Meet Lorena Gordon of Lights Out Productions in Encino

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorena Gordon.

Lorena, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I set foot on my first professional set at the age of eighteen, and ever since then I was hooked. I was born and raised in Queens, New York. I knew film was what I was born to do after watching Titanic at the theater at the age of eight. I recall being in my seat and knowing I wanted to move an audience through moving pictures. After that, I grabbed the family camcorder and started making home movies and grabbed my cousins to act in them.

I continued to make short films and write all throughout my teens. I went to film school at The School of Visual Arts in New York City. I dropped out after two semesters. I felt like it was limiting me as a storyteller. I made the decision to drop out and start PAing on big films shooting around the city. I was lucky enough to work on The Wolf of Wall Street and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and many more.

After being inspired working with directors I have admired for years, I felt I was ready to make my first film. I wrote and directed my film, Times Like These. I had a story I was so passionate about telling. I had a cast and crew that believed in my story and me – and until this day I am eternally grateful to them. The film won awards, played at festivals all through out the country and world, and we were fortunate enough to sell the film. I moved to Los Angeles right after that.

Now, I have another film I am in pre-production in called, At Last. I am thrilled to get back behind the camera, where I belong. I am excited to bring this story to life. The film deals with two topics I am very passionate about: queer stories and stories of people with disabilities. We are in the process of looking for funding. We hope to shoot the film before the end of the year.

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?
Even though it may be hard to acknowledge, film is a business.  At the same time, it is my form of expression, my escapism and my art form. There have been struggles along the way. Sometimes you have a story idea, but a producer will tell you it’s not commercial enough, or nobody is going to watch that. But I have learned to stand my ground. Filmmaking is collaborating and that is what I love about it. Therefore, I like to work with the same crew or actors if possible. I like knowing there is shorthand with my collaborators – which can lead to a smooth production ahead.

Lights Out Productions – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My production company specializes in narrative film music videos and commercials. Our objective is to make content that is compelling and is pushing the envelope. We pride ourselves with the diverse viewpoints and collaborators we have on the team. We are aiming to share and be the voices of the disenfranchised groups. We feel like everyone has a story to tell and we want to be the ones to tell it. As someone who is Latina, gay, and a woman – I feel like it is my responsibility to make sure we are being inclusive in our storytelling.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The moment I saw my film with an audience in a theater for the first time. The feeling was indescribable. Also, having strangers come up to you, or message, and reach out to you telling you how much your film has moved them or resonated with them is also the most rewarding experience. It is a constant reminder of why I do what I do.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: lorenagordon

Image Credit:
Dani Di Camino

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