Today we’d like to introduce you to Seth Gilbert.
Seth, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Upstate New York and lived in Tokyo as a kid. After high school, I found myself in North Carolina to studying Anthropology at UNC Greensboro. I actually moved out to California to enroll in grad school but ended becoming a sound mixer instead. I’ve always gone with the flow. That doesn’t mean I’m easy going, unfortunately. But in matters of life choices, when I see an opportunity, I’m very happy to jump and figure things out as I fall. Today, I’m a sound mixer for TV and commercials but I also co-own a small production company with my wife that focuses on Spanish language content.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has not been smooth at all. In addition to the normal life challenges that everyone has, I suffered a trauma in my 20s but never dealt with it. We aren’t given the tools to deal with some things so I just buried it. In my 40s, I thought maybe it’s time to process some of this. But when I peeked under the hood ever so slightly, it all flew out in my face. I made a real mess trying to figure it all out but as part of my healing, I found improv and live storytelling which REALLY helped me. It’s another great example of how solving problems as we fall is the best way to be.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is called DFLA Films. It’s a production company that has footprints in Los Angeles and Mexico City. We try to act as a bridge between the two countries, helping people on both sides of the border tell their stories. My wife is from Mexico City and I’ve come to love it there. I’m most proud of how my business helps connect people across a border that can sometimes be difficult to penetrate.
I think my company is special because it has access to multiple cultures. Too many walls are going up around the world and DFLA Films’ main goals is to break down barriers and bring people together.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I love LA!. It’s an especially good home base for a company like mine because of the large Spanish speaking population and its proximity to Mexico.
I can think of no better city in the world to start and run a business than Los Angeles. While LA has its fair share of complex bureaucracy making it difficult to navigate, I’ve always found help by getting on the phone with the city departments and officials. They do want you to succeed in LA. But I will add that more than anywhere else in the world, Los Angeles is what you make of it. So, I always try to imagine the best things, especially when I stumble.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6215 South San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, CA 90003 - Website: www.dflafilms.com
- Email: seth@dflafilms.com
- Instagram: dflafilmsinc
Image Credit:
Kelton Jones, Suzanne Jones
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