Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Leon.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I left Caracas, Venezuela at 18 to pursue my college degree in Austin, TX (at UT). I became an intern at Troublemaker Studios my junior year, working under Elizabeth Avellán, who co-founded the studio with Robert Rodriguez and had produced every one of his movies up until then. The internship eventually led to a job as her executive assistant and that’s when my career really started.
Eventually, I started producing things on my own. I started producing friends’ short films and low budget music videos, then gradually moved up to bigger commercials and projects. In 2016, I produced my first feature film, Infinity Baby. The film was directed by Bob Byington and starred an incredible ensemble cast: Kieran Culkin, Martin Starr, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Kevin Corrigan and Stephen Root. The movie premiered at SXSW and was bought by Amazon Studios.
I moved to LA in the fall of 2017. Almost immediately, my friend called me to tell me has was moving here from New York to be the Creative Director at a new media company that Zoe Saldana was building. He wanted me to lead the company’s production. We launched BESE in early 2018 and I served as head of production during my two years at the company. I also worked as a creative producer, director and photographer during my time there.
I went back to freelancing in May of 2019 and that’s what I’ve been doing up until now. I’ve produced campaigns for Lyft, branded docs for Billboard and Honda, music videos, etc. I’ve also been EPing a larger campaign for BESE and Target the last few months.
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?
This industry isn’t really built on smooth roads. There are bumps and holes along the way, and it’s often an exhausting lifestyle. The biggest challenge for me has always been striking balances. Whether that’s between making meaningful work that is fulfilling and projects that pay the bills or a balance between working too much and having a personal life.
The hours and days you spend on sets are long and exhausting. There’s often a ton of traveling involved which takes you away from home for weeks or sometimes months. The long hours on set don’t really leave room for long FaceTime sessions at the end of the day and the unusual schedules make it hard to fly back on ‘weekends’. (Sometimes “work weeks” are six days on, one day off.)
It’s tough to have a healthy balance in general, I think. Not just for film people. But I do often think about the conflicting forces that are my ambition and my desire to have a family and more free time.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a film and commercial producer.
My career really began with more of a focus on narrative work but has shifted the last three years to documentaries and branded docs.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think luck has always played a little part in my life and career. I was lucky and fortunate enough that I was able to move to the U.S. from Venezuela at such a young age. I wouldn’t be where I am today if that hadn’t happened.
I think luck played a little role in me moving to LA at the same time Zoe’s company was being developed and that my friend was being asked to work on it, for example.
But I also think things just happen. Luck or no luck. You’re just on a path and one thing leads to another no matter what. I think I’ve just been on this career path and inherently meeting people through work that then brings you new opportunities or new work. It’s just how it goes.
I think the biggest actual luck of my life has been the family I was born to. My parents, my brother. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am. And that is the one thing I had absolutely no free will on.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.veronicaleon.co
- Instagram: @v_rawrr
Image Credit:
All photos by me except the 35mm splice – shot by Mika Altskan.
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