Today we’d like to introduce you to Pablo Banuelos.
Hi Pablo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Pablo Banuelos. I am a Mexican director here in LA. I make movies for people who love nostalgia and feeding their inner child. But mostly, I make movies for myself.
I’m not sure how far back I should go, but there was something I recently remembered about my early childhood. I spent a lot of time in the back seat of my dad’s car when he took me to his work in South Central. I always wanted my dad to blast the music as I played with my Hot Wheels. Recently, I remembered I used to hold the cars up to my eyes and blink to the beat of the music. I now realize that my eyes were the camera, and my blinks were cutting each shot.
I didn’t pick up a camera until the end of high school when I realized how much I enjoyed the filmmaking process. After high school, I went to Artcenter College in Pasadena, where I was exposed to so much talent that it only pushed me further into bettering myself as a director. Once the fundamentals were established, it was key for me to find my voice. I am very lucky to say that I think I’ve found it. For now, at least.
I grew up in a large extended Mexican family, and my heritage has informed my work as a director. I was blessed to grow up with an intact childhood. I feel like my connection to my childhood is my greatest treasure.
Despite being blessed with a good upbringing, growing up as a minority has taught me some of the harsh realities of my culture. My parents spent the last 25 years stepping on eggshells due to their lack of citizenship.
Living in this dichotomy has inspired me to make my films a representation of this contrast. For me, my work can often be about having your head in the clouds but still keeping your feet on the ground.
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?
Of course, being in the film industry is challenging. It’s challenging for everyone, so sometimes you forget about the things you go through. For me, I normally just do my best to push through those things. But out of all of my hardships, I will never forget my first ever time being paid to be on a film production.
I was 19, and I got asked to be a PA for the first time. It was a paid opportunity, so I was over the moon. I knew so little about the absolute beating I was about to endure.
The shoot was a music video in the desert, with 120-degree weather. I didn’t drink enough water the day before, and I had to run back and forth doing all the PA stuff, and my body was failing me. It felt like I was at war. This might be graphic, but I had to run around the trucks to make sure my boss wouldn’t see me puke. I remember how much I wanted them to think highly of me.
After those terrible 4 hours, I remember crying in my car on the way home. I was crying because I realized I would do it all again. I knew that day I needed badly to be a part of this filmmaking world.
I also realized I would never do PA work like that again haha.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
https://vimeo.com/manage/877334696/general
Up above is a link to a commercial I made with the brand Royalvseverybody. They are a fashion brand that takes culture from Hawthorn, Los Angeles, and Senegal to create something explosive.
https://vimeo.com/manage/816989551/general
Here is a link to a trailer of my latest short film revolving a Latino kid who is struggling to grow up as he craves adventure in his life of selling flowers. In the story, two friendly thieves bring the action to him.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I feel like right now my outlook on the industry is more rooted in fighting for our rights as artists in every field. With the advancements in artificial intelligence, I feel like it is key for a sense of community to be more fortified than ever. We should no longer be trying to fight for what little jobs are left. We should be doing everything in our power to support each other’s work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pablobanuelos.com/
- Instagram: pablo.banuelos
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user91716517
Image Credits
Britton Sear
Bamba Kimball
Pablo Banuelos
