Today we’d like to introduce you to Damian Apunte.
Damian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Hailing from the mountains of Western North Carolina, I discovered my fascination with film through my early obsession with video games, music videos, films, and ultimately, filmmaking as an undergraduate student at The University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Now based in Long Beach, California, I have kindled my creative passion as Director of 4th Street Productions.
My motivation for film was always rooted in existentialism, with a focus on coming of age stories, technology and its preventable perils, the importance of parenting, and current social issues.
Herman Hesse has been a huge literary influence especially being named after Demian. This has led me to want to challenge individuals to find their own journey, their own purpose. The importance of this comes from the idea that we all have the capability, potential, and self-knowledge to attain our true destiny, regardless how difficult one’s situation may be.
Film has the ability to empower the masses with knowledge, even if that knowledge is abstract and ethereal, and that is a driving force in my work. This passion to inspire the betterment of ourselves and our community has led me to work on several documentaries and long beach projects that have had social and political impact ranging from locally to nationally.
It’s taken a few years of honing my craft, lots of dedication, and some amazing support from friends, family, and my community to get to where I’m at now. And I’m always looking towards bettering myself as a filmmaker. I’ve had an interesting path getting to where I’m at, one of trials and tribulations but also one that has led me cross country and around the world. One thing that I can say is that you can never give up. If you truly love something, never let it go.
Beyond filmmaking, I’ve undertaken numerous influential roles both in my educational and professional careers such as: President of LBCC Filmmakers Association, Lead Film Coordinator for The Art Society of Long Beach, President of the Long Beach Film Festival, and the Director of Production for the Long Beach Film Foundation.
Currently I’m working on The Heart of Long Beach, an anthology feature film that invites indie filmmakers to tell their stories of Long Beach through short films. The basis of the film is to strengthen the film community here, help tell the rich story that is Long Beach, and inspire the new and young filmmakers to share their visions.
Inspired by Paris Je T’aime, we look to fuse art, community, and social impact in an authentic slice of modern day culture in Long Beach.
Great, 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?
Starting off as a freelancer, I had little knowledge of the challenges I was going to face.
Starting off working for a local production company, I was able to earn my stripes. As soon as I was feeling confident, the company went under and it was sink or swim for me. I swam my heart out yet found myself drowning in work, debt, equipment challenges, and so much more. At the time, I didn’t even have a car, but I found a way. Filmmaking is all about problem solving, and I thrive off those challenges.
Unfortunately, I’ve also ran into some physical setbacks. I’ve had instances of being mugged and having my equipment stolen. Having been through some severe physical trauma – having my face broken in 4 places, my collar bone broken, and my shoulder dislocated, I’ve spent much of the past few years in and out of recovery and hospitals.
On top of physically and emotionally being distressed, losing out on equipment was a huge deterrent in following through with my career. I was left feeling like I had nowhere to turn and defeated. I was almost ready to move back to North Carolina and rethink my career, but luckily, I had some amazing people in my life (my girlfriend at the time was a blessing) and the Long Beach community that came to my side and pulled me up from the trenches. With insurance that helped me cover the loss of gear and stories of pain and struggle, I was prepared to share my stories and deal with the pain through filmmaking. These challenges have made me a stronger filmmaker and have proven that I love what I do and can never give up. I don’t wish this to ever happen to anyone, but as it’s happened to me, all I can do is be positive and use it as way inspire me for my future work. I recommend anyone that has ever experienced trauma to bring it to their work, it’s such a release. Anytime I have an obstacle, I now look at it as an opportunity. And everything that’s happened has led me to The Heart of Long Beach.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about 4th Street Productions – what should we know?
Since 2008, 4th Street Productions has served the Long Beach and L.A. community with professional creative & commercial film services. We have been at the forefront of documenting the world around us and telling stories that really make a difference.
We specialize in documentaries, commercials, and narrative filmmaking, with our mantra being “Films that make you feel”. It is vital for every project we produce to convey a distinct and visceral emotional connection for the viewer. It must be an experience that one can reflect on whether it’s intellectually, artistically, or spiritually. We firmly believe that for people to truly change, you need to speak to their soul.
A very important factor in our process of film making is always trying to improve society and our local community. We do this by connecting with local non-profits, tackling real life issues within our films, employing a diverse and eclectic crew, and practicing green/eco-friendly film making.
We are known for creating an all-around great experience for every client we work with, making sure that the most important objective is to serve the film/video to its best potential.
We do that by listening not only to the client, but to the needs of the audience. This is how we truly craft a great project.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Two things come to mind as proud moments.
I’ve taught film at a mental health institute and at an at risk youth school. I’ve watched these children learn, grow, and in the end challenge themselves through filmmaking.
These kids really thrived when learning film and I could see it had a lasting effect on them. Specifically, I had an exceptional student that after the program, asked to be one of my interns at my company. They were so inspired and excited, they wanted to join the team. It truly felt like I made a positive impact.
Another time to mention is when I worked with Shawn and Roberta King on a video for the 9th District of Long Beach. They were in need of a video to help convey the need for liquor store reform in what was a food desert at the time. Together with a community action group, the video helped solidify and pass the reform mandates for the whole district. It was the first time I saw my work directly affect change. I could see the results happening in my own community. That totally steered my direction towards documentary filmmaking with a social justice element. Knowing that I could have an impact like that inspired me to look at documentaries differently, before I only wanted to direct fictional narrative films. I thank King’s Touch and Rex Richardson for bringing me on to that project.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.4thstreetproductions.com
- Phone: 828-242-6490
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/4thstreetproductions
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/4thstreetproductions
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/4thstreetfilms
- Yelp: http://yelp.com/biz/4th-street-productions-long-beach-2
- Other: http://vimeo.com/4thstreetproductions
Image Credit:
4th Street Productions Crew
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