Today we’d like to introduce you to Ligiah Villalobos.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ligiah. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I am a full-time screenwriter, and I’m also an educator — a tenure track professor at Cal State LA. I started in the industry as a studio and network executive, working for both The Walt Disney Company and then The WB network.
While at The WB, I realized that in order for me to have a greater say in the projects I was working on, I had to develop them myself. And that’s when I decided to transition from studio and network executive to writer. The transition wasn’t easy, and it took some time. But after several writing courses and working on both TV and feature spec scripts, I got my first job on the NBC show “ED.”
Since then, I have developed multiple pilots at multiple networks and studios. I have been able to work on wonderful children’s shows like “Go, Diego! Go!” “Super Monsters” and an upcoming pre-school show on Netflix. I am also developing a property for Sesame Street and working on my own TV series for Disney Jr.
I’ve worked and/or developed in all areas of TV, from pre-school to network, cable and paid cable, both in drama and comedy. And I’ve also worked in features and TV movies.
As a Latina in the industry, I feel incredibly fortunate that I have been able to sustain a writing career for over 15 years. I’ve had to diversify in able to do that, but I am proud to say that my decision to transition into writing DID give me the flexibility to only work on the projects I wanted to work on and to never have to put my name on something that I would be ashamed of.
Now as I continue to write, I also have a goal to bring the next generation of filmmakers of color into the industry, which is why I teach. The industry is still behind in making our stories reflect the diversity of this country, and I hope that my efforts in the classroom will help change that.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – overall, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It is never easy to work in the entertainment industry if you’re a woman or a person of color. I am both, so the road has definitely had challenges along the way. But I also truly believe that you attract what you fear, or what you believe. So I’ve always tried not to see everything from the point of view of race or gender. And I try to live by Oprah’s motto, “The best defense against racism is excellence.” It has been interesting to sell multiple pilots to multiple networks. And in some cases, sell multiple pilots to the same networks, but not see them go from script to production, or to series. So even though there is a lot more development happening in Hollywood as it relates to people of color, it is still incredibly difficult to get a Latino show on the air, even though we now represent that largest minority in this country. But I have faith that will change. But it has definitely been the greatest challenge — to create something that you believe in, and you love, and not seeing it on the air after all that work.
What have been some of the projects you’ve worked on that you are proud of?
1) Getting two indie films into Sundance — one as a Co-Producer, “Dancing in September,” and one as the Writer/Executive Producer “La Misma Luna” (“Under the Same Moon.”
2) Developing a Christmas Special and CD for Hollywood Records which landed at #8 on Billboard’s Latin Music Chart. “Navidad en las Americas.”
3) Being the Head Writer on the first pre-school show to beat “Dora the Explorer” out of the #1 spot, “Go, Diego! Go!”
4) Being a Cultural Consultant and having my voice and my opinion make a difference on an Academy Award-winning film, “COCO.”
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Writing and executive producing “La Misma Luna,” a film that ten years after it premiered continues to be life-changing. It has given a voice to all of the undocumented immigrants that come to this country for a better life, and all of the unaccompanied minors who make the journey alone, to do the same thing or reunite with their parents. Nothing in the era of Trump has made me more proud than being a part of a movie that continues to give these brave immigrants a voice.
I am also on the board of Immigrant Defenders, a non-profit legal organization that helps unaccompanied minors with legal representation every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ligiahvillalobos.squarespace.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: charbonete
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JalapenoFilmsLigiahVillalobos/
- Twitter: @JalapenoFilms
Image Credit:
Jilly Wendell
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