Alejandro Montoya Marin
Alejandro Montoya Marin has been fascinated by the film industry for as long as he can remember. Whether watching the latest movies in theaters or classics at home, he has always been in awe of the beauty and power film can express. It was this strong emotional response to movies that led him to pursuing an interest in creating films of his own. Now, decades later, his relentless work has paid off as he has just premiered his third feature film and is busy writing his fourth.
Filmmaking, however, is not for the faint of heart and there are many obstacles to fight through along the way. From financing to production and everything in between, Montoya Marin gave us some insight into his process.
Obstacles Encountered
Montoya Marin certainly hasn’t had the easiest path getting started in the film industry. Several times he has gone bankrupt and had to find a way to continue pursuing his dream, while still paying bills.
“Every month, for the past 13 years, there have been moments of hopelessness. I’ve depleted my savings, had no plan B, and felt life was falling apart. My only goal in life was to make movies.”
He began his career creating short films, each one growing in scope, budget, and recognition. It was through these short films that Montoya Marin was able to sharpen his skills as a writer, producer, and director and gain the necessary experience and wisdom to move onto big productions.
His overall message to those that are feeling similarly hopeless: never give up.
Limited Budget
The scale and ambition of a film is often tied directly to how much money the filmmakers have at their disposal. At the beginning, when Montoya Marin was first starting to make short films, he could only afford to pay for gas and food money for the cast and crew per day of shooting. As time has gone on, his budget has grown with each project, as well as his prowess as a producer.
“You’ll have to adapt. If the budget is your only restriction and grudge, then you should not be a director. Being a director is more than just money. It is about passion; about a dream you want to fulfill. Making people and audiences happy,”
Disagreements On Set
In a perfect world, a film set would involve everyone working harmoniously toward a common goal, but in the real world, disagreements are a regular part of the process. Disagreements can come up for multiple reasons; whether it be the intensity of the production itself, the role they are performing, or simply differences in personality and opinion. How does Montoya Marin deal with these issues when they arise?
“Disagreements are bound to happen everywhere. Therefore, communication is key, and with time, people mature. Understanding is another key to de-escalation. Fueling the argument is not going to help with the clock ticking and people waiting. I’ve done all roles and understand them and how frustrating they can be,” he says.
Making it clear that people’s opinions are valid, and that they should be taken into consideration is integral to a functioning film set. This goes double for cast and crew safety. With recent events in the news shining a light on the safety practices of film sets, many are concerned with how the film industry can ensure safety, especially while performing stunts or handling prop firearms.
Safety on Set
Montoya Marin makes it clear that safety is his highest priority while directing a film. Morning safety meetings are a regular occurrence so that no one is performing any act or function they don’t feel comfortable doing.
“I have an assistant director helping me ensure the safety of the cast and of the crew, as well as others that are in the vicinity as well. If there is a particular stunt scene, we have a professional stunt-person that is qualified to do that particular scene. I also rehearse constantly, as practice makes perfect,” he mentioned.
Motivation on Set
Days on a film set tend to last from 8 to sometimes over 10 hours. Obviously such long hours can lead to a decrease in motivation and energy by the latter part of the day. How does Montoya Marin and his producers keep everyone focused and alert on set as the day goes on?
“You’re the leader. You get bad news, people complaining. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in one day in a particular location. A lot of understanding, and patience is needed. Being nice can also go a long way in making everyone’s day just a little bit better,” he says.
‘Flamin’ Hot’
Despite being known primarily as someone behind the lens, Montoya Marin has done a fair share of acting as well. The high point of his acting career so far was getting cast in “Flamin’ Hot”, a film produced and directed by Eva Longoria. The film is a biography of Richard Montanez and depicts his creation of Flaming Hot Cheetos while working as a janitor at Frito-Lay. The story has historical and cultural resonance for Latinos and received the honor of screening at the White House with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in attendance.
“It felt surreal. Despite not being at the White House physically, the fact that they watched a movie that I was in, was the best feeling ever. It is something not a lot of people get to experience in their lifetime. Eva Longoria is truly a hard-working person and deserves the recognition she has received. She works out, she cares for her family, and she supports and creates opportunities for our people. She’s very inspiring.”.
Montoya Marin firmly believes in uplifting and supporting the Latino community, and with his work feels honored being able to represent them with an authentic voice.
The Unexpecteds
Montoya Marin is extremely proud of his new movie titled “The Unexpecteds” co-produced with Alejandro De Hoyos, who also stars in the film as the ass-kicking Felipe. The film had its sold-out world premiere during this year’s Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in June. The Unexpecteds was also included in an L.A. Times article by Carlos Aguilar naming the movie one of “8 Films to See At LALIFF”.
“This was my favorite set. I’m so proud of my cast and crew actors are truly everyone worked extremely hard for our movie. They’re so good at what they do. The difficult thing was living in the moment to make the best movie possible with what we had. I had to try not to be intimidated, and I had to work with the resources that I had in order to deliver a film we could all be proud of,” he said.
He’s clearly excited to release the movie to the public and give more people outside of the production a chance to enjoy it. It is always the hope of the filmmaker that their work has a life of its own in the public consciousness after its completion.
His next film, titled “90 Days in the 90’s”, is a screen adaptation from a novel of the same name written by journalist Andy Frye. This project is new in several aspects for Montoya Marin: he is adapting a novel for the first time, teaming up with producer Cliffe Killam, and preparing to shoot in a new city, Chicago. According to Montoya Marin, Chicago has a lot of significance in film history and it’s no wonder, considering how beautiful it is. He looks forward to applying his signature style to new surroundings.
Potential Employment Opportunities
Being a local production, there are likely to be several employment opportunities available to those in Chicago working in the film industry. Filmmakers in Chicago he and Killam have met so far have been incredibly gracious and kind, says Montoya Marin.
Montoya Marin believes in finding and giving opportunity to up-and-coming talent as well as more established names. He believes it’s important to bring fresh talent into the fold in order for movies not to feel stale and predictable, and for his next film there will be plenty of roles to fill in the cast and crew. Since the movie is very music centric, he is also on the lookout for bands and musicians.
Montoya Marin looks to the future with hope but keeps his nose to the grindstone. The amount of dedication and hard work he has invested in his films to this point all but guarantee this new film will be his best yet. He is building a legacy; one he hopes will give some kid somewhere the same feeling he had at the movies all those years ago.
To keep up to date on Alejandro Montoya Marin and his career you can follow him @alejandromontoyamarin and his production company @pushstartfilms on Instagram where you can find links to his work and ways to support this truly independent artist.
His films “Monday” (2018) and “Millennium Bugs” (2022) are available now for streaming and purchase.
Written by David Loran Jr
Featured and Inset Image Courtesy of Alejandro Montoya-Marin