Check Out Alex Montilla’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Montilla

Hi Alex, 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 backstory with our readers?
I’ve been making movies since high school in South Florida. When my friends and I took over the morning announcements, we saw an opportunity to make short films for a captive audience…and by that, I mean an audience that literally HAD to watch; the entire school was held hostage by our silliness. Out of necessity, I learned the basics of filmmaking: acting, writing, directing, editing, visual effects, scoring…you name it; I was the Robert Rodriguez of morning announcements. All of these skills came in handy when I attended the University of Miami’s film school. After making the leap to Los Angeles, I’ve continued to hone my craft by working in the editing room for studio films like “Hot Tub Time Machine” and “The Muppets”, on the sets of films like “The Hangover Part III” and as a Producer for ESPN. All the while, I continue to write, direct and edit my own films (and randomly host karaoke in bars).

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all. I’ve been very lucky to do many things, but the dream of directing a “real” movie still eludes me. I moved to LA in 2009 when the business was changing; theaters were closing left and right and streaming was beginning its domination. The good side of all of this is that it’s never been easier to make things yourself, but there is now so much content out there that it’s hard to break through. I keep getting close, but falling short. So this year, I’m taking it all into my hands and finally making a feature on my own.

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’m a filmmaker, but above all, I’m an entertainer. My films may not be breaking lots of new ground, but they’ll never be boring. I’d like to think everything I do is a comedy in some way, but lately I’ve found a niche doing horror comedies, Largely, due to the success of my short “OverKill” that came out in 2019 and won a ton of awards and got lots of attention (which amounted to very little thanks of the world shutting down. Thanks, Covid).

I’m most proud of my resourcefulness; I do a lot with a little and I’m excellent at calling in favors. I think my films usually look and feel professional but are done with a small crew and budget.

I think my films stand out because they can oscillate back and forth between different tones and genres on a dime, while still being cohesive. I don’t shy away from using tropes and cliches, subverting them in order to make something new. Boy, that sounds so pretentious. But, whatever, it’s true.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Syd Field’s Screenplay book was helpful when I started writing. Other than that, I just watch as many movies as I can to learn from what works and what doesn’t. Often I learn the most from bad movies.

In terms of apps, I’m currently shooting a feature on my phone…so the Filmic Pro app has been my everything.

ChatGPT has also been super helpful. I’m having it write this entire interview right now. Just kidding. Or am I? I am. But I did have it write me a movie once. It was called HorrorGPT and it played a few festivals and even won one. So, I do really like it as a tool for silliness.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://akmontilla.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akmontilla/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AKMontilla
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@akmontilla
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbMEUm-d3u4