Meet Joshua Mejia of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Mejia

Hi Joshua, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up always watching movies, either at home or going to theaters regularly. It was not until I stepped into this craft that I realized how big movies and just storytelling in general was a part of my life from the beginning. Some of my first memories growing up would be reenacting scenes from movies with my sister and my cousins or simply just making up things like playing as a video store clerk where we would take a fold up basketball hoop kit I had as a kid and pretend it was a ticket booth to go into our TV “theater”.

Even with that, I never had any inclination of making movies or any form of media growing up – My family just really loved watching movies.

It wasn’t until my last two years of high school where art and film really started to grab a hold on me. I had a few teachers who were influential in me being who I am in art now. From them I learned the power of art’s ability to not just bring people together but also heal and change things. That’s something I am proud to have learned so early on.

This passion extended to all art and only grew further in college where I went to Cal State L.A. I was never the type of person to wait to be taught anything especially in something I loved so once graduating high school I just started studying film/art on my own from reading to watching movies and countless of YouTube videos. This is where I was introduced to foreign films by my cousin and where I developed a deep interest in philosophy and psychology, two areas that are now big focal points in my work. I had only really started taking film courses in my last 2 or so years of college, while also working as media for the newspaper at school where I feel I learned the most of what I’m able to do now.

I would say that my work really took shape in my last year of college, which unfortunately was during the pandemic. I did a directed study class with the cinematography professor and the first project I did was a dance video called “Ashes” in which a friend of mine Alysa who is an incredible dancer came to me with the concept. I, however, had no experience with dance so it was a big chance she was taking on me – but ended up becoming my favorite project that I’ve done. I learned so much about how to apply the philosophical themes I had been studying to my work with her.

Graduating college in 2021 was a bit rough since the world was still in the throes of a pandemic (luckily the latter end). I was lucky to find photography work for a great company called the Pop-Up Shoppes founded by Sergio Bindel which curates pop up markets for small businesses. From there is where I began doing most of the media work I do now with small businesses. I also continued doing dance videos with the connections I made from Alysa, and through that experience led me to work with the dance competition brand called Groove (OneBeat Dance Brands now). I spent the last two seasons with them as a content producer. I feel very fortunate/lucky to have had that position as it allowed me to travel the country on my own which led to so much personal growth as well as creating amazing genuine friendships with people in so many different states.

I continued my pursuit of filmmaking as in recent years I began writing and directing my own projects, the latest being “What We Left Behind”, a somewhat futuristic short film made by an amazing skeleton cast/crew. One of my other notable projects was as DP for the short film “A Bridge Between Us” directed by Ryan Vanderhei which made its premiere at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival (a first for me). From this project I made some amazing friends of the cast/crew, some of whom I continued to work with on other projects including one of my first small business commercials for the candle company L&E Uncommon Scents Candle Co. which featured the incredible actress Lauren McNair the lead in “A Bridge Between Us.”

Here I am now, still pursuing art, creating projects with friends, and working freelance. My most recent being a podcast called Unemployed Film Snobs that I did with Brian Delgado and Joshua Letona who I met during my time working with the University Times at Cal State L.A. I now just hope to continue working on projects that have an impact in whatever small or big way. To just continue creating art that I love with friends is all I can ask for and hope to make some sort of impact with it on this world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road since with going into this craft which is a very outgoing one and being very much introverted it was not easy at first. I do give myself credit as although I am introverted, I am able to put myself out there in small bits. So this was not too much of a struggle for most part during school or work, however it did take me a bit while covering events for the University Times to talk to strangers for short quotes for the photo story. All that did help me grow and gain confidence especially when I would observe the other reporters and how they approached it. I would say that all came full circle when I started working with the Pop-Up Shoppes since it is a lot of introducing yourself to strangers either attendees or the small business owners themselves. Nowadays, I would consider myself more of an ambivert rather than a full on introvert (although I still have my moments). I feel very blessed that with all the gigs/jobs I have had especially the most recent with the Groove Dance Competition to have such supportive coworkers/friends who just continued to push me enough that I feel supported outside my comfort zone to continue to develop as a person. I feel as so many could probably say that I would not be who I am and where I am without that support system I have. Being an introvert is probably also why I prefer being behind the camera to being in front of it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At this point in my career I say most of the time that anything with a camera I can do. When I first stepped foot in this craft I fell in love with all of it really. From writing, directing, cinematography, and editing – all of it are parts of the craft I found at different times and during those periods it would be the one thing I focused on. I have heard time and time again that you can only do one, but I don’t believe that. There are so many filmmakers now who have done multiple above the line roles in one production. For me on my own projects is when I’m usually multiple roles, however when I am brought onto a project I only do the one role I’m brought on for – whether it be cinematographer, photography, videography, or editing etc. Over the last few years I have actually been trying to focus my niche more on narrative based work rather than simply presenting as is, so creating an entire fiction based idea for whatever it is I am doing.

I feel I am known for my work ethic, how I present myself, and how I treat others. With the type of work I do, it is typically long hours or it is hitting more personal aspects of those involved than usual jobs. Because of that I feel we develop relationships faster than normal and for me it becomes almost like a mini family even if sometimes just for the time being. I don’t want people to feel like they are working, but crafting an extension of themselves to be able to proudly display for others to appreciate.

I am most proud of my growth and mindset. When I first started in this craft, I tried so hard to implement philosophy and psychology into my work but it always felt forced and just not there – dare I say a bit pretentious. It wasn’t until I did my first dance project with my friend Alysa called “Ashes” which really helped me understand that it comes from bringing those themes in a more personal relationship to the birth of the project rather than just tossing them in there during the physical creation of it. From then on my growth became exponential, I finally figured out the tools to be able to achieve the types of storytelling I wanted to create.

I believe what sets me apart from others is my loyalty and the fact that I am a man of my word. If I tell a friend/someone from work or anywhere that I’ll help them, or be there for something, or do something then I am more than 100% going to stand by what I say no matter what. That is something I don’t think should ever be messed with. There really isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for the people I care about and I always try to be the type of person I hope my parents would be proud of and in accordance to my faith.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Creating with friends is what genuinely makes me happy. I don’t think there is anything better than that, I mean you’re not only hanging out with friends the people you love to see and be with but you’re also creating art together. You know, you’re putting together all of your varying experiences and skills to craft a project that in the end holds a bit of all of you in it. I feel that is something very personal and when I have the privilege to work on projects like that it is something I hold to a high degree and in the end you’re also creating these amazing memories that at least to that team is something that could be relived by viewing this project that was created by all of you and that is something truly special.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joshua-mejia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_joshmejia/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@_joshmejia

Image Credits
Joshua Mejia, Ryan Vanderhei, Cheyenne Dewolf, Joshua Mejia, Joshua Mejia