Life & Work with Martin Del Castillo of Long Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Martin Del Castillo.

Hi Martin , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I wanted to understand how a score was composed, how it was conducted, and how it synced so perfectly with a scene. That curiosity led me into filmmaking in high school. I picked up a camera and made my first short film, The Old Truck, shot around a ’65 Chevy. It was a simple two-minute piece about someone getting stuck, loosely inspired by John Carpenter’s Christine. Making it was thrilling, and it pushed me deeper into music composition so I could score my own work. I studied music theory and composition in community college, then took a break from film to study finance. During that time I joined a band and spent a year on the road, which pulled me further away from filmmaking for a while. I returned to it in 2013 and have been making short films every year since. Over time I’ve written, directed, and scored a number of independent shorts and commercials, including several award-winning films and original music compositions. Right now I’m working on two features: Dinner Bot, about a lonely man trapped in a virtual-reality world searching for connection, and Mijo, a kidnapping story that spirals into a tense hostage situation. One is in post-production; the other is still being written. My most recent film, Off the Deep End, has already won multiple awards and is currently screening at festivals across the United States.
The pull toward film and music has never left me—it’s still what drives everything I do.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a pretty smooth road overall, and that’s largely because I’ve been lucky enough to have a solid team around me, people who encourage me, push me, and remind me why these stories matter. Their support has made finishing these films possible. If there’s one real struggle, it’s time. Balancing a full-time job, family, and still carving out space to write music or develop a story… some days it feels like 24 hours just isn’t enough. But that limitation has also taught me to be intentional with every hour I do get. The passion is still there, and somehow the work keeps moving forward.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in music composition and directing, with a particular focus on short films and commercials for businesses and the real estate market. Over the years I’ve become known for both directing and scoring my own projects. writing the music that sits underneath the images I create. What I’m most proud of right now is my latest film, Off the Deep End. It’s won several awards across the United States, including Best Directing, Best Short Film, and Best Drama. What sets me apart is that I don’t just direct a film and then hand it off to a composer. I write the score myself. That dual role lets me shape the story and the emotion from the very first frame all the way through the final note. It’s a more complete, personal way of working, and it’s something I bring to every project.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice is simple, start making things before you feel ready. Don’t wait for the perfect camera, the perfect script, or the perfect amount of free time. My first short film was two minutes long, shot on a basic camera around an old Chevy truck. It wasn’t polished, but it taught me more than any class ever could. I also wish I had understood earlier how valuable it is to develop more than one skill. Learning to compose music while I was learning to direct changed everything for me. Being able to shape both the images and the score gives you a deeper connection to the story and makes the work feel more personal. The other thing I wish I’d known is that the road isn’t always linear. I stepped away from film for a while, studied finance, toured with a band and it felt like I was falling behind. Looking back, those experiences still feed the work I do now. So don’t panic if your path takes a detour. Just keep creating when you can. Time will always feel scarce, especially once you have a job and a family. Protect the hours you do get, stay consistent, and find people who genuinely support what you’re trying to do. That support makes a bigger difference than almost anything else. Just start. The rest tends to follow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vintage_musician/
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9620377/?ref_=fn_t_1