Today we’d like to introduce you to Josema Roig.
Josema, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story or the part which takes me to Los Angeles starts at a hospital bed, signing a waiver. The agreement says the hospital won’t be held responsible if as a result of the surgery I become paralyzed or dead. I had been a filmmaker for most of my adult life at the time, mostly carrying heavy objects and expensive cameras that my now insufficient body couldn’t operate. So after years of working as a DP, I looked for the best film school in the world, which at the time, according to the Hollywood Reporter was the American Film Institute. To apply I had to direct a film, which I had never done, and in my potentially dying bed, that’s what I decided to do.
That film got me into the school, becoming one of the 2% accepted, and the film itself, ANITA 2011, went to screen in some of the best film festivals in Spain and won a couple awards. I was here, so I couldn’t really enjoy it. I did my masters in directing, made a bunch of movies and owned my craft. My Thesis film, Starman won a bunch of awards, screened at 40 something festivals and it was a good calling card.
Since then I steered pretty heavily towards VR, seeing it as the best way to explore new visions. Uncharted territory. My first project, produced alongside with Magnopus and Nokia, included an Oscar-winning team, it flew us to the Venice International Film Festival and got me repped by UTA. The Name is The ARGOS File, and it won Best Live Action at the Proto Awards, the now deceased Oscars for VR.
Since then I worked as a Creative director for Jaunt, my own studio CINAPTIC and Horseless Cowboy. I directed a VR campaign for the Winter Olympics for Intel, a VR piece for Sony Crackle, and now…
What about now? I am writing what I intend to make as my first feature film and developing a few projects in VR. And the future looks interesting, very interesting.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road has been bumpy. As anyone could expect I guess. But knowing it in advance doesn’t make it easier.
Making money after school was tricky, with my VISA situation, I had to storyboard professionally as a completely unexpected side career. Nobody asked me to direct, I had to build from scratch, so I found myself drawing 8 hours a day for a variety of clients. As I was shooting ARGOS my mom entered a final phase of a terminal disease that I had to juggle with my duties here in LA. Lot’s of traveling, lot’s of double schedule (Spain+PST) which meant many many sleepless nights.
Crunches, crazy turnarounds. Renouncing my salary to get my passion made… The usual, I guess.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Cinaptic – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
As CINAPTIC, we are a narrative VR studio, create IP’s and build worlds. As a creative director for others, I try to understand what the client (or even me) wants and see what the future of the storytelling needs/wants to be. Finding what’s hiding in plain sight, that’s what I try to specialize on.
As a company? We try to break some rules, but shhh, don’t tell anyone.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Creating new experiences. Making my first feature will be an interesting adventure, finding a new way to make it, something you haven’t seen before, that’s the challenge. Eventually, I’d like to help others create, give other people the tools to make something they can be proud of.
Contact Info:
- Address: 548 S Spring St Apt 809
- Phone: 3237122475
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Nico Navia, Nick Bupp
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