Today we’d like to introduce you to Orlando Adrian.
Hi Orlando , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always felt I was from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I was a first generation American, Mexican, born in TX, moved to KY and grew up in Las Vegas, NV. All the big moves happened before I was 8. My family grew up traveling across the US.
After getting accepted into college as an engineer, I felt something was off. I liked math but wasn’t in love with it. I pondered and decided to pursue a career in film. It was my true passion.
I looked back at the time when I was four years old pretending to be el Mariachi ;played by Antionio Banderas. Or how impactful it was to take the universal studios back lot tour on a family vacation. It was almost as impressionable as the special features and bts on vhs’ and dvds. Oh how I loved getting emotional with the stories films gifted me. There were so many moments that were special throughout my youth that pushed me to be an actor and filmmaker.
Being a first generation American felt hard to find a place. However, Thanks to my parents and their hard working ethics as immigrants. They instilled in me the will to be anything I wanted to be. There was one thing I loved. Film. Now, I’m glad to consider myself an Actor and Director.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There definitely have been challenges like moving to this big city, dealing with imposter syndrome, lack of support/funding, or trying to get a foot in the door without said foot being in my mouth.
In contrast though, I think the biggest challenges are yet to come. The industry has changed so much in the ten years I’ve been in LA. With the stream-lining of smart phones and Ai. It’s hard to tell what stories will turn into.
My bet is that we will have the capability to have Ai make realtime films based on user prompts.
Also, my least favorite experience happened When I was focused on background, I got scanned by a major studio in perpetuity and didn’t get payed any extra. What was my intention of being a good sport on a dream production turned into a twisted reality. People are getting undercut and underpaid left and right.
Now, however, is the time to put our passionate feet forward as story tellers and cinema lovers. There are so many passionate people out here and we have to stick together.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My goal is to bring stories that shine a light on controversial topics. I also like to sprinkle a bit of my Latino heritage into these stories. I’m quite proud of my last two projects that I directed and starred in.
Even though they are completely different genres, my last two shorts were inadvertently turned into latino forward stories.
It’s almost inevitable to put a bit of yourself into this artform. I am proud to be American and multicultural. I’d like to show that us Latinos, if not all humans, have many things in common. My hot take is humanity can easily forget the similarities and focus on the differences. I believe that’s where storytelling and in my case, filmmaking, can bridge that gap. Art is human.
What matters most to you?
It’s important for me that people take something away from my films. It could be the most simple thing like a thought or a new dish they haven’t heard of. Or something deep like a new way of thinking. I think it’s in those moments of being in someone else’s shoes where true human evolution lies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Orlandoadrian.com
Image Credits
All are my own. And I’m my own photographer.
