Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Margarita Quiceno Yepes.
Hi Julia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my journey as a filmmaker the moment my sister moved to New York. I didn’t really know it at the time, but going to film sets with her would influence my decision to go into the entertainment industry. I’m a person that hasn’t really had a lot of clarity when it comes to picking a career path; I like many things and have acquired many skills along the way. I decided to move to Los Angeles from Colombia right after high school to pursue animation. I didn’t really know a lot about that career at the time, nor did I have the skills required to get into a program. After many hours of taking drawing classes and working on some fundamental skills, I was able to get into the animation program at the University of Southern California (USC). I transferred there from Santa Monica Community College.
Pursuing a career that was new to me was very challenging and eye-opening. I learned a ton! Not only about the craft but also about myself. After I graduated, I was very lucky to secure an internship at Nickelodeon Animation, this experience taught me a lot about the industry and how to navigate it. I met a lot of amazing people that were very open and willing to talk to me about their work and the film industry; it was an incredible experience! After the end of my internship, I got a job in one of their productions: Glitch Techs, where I worked as a PA. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out on Netflix! It’s a very fun and heartfelt show. I feel really lucky to have been part of the team.
After my US work permit expired, I decided to go back to school to pursue my master’s and increase my film credits in hopes to get my O1- Visa (artist visa). I’m currently about to finish my master’s program in Film and TV production at USC. During my master’s, I have worked on countless projects that have opened my mind to many other forms and avenues for storytelling. My two main focus areas are storyboarding and editing. I’m ready to get out there and continue my journey as a filmmaker. I’m very excited for what’s to come!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not a smooth road at all! But going into the entertainment industry rarely is a smooth road. My main challenge has been my immigration status. I’m not a US citizen so navigating job opportunities has always been a struggle. I’ve missed out on a lot of potential job offers because of my immigration status, and that has been very frustrating and upsetting. Regardless, I always find a reason to bounce back and keep pursuing what I like to do.
My hope for the future is that if I have made it and have the financial means, I’d like to give back to the international student population and help them out as much as I can. As an international student, you can’t take your time and figure out what you want to do, it feels like you always need to have a plan, and at least in my experience, it’s very easy to second-guess every decision you make because you don’t know how that will affect your future chances to get a work permit. You have this feeling that you have to work 1000 times harder than anyone else to prove that you’re worthy of workin in this country.
Now add to that situation the everyday life struggles of pursuing a career in the entertainment industry where you’re also second guessing how good your skills are if you’re going to be able to get your foot in the door, and on top of that, you’re being vulnerable about your ideas and creativity. It can be a lot! I think that the best thing you can do is take it one step at a time, which is easier said than done, but at least that way you can focus on the task at hand and remember why you enjoy doing what you do.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the moment, I’ve been focusing more on editing. I’m very proud of a short doc I co-edited called ‘Echoes of Kef Time’. Not only did I learn a lot, but it was an incredible collaborative experience. I’ve been very lucky in finding great collaborators that have become really good friends throughout the years. I’m currently working on a couple of other projects as an editor and assistant editor.
Right now, I’m also producing and storyboarding an animated short film that will be completed next year. We’re in the process of animating it, and it’s honestly amazing seeing the movement of the characters for the first time. I’m really excited for people to watch it once it’s done! This process reminds me of when I produced, animated, and basically did everything for my thesis short film ‘Contigo.’
I feel like I’ve come a long way from where I started. Back then I was extremely embarrassed and scared to ask for help because I thought I needed to have all the answers. It’s very different now, I’m very open, and I have no problem asking others for help; I know that my collaborators will have my back. ‘Contigo’ gave me the confidence I needed to believe in myself. Even though is not perfect, I still feel very proud of what I accomplished, and it has given me perspective of how far I’ve come since then. As I said earlier, I feel very excited for what’s to come and I look forward to keep growing as a collaborator and as an artist.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The only thing I have left to say is, for whoever needs it: Life can be overwhelming in a lot of ways, good and bad, be kind to yourself and do the best you can, whatever that means to you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jumacolors.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jumacolors/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/contigoshort2017
