Mindful Self-Expression with Marina Bakica

We're joined by the soulful and captivating Marina Bakica— actress, filmmaker and multi-media artist. Together, we discuss the power of narrative to not only mirror our world but to reshape it. From Marina's impressive theater training through her latest vehicles of expression—photography and cinema—this episode promises a panoramic view of how story, in all its forms, can sow seeds of empathy while nurturing tolerance through exposure to 'the other.'

Learn more about Marina Bakica at www.imdb.me/marinabakica IG:@marinabakica

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Hey guys and welcome to Language of the Soul podcast, where life is story. I'm your host author, dominic Domingo, and I'd like to say a quick hello to our producer, virginia Grenier.

Speaker 2 0:14

Hello, I'm here, Hi.

Speaker 1 0:17

Okay, well, our listeners, our regular listeners, surely know. But if you're tuning in for the first time, I wanted to just tell you a little bit about what we're all about here at Language of the Soul. It is a labor of love and it's I think Virginia would agree it is our purposeful contribution to the collective. And those are strong words, right? But I think we both have kind of stepped into this sense of purpose in our own ways. You can tell me if I'm wrong. Virginia, you feel pretty motivated to get this out there, right. The power of story.

Speaker 1 0:54

In my case it was literally a brush with death just before the pandemic, and then sort of learning, you know, reclaiming my health during a pandemic which was I had to fight tooth and nail for that, but more so it was reclaiming my agency in the world. So my pandemic book I think everybody had a little creative burst during the pandemic, but mine took the form of two books and one of them is called Language of the Soul. So clearly this podcast came out of that. It was inspired by the book. It's a 354 page book. I guess I'm plugging it. Check it out if you get a chance. Anyway, this came out of the book and basically both the book and the podcast are about the immense role of storytelling. Both transform the individual and then, on a macro level, hopefully through the ripple effect, evolve society.

Speaker 1 1:45

So we're about 22 episodes in. We are so pleased with the tone we've struck. It's pretty much what we envisioned, but more than that. We're just constantly inspired by our guests and it's not an exaggeration to say they are kindred spirits. We feel we've met fellow travelers that's my new phrase. We all seem to be on a similar journey but for sure equally passionate about the power of story to transform one heart at a time, however hallmark that sounds. So that's what the podcast is all about. Again, for those who have never tuned in, for those who are regular listeners, please help us spread the word. And the best way to help us grow our platform is to just like or follow us. It's free, on Buzzsprout or wherever you listen to your podcasts we publish to by heart radio, apple podcasts, spotify, amazon music pretty much all of them. Please just remember to follow, like or subscribe to us, then you will get notifications when a new episode drops. Beyond that, if you feel inspired, there is a support button on for sure, the Buzzsprout homepage, but if you scroll down, there's one on the bottom of every episode.

Speaker 1 2:55

Okay, so, all that said, I am excited about this week's guest and I'm going to just dive right in here by own Marina Bacca. You are welcome to correct anything I get wrong. As usual, that's my standard disclaimer. All right, marina Bacca is an actress born in Argentina to a Croatian father and a Spanish mother. While training with opera director Carlos Palacios, marina made her acting debut, appearing in several of his stage productions. She dedicated herself mainly to theater, touring small and large states in Buenos Aires with classic and contemporary works, collective creations and street performances.

Speaker 1 3:37

Marina attended the prestigious UNA National University of the Arts in Buenos Aires, post-graduating with honors. She taught creative movement in several schools and workshops for the community. She was also part of the first dance theater company of the National Dance School, maria Ruanova. Marina made a few more theater appearances and then traveled to Mexico to study with renowned maestro Luis de Tevira. Marina continued her path even further north to Los Angeles. Here she trained under a series of prominent teachers such as Anna Strasberg, wow and Larry Moss. She went on to perform in several plays at the bilingual foundation of the arts prestigious Odyssey Theater Ensemble, with the play Sliding into Hades. It was directed by Ron Sosi, winner of awards like Best Production of the Year and Ellie Weekly Awards, among others.

Speaker 1 4:36

Marina also ventured into independent cinema, participating in several award-winning productions In return to Babylon, directed by Alex Monti Canawati. She worked alongside legendary Golden Globe winner Tippi Hedron well, and anyone my age will know she's obviously from Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds and Academy Award nominee Jennifer Tilly and again a good one, if you don't know, her is Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway. Rosie Marina took special interest in photography and filmmaking and I really want to pick her brain about this, because we share that creating her first two shorts, screwball and Ejas, the latter awarded in several festivals. Now for some fun facts and I actually knew this about you she performed at the Magic Castle with the troupe Girls on Stilts, juggling and Stiltwalking for Michael Jackson's daughter's birthday party and saw as a dance with Tony Currie's on Stilts. That's quite a resume, wow. Well, welcome Marina Bacchica.

Speaker 3 5:44

Thank you for having me, a Reginian and Dominic, oh my God. Well, let me tell you your pronunciation. It was perfect.

Speaker 1 5:55

I worked on Ejas because it's regional right. Some people say Ejas and in Argentina you say Ejas.

Speaker 3 6:06

Well, in Spanish, as you know, you pronounce it perfectly. It's. Ejas and then female because it has a difference with female and male in Spanish. But, actually in this particular, that's how it started, but then, when it came to the end of the film, we made it even with the actress, made it her name, like Ella. Just encompassing all women, you know Well yeah, I wondered because Playing with the world a little bit.

Speaker 1 6:42

Yeah, exactly I got that, but I did wonder if it was those ones or them. It's pretty much them female right.

Speaker 3 6:51

Them yeah Beautiful film and.

Exploring the Art of Storytelling

Speaker 1 6:53

I definitely want to talk about it because I just saw it and we haven't had a chance to talk about it. I guess we could dive in, but I guess I want to. That is a really extensive and impressive resume, so I definitely want to pick your brain. Yeah, about all of it. We'll see what we have time for. Maybe we'll do a part two, but I guess, before we dive into some of that, I want to ask a question that I am going to make, at the habit to ask pretty much every guest at the outset. So, in the spirit of the podcast, I'm guessing you identify as a storyteller. That's how we met. I cast you in a film and was in awe of your performance and, seemingly, your relationship with your craft as relates to storytelling. You seem to have a love of storytelling, but it seems like you've stepped even more into that, maybe becoming a director, a writer-director. So I guess quickly, do you identify as a storyteller in general, regardless of whether it's stage or theater or film or even directing? Is that a good word, storyteller?

Speaker 3 7:58

I would adopt it, I guess. Yeah, I think so I would say, yeah, creative.

Speaker 1 8:03

Yeah, exactly creative.

Speaker 3 8:06

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 8:07

You seem to have a love of story, I would think.

Speaker 3 8:10

Definitely a story like this. Yeah, it's in everything, right. Right, well, yeah, that's You're aware of it or not, right.

Speaker 1 8:17

Right.

Speaker 3 8:18

So we create them every single day. It's just thinking in terms of the in life which is truly interconnected with our creative or artistic endeavors.

Speaker 1 8:32

Yes.

Speaker 3 8:33

And it's just one of the stories. Just in order to be I think for me to be called artistic, it's more like you need to be aware and be able to capture right the soul of the story, right.

Speaker 2 8:48

Yes.

Speaker 3 8:51

Otherwise, you know, because otherwise in the everyday life, yeah, we create stories and feel like we can relate with it in All the time, right yeah?

Speaker 1 8:59

well, you're speaking my language. That is the premise of the book and the podcast. Life is story.

Speaker 3 9:04

yes, Life is story. Yeah, actually, I will love to. I haven't had a chance to read your book, but I will definitely.

Speaker 1 9:14

No worries, yeah, whenever you get it's toiletery, I'm not.

Speaker 3 9:18

The audience members. I mean to dive in it. I'm sure I'm very curious with your background, your diverse background as well.

Speaker 1 9:29

Well, yeah, thank you. I mean, I like to think, because I have dabbled in, like you. I've dabbled in a lot of genres and formats and mediums and there are different rules for each right. They say cinema is a feeling medium, so you show it, you don't say it. But then in theater, as you know, you can get more cerebral and philosophical right and you don't bore people. But it's kind of just different rules for each.

Speaker 1 9:53

And then, yeah, and so I do think some of that of course came into the writing of the book, because we reach people through the head, the heart or the viscera, I call it, you know. Anyway, but I do think it's the one book I've written that's nonfiction, everything else is fiction, and it's the only book I'll ever say this about it's toilet reading. I'm like it's too academic and too dense to read in one shot. Usually. You know, if it's fiction, I want them to read it in one shot all the way through this one, like no, it'll bore. You Just set it next to your toilet, you can read one chapter and it actually lands if you just read chapter at a time.

Speaker 3 10:31

Yeah, I get this kind of book that you have to. Invites you to reflect, contemplate life in a different right.

Speaker 1 10:40

I get it. Yeah, and you need that inspiration on the toilet. No, I just noticed it kind of works whether you just read half a chapter. Do you know what I mean? It's not like a story where you have to experience it in a linear fashion.

Speaker 3 10:56

Yeah, no, I see.

Speaker 1 10:57

But anyway, to trace it back to actually your film, I do think you kind of hesitated when I said are you a storyteller? Now I see why it's such a vast right, such a vast topic, and life is story in every way. But I also think, you know, even within cinema there's like a conceptual way to tell a story and then there's like a linear narrative way to tell a story. So your film a yes, seems very nonlinear to me and it seems almost I guess you could call it experimental cinema, right, or art film, because it created an experience, a visceral, poetic, nonlinear experience. But for me it wasn't so much about the linear narrative. Is that? Does that characterization sound right?

Speaker 3 11:42

Yeah, definitely, yes, actually, that's I think I was surprised to be able to to modestly accomplished just an idea that came to my mind. Just not even even you know, kind of like I guess in a different way, kind of like you are doing the pandemic, kind of like it came to me, I don't know, just with my, you know, start like taking photographs, even with my cell phone, you know and just. And then this idea came and it was totally nonlinear.

Speaker 2 12:15

I had no idea if.

Speaker 3 12:16

I had something or not, kind of like consulted with my friend, which is it's not in the country anymore, it's just in France, and I just said, you know I have it was it came kind of like a dreamlike, you know, yeah. So I said, do you think? I mean, I don't know, it's just this image, it's just, it's very, you know, persistent in my mind. So I don't know, do you think it's something there? Maybe I can, because I was not in my wildest dream to shoot something, you know. And I was like, do you think that? Maybe I think so, is it worth exploring? I say yeah, probably, you know, and I just talk it out with a talented singer, because she sings also in the film.

Speaker 3 12:57

Yes, beautiful beautiful and yeah, she's from Japan. And then I'm gonna mention, because she might listen to the podcast I mean I'll tell you later on. So Johanna Yukiko Haneda, the wonderful singer. She's the actress as well right, she's the actress as well. Beautiful, beautiful.

Speaker 1 13:17

She's such a great screen presence and such a great face and, yes, beautiful. I'm glad you gave her a shout out because it's such a big part of the film.

Speaker 3 13:25

Yes, definitely, definitely. So I just actually I shared with her my previous little little three minutes short screwball and she really liked it. So, and then, when this idea with the red fabric you know one month to come, entangling in that so I shared it with her and she said I said maybe, and her face keeps appearing in my mind I said, just, do you think that? You know? Would you like to, you know, to try it out? It's still experimental. I've had no idea what I'm doing. It's an experiment, I have no idea. And she said, yeah, definitely.

Speaker 3 14:05

So, yeah, so that's how we met, you know, we talk it out, because ideas came flowing into my mind. I'm like, okay, now this and now that, and like, and I really wanted to be okay, I wanna do it the way you know, my way, because I don't know any other way. You know, I didn't go to a school of film, I mean film school. I didn't just, that was not even my goal Just say, okay, I have this idea, let's see this. And she was really up for it. So I say, okay, great. So I found the locations and then we did it with, as you can see, with, zero money, nothing, absolutely nothing. And then, yeah, I ended up using it for to submit it for the festival, but I didn't actually spend any money with the film itself, because I wanted to say that this person, this my other partner, that I long time friend I want to give a shout out to him because he was the one that did the sound design and then edited, so more of a pasta blank.

Speaker 1 15:16

Okay.

Speaker 3 15:17

Just a very talented actor a writer and director. I worked with him in another projects Well.

Speaker 1 15:23

The sound design was a huge part of this film and it's funny we share that. If you remember the Pastor Bye, it's pretty light on dialogue and in fact your character symbolically had no voice. Again. I'll go on and on about your performance. It was very much about just gestures, facial expressions, nonverbal communication, because your character didn't speak. So your background, I think, from what I remember, did you study theater de l'arte or did I invent that? I had that in my brain, that that's why you were so good at the nonverbal communication.

Speaker 3 15:57

No, it's just well, it's very different, you know. Yeah, I did some, a little bit of mine, but I'm not in mine, you know just a lot of movement, a lot of things. Yeah, media de l'arte, a little bit, just a creative expression. You know, the creative movement. I had to say that when I read your script, I think even before I think, when I saw the casting post or something, I just saw the audition post, I just yeah, actually I think, right away I thought that was for me.

Speaker 3 16:33

Well, yes, I had to say that because I think you really should speak with her eyes, something like that? Oh, I see, I don't know if you like fast-idated, but you know it's one of those auditions that I remember. I'm not talking now, I just had to say, you know, I don't know if I've mentioned that to you before, but right away, you know, I remember there was a lot of people for the auditioning, but I had no doubt that it was for me.

Speaker 1 16:57

Wow, well, yes, I think magic happened there. But you did tell me you enjoyed the audition because it was in an actual theater, right, with props. You were right, and sometimes you're in an office building with fluorescent lights. It's horrible, right?

Speaker 3 17:12

No, you're right, yeah, and I had some props there and yeah, you're totally right, and I come from theater, you know, I mean, I still have, you know, just some experience in film, you know. So it was really convenient, you know, but it was a beautiful script, beautiful.

Speaker 1 17:30

Oh, thank you. Thanks, You're very sweet. You don't have to say that, but I no no, no, no, I'm not indulging in it.

Speaker 3 17:37

I'm just saying because I don't know if I mentioned that, but I have the, I have in my place, I have the poster.

Speaker 1 17:44

Yes, yes, that means a lot to me.

Speaker 3 17:47

To have your love.

Speaker 1 17:49

That does mean a lot to me. I love it's the vertical poster right with the red dress.

Speaker 3 17:54

Yes.

Speaker 1 17:55

No, no, no, not that one, that one with my face. Well, I love them both. You know. You know how it is it's they become your children. I'm sure you felt that way with your two films. They become your children.

Speaker 3 18:08

Yeah, yeah, just like a yes, totally yeah.

Speaker 1 18:12

Well, anyway, we're reminiscing here, but I was kind of making a point about you know.

Speaker 3 18:17

The nonverbal communication.

Speaker 1 18:19

Yes, because, therefore, my film was very reliant on score and it's my favorite art of the process is working with the composer and, yes, sound, design and right your composer and the proprietary song that your actress brought to the table. It played such a huge part in your film, it was like a character.

Speaker 3 18:39

Yes, actually, I let me see how it came out this song. I just I knew I wanted a lullaby and then I wanted a traditional lullaby song, a Japanese song and that's exactly what I found. And I found an album with several ones, and I have no doubt that that was the song they had to the main.

Speaker 3 19:08

I said, okay, that's the one. And then Yukiko is a professional singer. She was able to help me with, you know, with the in terms of the royalties and all that. I said, oh no, we can use it because it's you know, it's a very, very old lullaby.

Speaker 1 19:24

It's public domain.

Speaker 3 19:25

Yes, public domain. And she was able to and I said, okay, you know, okay, I can use the one that I found. But I said, I mean just, it's a wonderful singer. I said, you know, would you mind sing? And she said yeah, sure. So she kind of like rearranged it and but Momo Casablanca is the one that did the whole, added the rest of the music. Yeah.

Speaker 1 19:49

I just call it sound design. When you marry the foley with the scoring, with the production sound and maybe a song that was written for the soundtrack, the sound design was really beautiful in that film. So for our listeners, because they don't know really what the hell we're talking about, they haven't seen the film. We're gonna put the link in the episode description, so please check it out. But to me it was. Everything came together. It's really beautiful cinematography, which of course goes to your photography background. It's really highly cinematic. And then the scoring, like I said, just plays such a huge part. And those are the stories I love most lately, are light on dialogue, you know, and really are just this visceral, moving, poetic experience. Okay now, just because our listeners may not have seen the film, I wanna redirect a little bit. The link will be in the episode description. Please check it out. It's a really beautiful film.

Speaker 1 20:43

But in the interest of kind of redirecting in the spirit of the podcast, I just wanna take a step back and ask you a question. So you just kind of admitted that you were a storyteller, or you identify as a storyteller. I wanna ask you how would you say that? To give a little background to this question. It's been said we're all born storytellers with a unique story to tell. Maya Angelou said there is no greater agony than carrying an untold story inside of you. So, assuming you feel similarly, that we all do have a story to tell, how would you say that telling one's own personal story serves the individual?

Speaker 3 21:25

I think sharing our own ideas impulses in a creative way it serves us, we can hopefully have a better experience in life. I think I'm interested in any artistic form that can serve us and the rest of the people, just to have a better experience in this life that we live in, hopefully learn from one another, not only entertain, but to bring more compassion and feel less lonely in this life.

Speaker 1 22:20

You're getting into part two of the question, which is, how does it serve society? I think I heard in there a little bit that when one tells one's own story it's self-expression of some kind. But I also think you're very aware it sounds like you're very aware of how, as a patron taking in these stories, we are transformed.

Speaker 3 22:44

Definitely yes. Hopefully it affects others in a positive way. We learn about other cultures, other people's way of living, other people's desires, and also by seeing a story from other people, other things that are far from us, probably we can heal.

Speaker 1 23:16

The words I use in the book are catharsis for the artist or the storyteller. But then, yes, there's healing on the other end, and I think a lot of people do it without being aware. Right, like you said, you don't always analyze your own reason for self-expressing, but I think if you put on an academic lens, there are opinions about how it serves. Culture or the arts would have evolved out of us a long time ago. So if you look at storytelling as something that we did around the campfire and it's never evolved out of us right up to the latest greatest matrix film then clearly it's serving a purpose. So if that resonates with you, or you can see it that way for the moment, I would ask you does storytelling and again that's cinema, theater, literature, all of it does it serve a role in culture?

Speaker 2 24:06

I wanted to speak to that a little bit too because I loved what Marina mentioned when she was talking about how, culturally, let's other people see how other people live. Because I know recently I've been trying to watch shows like I've seen a movie or TV show series from other cultures, even after, like, read subtitles, because it helps me have such an appreciation for the fact that we all view life in very similar ways, even though we don't speak the same languages, and I just think it's so unique to see that play out in the storytelling you know be it in movies, or you know a book or whatever.

Speaker 1 24:47

Yes. Well, one of the studies I cite in the book says not only and they do parse this gets people in trouble, you know it sounds a little bit elitist, but they do parse between commercial fiction and literary fiction. And they said literary not only right nurtures compassion, because you're identifying with the protagonist for however many pages and you're invested in their role, their wants and their needs. So it actually absolutely has been proven. I don't know exactly how, but to nurture compassion. The other outcome is it absolutely creates identification with the other. So if we have these tribal instincts to demonize the other which is unfortunately has not evolved out of us, literature absolutely allows you to take in other cultures and consider cultural relativity and all that. I love that. In fact, marina, to bring it back to Latin culture, I remember have you ever seen it to mama tambien?

Speaker 1 25:45

Yes, yes, yeah it's one of my favorite films ever and that's Quarón, right? Yes, yes, love everything Quarón, but I'm also a fan of all mod of our force and Guillermo del Toro and million others. I don't know why it's always the Spanish language films. I see the universal more, it's almost like more profound, because I see the humanity at the bottom of it all, despite the language, right, despite cultural relativity. I just remember having a little epiphany is watching specifically all mod of our films, because you don't know the language and yet we're all just human, you know.

Speaker 3 26:25

Yeah, I think we're all the same as much as we're all different, you know. And yeah, the power I mean this case of cinema, or any art of that sense, you know, just is it's to connect with our humanity, which is you know, with a heart, like you said, at the visual level, you know, and I think you can go wrong with that.

Speaker 3 26:48

You know. Primal thing, you know, we're all human, we're all breathing and we actually I think we, you know more or less if we go to the, to the core of the human being, we all want the same thing, we all want to, we want well being, you know, and some differences, but you know the same thing, you know, and I agree, I was listening to a little law of attraction thing this morning.

Speaker 1 27:17

Often when you talk about any guru is going to just presume. Sometimes it's materialistic, right, it's easy to assume everybody wants more money, right, but sometimes it's contentment. We call it well being, as you just said, right, contentment, well being, inner peace, tranquility, satisfaction. I don't like words like blissfully happy, because that doesn't seem like a goal to me. It seems like how about let's just be content and have moments of bliss? But most spiritual practices are about limiting the suffering in life. So I like that idea that, yes, we do want the same things, but really it's just inner peace and contentment. But some people go down the path of believing that material possessions are going to bring that contentment.

Speaker 3 28:04

I think at one point of our lives we all get caught up in that trap right that when I get this, I will be better when.

Speaker 1 28:13

I get whatever it is money or this or that.

Speaker 3 28:16

It just it will sometimes kind of change and just I don't think it's that, but I think we're transitioning to open our minds or consciousness to incorporate other ways of living and getting, you know, achieving what we want, you know, in another way, another way to get there, I guess you know.

Evolution of Conscious Storytelling

Speaker 1 28:42

Out of curiosity, when do you see that movement? When did that start happening? Because I think it's logical to worry about your base needs, right, we all need food and shelter and we need to feed our children and I agree, we're kind of coming out of. A lot of institutions are going by the wayside. Right, you had arranged marriages for that reason, you had dowries, you had a lot of silly patriarchal in some cases, institutions that are going by by and I think spirituality is on the front burner because, right, our politics are getting us in trouble. But when do you see that movement? I don't want to put words in your mouth, but when do you think we started heading in a different direction, beyond, beyond materialism?

Speaker 3 29:27

Well, I think. Just. I don't know exactly when it started, but at least I can say when I started being aware of it just be like probably slowly coming in before the pandemic and also the pandemic, because it's just, I think that we got to a point of that it changes, is, is, is inevitable, you know.

Speaker 1 29:55

Yes, I agree, everything came to a head is the way I put it like, and I think all these things that haven't been working and again I tend to focus on patriarchy and like materialism and capitalist greed and the pandemic was an opportunity to take a time out and just go what the hell? And we need to change our paradigms and rethink these things that haven't worked for 500 years. Anyway, I think it came to a head, I agree, during the pandemic. But I would argue to like the age of Aquarius has been going on for hundreds of years, right, and that was the beginning. And then mentalism at the start of the 19th century kind of put some of this on the front burner. And then in the 90s, you have the new age movement and I think it's been a steady arc. But the pandemic was like, yeah, it's go time right, even climate change. It's like things are coming to a head and the stakes are getting higher.

Speaker 3 30:52

Yeah, it became more evident, I guess yes, and the haves and the have nots.

Speaker 1 30:58

the people that couldn't get care during the pandemic right Very obvious.

Speaker 3 31:03

Yeah, it just, and it was kind of like you say, like it costs, just to make us reflect that the way we're going, it was just, it's just we were taking us tomorrow, you know no way you know more chaos. I think we're still we're in chaos, but we are. I think we're still in a transition, you know when?

Speaker 1 31:24

Yes, of course, oh no, no, I think they are at all.

Speaker 3 31:27

But just, I would you know, we're slowly but surely changing, like you said, our paradigms and then, and hopefully it goes to a, it changes more towards more oriented to, to, to embrace the values of the human being. You know going to that, you know that direction. I hope you know. I hope.

Speaker 1 31:58

Yes, well, I think it's happening. And I don't know if you listen to Marianne Williamson, but she talks a lot about how, you know, I call it mindfulness. Or, with capitalism, I call it conscious capitalism, like even Trader Joe's. You know how many times do we have to learn the lesson of a Christmas carol? Right, that's about greed versus humanity, and yet we seem, especially in this country. Right, we're the model of capitalism, but it doesn't have to be capitalist greed. So I think business models are changing, where it's largely I forget the name for it but it's not just stockholders that have an interest, it's like the employees feelings actually matter and their well-being actually matters.

Speaker 3 32:46

Yeah, I see, I see, yeah, because, yeah, it's just the model that we use, that we know it's just, it's just it's not working anymore. Things are changing. I don't know. We are evolving, hopefully, right.

Speaker 1 33:01

One hopes it's a little slower than I would like, but that's what gets me out of bed in the morning. We are evolving Well but truly. That is the spirit of this podcast is that we do evolve through story. And it might sound abstract to people, but come on, virginia, you remember Don Han? I did an interview at an animation convention with Don Han. He's the producer of Effing Lion King, you know, and Aladdin and a million others. But Lion King changed the face of not just pop culture in America but globally. And anyway, if Don Han says you know what, it's the most important job out there, that means something. So I feel similarly. And the way I put it in the book is we do transform through story in the ways we just said right, compassion, a little more understanding of the other, culturally, across cultures. But there's a million ways we learn more in the narrative realm than the didactic. So yeah, we're a product of the stories we're exposed to. That's how I put it.

Speaker 3 34:02

Yeah, and I think we have a responsibility. I guess to what we put out there, I think because it's so powerful the story is so powerful. So I always question myself if I'm going to keep this route on me as a filmmaker, a newly-filled filmmaker- I just thought, okay, I always just contemplate, okay, what I'm going to put out there, what do I want to show?

Speaker 1 34:34

what is going to serve?

Speaker 3 34:36

in what way is going to serve what? Do I want you know, it's just not only my thing and just you know, whatever it just manufactures something and then you know, because I think that's my way of you know so far to contribute right.

Speaker 1 34:51

Yeah, of course, beautiful, beautiful. I'm glad you're conscious of that. Have you come to any decisions about what that looks like for you?

Speaker 3 35:00

Not exactly, but it's just a base. No, no, it could take the form of, you know, like I said, a photography or exploring. You know learning, because I had to learn a lot, you know.

Speaker 1 35:13

Oh, but in terms of the cost. I'm a filmmaker, but you know, I'm just a newly.

Speaker 3 35:17

You know whatever I'm doing. Just you know what's the purpose behind. You know, okay.

Speaker 1 35:23

Exactly exactly.

Speaker 3 35:24

I just I don't want to do something like mindless, you know because, of, and that doesn't interest in me at all, you know and I think that more people that are like you know, especially artists that are, you know they're going towards that direction. You know, just yeah, you know what's for. Just okay, it's good to entertain. But you know what else you know, right, right.

Speaker 1 35:53

And entertain. I mean, if you think of synonyms for entertainment, divert, occupy, right, it's just a diversion. So in my classes again, I've taught at arts center for 20 years, but in the latter years, in my visual development class, day one, I ask the students why do we tell stories? It is in the book, but you know same thing. If it's been around since right oral tradition around the campfire and it's still alive in us, why do we tell stories? And you hear it all. Of course, to pass on knowledge. Pass on wisdom teaches how to live in the world.

Speaker 1 36:30

But every time you hear entertainment to entertain and I had a, you said I'm such an elitist. I had a resistance to that. But if you hear it, every single term, you have to wrap your brain around it and I just decided well, some people say, oh, it's a release to go to the movies. I love to laugh, and I understand that in terms of comedy, like, yes, I love to go laugh, or I actually love mindless entertainment because it allows me to de-stress. However, I think what it does, man, this is not moralistic. This is my point.

Speaker 1 37:04

I was raised at arts center. I'm an elitist. It's like there's room for the good, the bad and the ugly. I actually don't characterize feelings as positive or negative. For the most part, we artists know there's value to melancholy. We know there's value to actually living in hell. Hades is not the place you think. Hades is, where we nurture the seeds of all that we have to offer. So I really don't go through life even judging things as good, bad, right, wrong, right, valuable, invaluable. But specifically, feelings in my world are not necessarily positive or negative. You know when they're toxic in your body, right? So with storytelling I don't want to be moralistic about it there is room for violence if it's actually supporting your theme, right? Another Spanish filmmaker did you see? Oh no, I'm gonna edit this, so it's shorter. My favorite film by Guillermo del Toro, the one with the labyrinth.

Speaker 3 38:14

Oh, the Pans labyrinth.

Speaker 1 38:15

Pans labyrinth yes, okay, we need to cut that out. He's one of my favorite filmmakers. I just had a brain fart. Anyway, in Pans labyrinth, right, those images of the Spanish Civil War are really disturbing, but yet they're not gratuitous like we were just saying. They're not just there to titillate. If you didn't have those extremely dark images then you wouldn't feel the redemption. When she inherits her kingdom, right, she's delivered from all that suffering, so I'll shut up in a minute. But I'm not into like, oh, there can be no violence, but you can feed an addiction to cortisol and adrenaline in audiences by right hooking them on mindless not just entertainment but specifically violence.

Speaker 3 39:01

I totally agree with you. No, no, no, definitely, definitely Because it serves a purpose to understand more the story, just to probably see how we evolved how a human being, because we all have those expressions in ourselves, right the anger, the hatred, the shadows and the light. We are everything. So, and yeah, definitely, but it serves a purpose.

Speaker 3 39:33

It's not like yeah definitely it serves a purpose, just because I think it's the arts. It's just that how we learn and we understand each other, like we said that before, right. So if we don't see all those shadows regardless out there, we don't get to know ourselves completely, because they are in our. You know all those elements as well. Even though we just you know we don't like to see them. We look best, but it's part of who we are, yeah.

Speaker 1 40:11

Yeah, maybe integrating them right Like.

Speaker 3 40:14

Young, that's the world, yeah.

Speaker 1 40:16

Yeah, well, young talked about the shadow side of humanity a long time ago, but more recently a guy named Thomas Moorer has a book called Embracing the Shadow. Yeah, oh yeah, you don't run from it, you integrate it.

Speaker 3 40:29

It's in us. You know, we are like, yeah, exactly so. Yeah, and what you said before, like you know, of course, yeah, I'm not interested in mindless, you know, entertain but, entertain. I mean to be entertained and to have the ability to entertain. It is wonderful. You know we all need some. You know some kind of relief from everyday life. I mean, it's all welcoming, but it serves the purpose behind, you know.

Speaker 1 40:58

Yeah, I think we know it when we see it right, if something's out there to titillate, or I do think sometimes people just fall into old tropes and they don't realize they're repeating tropes that don't really serve society. But it's just that they don't have much to say. It's not evil, right? They just don't have much to say in the world. So, anyway, and there are plenty of people that will go buy those tickets, right, and watch Bruce Willis blow up, you know, kill 300 people and still continue to root for him. That's how powerful storytelling is, right, it's so powerful.

Speaker 3 41:34

I mean, it's unbelievable, how you know yeah, that's what I said, like you know, like it's a big responsibility.

Speaker 1 41:44

Yes.

Speaker 3 41:46

You know we can all be manipulated. You know, we all know about that right. We can manipulate Right. Well, that's what.

Speaker 1 41:53

I'm saying Like I don't even love action-adventure films, it's not my genre. But I did see the last Boy Scout and it's the power of filmmaking. You will identify with the protagonist no matter what you will invest in their goals, whether it's the Bank Heist or saving the president or killing 300 people to get to the bad guy. So I remember watching again like keep using last Boy Scout as an example, but I was sitting there going whew, I wanted Bruce to kill more people, like even me. But that's the power of storytelling.

Speaker 3 42:26

Yeah.

Speaker 1 42:28

But I don't. I tend to just not go to those films in the first place because, again, you see the trailer and you know what you're dealing with.

Speaker 3 42:36

Pretty much yeah.

Speaker 1 42:38

Anyway, I mentioned how funny I do love Cuaron, I love Guillermo del Toro, I love Pedro Almodovar, and that kind of leads me to your experience. When you first came, I think you came from Argentina to Mexico, then Mexico to the United States. Is that right?

Speaker 3 42:55

Yeah, that's right yeah.

Speaker 1 42:57

So what has been your experience? Do you identify as a Latina actress or not?

Speaker 3 43:04

No, not at all. I try not to put labels, you know on myself, so no.

Speaker 1 43:13

Well, one of your prompts hinted at your experience. I mean, obviously there could be a lot of culture shock coming to this country. And I do remember, by the way, when you first came in for the audition the character was Mexican and you absolutely made sure to say you know I get called in for a lot of Mexican parts, but you need to know I'm from Argentina.

Speaker 3 43:33

Did I say that?

Speaker 1 43:34

Oh, yeah, well, because your hair was pretty red at the time and you just gave the best performance, so it didn't matter to me. But you, yeah, you know, yeah, you needed to tell me that it was important.

Speaker 3 43:49

Yeah, no, and I'm actually no, I'm just. You know, nick, I think I'm not, I'm not from here, I'm not from anywhere, you know.

Speaker 1 43:58

I feel, like.

Speaker 3 44:01

I sound like a cliche, but I'm from, you know. Citizen of the world.

Speaker 1 44:06

I have no idea.

Speaker 3 44:07

I have, no, that sense of identity, not even with Argentina. Just, I identified with certain things, you know, even from here. I'm from Argentina, but I'm not, I don't feel like I'm have that. You know, I don't want to put labels and definitely no, I don't feel like no, no, no, the answer is no.

Speaker 1 44:34

Well, one of your prompts said something about the transition of coming to America, as I thought you said as a Latina actress, but maybe not. I think it's a logical conversation, though, because you do often hear the parts are limited, right, you hear there are those cliches like half Americans don't know the difference between South America and Central America, or Spain for that matter, and so I do think you hear often that the parts are limited or they're just stereotypes, or you know what have you?

Speaker 3 45:07

Yeah, I used to hear that you know more. When I came here, when I just you know if you know, but I just came, like you know, I didn't even plan to be in America, you know. I just came for seven days, you know.

Speaker 1 45:23

Oh, really, originally.

Speaker 3 45:25

Yeah.

Exploring LA's Historic Architecture & Preservation

Speaker 1 45:26

Yeah, I was just doing my plans actually, but I don't know, Did you come for a job originally or how did you end up here?

Speaker 3 45:34

No for vacations. No, really For seven days. Did you fall in?

Speaker 1 45:38

love. What kept you no? Because?

Speaker 3 45:40

I was just close by, I was in Mexico, I just finished learning with this, I mean with Luis de Tabira, and then just taking all these workshops and studying with him. So I came here because a friend of mine was here and I came to him and said okay, yeah, for seven days, you know, and something told me okay, just, you need to stay, you know.

Speaker 1 46:10

So literally you never went back.

Speaker 3 46:12

Never, never Wow.

Speaker 1 46:14

Well, look, life is life is story and this podcast is all about story. That's pretty fascinating. We've had a few guests now say, yeah, well, that was a temporary job. And here I am 20 years later. You hear about people kind of derailing or going off on a tangent. And again I said on another episode I think it was Ted Young that said you know, I never planned to be at Art Center as long as I have. It was just a temporary job. So I've had friends tell me you know, everything I did was by design and it was with intention. And then other people will say I've never chosen a single thing in my life. I'm like a bumper car just being bumped around. So I think that's fascinating. What kept you here? After those seven days? You fell in love. Just admit it. You fell in love.

Speaker 3 47:02

No, I didn't. No, later on in life, yeah, but not now. No, it's just I don't know. I did all the things that you know. Do you know go to Disneyland Universal Studios in the morning?

Speaker 1 47:19

Disneyland kept you here. Disneyland kept you here.

Speaker 3 47:24

Disneyland? No, no, not really, but I don't know. It's just I felt like, okay, maybe for a little bit, I'm going to stay a little bit, and then you know, and then time passed by and then, okay, I need this, now I need to, and I don't know. It was just like I would like to say, like your, your friends at the bumper to bumper, you know, it was just. Yeah, not by design at all.

Speaker 1 47:51

This is kind of related. You still live in that historic neighborhood. What was it called?

Speaker 3 47:57

West Adams.

Speaker 1 47:58

Yes.

Speaker 3 47:59

No, I don't anymore. I live in Altadena.

Speaker 1 48:02

Oh, really, okay. Yeah, beautiful, I love it. You're right there up against the mountains. Yeah, I just ask because that is such a beautiful, the historic West Adams was such a beautiful part of LA that I would have stayed too. It's all about the impression, you know.

Speaker 3 48:19

But, as you know, life changes right.

Speaker 1 48:23

Well, altadena, that's. That's kind of you know. Pasadena is my college town. I went there back in the day and then I taught there for 20 years, so I spent half my life along the 210 there.

Speaker 3 48:34

Wow, yeah, no for me. I've been here for the last five years and I live in West Hollywood mainly. You know but, I, used to live in West Hollywood and so, yeah, I have like, well, now you you're transporting me to West Adams, I feel like I have like three lives at least in LA, wow.

Speaker 1 48:54

I just remember such a beautiful because you know I've been here 56 years, I'm a native and I never really had reason to go down there and check out at amazing historic district. But it's really beautiful and you know in LA we don't really preserve anything, we just tear it down like oh, earthquakes, you better tear that down. That's the excuse for not right Renovating anything or preserving it.

Speaker 3 49:19

Yeah, I think that area is still the same. You know, didn't didn't grow much, you know, but I think it's beautiful, still beautiful. But yeah, I think it's still the same. Nothing, you know good.

Speaker 1 49:32

Yeah, there's a few little pockets, like right around Echo Park, where they care about the Victorians and they, you know, renovate them. But you go to Paris and it's like that's the biggest industry is renovation, and they use all the old techniques, right, everything's entouill. They call it enduro, it's durable, it's, it will last. Here we don't right, we don't care much about renovation or preservation.

Speaker 3 49:57

Well, downtown LA, I mean, at least they have a conservancy society.

Speaker 1 50:05

It's true, yeah. So every year there's a church that's, you know, in danger of being torn down, and thank God for those conservancies because they fight, but I just as often I hear about a church being torn down, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 50:22

Well, it's so relative in Buenos Aires and Argentina. It's just, it's terrible. They don't, they don't respect, we don't have that, you know. So you have a beautiful people, are they? Co-building, and next to it just a awful square 17.

Speaker 1 50:41

Wow, Wow, no, no, no, no, no. So you know just a list.

Speaker 3 50:47

Downtown LA, you know, I think that doing a you know for the most part a beautiful job, you know, and renovating some of those buildings you know.

Speaker 1 50:55

That's refreshing to hear. I thought it was the opposite. You see pictures of Buenos Aires and it's like that French architecture. I thought it was consistent. So that's refreshing to hear. About LA, you know. But in Paris again I keep going back to that because they have major regulations, like there's a really great I guess I'll give it a shout out a really great show called we Built this City and they go city by city and just talk about how everything got there. So with Paris they'll talk about you know, this was, you know, bombed during the war and then the Hausmann era, they unified the height of the rooftops for the aesthetic of it. I just think it's fascinating how much did survive the war number one. But then you know, it's very regulated and sometimes that's limits freedom of expression, right, if you have to have, like all their outdoor obrozeries, have to have wicker furniture, so it's annoying, but yet it's so beautiful to look at. You don't have. You don't have the mid-century cube next to the French provincial or the Versailles, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 52:00

So, yeah, it's just always something that you lose with that, but I just no. But I'm glad that they have all those regulations, because I mean, paris is what it is, you know, because of that, mainly right.

Speaker 1 52:19

I agree, thank God. Well, that's why in LA, we're getting a little off track. But in LA, that's why I'm so invested in preserving the little bit of history we have, because we're so relatively new. You know, I spent time again in France and I remember going through a little town in the countryside and there's a crumbling wall that you know dates back to the 1100s right and there's teenagers sitting smoking. You know they're on their break from school to smoking on this crumbling wall and I thought they don't even know what they're sitting on. And here we just have so few things that are historical that I think it's important to do. Well, pasadena you live right next door to Pasadena. There's some beautiful architecture there.

Speaker 3 52:59

Beautiful, beautiful. Actually I live in a house. It's, yeah, it's like country style, craft man, you know.

Speaker 1 53:13

Yeah, there's a lot of craftsmen in that area. Yeah, virginia, didn't you say you grew up in the San Gabriel Valley somewhere?

Speaker 2 53:20

Yeah, I grew up along the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley.

Speaker 1 53:23

Do you want to tell us a city?

Speaker 2 53:25

Yeah, so most people obviously know like Sierra Madre, Pasadena area or Acadia but, I went all the way to Glendora Is that further east Further east in the San Gabriel Valley. Yeah, so it's all along the foothills. So Glendora Mountain Road, which we call GMR, is part of the foothills actually.

Speaker 1 53:48

It's amazing how far foothill goes, like you can drive forever. Where does it end? It doesn't go all the way out to like Redlands, does it?

Speaker 2 53:57

No, I want to say Glendora, laverne area, and oh my gosh, I can't think of the city. It's just past Laverne, because Laverne's part of foothills is still on foothill Boulevard. Gosh, I can't think of the city. There's one city past it and then, yeah, it's pretty much where you go. I mean, I guess technically foothills does go into the San Bernardino County, because I can't. You can take foothill Boulevard all the way out to Ontario.

Speaker 1 54:28

Yeah, I was just shocked. One time I went to some music event and I was like, oh my God. They say San Fernando Boulevard is the longest street in the valley. Have you ever heard that one? Or maybe LA, it's the longest street in LA. But I'm sorry, foothill was gotta be a close second.

Speaker 2 54:43

Well, it's part of Route 66 too.

Speaker 1 54:46

Oh really, I did not know that.

Speaker 2 54:48

Which is also what makes that particular street pretty long.

Speaker 1 54:51

Are there still like little stops? You remember there used to always be gas stations along Route 66. Are there historic stops?

Speaker 2 55:00

They do have the historic Route 66 sign along foothill Boulevard where it's part of that route, so it highlights those sections of foothill Boulevard that are part of it. But I don't remember because it's been 18 years since I've lived on that. I actually lived off foothill Boulevard, which is kind of funny that we're talking about.

Speaker 1 55:20

Right. Well, marina, you lived in West Hollywood for a while, isn't the Santa Monica Boulevard, the two?

Speaker 3 55:28

Yes, it is.

Speaker 1 55:29

Isn't that weird? Like it becomes a street for a while, but then it turns back into a highway, or the two. No, or is it part of Pacific Coast Highway? I just remember Santa Monica Boulevard is a highway.

Speaker 3 55:42

It's a highway, yeah, 66. The famous oh is it, yeah, oh my God okay.

Speaker 2 55:48

Yeah, Route 66.

Speaker 1 55:48

You never know, this was my hometown.

Speaker 2 55:50

Yeah, route 66 crosses a few places throughout California, like streets. People know that they don't realize it's part of that.

Speaker 1 55:58

Right, that's my point.

Speaker 3 56:01

They put up a sign. That's what I know.

Speaker 2 56:03

Yeah, they do. They have those little blue historical signs that says Route 66. It looks like a little blue shield.

Speaker 1 56:10

Maybe we do have some history here, right, we have little, yeah, I tend to think of. This is related to story. I tend to think of America as being so new, right, that there's just not the rich history. I'm sorry. I went on a plantation tour in New Orleans during the Hunchback opening and, oh my God, I learned so much about the Creoles and the Cajuns and how those cultures evolved. I don't want to get it wrong so I'm not going to say it, but my eyes were opened. I'm like we do have stories here, right. Paul Bunyan, I mean, he's not as old as the Holy Lands or Christ or anything like that, but it's nothing to balk at. Yeah, no, yeah, we were colonized when late 1500s, early 1600s. So you just have to look for the history, and I think the East Coast, right of course, has a lot more history than the West Coast.

Speaker 2 57:10

I also say I think the West Coast Well, I think the West Coast has a lot of history, I think the difference between the East and the West Coast, at least from growing up there, in my opinion. So this is totally my opinion, so please don't start sending us emails yelling at me. But seriously, when you go to the East Coast, a lot of historical buildings are still up.

Speaker 1 57:31

Yes.

Speaker 2 57:31

For whatever reason, those of us on the Western side of the United States, we tend to rip down a lot of historical buildings and build new buildings.

Speaker 1 57:41

That's what I was hinting at earlier, but in LA we blame it on earthquakes.

Speaker 2 57:45

Or earthquakes or just yeah, it's kind of notorious for that, and that's why I think we have so many groups out on the West Coast that are constantly fighting historical societies to keep those buildings. Because we keep doing that.

Speaker 1 57:58

Yeah, I mean I worked for five minutes in Greenwich, connecticut, at Blue Sky. So of course I tried living near Union Square in Manhattan. I tried living in Brooklyn. I lived in White Plains and I got a taste of the area. I guess I'm just saying you trip over something and it's older than anything. In LA it's a little easier to find the historical stuff. I went to what's it called, not Wuthering Heights, nathaniel Hawthorne, sleepy Hollow. I visited Sleepy Hollow. Either of you ever been there? No, Well, you know the legend of Sleepy Hollow, it's a classic. Yeah, I went there and I'm like Maybe I went on the wrong day. It was like 105 in the middle of the summer and it was empty and it was kind of a ghetto. I thought man Nathaniel Hawthorne would roll over in his grave. So it's old but doesn't mean it's always kept up.

Speaker 2 58:58

That's true too.

Speaker 1 59:00

Anyway, well, I guess somewhat related we're going to get back to. I have a good closing question for you, marina, but I want to talk about Argentina, our former guest, ted Young. I mentioned him earlier. He's a Harvard scholar and very Actually he Did. He say he translated a book in Portuguese. Portuguese is his second language but he's really immersed in Brazilian culture. He spent a lot of time down there.

Exploring Creative Filmmaking Stories

Speaker 1 59:31

Anyway, one of the things he said is there's this whole genre called Do you remember the name of the genre where it's a kind of a Renaissance style was his way of putting it, renaissance style refashioning. So when you have a culture that is colonized, let's say by the Spanish, for example, then the indigenous people very much make an effort to retain their culture or at least find their identity within the context of their oppressors or their colonists. And so you have a lot of literature, he said, that is birthed by trying to create an identity after being colonized. I know Argentina has a pretty complex history. Are you aware of those kinds of stories that were meant to kind of as propaganda to create an identity? Does that make any sense to you at all?

Speaker 3 1:00:20

I'm not familiar because no, well, we have. Definitely we have indigenous, definitely we've been colonized by the Spaniards, but there's only a few tribes that still that survive in Argentina.

Speaker 1 1:00:43

Right, right, same here.

Speaker 3 1:00:45

Yeah, only a few, because they were wiped out.

Speaker 1 1:00:50

Are we talking way back, like the Conquistadors? Way back, yes, way back.

Speaker 3 1:00:57

So to be very honest, as much as I know, just there were not. I mean the few ones that are still there, they're not very respected, you know, in a way, I'm not aware of any. No, any, I just want to use the word that you use Like indigenous people. No, no, yeah, but no indigenous. You mentioned that. What about this scholar saying that they're trying to revive the?

Speaker 1 1:01:30

Yeah, I wish. Do you remember that term that he used, virginia about the literature that was? He called it renaissance-style refashioning.

Speaker 3 1:01:39

Yeah, I'm not aware of that, to be very honest, I mean yeah, I think you identify as rather European right Across the board. Well, just yeah, my genes I can tell you totally from, yeah, mother and father from Europe. And yeah, we're mixed, you know, but mostly we're, you know, definitely Europeans, you know, like most of the people. But I might have some indigenous blood, probably probably on my mother's.

Speaker 1 1:02:13

You got to do your DNA. Go to 23andMe.

Speaker 3 1:02:17

Yeah, someone told me I'm not really into that, but it's just yeah, why not? It could?

Speaker 1 1:02:22

be interesting. Yeah, I mean, we have really good genealogy books. On my mom's side. We've met my mom, but the Mormons keep really good genealogy books so we can go back to, I think, the 1500s in England. But my dad's side because of the mafia it's a little more of a secret. He's from Sicily and Calabria, so but I think it would be interesting because, yeah, I've. Supposedly I'm 1, 16th Native American, so I have an indigenous blood as well, but it wasn't enough to get me a scholarship.

Speaker 3 1:02:56

Yeah Well, yeah, probably I have some, like they say quarter or something, from my mother's side. Probably I'm not sure, but my brother said that my father's side from India, come from India.

Speaker 1 1:03:13

Wow, really.

Speaker 3 1:03:14

So who knows, who knows, we're. All.

Speaker 1 1:03:17

We're all just citizens of the planet.

Speaker 3 1:03:19

Yeah, exactly, so who knows? Yeah Well.

Speaker 1 1:03:25

Marina, I think we're going to come to a close, so I want to ask you. You do seem tell me if I'm wrong but you have a lot of vehicles of expression. I would put it all under the title. You're an artist, you have a strong relationship with creativity, but in my world you seem to have a love of story. So what's next? Creatively, more filmmaking, more photography. What can we expect?

Speaker 3 1:03:50

Yeah, yeah, more filming, probably.

Speaker 1 1:03:55

Yeah, were you the DP, the director of photography, or who was your?

Speaker 3 1:04:00

Really Beautiful, beautiful I was and yeah, I was.

Speaker 1 1:04:05

I loved it, not just the colors, but literally the compositions, the way you framed the shots really beautiful.

Speaker 3 1:04:12

Thank you, thank you, and I would say that I was totally intuitive.

Speaker 1 1:04:17

Absolutely as it should be.

Speaker 3 1:04:19

I didn't plan anything, just a no story board. Just I like to. I had some ideas, but I like to. I really enjoyed getting in close contact with the environment because somehow it was informing me how to frame it.

Speaker 1 1:04:40

Yes, of course. Yeah, Well, we've had. Yeah, until you get to the location, you can't really go with those happy accidents. One of my favorite shots in Outpost I don't know if you ever saw that one. It was considerably. It was a long time after. Pass Her by Outpost, I didn't, yeah. Anyway, my favorite shot in the film just happened. We got up early one morning and we were gonna go. We were on the location, right, but we happened to get up early and my friend Phil, who's the DP, we just went for a walk and it was so foggy that he just started grabbing shots because it was so haunting and poetic. It became my favorite shot in the film and it was so usable because it was right before you learn that this character has committed suicide. It's like a real haunting precursor to that. Yeah, you gotta just do what happens organically right once you're on the location.

Speaker 3 1:05:34

I love that. Yeah, they call it beautiful mistakes in a way. I have some beautiful mistakes, but Happy accidents.

Speaker 1 1:05:43

Well, do you remember? Now, here's the part where we reminisce right before ending the episode. Do you remember, on Pass Her by Out, the train shot.

Speaker 3 1:05:52

I do yeah.

Speaker 1 1:05:53

Yes, well, I use it. Yeah, in my teaching exactly, we had to wait. I'll tell it real quick, because it is very much. I use it as an example in my teaching of trusting the universe. As we're saying, trusting the synchronicity will provide exactly what you need in a given moment. So a lot of times my actors will say long after the shoot is over, right. So let's say the producer and I feel similarly oh, this is the person, you've got your cast. It's largely intuitive, right, it's just the best performance.

Speaker 3 1:06:29

Absolutely not that approach you know, yes, yes. I'm all for that.

Speaker 1 1:06:34

That's the only way I think I would be able to continue, yeah and one thing I would tell actors and I have told actors is like sometimes, though, you're laying out the headshots on the floor and remembering the auditions as best you can, going back to the video, but it's all about how the screen presence is read in relation to one another. I could have cast any one of my films four times over. Right, it's about the chemistry between them all. So sometimes I tell actors, like, don't feel bad if you don't get a part. 90% is how the ensemble works in relation to one another. But anyway, my point is like sometimes it's just intuitive, but every single time, because I've become friends with a lot of my actors, like you, and they are their character and outpost.

Speaker 1 1:07:22

She's coming on later today, actually 90-something-year-old woman. That was just amazing, and only after did I learn actually she was her character. She took care of a bedridden husband and changed him so he didn't, you know, changed him and turned him so he didn't get bed sourced and she had lived through it, and so she actually was able to solve something in her life by playing the part. So I do have this premise that you know, if you don't evolve by engaging in the creative process, you may not have engaged in it fully. So we all evolve or transform by going through the creative process. But that train I just have to tell that story because you mentioned happy accidents a moment ago, right? So filmmaking, they say it's Murphy's Law Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. And when you have other investors' money and the stakes are pretty high, right? So yes, they wouldn't give us the train schedule. So do you remember when he just decided to grab what are called second unit shots while we're waiting around for the train to come?

Speaker 3 1:08:21

I remember they're waiting.

Speaker 1 1:08:24

Right, right, actors always remember the waiting. Now, what happened is there were two sets of train tracks. Because of bombing, they won't give you the train schedule. So we were set up on one side of the tracks just grabbing second unit shots and, oh my God, the train's coming, but way off on the horizon. So we set up right, it's a lot of camera equipment we set everything up, getting ready and got the car in place, because the car is meant to go in the opposite direction of the train.

Speaker 1 1:08:51

And then we're all set up and the train stops. And then, oh my God, here's another train coming on the opposite track, going the opposite direction, on the second set of tracks. So we're like shit, it's going to ruin our shot. And we all set up for nothing. Well then the other train stayed there. I don't know if you remember that. So we hopped the tracks, set everything up again and we actually ended up getting two opportunities to get the shot Again. Best shot in the film, in my opinion, where you're kind of fighting tears, chopping something right, and it's cutting back and forth between you and the train. It's my favorite shot in the film. The thing is, do you remember why the train stopped?

Speaker 3 1:09:33

No, I don't actually.

Speaker 1 1:09:35

Well, somebody got out there I think it was the producer got out as binoculars and the train only stopped because the conductor had to take a piss.

Speaker 3 1:09:45

That's quite a story.

Speaker 1 1:09:46

Isn't that amazing, yep, and it allowed us two chances to get our shot and it's the best shot in the film. But yeah, the call of nature, I guess. I love it, love it, but that is you have to be flexible on this, because everything that can go wrong will go wrong. So we've got to go with those happy accidents.

Speaker 3 1:10:04

I learned that, yeah, I'm still. I mean, I'm sure that we'll encounter more of those beautiful mistakes. But I did my. Yeah, I have several ones.

Speaker 1 1:10:17

Tell me.

Speaker 3 1:10:20

Well, I had. I bought a stabilizer, you know.

Speaker 1 1:10:24

Stabilizer.

Speaker 3 1:10:25

Yes, like a hydraulic. No, just for the kind of gumbo. It's cool, I guess gumbo and it broke I couldn't use it. So I bought it exactly. I didn't want to be shaky or anything, you know and just yeah and it broke. But then I tried, I took it, forget about it. I'm gonna be shaky, that's the matter, you know.

Speaker 3 1:10:51

And then I use it for another part I don't know if you remember, but in another part of the film and actually it's just yeah, it was kind of like a slow motion. It just I was not planning to have it in a slow motion mode and that's how that's, you know.

Speaker 1 1:11:10

Which shot are we talking about? I didn't notice any slow motion per se. I don't think.

Speaker 3 1:11:15

It's a very short shot when she's on the bench.

Speaker 1 1:11:20

Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, beautiful With the red, kind of.

Speaker 3 1:11:23

Yeah, with the red yes.

Speaker 1 1:11:26

Well, it worked. Whatever you did, it worked. I did notice some, some handheld, a little bit of a handheld feeling, but you went with that intentionally, right.

Speaker 3 1:11:34

Well, I had to Right right. It didn't work, so I still can't forget about it.

Speaker 1 1:11:40

Yeah, so it had an organic. It has an organic feeling. Maybe because of that it kind of works.

Speaker 3 1:11:46

Wow, yeah, thank you, but yeah, I was all handheld.

Speaker 1 1:11:50

Awesome. Well, again, we're going to put a link to a yes in the description. The comedy that came before that. Can you tell me the title again? Screwball, screwball.

Speaker 3 1:12:02

Yeah, screwball.

Speaker 1 1:12:03

Would you like to include that link?

Speaker 3 1:12:07

Well, actually, yes, I have them on YouTube, but for not for a public, you know, unlisted for now because they're still going around the festival. So some of you know, but I will love to share at least the poster for now, you know.

Speaker 1 1:12:27

Oh sure, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 1:12:29

And yeah, I can probably do that, you know, just for now. You know it would be probably I didn't make it, I don't have a trailer, but probably I should have a trailer so we can share it with the audience, right?

Speaker 1 1:12:46

Well, is the goal to do the festival circuit with it and just share it?

Speaker 3 1:12:51

Yes, yes, I don't think I should have yet, but yes, it's been selected for already five festivals.

Speaker 1 1:12:58

Wow, right on. Yeah, and you need to go to some of them. You know, next time, if we do a part two, we'll have to tell our stories about Telluride and remember the Palm Springs International Hispanic Film Festival. Definitely, definitely. Telluride was surreal. It's a beautiful town. Actually, I just found Ernesto. I couldn't remember their names and it was bothering me, but since you were coming on Suzanne Quincy was the woman's name Ernesto Camara. Remember them, wow.

Speaker 3 1:13:33

I remember them, but you have great memory. I don't remember the last one.

Speaker 1 1:13:36

No, no, no, I had to look them up to get the names. But the other, I did watch their film. It was called Eve's Dropping In. I just watched it yesterday. It all came back to me.

Speaker 3 1:13:47

I have the most beautiful memory with that trip. It was surreal. That's a good word.

Speaker 1 1:13:53

Well, I just loved. It really felt like a film festival, right. Everyone just bonded and you're watching beautiful films under the stars with strangers. But specifically those people, we bonded with them immediately at a restaurant.

Speaker 3 1:14:08

And they were so nice. And then yeah, just wow, oh my God, those great memories.

Speaker 1 1:14:16

Well, and then there's the part where the car got towed and we had to go to the impound yard. It was like a movie right there.

Speaker 3 1:14:28

Talking about stories, right?

Speaker 1 1:14:29

Well, he was straight out of a note he's going to remember and Dukes of Hazard Remember this sheriff was like well, you want to get your car back. Definitely a small town, but so driving right the driving so many hours. Oh yeah, we ran out of gas. Remember the creepy? We found a trailer in the middle of the desert. Oh my God, we had to get a gas can because we ran out of the gas.

Speaker 3 1:14:56

Yes, I remember it was an Englishman right.

Speaker 1 1:15:02

Yes, oh, the Englishman was in the trailer.

Speaker 3 1:15:05

Yeah, he was a good man. They wanted to help us with the. Remember that I think we bought some of the gas that he had already.

Life Is Story

Speaker 1 1:15:13

I don't remember him being English, but I believe you. I just remember fearing for my life. That was the one time. Anyway, that'll be our next episode. Well, thank you so much for coming on, and we'll put any links you'd like in the episode description.

Speaker 3 1:15:29

Thank you, dominic. Thank you Regine for having me. Yes, we keep rolling. Another time probably.

Speaker 1 1:15:37

Yeah, exactly, there's too much there, but, yeah, very fond memories, all right, thank you so much. And to our listeners, remember life is story. We can get our hands in the clay, individually and collectively. We can write our own story. See you next time.