Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Porras Madero.
Andrea Porras Madero, director-writer-producer from Torreón México attended USC School of Cinematic Arts where she majored in Film and TV Production. Andrea has directed and produced short films and documentaries. A short filmed she produced in 2019, Sweet Potatoes, was nominated for a Student Academy Award, and a short film she directed, Noches Sin Luciernagas, was selected at Shorts Mexico Festival as an official selection. Andrea is a Sundance Ignite Fellow. Her films are inspired by social justice, and her goal is to create a bridge between under-privileged filmmakers and artists in Mexico and the U.S./Hollywood.
Has it been a smooth road?
I believe that everything that is worth your while will have many obstacles along the way. The reason why I found film in the first place was due to a huge challenge I was facing. My family decided to move to the US from Mexico, it was a decision almost made overnight. I remember not truly believing it until I was on the plane sitting next to my brother waving goodbye to our mom. Coming to a new country and not fitting in is a huge shock, especially for a teenager. I was able to take a few video production classes and I would get lost in making small school videos. I remember I would stay till 8 pm, which wasn’t allowed, to finish projects and make sure they were as perfect as possible. Being the oldest one, my parents didn’t know much about the school system so we are learned through my experience, in a way. I went to community college, took GE classes while taking film production courses. I had a full-time job while going to school full-time which allowed me to saved up to eventually transfer to a good university.
I remember not believing I would get into a good university but I applied anyway (NYU, USC, Chapman, Loyola). I got the first rejection letter from Loyola, I thought to myself “If Loyola didn’t take me, there is no way the rest of them will”. The next letter, actually an email, was from NYU. I remember that moment vividly, it was 6:30 am, and I looked at my phone and saw “Congratulations”. I didn’t know how to react, I started crying and went downstairs to show my parents. I proved myself I could do it, now what? I got into Chapman and USC as well and decided to go to USC because of the financial help they offered. You would think going to good film school will ensure a job and steady growth… It’s difficult, this industry is not easy. The demand is high and opportunities are scarce. I was lucky to get a good job from the get-go, nevertheless, I’ve jump in and out of unemployment due to the lack of stability.
The one thing that keeps me going is the people I’ve met throughout the years and the projects we want to make together. However, even this is difficult if you don’t have a backup or come from an affluent background. Many of my friends and I are hustlers, we can’t afford to entirely focus on our personal projects so we have to compromise and sacrifice. I was working for a new Netflix show, due to the pandemic things have slowed down and I’m currently on unemployment. Trying to write, make a side hustle, and keep mental health isn’t an easy task when you don’t have stability and you don’t know when your next job will come.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I graduated December 2018 and I’ve been a showrunner’s assistant in three different shows: Marvel, Starz, Netflix. While working, I’ve produced, directed, and wrote a couple of projects. Sweet Potatoes is a short film about Luis Miramontes, the scientist who synthesized the component that made birth control work. I produced this project and we won an Alfred P. Sloan Grant which covered the cost of production. This short film is a semi-finalist in the Student Academy Awards. The other project, Noche Sin Luciérnagas, I wrote, produced, and directed in my hometown (Torreón, Coahuila). It’s an official selection at Shorts Mexico and I acquired a grant from my state to pay for a portion of production. I’m interested in connecting people from Latin America and the US to help tell diverse stories through an authentic lens.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think the industry is going back to studios and networks are going back to vertical integration. Therefore, artists will have to compromise on their vision and creativity when getting hired. Creating spaces for co-productions and collaborations might be a way to go since other countries offer government production grants. Diversity and inclusion are also shifting more than ever, nevertheless, it cannot just be an “in-front of camera” issue, studios and networks need to hire diverse candidates on all levels.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.andreaporrasmadero.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @apoma05
Image Credit:
Eleanor Cho, Paulina Buchanan
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