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.
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.