Today we’d like to introduce you to Anabel Iñigo.
Hi Anabel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Miami, Florida, and was raised by my grandparents. With my Abuela, I watched Rom Coms and Action films. With my Abuelo, I watched music videos and Dramas. To us, these mediums were sacred and were so intertwined to how we communicated and spent time as a family that I always knew I wanted to work in film.
When I went to college, I didn’t think I had it in me to get into their film school, and instead got a dual degree in Creative Writing and Theatre. That theatre degree taught me how much I loved musical theatre, the perfect mix of story and music. But just theatre wasn’t enough and one day, I decided I was going to apply to USC’s film school. I didn’t know how I would afford it if I got in and how I would (I had no film background except for a few student sets at FSU), but I did get in! On the George Lucas scholarship! So I left Florida and moved to LA.
While there, I really zeroed in on wanting to make Comedy and Musicals that centered around brown girls. I found I loved nothing more than creating stories that brought younger versions of me comfort. For my thesis at USC, I wrote and directed a disco musical about two Afro-Latina sisters fixing their broken relationship through a mutual love of disco. It basically solidified my love for the genre and my goals for the future (developing the feature version being one!) And it also reminded me that Donna Summer is and always will be a literal icon of mine.
Now, After graduating, I work with Brittany Miller as her assistant through her company B-Squad Productions, on the Sony Lot in Culver City. I was connected to her through a Latinas in Film Group and am currently being mentored by one of the kindest and most talented comedy writers I have ever met (her! she’s amazing!).
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has never been a smooth road. I did not grow up wealthy. I was bullied for my weight and looks growing up. Going to school and getting an education always had to be done alongside also having a job. The list goes on and on. But the hardest thing I ever had to go through was in my undergrad after Abuelo died. I lost my Abuelo my first semester five days before coming home for Christmas. Losing him and understanding what my family was without him was hard and still is something I am processing to this day. When I went to film school in Los Angeles, I was still mentally all over the place because how do you move across the country alone? With no friends or money? I had no idea how to but I did it!
While at USC, before making my thesis film, I didn’t know how I would get the money. My grandfather was the money provider of our family and films are (Spoiler alert!) very expensive. With my producer’s support, we applied for the Shift Creative Grant, which gave us most of the money for our film. I firmly believe that if you are kind and resourceful, the universe will always find a way to help.
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?
Currently, I am an assistant for Brittany Miller. She is a comedy writer that has written on shows like Archer, Woke, The Carmichael Show and most recently a Seth Rogan/Nick Stoller Apple TV show titled Platonic! I am in such a happy and supportive space where we are creating hard comedy shows that offer safety and humor for brown stories!
On a personal note as an individual creator and artist, I love a feel-good family film. I want to be someone that makes films and TV that the whole family can enjoy together. Stories that are bright, fun, hopeful, and spread kindness and love. If you know me in real life – my personal motto for how I like to treat people is how I hope the films I create to treat its viewers. Because the best part of a movie/show is how you feel when you’re watching it!
When making my thesis film, after we wrapped, I had so many of our cast and crew members mention to me how much fun they had making the film. And when I started showing the completed project to others: they loved how warm they were when watching. I strive to offer that safety on and off screen; that’s who I aspire to be as a director and writer always. I’d like for people to know that when they are around me – they are safe.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Everything I do is to protect that younger version of me. Everything. I create content that I wish I had at every age when I was struggling to love myself because of what I was told about myself by other people. That safety and that protection of the young feminine spirit is so pure and sweet and kind, and protecting that is one of the most important things to me.
I truly believe that if you are someone who believes themselves to be an artist; then what you make can only come from you! Gently reminding people of their individuality is the secret to a better tomorrow!
I also like to remind myself that this profession and this job has introduced me to amazing collaborators that have ultimately become my friends. With trying to do everything with kindness, I also think it’s really important to keep people with those same beliefs and morals around while creating. I have done that and it has been one the best blessings of my life. So as a small aside in this interview, I would like to thank them for creating with me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anabelinigogo/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/anabelinigo
