Meet Fabian Martin of Ontario, California

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabian Martin

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was a public school teacher for thirty years. Despite my love for teaching, my real love was always film. I wrote and produced my first film titled “Eggman” in 2013 which went on to win multiple film festival awards. Since then I’ve written, produced and directed seven short films. My most recent film, “Estela, Is It You?” was my most successful film playing in forty film festivals and winning several awards of recognition. Now that I’m retired, I am completely committed to the art. This year alone I have on schedule to shoot three short films I’ve written. In addition, I will be releasing my first graphic novel based on a screenplay I co-wrote with a writing partner.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Time has always been my greatest challenge. As a teacher, it was difficult to carve out time for my filmmaking projects. However, now that I’m retired, I have nothing but time. As an indie filmmaker, the biggest obstacle is of course money. I have financed my own films to date. However, I am ready now to shoot a feature but I will need people with deep pockets to help.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a proud Mexican-American. What sets my work apart is that I purposely set out to write and develop projects that put Latinos front and center. I have many talented actor friends that are salivating for juicier roles. I want to write stories that step outside of the usual stereotypical roles that are offered to actors of color. I want to be the guy that’s known for that. With that vision in mind, my brother Victor and I created Mano a Mano Productions in 2015.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I am all about taking risks. As an indie filmmaker, the buck always stops with me. Nevertheless, I don’t make decisions blindly. I listen to the others around me before I do so. This is why I love filmmaking. It is truly one of the most authentic collaborative efforts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.manoamanoproductions.com
• Instagram: fabe.films62

Image Credits
Victor Martin