Community Highlights: Meet JoJo Guevara of Hobo Circus

Today we’d like to introduce you to JoJo Guevara.

Hi JoJo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I started my professional artist/creator journey by working as a represented performer in the entertainment industry, booking various dance jobs for clients such as Cirque Du Soleil, Fox, Warner Bro, Universal Studios, Samsung, and more. Through my profession as a dancer, I found my true love of storytelling. In 2016 I enrolled myself in a private art school to pursue the film industry, with a focus on directing, writing, and producing.

By that time, I had already created my visual art brand “Hobo Circus” (2014), where I predominately created dance concepts. I graduated in 2020 with my BFA in Film Production and poured all of my attention into my business, taking a huge risk at something so new but believing it will be worth it. I currently work as a Production Designer under my business Hobo Circus, and when I’m not working on my own scripts, concepts, and projects, I am hired for most Art and Wardrobe department positions.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working in the entertainment industry alone is such a beast to conquer, let alone attempting to run your own business within that space. I had no guidance whatsoever on this journey, so all of my growth and achievements have been built entirely on top of failures, setbacks, mistakes, and errors.

There were plenty of times when rejection seemed more prevalent in my life, coupled with the unfortunate experience of various forms of abuse and manipulation from leaders, I often doubted my trajectory. However, if it wasn’t for my loved ones who constantly poured their support and encouragement into my cup, I don’t think I could have mustered up the strength and determination to continue. I have learned to be my biggest cheerleader and to focus solely on what I know I can do, regardless of any adversary.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Hobo Circus® is registered under the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, owned legally and solely by myself (Johanna Guevara), and acknowledged as a visual art brand and production company name for television, film, photography, and online media entertainment. We have worked with various agencies such as 88Rising, Netflix, and Tribecca, as well as indie and upcoming artists and content creators, producing music videos, motion pictures, photo catalogs, and conceptual art. We have been awarded numerous titles from different festivals, including Best Original Idea, Best Experimental Short Film, Best Director, and Outstanding Choreographer.

I believe what sets Hobo Circus apart is how niche our productions are. We embody the absolute weird and whimsical, materializing the mysterious and magical parts of the imagination in visual story form. We are definitely more for the abstract artist and audience, but offer something for anyone to enjoy. I am simply proudest of how we are constantly evolving and refining our craft and design, making our mark in the film and art community.

Being a person of color, who identifies as a queer woman, I constantly have to push even harder than my colleagues to be seen and taken seriously. I’ve learned that it’s truly about quality and having a product I can be the proudest of.

If I just keep my eyes and my heart on being the best I can be for my company, my associates, and my clients, then I can rest assured that Hobo Circus will be all I foresee it being.

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I am 1 of 7 children from my Father and 1 of 2 from my Mother. My dad and his family are immigrants from Panama and my mom is a mix of different euro-centered ethnicities. Unfortunately, they had split while she was still pregnant with me and I wasn’t able to reconnect with my dad until I was about 10 years old. Growing up with such a combination of cultures, half-siblings, and separate parents, I really struggled with my own sense of “family” and community.

Now as an adult, I have found a new sense of identity within myself and through my art have built my own form of belonging. I have a strong relationship with both my parents, which took years to mend and heal, and I have been able to bond with a few of my blood relatives, though most of who I consider family in my life aren’t actually related to me. I think that’s also why I created Hobo Circus, was to subconsciously have my own autonomy and integrity of who I am, it really became a space that I can confidently say I belong in. I am so proud of the heritage and ancestry I am a part of, and I’m just as equally proud of the individual path I am taking to be something more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hobocircusproduction.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hobocircus/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hobocircus
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/itshobocircus
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8T9XIRhmaFrAjzuNQAhO4w
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10526454/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credits
Julian Duque, Camron Verbarg, Fabi Jimeno, Bobby Zabala, Dani Fontaine, De Chabert, Tiara Rapp, David Rucker, Rawny Sasser, and Mase Tremaine