Interviews with Female and GNC Filmmakers
In our interviews, we’re able to share the success stories and celebrate the work of established female and GNC filmmakers. These filmmakers are sharing their knowledge with the TLL community to expand educational equity in Hollywood and also provide insight into the steps they’ve taken in their lives.
Ilana Peña, The Latina Showrunner Claiming her Space in Hollywood
Ilana Peña, is a TV show creator, executive producer, showrunner, and writer building her tv legacy with hard work and authentic storytelling at the helm of it all. Peña is the creator behind the Disney+’s coming of age comedy, “Diary of a Future President” and started in Hollywood as an assistant and worked her way into the acclaimed writer’s room of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”. She dives deep into conversation with TLL about the reality of gaining and maintaining success in Hollywood.
Project Spotlight: 'Motherland', How One Creator Captures Her Culture
Ariana Martinez is a first generation hispanic filmmaker and student with her lens focused on representing women of color. Motherland is a short documentary that acts as a love letter to Ariana’s mom, to her culture, and to where her roots are.
Project Spotlight: 'Dos Ruedas', Social Impact through Film
Daniella Víquez is a 24 year old audiovisual producer, director, journalist, and graduate of the University of Costa Rica. Her work focuses include narrative fiction, culture, mental health, gender, and international news. Her films opens the conversation of machismo, violence against women, and feminism in South America.
Project Spotlight: 'After the Beep', To Drunk Call or Not To Drunk Call
Sonibal Rae is an Afro Latina director/writer based in London. She strives to create compelling, funny, and realistic characters specifically for comedies. She loves exploring relationships in film and the messy nature of love.
Crystal Correa: the Filmmaker Building a Career on Her Terms
Crystal Correa is the brain behind the critically acclaimed series “Crystal the Web Series” as well as founder of C+ Media Productions. Her creativity spans painting, hair dressing, and computer science- her desire for creativity is insatiable. With recognition from HollyShorts, LAL FemFest, and acceptance into HBO’s NYLFF, Crystal Correa has found a way to be a filmmaker on HER terms.
Kat Lazo: the Latina Calling Us Out (In the Best Ways)
Kat Lazo is Latina director, writer, and actress from Queens, NY with more than 1 million views on her YouTube channel, a residency as a YouTube partner, and bragging rights as the first East Coast video producer for “We Are Mitu” a digital only media company for Latinos. Her webseries with “We Are Mitu”, The Kat Call has garnered more than 4 million views in its first season. By harnessing the power of her identity and creating video content for a group television often ignores, Lazo has found a way to undermine the lack of diversity otherwise around her.
Fighting Self Doubt with Breonna Rodriguez
Breonna Rodriguez is a writer, designer, and filmmaker currently living on the Upper East Side. Her dynamic skills, outgoing personality, and determination have landed her in incredible places. Originally from NJ, Breonna is the lead digital designer for Sesame Street, Founder of Zenfulie, and Staff Writer at HERMag.com.