Interviews with crew of the indie feature film Gabriela.

Gilbert Garcia- Producer’s Assistant

I had several jobs, I started as a production assistant about a year ago, actually, on the film [Gabriela]. I went location scouting, and found a couple of the locations for us. Then I did a help with producing. And I did some grip work on the film, just helped out wherever I could, catering, whatever it was, run to get copies, whatever we needed, I just tried to help out as much as possible.

My kids have always been in to [show business], as far as making commercials and print work. I would go sometimes to the set and see how they were working, and it seemed pretty interesting. I started volunteering at my local cable company, actually, doing camera work, those types of deals, floor directing there. And from there it just went on, to where I went to a production association type seminar and it was for the movie field. I filled out a resume and faxed it over to Vince once, as far as when they were looking for production assistants; that’s how we met, that’s how I got involved in this film Gabriela, my first film that I’ve been working on. She [my daughter] auditioned for the part, Tania, and she didn’t get it at first, she was the runner-up. But I think the other little girl got sick, just before she day was to shoot, and they ended up just calling us at the last minute, she ended up falling in for the part; that’s how she got the part. We went for the audition with all the other kids that went out for the audition for that part. And she got lucky, as far as that happening, and she was ready to go. It was fun, we talked all the way going out there, and all the way back. She was really enjoying herself, we just had a good time, good experience for her. Se got along with the cast members really good, she was having a fun time. It was a good time for both of us.

One of her cousin was having a birthday party on a Saturday when we were shooting, and she had to miss that. And there was also a wedding going on, a reception, and we did not get to go there either. But she had a good time that day, she was clowning around a lot with JaimÈ that day and she had a real good time. It was fun for her; she really enjoyed herself.

Yes, I am [from Los Angeles]. Born and raised here, we’re both from here [Los Angeles]. It’s given me a lot of insight, as far as, how movies are made, a lot where the budget goes, just a lot of dealing that you have to deal with when making a movie. You never know exactly what it takes to make a movie, until you’re on the movie set making it. I’ve learned a lot from Vince and other people on the film; it’s been a great learning experience for me. I would eventually like to go into it. There are several different types of fields that you can go into in this business and I really haven’t found my niche in which one I’d like to go into, but so far I’ve enjoyed the different aspect of the jobs that I have been doing. Actually, it was kind of like a career change, you can say, I’d never gotten that involved in to something like this, it was a career change. I really enjoyed it; I liked the theme of the movie, showing Hispanics in a positive role. When I went to talk to Vince the first time, had a lot to do with me going into this movie. Because I had a couple offers from different places to go and work, but said no I’m going to stick with this film, because I like what’s going on. Yes, they were also two other independent film companies, but I just stuck with Vince, I’ll just stay here learn as I went along, basically that what I did.

And if you have the opportunity to get into this type of field, I suggest that you would, you should, if you can. Go see the movie because it’s going to be an excellent movie. The stars, JaimÈ, I think this, should, really going to help his career very much. And, Lamont, he was excellent in his part of the movie. I am use to seeing him as a high school kid in Moesha, but he really did a fantastic job, I think, and over all everyone else in the movie was really good, professionals. And I think this movie is going to send something out there to Latin community as far as, hey we can make movies like this. I think there’s a big market out there for it. We hope so, I’m sure there’s tons of writers and directors out there that are Latino that are trying to make their way through it and I think this could be an inspiration to them to come out and show their work. I’m sure there’s tons of stories out there that need to be told, whether they’re love, drama, whatever. But, I think you should see this in the coming years, I think, more Latinos should be coming out with different movies and showing hey we are America also. Like I’m a second generation American, my dad was born in Texas and severed in the Korean war. And so we have roots in this country also we need to be portrayed as that. We’ve been here for a long time and we’re going to continue to be here. And I think that movies can show a lot of our stories and the struggles we’ve gone through.

There’s been different days with long hours, working those long hours, you have to keep yourself up to keep going. Struggle though it a little bit there for a while, but everyone on the crew was pretty good to get along with, different people would help you get along through it. That’s one of the good things that I like about it. Like Matt, the gaffer, always kept it lively by telling jokes, even if it was three o’clock in the morning and you know you still have to load everything back into the truck, and he’s still keeping it going, keeping you up. That was pretty fun, everybody seemed to get along that way. It was good experience for me.

Interview by permission from the producers of Gabriela.