Today we’d like to introduce you to Oscar Montion.
Hi Oscar, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a Chicano and Native American filmmaker born and raised in South Los Angeles. My family traces our Native roots back to Texas, but due to displacement generations ago, we were never able to confirm the specific tribe. It’s something I’m still trying to uncover and reconnect with. Since I was young, I’ve been drawn to storytelling, creating characters and building worlds in my head long before I had the tools to write scripts. I come from a low-income background, and I grew up surrounded by gang culture, addiction, and the kind of survival mentality that forces you to grow up fast. I struggled in school, not because I wasn’t smart, but because I was misunderstood. I was labeled early on, placed in special classes, and often felt like I had to fight just to be seen.
I found purpose through football and creative expression, but my journey was far from smooth. There were detours, deep ones. I’ve dealt with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma that’s shaped who I am, but never defined me. I lost people I loved, and there were moments I didn’t think I’d make it out. But I did. And I carry that resilience into everything I do.
In April 2023, I enrolled in The Los Angeles Film School, which helped me finally find my footing. But by the end of that year, I hit rock bottom again. I lost my job, and in December 2023, I was withdrawn from film school. It felt like everything I had worked for was slipping away. But I refused to let that be the end of my story. I spent months rebuilding myself, mentally and emotionally, and in September 2024, I earned a scholarship that allowed me to return and pick up where I left off. Coming back wasn’t easy, but it was the most empowering decision I’ve made.
Filmmaking saved me. And growing up, the directors who gave me that escape, who helped me feel something when I was numb, were George Lucas and David Fincher. Star Wars gave me imagination. Fight Club gave me raw emotion. Their work made me want to not only escape the real world, but to create movies that help other people feel, whether it’s awe, pain, hope, or transformation. That’s what I want to give to others through my work: a way out, a way in, and a way forward.
I turn 31 this May, and I’ll be spending the week after my birthday doing what I love, directing the pilot episode of my first original series. It’s a full-circle moment I never thought I’d reach.
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?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. In December 2023, I hit one of my lowest points. I lost my job, and soon after, was pulled from film school as well. It felt like everything I had worked for was falling apart. But instead of letting it break me, I let it fuel me. The following month, I worked on two film sets through the Paramount Pipeline program, pushing myself even while dealing with the weight of what I had just lost. Then in February, I had the opportunity to work on a music video for Warner Music Group with Liana Banks and Saweetie for a track titled “GPP.” That stretch of time taught me that even when doors close, my determination opens new ones. Every setback became fuel for the fire inside me, and that fire hasn’t gone out since.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a filmmaker, screenwriter, director, and DIT who also works grip and electric. I’ve worked on sets in a variety of roles, each one teaching me something different about storytelling, collaboration, and resilience. While I often get brought on through DIT work, my true passion lies in writing and directing, building stories from scratch and shaping them on set.
I specialize in grounded, emotionally driven storytelling with psychological depth and bold visual direction. My current project is Echoes of the West, a Western thriller anthology series where each episode has its own unique cinematic style. Each episode explores a distinct visual style ranging from surrealism to gritty realism, bold color palettes, and even black-and-white cinematography. I’m not just revisiting the Western genre, I’m working to reinvent it by blending timeless themes with bold aesthetics and psychological intensity.
The project is executive produced by Keyun “Country” Parker, a respected producer with close ties to major industry figures and ongoing collaborations at the highest levels of Hollywood. Country also serves as my manager, helping guide the development and long-term vision for Echoes of the West as we prepare to bring the pilot episode, Death’s Gamble, to life.
One of the episodes, The Duel, has already earned multiple screenwriting awards and festival selections, which helped build momentum for the entire series. Seeing it connect with audiences and judges alike was not just validating it was a reminder that stories rooted in truth and vision resonate far beyond the page.
I’m also developing Entre Dos Mundos, a deeply personal feature about a young man torn between two paths, his love for football and the pull of the streets. It’s a fictionalized version of my own story, rooted in the chaos, pain, and moments of clarity I experienced growing up. It’s not just about survival, it’s about trying to break cycles and find something worth fighting for.
But what I’m most proud of isn’t just the work, it’s the connections, memories, and friendships I’ve built along the way. The people I’ve met, the moments we’ve shared on set, and the growth I’ve experienced from project to project, that’s what fuels me.
What sets me apart is that my storytelling comes from a real place. I’ve lived the emotions I write about, and I bring that truth to the screen with purpose and vision. My work is shaped by experience, and I don’t just aim to entertain. I want to move people, challenge perspectives, and leave behind stories that stay with you long after the credits roll.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising most people don’t know about me is that I was placed into a special needs class, not for my entire school schedule, but for one specific period during the day. It was the class for the “troublemakers” and that label stuck with me. I wasn’t there because I wasn’t smart. I was there because I acted out. I grew up without a father and carried a lot of anger I didn’t know how to process. I also had undiagnosed ADHD, which people didn’t really understand back in the early 2000s, especially in the schools I went to. I was restless, impulsive, and constantly in trouble. I fought, I ran out of classrooms, I argued with teachers, and I was labeled early on.
But what people never saw was that every time that class gave me an evaluation in math, English, and science, I tested years ahead of my grade level. I was scoring at a high school senior or college level while still in middle school.
What made it worse was that the school already knew who I was, not by my last name, but because of my family. My mom, my grandma, my aunt, my family were always at the school’s office because some of my cousins who came before me caused a lot of trouble. So when I showed up, they didn’t see me, they saw my bloodline. I was grouped into a class made entirely of kids labeled as problems, and even though I was capable of more, I was boxed in. I started skipping school, getting into fights. Every day felt like survival. Most people would never guess that part of my story. But it’s a big reason why I tell stories now, to give a voice to those who never had one growing up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohjeez94
Image Credits
Photo’s: Clifton Woodard
Death gamble & series Posters: My’cole Augborne
The Duel poster : (me)
