Today we’d like to introduce you to César Fión Góngora
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all began in my native Guatemala when I was 18 years old and attended my first day of film school nearly 10 years ago. I knew very little about moviemaking back then, but I knew it was where I was meant to be. After five and a half years, I graduated with a BA in Film and TV Production from Galileo University, as part of the first graduating class of this major in the country. During that time, I produced, wrote, and directed several fiction and documentary short films, with many of them being showcased, selected, and awarded at film festivals across Europe, Africa, and Latin America. These projects also gave me the opportunity to participate in forums, talks, and lectures on documentary filmmaking at various universities. I spent those years honing my craft, focusing on screenwriting, directing, sound mixing/designing, and editing.
Alongside my work, I co-founded the “Festival Nacional de Cortometrajes por Chapinas” (National Women’s Short Film Festival), a festival created to promote audiovisual productions directed by Guatemalan women of any sexual identity, social, economic, or ethnic background.
At the start of 2022, I immigrated to Los Angeles to broaden my experiences and expand my expertise. I graduated from the New York Film Academy’s Screenwriting Conservatory and continued working throughout California as a Production Sound Mixer, Screenwriter, and Editor. Over the last year, I have worked on over 50 different productions, and countless more during my time in Guatemala, gaining extensive experience in every phase of filmmaking—from pre-production to being on set and through to post-production. After a decade of working in the film industry, I now know a little more about moviemaking than I did back then.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been smooth? Not really, but when is anything smooth? Being an immigrant has its fair share of obstacles, and I’ve learned much from each. My country has a rich, gorgeous culture and colorful artistic traditions. That being said, its film industry has suffered setbacks that prevent it from reaching its full potential. Carving out a career path in such an industry, one that allows you to sustain yourself and a family, is all the more difficult. Every opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn and grow, and with them being as scarce as they were back home, I had to make sure I didn’t squander them. After 7 years, I had learned everything I could from the industry back home, and it was time to tackle a new challenge.
Moving is never easy, especially when it means leaving your family about 2,000 miles away. Living by myself in a new country took some getting used to, but I was lucky enough to be surrounded by people who didn’t hesitate to help me make the transition a little easier. On top of that, I had to essentially start over in the industry, beginning as a PA, then a Boom Operator, and finally as a Production Sound Mixer. It took some time to get the ball rolling, working a couple of sets pro bono at the start, but once it did, I never looked back. While the 2023 WGA/SAG strike did slow things down a little, I was able to string together various opportunities by keeping a steady mindset and work ethic. It took me 10 years, but I was able to achieve my dream.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I always say I’m a Sound Mixer by trade and a Screenwriter at heart. My main job is handling all things sound on set, whether it’s for film, television, commercials, or even corporate videos. Being on set is what I love most—the feeling of creating, blending styles and experiences to build something from the ground up, and the sense of accomplishment after a long 12-hour day is what made me fall so deeply in love with the craft. As a Sound Mixer, I have a pretty important, yet sometimes overlooked job, which is to record every sound and voice that the camera may or may not see. Overlooked in the sense that, more often than not, I have to remind people to be quiet and remember that I can hear everything they say and do.
My heart belongs to writing, and I’ve been lucky enough to have had opportunities where I’ve not only written my own scripts but also taken them to the screen. My most recent personal endeavor is a live-action adaptation of the video game series Wolfenstein. Wolfenstein: Legacy of Defiance, written and directed by me, is now in post-production and will be available on YouTube by the end of the year.
After being in LA for about 2 years, I’ve amassed a great deal of experience and credits, which translates into being more than one person’s go-to sound guy, which is very valuable in this day and age. Through my job, I’ve worked in just about every area of visual media—from short films and international feature films attached to Netflix and Amazon Prime, to commercials with brands like Canon, Ancestry.com, and a few video game companies.
This industry is all about who you are as a person. You can have all the talent in the world, but if no one likes you, it’s difficult to find gigs. My main goal is to always deliver top-quality sound while also trying my best to be a top-quality person on set. I love my job, and if I can help others love theirs and enjoy their time on set through my energy and work, then that’s a very successful day in my book.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The beauty of film and TV is that it can be anything and everything all at the same time, and it also means that it can be done by anyone and everyone. As the wise Auguste Gusteau once said, “You must be imaginative, strong-hearted. You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from.”
Anyone can achieve their dreams, but only if they’re fearless.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://calaverafilm.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafg__96/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9s-5vz5lg8GMUuKok2g2kQ
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14649208/
Image Credits
Beatriz Santamaria Pinha
Devansh Neekhra
Victor Jones Valverde
Henry Kuo
