate comments. At times, it was disheartening to see those dozens of comments. Some people have even said they believed in eugenics and that I didn’t deserve to live. Regardless, as I continued to spread my mission and awareness, the disabled and chronically ill community began to find me - and they would defend me against those ableists. I built a community through advocating for awareness. And I think it’s beautiful that my community can unify and protect one another, even in adversity.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? As a lifelong disabled woman, I’ve grappled with ableism since birth. It’s everywhere: from education to employment and to physical barriers due to inaccessibility and everywhere in between. Throughout my life facing these barriers, literally and metaphorically, I’ve learned that if I wanted to see change, I needed to be the one making it happen.
Have there been any career moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? A little over a year into my journey as a content creator, I now get comments and messages from supporters nearly every day thanking me for my content. They tell me it has helped them feel less alone and that I’ve inspired them to be unapologetically disabled, wear outfits they previously were too nervous about wearing, and to decorate their mobility aids. Every time I read those comments and messages, I cry. I’m having the impact on my community that I yearned for since childhood. It gives me hope for the future of disabled people.
What are your short-term and/or long-term goals? Have you noticed any evolution in your aspirations? In terms of my short-term goals, I am focused on creating more fashion content and harvesting a movement for adaptive clothing, as well as disabled fashion styling and modeling. As for my long-term goals, I want to pivot toward focusing on growing my YouTube channel. I also want to explore modeling professionally. Evolution-wise, I have been flirting with the idea of pursuing acting, as well.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other women and femme creatives who are just starting off in the industry? To all the women starting their journey: be unapologetic and consistent.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to discuss or share with us? If you’re interested in sharing my mission and would like to connect with me to possibly work on a project together, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at samantha@adisabledicon.com.
Instagram: @adisabledicon | YouTube: https://youtube.com/@adisabledicon | Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/adisabledicon | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adisabledicon/
JADE PHOENIX; FILMMAKER, ACTRESS, POET, SPEAKER
Jade Phoenix Martinez, (she/her), is a Queer, Trans, Femme, Filipinx, Parent, LA-based Writer, Director, Filmmaker, Performance artist + poet, and Speaker. Jade’s work is a poetic expression rooted in the multiple identities she holds and how they intersect with her day-to-day fight for a collective liberation, while boldly creating art and cultural content in hopes of bringing queer and trans stories to the center of today’s current social, political and cultural landscapes.
What drew you to becoming a creative? As someone that has suffered a lot of childhood trauma, as I began to grow into adulthood and started the process of healing, I found that creativity and performance art was one of the main catalyst that pushed forward larger strides in my healing journey. I was introduced first to spoken word poetry. I found that whenever I was in these spaces and hearing people share their stories and journeys in such a raw and vulnerable way, I found some healing of my own. Once I decided I needed to get on a stage myself and I performed my first spoken word piece, I was hooked. Ever since then I have seen my creative process and my healing process almost as one in the same. I don't think I would be alive today were it not for the discovery that I could heal through my creative spirit.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? I have been blessed and fortunate to have entered the industry at a time when trans and queer representation in Hollywood is growing. So far, since 2015, I have been able to work on sets and productions that have been predominantly filled with queer and trans cast and crew. When I debuted my short documentary "How To Make A Rainbow" and the first project I was a part of that made an extended festival run, I was able to go to most of the major queer film festivals around the country and plug myself into the community in that way. The connections and relationships I have been able to make since then have been so wonderful and life affirming. I believe there is enough space for us here in Hollywood to create and cultivate in a way that doesn't have to compromise our safety as creators that are often left out on the margins. It has been such a wonderful journey and one that I look forward to going further on as I get more and more into my work as a filmmaker.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? My short documentary "How To Make A Rainbow" winning the audience award for best short doc at Outfest in 2019 was definitely one of my first moments of pride and achievement in the industry. Getting to tell my story as a trans mother, in a way that was centered around joy, love, and hope, felt like such a momentous moment for me, especially when most of the stories of trans folks at the time was centered around our trauma, pain, or transitions. I feel that there should be more room for trans joy, for trans hope and love. I hope that my story was able to play a part in inspiring other trans filmmakers and story tellers to do the same.
What are your short term and/or long term goals? Have you noticed any evolution in your aspirations? I am focused on continuing the journey as a story teller and invested in my own personal healing and evolution. As I mentioned earlier, starting off as a performance poet and writer, I have seen my creative endeavors and aspirations grow larger and larger every day. I am excited to pursue bigger and better dreams for myself and believe in what I am capable of. I want to continue paving the way for more creatives like me, for more brown trans women, queer femmes, working class first generation filmmakers and storytellers. I currently am working on a feature film as well as an episodic series. I want to continue growing my reach and platform and sharing with the world the ways film, and television can be used to bring awareness, joy, and hope to all kinds of people that don't often see themselves reflected in the media they consume. I hope to keep on this path as I grow and learn and expand into my practice and hone my craft every day.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to share with us? I am excited to share that I am currently in pre-production for my short entitled "Jamie." I am making my directorial debut, as well as writer, lead actor and producer of the short! It is a story that is very near and dear to my heart and part of my own healing journey as I mentioned earlier. "Jamie" is about a Filipina trans woman seeing her family for the first time since coming out to them as trans. Its set in Historic Filipinotown here in LA, and she is part of a boxing family that is gathering to watch the last fight of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquaio. We are currently in the stage of fundraising and gaining enough traction and support to start production in late May early June.
Website: www.mxjadephoenix.com | Instagram: @jadephoenix | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_jadephoenix_ | Recent Work: https://vimeo.com/343099753
REAA PURI; FILMMAKER
Reaa Puri, (she/they), is a multidisciplinary filmmaker whose films confront issues of sexual and state violence, and work toward reclamation of sovereignty; from the microcosmic level of the body to the macrocosmic level of land, belonging, and place-hood. In her creative process, Reaa centers collaboration and self-transformation as tools to simultaneously challenge the colonial origins of cinema and move towards a just future.
She is a TEDX speaker and recipient of two Cannes Lion awards, the Roselyn Schneider Eisner Prize and the SFFilm Holbrooke Female Fund. Her short films have played at Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest Film Festival, London Asia Film Festival, SF IndieFest and BAMPFA…
What drew you to becoming a creative? I feel that creativity is intrinsic to being a human being, it’s a fundamental part of who we are. My path to pursuing a career in filmmaking and the arts sprouted from a range of influences. Firstly, I grew up watching my mom become a fashion designer, which was a pretty uncommon career for women at that time in India. Watching her as a child always sparked my curiosity; it led me to express myself through poetry, theater, dance, photography, and ultimately, filmmaking. Another core influence has been my upbringing between India, the Middle East and California. I moved schools and cities every few years for as far back as I can remember, and it created this sense of awe at the world — how it is so magnificent, how it is full of both tragedy and beauty. The constant moving of environments sparked both discomfort and creative stimulus for me. And maybe most importantly, I also was a kid with a lot of very deep feelings. Like many of us, I often felt misunderstood by the world, or felt like my environment didn’t have the patience or depth to hold everything inside of me. Being creative was a way of giving myself permission to unleash and be unbound in my expression.
What impact, if any, has your cultural heritage had on your work and the way you approach story? The older I get, the way I experience my identity evolves and deepens in ways that I would have never anticipated a few years ago. It’s also worth noting that for many folks who experience any form of marginalization, we often must navigate not only the impact of our own identity but the impact of how our environment sees our identity. But I would like to unpack this question in a different direction:
I feel that my life experience, and even traumas that I have experienced, has allowed me a level of sensitivity and integrity that has been crucial to my work as a director. I approach the process with a deep value for nurturing, honoring, and building my relationships and collaborations. Especially in my documentary work, but really in all of my film projects, I want the process itself to be a generative and transformative experience for every single person involved, no matter their role. Things I practice so that this can happen: Transparency and clear communication, set expectations early, build trust together, navigate conflict with honesty, accountability, and care. And this last point is something I am working on practicing more myself: Ask for help when you need it.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? When I started studying and working in film, as early as college, the inequities and imbalance of power dynamics started to become pretty apparent to me. My realization after a few years of entering the Hollywood space was that this environment is unhealthy for me. I wanted to co-create and be a part of a filmmaking culture that was rooted in collective care and well-being. In 2017, I connected with two other women of color who were looking for the same thing. Together, we founded Breaktide Productions, a film production company owned and operated by women of color and rooted in intersectional solidarity. Over the years, we have been surprised by how revolutionary our practices have been for the teams we have worked with, and the close-knit community we continue to build. One time, we were working on a campaign with an international sportswear company, and an experienced medic, who had worked in the industry for decades, came up to us and shared how he had never been on a set where women of color were leading all departments and where so many people of color were a part of the crew. Not only that, but our set had been the most well-run production he had been a part of. He was blown away by how well my Breaktide partners (Jalena Keane-Lee, Alex Bledsoe) and I worked together – The culture of care we encouraged on set, and how we got the job done without ever having to go over schedule. We have had many people over the years share how transformative the experience has been for them to be a part of productions that are not just led by people who look like us but rooted in the values that we center.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other women and femme creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Find your people! Make art together. Take a chance on each other. Collectivize. You may not be able to do it alone but you can do it together. Also, dare to be vulnerable, with yourself and your art. Treat your art like a friend you care about: Don’t judge it. Give it room to flourish and find its feet.
Is there anything else you’d like to discuss or share with us? Breaktide Productions is always looking to build community, expand our crew database, and work on aligned commissions. Feel free to get in touch with us through www.breaktide.co
If you’d like to learn more about our processes at Breaktide, here’s my TedX talk where I go into more detail about why and how we do what we do.
Website: https://www.reaapuri.com/ | Instagram: @reaapuri | Recent Work: https://www.reaapuri.com/work
JALENA KEANE-LEE; FILM DIRECTOR
Jalena Keane-Lee, (she/her), is a filmmaker who explores intergenerational trauma and healing through an intersectional lens. She’s currently directing her first feature length film, Standing Above the Clouds which follows Native Hawaiian mother daughter activists. Her short film by the same name screened at over 40 film festivals, won best short documentary at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival and Special Jury Mention from the Center for Asian American Media, streamed on the Criterion Collection, and broadcast on POV. Jalena co-founded Breaktide Productions, an all women of color production company that has won two Cannes Lion awards for branded content. She’s produced commercial series for Nike and Facebook, and won Tribeca Through Her Lens 2020. Rest Stop, the short film she produced, premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2022 and won Best Short Film at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. She has been supported by the Sundance Edit Lab, NeXt Doc, Jacob Burns Film Center, Pacific Islanders in Communication, The Wyncote Fellowship, Nia Tero, CNN Films, and Points North Institute.
What impact, if any, has your identity had on your work and the way you approach story? My identity informs the kinds of stories I tell. I’m drawn to tell stories that complicate and give depth to women of color leaders. I’m drawn to stories about the unseen - interior emotional worlds, spirits and ancestors, and forgotten history.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? I’ve found pretty much all of my community outside of Hollywood. Brown Girls Doc Mafia has been such a wonderful source of community for me and so has A-Doc the Asian American Documentary Network.
Can you recall any instances where you had to overcome a barrier or faced a challenge? What did you learn, if anything? How do you believe that experience might have influenced your journey? I have faced countless rejections that have definitely hurt. But they also taught me the importance of kindness. First, to be kind to myself and not take rejections personally, which is easier said than done. Second, to be kind to the person delivering the rejection. Multiple times someone who rejected me for a certain opportunity ended up referring me to another one. Rejection has also taught me how to believe someone when they say they want to support your work.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? Recently all of the awards Everything Everywhere All At Once has received has made me really proud. That movie was so incredibly moving and so weird and so full of heart. I love that it’s absolutely not what anyone would have expected would win an oscar for best picture a few years ago or even last year. I also love that Michelle Yeoh is getting the love and affirmations she deserves.
What are your short-term and/or long-term goals? Have you noticed any evolution in your aspirations? My short term goal is to finish and release my first feature documentary Standing Above the Clouds. It’s an expansion of my short film with the same name which is available to watch on my website. I’ve been working on this film for the past five years. It has helped me grow and heal and allowed me to witness and document such sacred beautiful moments. I’m really excited for the world to see this film.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other women and femme creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Community is everything. This work and this industry are not easy to navigate. Find your people and grow with them. Mentors are amazing and necessary but finding people at your career stage and networking horizontally as Issa Rae says is just as important, if not more. Don’t be afraid to fail or make “bad” work. Not every project you work on needs to be on your website or portfolio. Lastly, invest in your mental health. Your ability to feel and understand your inner world is the key to making lasting, meaningful art. And in the end after all the projects are done and the film festivals and screenings are over, you need to be okay and I think that’s not talking about enough in our field.
Do you have any recent work or projects you’d like to discuss or share with us? I have a new short personal documentary called Tracing History that follows my mom and I as we travel to the sites where our Chinese ancestors may have labored to build the railroad. It’s not released yet but I’m really excited for people to see it! I’m hoping that it premieres in May for AAPI history month. We’re having a first look screening at the Kennedy Center this month and I’m looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. Rest Stop the short narrative film I produced has also not been released yet but we won best narrative short at Sundance, just played SXSW, and will be screening at Aspen Shorts Fest and SFFilm and hopefully more festivals to come. I’m excited for audiences to see it and we’re working on distribution for it too.
Website: http://www.jalenakeanelee.com/ | Instagram: @jalena.kl
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Whether it's through writing, directing, designing, producing, or any number of other jobs, Black creativity and perspective offers definition to every project it's involved in. Black art is manifold, limitless, perservering, and its impact on American media has been so substantial that the two are often conflated. Historically, however, the people behind this work have gone unrecognized and been under appreciated for the struggle they had to fight in order to create in the first place. This makes it all the more important to ensure the people are loved as much as the culture.
Intuition Films is celebrating Black History Month by sharing our platform with five Black visionaries in entertainment as a part of our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. We are thrilled to present filmmaker Ramfis Myrthil, filmmaker Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah, director Faith Briggs, writer/director Charia Rose, and graphic artist Jeff Manning. Continue reading to hear what they have to say.
FEBRUARY
RAMFIS MYRTHIL, FILMMAKER
What drew you to becoming a creative? My process for being introduced to the world of film was through a friend. I transitioned from an actor to a filmmaker because being a filmmaker allowed me to have more control over the creative aspect. For acting, there are so many factors out of your control for landing a role, which I didn't like, as I like to be in creative control. Being a filmmaker, I can build and tell the stories I want to tell, and I have the tools to put the projects I want out there. At the end of the day, I want to be creative, and I want to have control over my destiny.
What impact, if any, has your cultural heritage and/or general experience of Blackness had on your work and the way you approach story? I started to make films because in order to tell the stories that I wanted to see, I had to be the one to tell those stories. There are not that many people of color in executive roles in Hollywood, so I realized I had to go into that world, and start making stories about people of color. Granted, more stories are being told, but there are not enough. I am black myself, and in front and behind the camera, I have seen the bias of Hollywood. I want to support BIPOC stories, specifically Caribbean and West Indian stories, which is why I created Ramfis Productions. The production company was specifically created to amplify BIPOC stories. Then with my grant, the Hyphen Grant was specifically created to support Caribbean and West Indian creatives.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? I have made it a point to be a leader in the industry. I am involved in every major film festival, from being an advisor at Sundance Film Institute to being a speaker at the Cannes Film Festival to being a speaker and mentor at SXSW. I've also found that consistently having films at these festivals has brought people to me. Through making myself visible, both with my films, and with the presence of my production company, people who have the same mission of wanting to disrupt the film industry have found their ways to me, and we have found a way to create together.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? I have had to face all the barriers that any person in the creative industry must go through. But also, I have had to face the barriers that specifically black and brown creatives must face. I have been around conversations where films focusing on black and brown stories are seen as not appealing to the world because their stories are not seen as universal. There is this idea that old white men will not understand BIPOC stories, so they are not made, which is where I want to help with that, and thankfully there are others who want help and see these stories too. There are audiences, financiers, and companies that align with my missions, which has allowed me to break that barrier, however, that doesn’t mean that I still face it daily.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? Producing the film Cicada made me so proud. When we had one of our private screenings at NYU, there were people whom I personally didn’t know, but they came up to me and told me they were so thankful that these stories were being told. Knowing that what I aimed to do was being received made me so proud. There is also a specific memory that I have in Poznan on a Monday night, during COVID, we sold out our screening, the audience was attentive. The response was overwhelming, especially because I didn't think there would be such an audience with travel restrictions, but this was not just Poznan, and it made me realize that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. We were nominated for an independent spirit award, where we had continued engagement, where we inspired people, touching their hearts, but showing that there was a commercial aspect to these stories.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? In 5 years, I hope to make commercially high end indie films, with themes that I believe in. At the same time, I hope to also transition into doing more studio projects, that are on the network and streaming services, where they also have the same themes that I imbue into my current films. We’re on target right now, where we have been targeting filmmakers that are women, BIPOC, and queer, that we want to collaborate with. With these creatives, we are working, and sharing material with each other, finding work that we love, and would love to take to bigger studios.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Black creatives who are just starting off in the industry? For those just starting in the industry, spend time reading. Learn how to work with people, learn how to negotiate, and know how to ask for what you want. Spend time reading books such as How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, and Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Christopher Voss. Read The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, which explores how people can be manipulated and explores guerilla warfare, and to learn how to make sure you aren't being taken advantage of. Also, Read the trades every day: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, IndieWire. Know what’s going on in the trades, and know what's going on in the industry. Furthermore, put yourself out there: go to networking events, and go to events; go to screenings of filmmakers that you want to be like. You can pick their brain, and know what they did right, but also know what they did wrong, cutting your timeline. Mentorship and internships, for black creatives, intern everywhere! Not just places that support people of color. For all minorities in the industry, don’t let the industry pigeonhole you. Don’t limit yourself, and don't let others limit you.
Ramfis Myrthil is a New York-based filmmaker who champions films by people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community, while promoting themes of passion and integrity in all of his work. Ramfis’ started his journey into the film industry by premiering his first short film, entitled Love and the Small Print (2012), at the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival, where it was picked up by Shorts International for worldwide distribution. After that, Ramfis became involved with the feature film entitled A Boy, A Girl, and A Dream (2018), which premiered at Sundance and was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films for theatrical release.
One of his most celebrated feature films, entitled Cicada (2021), has won awards at several film festivals around the world, was purchased for distribution in North America and Europe, and was also nominated for an Independent Spirit award in the spring of 2022.
Instagram: @ramfismyrthilofficial | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramfismyrthil/
EWURAKUA DAWSON-AMOAH, DIRECTOR
What drew you to becoming a creative? Creativity was a part of my being from the jump, I never wanted to pursue a traditional field. I was the kid writing short stories in composition notebooks, forcing my siblings to act in skits, memorizing lines to movies and immersing myself in creative fiction. Initially, I wanted to be a novelist, but when I realized there was somebody in charge of translating words into picture it became apparent to me that I needed to be in the film space. Creativity isn’t an escape for me, it’s everything. When I listen to songs I write music video scenes in my head, When I’m on the train, I find poetry in the snippets of conversations and arguments that pass me by. The idea of “becoming a creative” has always been interesting to me, because I don’t think we make that choice. I don’t believe that we become creative. I think creatives are born, and the decision is how much time we want to dedicate to nurturing what’s already there.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? An ongoing process. The film industry is a unique beast, and surrounding yourself with the right people is pivotal. You gotta find people who are gonna lift you up and build with you, not see you as competition. My best friends and collaborators are people I met within months of moving to the city, so they saw me grow and hustle. We built up together and looked out for each other. They were with me before my career took a step into the professional space and have been with me ever since.
On the flip side, growing my community right before my transition into the professional world was much different. Unlike my close friends, now I was meeting people with different intentions, and I realized that I was trying to build a community with the wrong people. I had to take a step back and pay attention to who was trying to climb up and who was yearning to build across. After that I started to find my tribe. That has been extremely rewarding.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? At each phase of my career I’ve faced a string of new challenges. My initial barrier was entering an industry that wasn’t created for people that looked like me. Coming in I had no role model, no guidebook, because black women in film was not a common occurrence. I grew up with the constant reminder that I needed to work twice as hard to get anywhere. When I arrived in New York, the financial strain of education, making a film, and living in New York was a big blow. I couldn’t afford to just make films whenever I wanted, and I needed to get creative. While in school I worked many retail jobs (shoutout to PINK), took on 8 internships, sold poetry books and hosted events to fund my projects. Once I got my projects made, I needed to find a way to get them distributed, which was yet another cost. I wrote personal letters to festivals for discounted or waived submission fees and applied to grants to fund post-production. Once I entered the professional space, there was the barrier of well, me. My age, gender and race made it difficult for me to land jobs, and once I landed them, I had to prove myself on set each time. People weren’t used to their director being a 5’4, 23 year old black girl. They still aren’t. I’m still navigating this, and figuring out how to find my place in the industry without that place being in a creative box. I want the car commercial! The sports gig, the unconventional pieces that I’m often overlooked on. The barrier of access and opportunity is a big one for me this year. Hopefully I’m able to overcome that soon!
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? I was on set last year and for the first time in my life, literally ever, I had a BIPOC creative in almost every key crew position. My AD, Head of hair, Head of Wardrobe, Gaffer, Head of makeup, Production Designer were all people of color. Although we have a ways to go, this representation on set was one of my happiest moments. I even found myself less nervous directing this set, being surrounded by people that looked like me. I felt, free, calm, welcomed. I’d been on many sets prior as THE DIRECTOR, but never felt like I belonged till this moment. Imagine that.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Black creatives who are just starting off in the industry? You owe it to yourself and your work to be firm in your ideas. This doesn’t mean don’t collaborate, but don’t compromise your vision to make other people comfortable. Don’t shrink down for anyone if it means sacrificing your story or artistic voice. Give yourself the permission to be audacious when it comes to your work. Because nobody will fight for your art like you can.
Canada born, US raised, Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah grew up in a tiny town in New Jersey. During her childhood, she immersed herself in storytelling and an array of music genres. Eager to be a “borderless storyteller”, her interests span from comedy to horror, and she plans to create work in various genres and mediums.
Ewurakua graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her work has been recognized in numerous film competitions, including Fusion Film Festival, Raindance Festival, Cinequest, Toronto Black Film Festival, NFFTY, and the Tony Hawkins Award for Excellence in Sound Design. In August of 2020, her short film “To the Girl That Looks Like Me” was named a finalist in the Alternative/Experimental category of the 2020 Student Academy Awards. Ewurakua’s To the Girl That Looks Like Me is part of the Scene in Color Film Series, presented by Target, with the film available to watch on Rotten Tomatoes, MovieClips Indie Channel, Peacock, and the NBC App.
In 2020 she launched The Melacast Network, a platform focused on connecting BIPOC actors, directors, and crew.
FAITH BRIGGS, DIRECTOR
Instagram: @raekua
What drew you to becoming a creative? I grew up working at summer camps with children and youth from NYC, primarily Black and Brown children from underserved communities. It became clear to me how deeply media impacted the lives of children and how narrow the images were that the young people I worked with were exposed to about themselves. Because of that, I knew I wanted to make media to interrupt the narratives that constrained imaginations and possibilities for our communities.
What impact, if any, has your cultural heritage and/or general experience of Blackness had on your work and the way you approach story? My joy about being Black shows up in everything I do. I am in awe at the hard-earned resilience of Black people, of our creativity, our storytelling and our contributions to the world and especially to the building of this country. I try to celebrate a wide spectrum of representation in all of my work, to highlight subjects who are living life outside of a mainstream imagination. I believe that being culture creators and change makers is a part of our legacy as Black creatives and I feel delighted to continue to carry that torch.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? The film industry, like many others, can be very pay to play. For example, if you can afford to finance your first short films, afford the best camera equipment so you can get hired, afford to work for free a lot to build up a reel and experience, then you are better positioned to have more people take chances on you, see you as hard working and get in front of them. If you can’t afford to work for free or make things independently of existing streams of funding, it can be difficult. So in this industry, not being independently wealthy or having financial support from family is already a barrier. While I’m working on not being pigeonholed in the space (a barrier), the outdoor space and adventure filmmaking is my area of expertise. That space is also a very white-male dominated space, as is film in general, and the outdoors is even more so. I feel really blessed and proud of having established myself as a director in that space and now to be supporting other women and BIPOC filmmakers in breaking into it. That said, I’m still overcoming barriers every day. Some of those I think come from the “look” that Hollywood expects from a director. I’m chill, I’m collaborative, I work my ass off and care deeply about getting the work done. Sure, I have an Ivy League degree, but I’m less concerned about coming off as an auteur and more concerned about creating an inclusive set environment where everyone gets to feel invested in the work we are making, not just me. I’m also not so interested in what the coolest special FX are, I’m interested in the content of the work and the conversation and representation that we get to advance from it. I don’t have a lot of fashion or editorial on my reel, I have real people and real experiences. I don’t shy away from conversations about identity politics, queerness, racism etc. I think for some brands and potential clients that can be a bit intimidating. That said, I’m proud of my path and sticking to it.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Black creatives who are just starting off in the industry? I believe that our identity is our strength. Our perspectives are unique. And no one can tell these same stories the way we can tell them. My advice would be to find good mentors, to listen to advice and to filter it - very often people will dismiss your stories because they don’t understand your experience, and to keep being who you are rather than trying to fit into a narrow image of what the industry tells you you have to be.
Faith Briggs is a documentary filmmaker, creative producer and podcast host passionate about sharing contemporary stories from diverse communities. Both behind and in front of the camera, she works with brands, non-profit organizations, institutions and individual creatives to create media representative of the world we live in and the better one we are working together to create. Briggs is a graduate of Yale University and the NYU Journalism Institute and previously worked at Discovery Communications. She works closely with Wild Confluence Media, The Wilder Studio and is based in Portland, Oregon.
Instagram: @faithbeerose | Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/faithebriggs
CHARIA ROSE, WRITER/DIRECTOR
What drew you to becoming a creative? I started writing short stories at a very young age. There was something very freeing about it that I guess I knew even back then that I needed. The kind of expression that creativity allows is something that has helped me become the confident person I’m proud to be now.
What impact, if any, has your cultural heritage and/or general experience of Blackness had on your work and the way you approach story? To be Black is to hold multitudes within yourself. Like all cultures, there’s a specificity to the Black experience that I hold near to me. I’m the master of my own experience, so my experiences as a Black Midwestern Baddie has greatly impacted my creative expression. I hold it close to me because it’s an experience that, even in Black spaces, is often glanced over. There’s a certain look and feeling that I am obsessed with conveying through my work which comes from my specific journey. But also, it’s important to me to tell stories of the mundane whilst being Black or queer, etc. That’s the beauty of life. Every single thing you go through shapes who you are.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? Working on my own projects and compiling my own crew and team. I think, a lot of the time, we convince ourselves to wait until the world we want to see appears for us. I’m the opposite. Fuck waiting. Create! So, when I have the opportunity to bring together a team cultivated of Black, Brown, Queer, the entire spectrum of identities, it gives me hope. We’re here. We’re the best at what we do. We’re looking gorgeous while doing it. It makes me warm and fuzzy and proud all at once.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? Retirement. LOL. I’m only ¼ joking… Retirement to me is financial stability to the point where my life’s work is fully focused on creative discernment. I’m producing and directing and writing because it fulfills me not just to make my way. I pray that in 5 years I am in a position to support other creatives bring their stories to life, in whatever way that needs to look. My post-Saturn return goal can be defined in a pretty simple term: freedom.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Black creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Never stop being you. Your personality and personhood are your superpower. There is only one you. Use that to your advantage. Life is too short to spend it trying to be the person you think will get you success. Oh, and shut up the doubt in your head. Write it. Shoot it. Produce it. You’ll thank yourself later.
Charia Rose is a writer and director from Detroit, Michigan that firmly believes in art as a means for deep reflection and strives to use it for social change. She feels being born in Detroit is a high honor and carries it with pride. So much so that she has dedicated herself to showing the world that, contrary to popular belief, there are Black and Brown people in the Midwest and they have amazing, interesting, and multifaceted stories to tell. She was a fellow in the 2020 New York Stage and Film Filmmaker Workshop and is currently a story editor on the spin-off of The CW’s hit show ALL AMERICAN, ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING. She graduated from DePaul University with a dual Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Resolution Studies.
Instagram: @charia | Website: https://chariarose.com
JEFF MANNING, GRAPHIC ARTIST
Jeff Manning is a Philadelphia-based Graphic Artist who began his journey in 2009 while in high school. Jeff went on to attend the Art Institute of Philadelphia, where he received an Associate of Science degree for Graphic Design in 2014. Since graduating, he has worked with clients, such as 20th Century Fox, Adidas, TIME, Netflix, and many more. Jeff also had the opportunity to showcase with BET during the screening tour of Lena Waithe’s new TWENTIES series along with showcasing with Rolling Stone in Los Angeles in 2022. He's also the co-owner of FourNineteen Co. Studio, a well-known art/photo studio in Philadelphia, PA.
Jeff’s style of art is inspired by Afrofuturism and Surrealism. His main focus is to grasp the mind of his audience, share inspiration, and for them to have their own personal connection with each of his pieces.
What drew you to becoming a creative? Seeing the album cover artworks from some of my favorite music artists is what drew me into becoming a graphic artist. I would see them and would immediately become curious on how they were created which led me eventually discovering Adobe Photoshop in 2009 when I took a Graphic Design course in high school.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? Absolutely! That moment for me was creating the official key art poster for the film CONCRETE COWBOY. There’s a community of Black cowboys in North Philadelphia called Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. Being from Philadelphia myself, I was extremely proud to be a part of a film that put the spotlight on the horse riding culture in the city.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? I hope to have created artwork for at least one Grammy award nominated album within the next 5 years. Even though I have created work for a few established music artists in the past, I’m determined to collaborate with more artists consistently in the future.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Black creatives who are just starting off in the industry? My advice for Black creatives who are just started off is to STAY ORIGINAL. Even though this sounds cliche, we live in a world where it’s easy to get discouraged when we receive a lack of likes or “engagement” on our work that’s posted on social media which can sometimes cause us to contemplate abandoning the initial goal/mission that we set for ourselves for something that's in-trend. As a creative and entrepreneur, it’s always important to practice patience. Organic growth will always win!
Website: www.jeffmanningart.com | Instagram: @jeffmanning_ | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-manning-ba82a15a/
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ MONTH
Every minority community should be entitled to accurate and uplifting representation, but unfortunately, it is no secret that Hollywood has historically been guilty of aggravating the erasure of indigenous peoples. Though significant strides have been made in recent years, many natives continue to find it necessary to create their own opportunities and be their own representation. This November, Intuition Films seeks to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Month* by inviting four formidable members of the entertainment industry to share their accomplishments and insight as a part of our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. We are thrilled to present filmmaker TJ Cuthand, filmmaker Erin Lau, cinematographer Robert Hunter, and cinematographer Leeann Leonard. Continue reading to hear what they have to say.
*Though November is officially recognized as “Native American Indian Heritage Month,” in the U.S., there has been an increasingly popular consensus that the title is outdated and fails to be inclusive. In recognition of this, Intuition Films has chosen to refer to this time as “Indigenous Peoples’ Month,” in our publications and extend invitation to participate to indigenous creatives both within and outside U.S. borders.
NOVEMBER
TJ CUTHAND, FILMMAKER
TJ Cuthand was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1978, and grew up in Saskatoon. Since 1995 he has been making short experimental narrative videos and films about sexuality, madness, Queer identity and love, and gender and Indigeneity, which have screened in festivals internationally. His work has also exhibited at galleries including the MOMA in NYC, The National Gallery in Ottawa, and The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. He completed his BFA majoring in Film and Video at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2005, and his Masters of Arts in Media Production at Ryerson University in 2015. He has also written three feature screenplays and has performed at Live At The End Of The Century in Vancouver, Queer City Cinema’s Performatorium in Regina, and 7a*11d in Toronto. In 2017 he won the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s REVEAL Indigenous Art Award. He is a Whitney Biennial 2019 artist. He is of Plains Cree and Scots descent, a member of Little Pine First Nation, and currently resides in Toronto, Canada.
What drew you to becoming a creative? My family has a lot of storytellers in it, including my late Grandpa who held a lot of traditional oral stories from his family and community. I started writing short stories as a kid and made little books with my Mom and stuff before I knew how to write. That just continued as I grew up until my teen years when I first picked up a camcorder and started making short experimental videos. A lot of no/low budget work in my early career, and then I started getting real budgets to make documentaries. I also started getting more into narrative and drama and wrote scripts, some of which were never made but still made me learn how to write. In grad school my thesis project was a feature film script, which I have continued to develop afterwards and hopefully we will be going into production next year on it. But mostly what got me into all of that was the desire to see myself and my communities represented on screen. There’s very little depiction of Indigiqueer life in media, and my films are an attempt to rectify that.
What impact, if any, has your Latine heritage had on your work and/or the way you approach story? I think the way my Grandpa would tell stories helped me evolve into mainly a short filmmaker. His stories were monologues and that was how I began also. I’ve developed more complex storytelling since the early monologue days but I think that’s a style I keep going back to because it’s a Plains Cree method of storytelling.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? I was fortunate that a lot of Indigenous women filmmakers had been working ahead of me to try and make a name for themselves and our communities in Hollywood and beyond. I’ve recently begun transitioning as a trans man, but for a long time Indigenous women filmmakers supported my work and included me in the film Industry. I know it’s been a long fight for some of them to get respect they deserved and I’m always going to be grateful that they worked so hard for the Indigenous community at large to be properly represented in film.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? I think being Queer and Trans was a barrier, there’s something very capitalist in film where demographics are so important in order to get a return on investment. Ugh. Anyway, a lot of people don’t think Indigenous, especially Queer/Trans Indigenous stories would speak to enough people to be worthwhile to make. It’s very frustrating to hear that you don’t count because your community is too small and people think people don’t care. I’ve discovered it’s not true by the way, people are curious about each other and that translates into films people are drawn to.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other indigenous creatives who are just starting off in the industry? I think people need to know it might take a while to get where you want to be. I always wanted to make a feature film but it’s taken a couple of decades to get close to it. I think also knowing that each project is a learning experience, you’re going to discover a lot about yourself through mistakes and growing from those mistakes. Also to be gentle with your people, like your actors or if you do documentary then your subjects. Make sure they are taken care of. Don’t forget the people who helped you along the way and always try for opportunities, even if you get rejected sometimes. Also don’t take all the rejections to heart, I still get work rejected from festivals all the time and it still finds its audience somehow.
Instagram: @cabbagetownstomper | Facebook: /TjCuthandArtist | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjcuthand
ERIN LAU, FILMMAKER
Raised in Kahaluʻu, Hawaiʻi, Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau has dedicated her life to creating empathy-forward stories for her community. She is currently repped by the United Talent Agency and her films have screened in over 50 film festivals across the world. Her Chapman thesis THE MOON AND THE NIGHT received support from the 2017 Sundance Native Lab and was shortlisted for the Student BAFTA awards. With the support of Film Independent’s Project Involve program, Erin was able to direct her next movie titled, ALL I EVER WANTED, which won Best Comedy at the Oscar-Qualifying 2022 Hollyshorts Film Festival. Her latest film INHERITANCE was supported by Tribeca Studios, Netflix, and Gold House through the Future Gold Film Fellowship. It recently premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and is currently traveling the circuit.
For three years, Erin worked as a Senior Producer-Director for Jubilee Media, where her videos accumulated over 130 million views. Through this work she was also given the opportunity to develop community-focused content for brands including Google, Netflix, and Always. She now works as a freelance producer and director, developing projects inspired by her community and home.
What drew you to becoming a creative? I discovered filmmaking in middle school. At first, I was just making silly little music videos for my friends. However, I slowly began to realize that filmmaking could be a tool to explore and better understand the feelings and experiences I didn’t know how to articulate in words. It quickly became my life jacket. Once I began sharing those films with my community, it made me realize that so many other people shared those feelings I was struggling to navigate. That time in my life helped to ignite my purpose in this life. It helped me to understand why the work matters and why we have to be responsible and diligent in that work.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? One industry moment that blew me away was seeing the Criterion Channel curate a Hawaiʻi Shorts playlist in 2021 - films all by or about Native Hawaiians! I never imagined I would get to see so many Hawaiian films showcased on my favorite streaming service. It overwhelmed me with joy and made me hopeful for our local film community’s future.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? I’m determined to direct my first feature within the next five years. I also am working hard at getting my foot into television directing. There are so many powerful and important shows happening right now like Reservation Dogs, Atlanta, and Queen Sugar – and I’d love nothing more than to contribute to those movements.
In addition to my creative work, it’s very important to me that in five years, I’ll have greatly deepened my relationship with my culture and community. I recently returned to hula and have been trying to improve my ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) proficiency. I’m also on the board for a couple of film institutions in Hawaiʻi and want to continue planting seeds for our future kānaka filmmakers.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Latine creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Remember that your worth is not attached to the quality of your work. And remember who you are and hold onto that. In times of hardship, I try to focus on my purpose in this work, my ancestors, and to feel the ground underneath my feet. Our industry can be very fickle, challenging, and heartbreaking. The more you identify the things that help you find your sense of “center,” the quicker it’ll feel like you can breathe again when things get tough.
Website: https://www.erinlaufilms.com/ | Instagram: @laulau_erin | LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/erinmlau/
ROBERT L HUNTER, CINEMATOGRAPHER
What drew you to becoming a creative? I was working long hours in a hot, stinking, dish pit at a tribal casino in the state of Washington. It was a necessary crossroad in my life where I was able to reflect on what my life could be. I knew that whatever I chose to do with my life I would work 110% everyday to be of service to my family and community. As fate would have it, cinematography became my form as an artist and storyteller.
What impact, if any, has your indigenous heritage had on your work and the way you approach story? My upbringing has had an extraordinary impact on the way I understand story and imagery. As Native people, we are a living, breathing story. The makeup of our everyday lives – it’s all rooted in story. That’s what gives us our direction and intentionality. There is a story behind every design on a tipi, rug or basket. There is a story behind every word in our language – why/how we pronounce things the way we do. Our stories often take on different forms and structures than that of our European counterparts. Whenever I approach a script I constantly ask myself how I can decolonize the way we’ve been conditioned to understand cinema and hopefully find a language rooted in our indigeneity but strikes universal chords.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other indigenous creatives who are just starting off in the industry? I think it’s important to study the works of the masters. However, I think it’s more important to study ourselves – our individual tribal cultures and ancestry. Our ancestors hold the answers for us and will speak through us if we are well enough connected. An indigenous person behind the camera is a dangerous thing! Every story that comes through us holds weight and we need it all – comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, etc before we can fully realize ourselves in this industry.
Robert L Hunter — Blackfeet, Shoshone-Paiute and Washoe — is a storyteller currently based in Tongva and Chumash territories, otherwise known as Los Angeles, CA. Born and raised in Montana, Hunter has navigated many paths in two worlds, which ultimately led him to possess a unique perspective in image making. Robert wholeheartedly believes our optics have the power to influence the culture and shape our societal narrative. His aim is to use that power in positive service to the community. Hunter’s 35mm short film “BLACK BOYS CAN’T CRY”, supported by Panavision, Kodak and Fotokem, recently won the Social Impact Award at the Oscar Qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival. His short film "HALLELUJAH" is an Official Selection at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. He is a recent Cinematography graduate of the American Film Institute. Phenomenally Indigenous.
Website: https://www.robertlhunter.com | Instagram: @robertlhunter | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hunter-a4709287/
LEEANN LEONARD, CINEMATOGRAPHER
Leeann Leonard, Diné (Navajo) is a LA based Cinematographer. She has worked on numerous productions in Film, Television, and Music Videos as a 1st Assistant Camera, 2nd Assistant Camera, and Camera Operator. Leeann is a proud alumni of Academy Gold (The Academy), Panavision’s Catalyst Cohort with Made in Her Image, as well as Biola University’s School of Cinema and Media Arts. She was also a part of American Film Institute’s Cinematography Intensive for Women in collaboration with Panavision, being 1 of 16 talented women Cinematographers selected across the country. In her spare time, Leeann loves to travel, attend live concerts, and watch baseball.
What impact, if any, has your Indigenous heritage had on your work and/or the way you approach story? My indigenous (Diné) heritage is a part of me every day, on and off set. It's instilled in me, it's innate. When I am on set I know I have to make my family proud, my ancestors proud, my community proud, and most importantly, myself proud. I do this by leading through positive example and positive representation.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? When I was in film school, it definitely catered to favoritism, especially to people who weren’t People of Color. One instance where I found myself in disbelief was when a film school professor discouraged me from pursuing an interest in a certain job within the camera department, especially after this person knew that I had experience and excelled in all techniques involved. This didn't bother me one bit, though. I stayed the course.
Some sets have been mostly all white males, or all white, or always people who are non- Native/Indigenous.
Sometimes being the only Indigenous person someone has ever met in their lives on set can also be quite funny.
Being Diné, I was taught to overcome these things by staying positive, setting a good example through hard work, good work ethic, and perseverance.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? Definitely. Being selected in the one percentile by The Academy through their Academy Gold internship/mentorship Production Track (emphasizing in Cinematography). Of over 7,000 applicants, I was only 1 of 70 selected from across the US and the world. Also, being 1 of 13 amazing Women Cinematographers to be selected into American Film Institute’s Cinematography Intensive for Women. To be included as a Diné were both things that I am forever grateful for and proud of.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? I want to see myself become better at my craft on a daily basis, I definitely want to see myself become part of Local 600 or Society of Camera Operators soon. As always, I want to continue gaining as much knowledge as possible through working on various sets and productions on a consistent basis with amazing colleagues and cohorts.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Latine creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Don’t take things too personally. Have some thick skin. Work hard at your craft. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Recognize your learning style and maximize your learning potential. Find mentors who are well established in the industry and network, network, network. Keep doing what you're doing, we’re all very proud of you and are cheering you on.
Instagram: @lelo.films | Facebook: /lee.leo.184881 | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeann-nizhoni-leonard
LATINE HERITAGE MONTH
Every year from Sept 15 to Oct 15, people across the US celebrate Latine Heritage Month, a time to recognize the beauty, diversity, history, and contributions of the Hispanic/Latine peoples. In honor of Latine Heritage Month, Intuition Films is platforming four of the entertainment industry’s up-and-coming Hispanic/Latine movers and shakers as a part of our Spotlighting Creatives of Color Initiative. We are thrilled to present producer Miranda Pacheco, writer/director Luis Santos, filmmaker/producer Maria B. Fernandez, and writer/director Gianfranco Fernandez-Ruiz. Continue reading to hear what they have to say.
SEPTEMBER 15 - OCTOBER 15
MIRANDA PACHECO, PRODUCER
Miranda Pacheco is a Mexican-American Producer who studied film at Columbia University in the city of New York. Since moving to Los Angeles, she has worked on various studio feature films such as West Side Story and Martin Scorsese’s Killer of the Flower Moon. Miranda has extensive experience producing commercial, music video and short film content as well. In 2020, she was selected as the NALIP Latino Lens Producing Fellow and in 2022 she was named a Women In Film Fellow. As a Producer, Miranda is committed to telling unique and personal stories that uplift marginalized communities.
What drew you to becoming a creative? I have always been drawn to art as a way to communicate and inspire. The impact of imagery and film specifically as a tool to create empathy and promote understanding attracted me to this industry and career path from a very young age.
What impact, if any, has your Latine heritage had on your work and/or the way you approach story? My heritage and identity give me a unique perspective and impact everything I do. In an industry dominated by a very narrow perception of what voices are viable and interesting, being an outsider has always been a source of motivation and creative inspiration for me. Drawing on experiences from my own life and my community keeps my projects fresh and helps me challenge existing narrative tropes through my work and the work of artists I collaborate with.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? Difficult. As a woman of color, this industry can be a cold and challenging environment to navigate, especially when first breaking in. Early on in my career I realized forming a like minded community of people up against similar challenges was the only way to survive and continue to press on despite constant barriers and broader lack of appreciation for diverse stories and storytellers. Joining The Latinx Tracking Board and founding The Broad Society, a brunch group for women in Entertainment, allowed me to connect with inspiring and hardworking peers who had similar experiences to my own. These groups are to this day, my lifeline in the business.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? Yes!! The joy of being a Producer is being able to manifest the change I want to see in this industry on every project. From independent projects to my work with institutions investing in marginalized voices such as NALIP, Women In Film and Spotlight Dorado I have been fortunate to grow with creatives changing the face of storytelling.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Latine creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Ask yourself if working in this industry is your “calling”? Being able to answer that question is key to determining if the hardship and struggle will be worth it. If the answer is yes, find your community. You will need a shoulder to cry on and some words of encouragement in difficult moments. Lean on like minded mentors and be persistent. Lastly, never forget how important your voice is. We need your voice in this industry to change it!
LUIS G. SANTOS, DIRECTOR & WRITER
What drew you to becoming a creative? My parents are wild creative in their own ways. My dad always found interesting ways to create businesses and make money & he’s also a great liar. There was no Dr. Suess being read at my house for bedtime stories.. Instead, he would invent the craziest stories possible about his upbringing in the campos of D.R. and they would be a highlight of my days as a youth. My mom is a closeted poet (I would find her poems written in hidden notebooks and stuffed in drawers) but aside from that, she has always been creative with everything she does - the ways she signs her name, the way she concocted different meals for us to eat out of whatever we had in the fridge, the way she flipped her name backward and gifted it to my sister.. I grew up enveloped around creativity my entire life and I’m grateful I am able to channel it using an art form I love.
What impact, if any, has your Latine heritage had on your work and/or the way you approach story? Being a Black Dominican man has afforded me the luxury of experiencing many different perspectives simultaneously which has enabled me to better understand the complexities of human nature, and therefore my characters, even if I don’t agree with their decisions. It’s made me a better writer & director as I deal in the truth that most of us aren’t inherently evil or good, there’s almost always a circumstance // psychological explanation behind why we make the decisions we make.
How would you describe your journey in the search for community while working in Hollywood? I’m of the belief that the community-building process has to start from within - Who am I? What are my values? What do I want to represent in this world? Questions like those are important to have had answered for yourself before you go in search of community. Once that’s sorted, social media can be such an integral community-building tool if used intentionally. Once I genuinely represented myself and my values, my community began to expand organically both in social media and in real life. It’s also been helpful for me to dedicate time to reaching out to people both in real life and on social media who I want to be in community with & setting up time to meet & connect every so often.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? I grew up poor in a violent, crime-filled neighborhood and had no connections to the industry. That’s about as big a long shot as possible but I always preferred to focus my energy on taking control of my life as much as I could. I have no money to make films. Ok, what grants // programs can I sign up for that will let me use their equipment or throw a couple of dollars my way? How many jobs can I do at once in order to save & film some of these ideas? (Turns out it’s 4.) There’s crime going on outside. Ok, crime is inevitable sometimes but I’ll take control of what I can by becoming so enveloped in my craft & goals that I won’t be tempted to join in on any of the BS. I have no connections to the industry. Ok, who can I reach out to with a genuine, intentional message that efficiently asks for a logical request without sounding entitled?
Do what I can with what I have, be so enveloped in my craft that I don't have time for BS, and intentionally seek counsel from those who have achieved what I’m trying to achieve while maintaining their integrity. These are principles I still go by now as I attempt to continuously progress as a creative & a human.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? I’m hopeful & proud of my community whether the industry sees us or not. I only know how to answer honestly, and my honest answer is: there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done before we can feel any sense of hope or pride in the way the industry works to tell our stories. What I am eternally proud and hopeful about though are the creatives that are not relying on industry to get our stories told. Fundraising, working multiple jobs to self-fund, working with what they got - so many talented creatives are fighting every day to tenderly, honestly, and beautifully tell our stories and that never ceases to inspire me.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? In 5 years I dream of successfully juggling my career as a writer/director/producer for Film, TV & Commercials while maintaining a ridiculously happy and fulfilled life at home with my wife & child, maybe child #2 is cooking up? I want to have accomplished my goal of empowering thousands of poor Black, Latine, & LGBTQAI people of all ages to achieve better for themselves whether they’re in creative fields or not.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Latine creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Find yourself first, everything starts from within. What are lines you will never cross? What do you want your life & work to represent? What is your purpose? These are answers you should hold close to your soul as you traverse the world. Take your life seriously, take control of it & think creatively to get around any barriers. Don't wait for anyone to make something happen for you because you’ll be waiting your entire life. The best advice I ever received was something to the effect of: “If you want to direct, then direct. If you want to write, then write.” Do what you can with what you have and then keep flipping things to put yourself in gradually better positions. People will almost always be willing to help you if they see that you’re putting in the work and helping yourself first. Live life in a way that makes help a welcome supplement, but not a necessity as much as you can help it. On the flip side, don’t feel entitled to anyone’s help and be grateful when people do help because the barriers don’t stop - they get bigger and harder to go through and that’s what your mentor is fighting against.
Luis G. Santos was born and raised in the Bronx, NY to a hustler business-man Father and a white-collar worker and closeted-writer Mother. As a child, Luis observed his father’s strong business acumen by day, and snuck around the house to find his mother’s beautiful-yet-hidden writings at night. This juxtaposition is what sparked Luis’ obsession with developing a strong business sense and his infinite dedication to perfecting his artistic craft. While writing & directing his own short films in hopes of developing projects for TV & FILM, Luis climbed the corporate ladder - first starting an internship at 72&sunny and later producing at Mother NY, McCan, & VEVO. This collection of experiences has helped Luis attain a deep understanding of how to excel as a director, writer, and producer in Film, TV, and Commercial productions while also enabling him to properly understand the corporate structure firsthand.
MARIA B. FERNANDEZ, PRODUCER
What impact, if any, has your Latine heritage had on your work and/or the way you approach story? I would say my Latin heritage has been the BIGGEST influence in my work and how I approach any story. Being born in Argentina and moving to the US at the young age of 6 has really given me a unique perspective of different cultures within the Latin diaspora. This knowledge has been instrumental in my work as it’s allowed me to understand different voices within our community and from there I’ve drawn inspiration to tell stories that are inclusive of many different cultures.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? Moving to LA without a lot of contacts in the industry was tough, I had to basically start from scratch at the age of 30 and take any job that came my way even if it wasn’t in the position I wanted to do. Those experiences were difficult financially but they allowed me to meet a lot of different people along the way and eventually those people became my community of creators on bigger projects.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? The moment that has made me the most proud in my journey so far has been a recent project that I worked on hosted by John Leguizamo where we traveled the cities across the US and Puerto Rico highlighting LatinX stories of culture, food, art and history. This show was specifically special to me because most of the crew was of Latino descent and those who were not were amazing allies. Everyone from network executives to the team on the ground put the same amount of care and passion into the project and we created something beautiful.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? In five years I see myself mostly executive producing and I hope by then to have accomplished creating groundbreaking stories with talented colleagues whom I am currently developing projects alongside. Right now my focus is to find the best writers, directors and meaningful IP to bring to life with diverse crews.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Latine creatives who are just starting off in the industry? The best advice I could give anyone who is just starting is to follow their intuition and attach themselves to projects that inspire them and have purpose behind them. Find people you love with similar interests and create together, make yourself available to them and they will do the same for you.
Maria B. Fernandez is a native of Argentina, raised in the diverse city of Miami and currently based in Los Angeles. In 2012, Fernandez began her career in media consulting for Television networks on social and digital strategy for their Intellectual Property and branded content. During that time, Fernandez produced on an array of different shows ranging from reality and documentary to scripted series for Telemundo, Univision, NBC, Discovery and others. Fernandez has extensive experience crafting content for Latin American and US Hispanic audiences and understands the cultural and emotional differences amongst the subcultures. In 2015, Fernandez funded Eclectic Media in Miami and shifted her focus from strategy to developing IP and producing beyond digital. From there, Fernandez went on to produce on her first scripted feature film entitled VANDAL. Since living in LA, Fernandez has been dedicated to working with writers and producers to develop, create and execute film, digital and television projects independent of form or platform. Fernandez's passion is to bring stories to life that transcend culture, race and gender and as a result evoke emotion and inspiration to audiences.
GIANFRANCO RUIZ, WRITER & DIRECTOR
Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz is a Los Angeles-based, AfroLatinX writer/director, whose emphasis on character marks culture as integral to identity, but second to story. His work mirrors the frail and current socio-political climate with tongue-in-cheek dialogue and nuanced behavior that give characters depth and relatability, distinct but somehow common.
Gianfranco's goal is to tell stories about family. Wanting it, having it, losing it, & rediscovering it.
What impact, if any, has your Latine heritage had on your work and/or the way you approach story? My Latine heritage kind of has the anti-effect of most filmmakers. I focus on telling stories where the ingredients make more than rice and beans, while reminding myself that rice and beans is what raised me. I approach the work without raising my flag. I mean that both thematically as I do directionally. Culture is integral to character but it must be secondary to story - that’s how you arrive at universal truth.
What barriers, if any, did you have to overcome in order to get where you are now? It’s easy to come into film thinking the barrier to entry tramples your chances. You pass that thought and only find yourself then finding that films require massive teams and networks. If you immerse yourself you’ll only realize that it takes money. I certainly felt that way. But I also felt that there was nothing else. It called me day in, day out. I answered.
Have there been any industry moments that gave you hope or made you proud of your community/work? I made a short film called SABORRRR! and shot it in Utah. The filmmaking infrastructure didn’t really make for an opportunity with a largely BIPOC crew. Frankly, on a professional level, the disparity for working BIPOC filmmakers in Utah versus non-BIPOC filmmakers stupefied me. Collectively, my producers and I fought for the BIPOC crew that maybe had less experience. We have to start somewhere. Although it was a short film, it is, to this day, the largest BIPOC production ever in its history. Utah has a rich film history. And SABORRRR! now joins that list.
Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years and what do you hope to have accomplished by then? Working. That’s the dream right? I wake up, maybe I’m hungry, maybe I’m stressed. But I’m working and in the trenches, fighting the most valuable, honorable fight I can. For equity: of art; of culture; and of the human condition.
Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share with other Latine creatives who are just starting off in the industry? Be careful. The system wants us to pigeonhole ourselves, to believe our stories show their desire from representation - that it’s innocuous. But we serve these demographics. We do. We control that, both in content and media consumption. So choose wisely and don’t let anybody tell you that authenticity means drug cartels or immigration. Miles Morales in Into the Spiderverse doesn’t mention much about the fact that he’s Black or Puerto Rican. Why? Because the story is about him being Spider-Man. Choose that, and what our demographic means will change. We can actually be regular people in film, just like all of your favorites.