Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Garcia.
Hi Jerry, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a 33-year-old filmmaker, screenwriter and producer currently working on short films in Austin, TX. I was born in Laredo, TX. I have a younger brother, John Eric. Both of my parents, Enrique and Angelica Garcia, were teachers at Laredo College for over 40 years. They both retired in 2020 and moved to San Antoino. My childhood home was then sold and we started the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
I have always loved entertainment since I was very young. Theater was my first love of entertainment before I became a huge fan of films. I remember during my time in elementary school I would stare at the theater stage during my gym class. But it wasn’t just the lights and the settings, it was the stories they wrote for the show. Musicals became my thing. I really enjoyed the music and the singing.
When I was in the eighth grade in middle school, I joined a One-Act Play competition as a prop manager. Working in theater was one of the best experiences of my life. I’ll never forget when I was on the right side of the stage and looking at the actors doing their performances. Then I remember the feeling I had when all of us came on stage and bowed our heads while the audience applauded us. At the end of that competition, they announced we had won first place, beating over 10 plays from other schools.
I didn’t become interested in films until I was in high school, when I saw a film that would change my life forever. My aunt, uncle and cousin took me to see a film by The Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men and I was amazed and wondered how this thriller drama film was made. Then for the next several months during the awards season, it won countless awards. In the end it won four Academy Awards including Best Picture. That’s when I realized I wanted to become a filmmaker.
The Coen Brothers weren’t the only ones that influenced me, there were others such as Martin Scorsese. His films Taxi Driver, Ranger Bull and Casino inspired me to get my foot into the door of cinema. After graduating from college in my hometown in Laredo, I moved to San Antonio to attend The Art Institute in 2016. In my last year there I made my first short film Betrayal, a crime drama about a brother saving his sister from gangsters. The film was played in over 20 film festivals and won over 23 awards including Best Crime Short and Best Original Screenplay.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2019 I planned on moving to Austin the next year, then COVID came and ruined my plans. I had to wait a year and half to finally move to Austin. I continued working on more short films through my production company called Viva La Film Productions, with help from my friends from the film school and new people I met through social media.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been easy on the road to getting achievements, recognition and gaining financial success. There were times I struggled to have my films made from the ground up due to financial means, but I always found ways to acquire crew and actors to get my short films done. Today I still face challenges financially, but I am never short of finding actors or crew to be part of my productions. Although I’m working on a microbudget, everyone is very enthusiastic to be part of my filming. I owe it to them to help me climb up in my film career. This has been an emotional nerve wrecking journey for me, and I know that I will be facing more challenges, but when that time comes, I will be ready.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For starters I write screenplays. I love writing stories that really matter to me. I write things that I already know about in my life. The screenplays are based and inspired by experiences that I went through in the past. Some characters I have written are based on people that I have known since childhood. I even name some of my characters after my loved ones and friends.
I am also a film director and producer working under my production company Viva La Film Productions. I first started in San Anotnio, TX during my time in film school. I moved to Austin a few years ago and today I continue to make films in Austin.
I am also an actor. I acted in three of my short films, Betrayal, The Emergency and Car Trouble. I also came out as an extra in a feature film called Get the Gringo with Mel Gibson as the main star. And recently I came out as an extra in an episode of 1923, a tv serious that was filmed in Lockhart, TX.
I believe I am most proud of my first short film Betrayal. It is my most accomplished film so far. I submitted it to various film festivals around the world. I was surprised on how the film ended up winning over 20 awards. I’ll never forget when all of my cast and crew were astounded on the accomplishments the film earned. So, these same cast and crew, who were very committed to this project, ended up helping me make other films. I am so proud of the support these people gave me that not only do I call them colleagues, but I also refer to them as my friends.
I can honestly say that once my mind is set to create another short film, I am very quick on writing the screenplay and I do not waste any time on carrying it through to its final production. Most of my short films’ writing takes about three months and its productions takes about another 4 months. I normally wait about 6 months to a year before producing my next short film because I make sure my current short film is submitted to various film festivals. My determination to not slow down and just keep producing the next short film as soon as possible probably sets me apart from others.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice to those who are starting out is to go to a good film school to get knowledge about the film industry and acquire basic skills on film production. Find people who you can trust and who will be committed to your projects. Find these by advertising through social media.
Another important thing is to find ways to raise money. Reach out to your family and friends. Make sure you have people to assist you with fundraisers for your film’s budget. You can get a lot of information by participating in community film groups and by asking questions online. Reach out to talented people in the film industry on social media. It’s important to surround yourself by film professionals so that they can help guide you through your career. Also, make sure you provide opportunities to talented people seeking to work with you. Give them a chance to show their talent.
Don’t get discouraged if your film is not going in the right direction. Always think positive. Submit your films to as many film festivals worldwide as you can. Remember if you fail, always try and try again until you succeed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivala_filmproductions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015121115185
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vivalafilmsproductions6686
