Gorlla Film Asada - Carne Asada and Cold Beer
Yorland Tellez is a determined and daring film maker who’ll find and shoot a story by any means neccessary. The reel above is from the captivating, raw, twenty-minute short about the mean streets of LA. This isn’t just another look at the hardships of the homeless or drug dealers living on the edge; it’s confirmation of the directors creativity.
BF: Where are you from and what was your experience coming to the US?
Yorland: I was born in Nicaragua, a third world country located in Central America. I came to the U.S.A when I was twelve years old. I’m one of many immigrant stories, whose parents came to the United States escaping a revolutionary war, trying to prevent their kids from being drafted to the deep jungles of the border. I remember being sad because I was leaving my friends and family but mostly I was excited that I was coming to the United States. A place where you can walk into a store and buy food! You didn’t have to stand in line for hours for three loaves of bread or sugar. During that time everyone in the country was trying to get out. Coming here was pretty smooth, my parents made sure that we didn’t go through what they went through; running from the border patrol, crossing the river and all of that stuff.
BFC: What has been your experience in the filmmaking/entertainment industry?
Yorland: My experience in the entertainment industry has taught me to love my creative freedom, to believe in my vision, and to tell my own stories. I worked at various studios in the animation industry. What I learned there was that if you want to express your visions, you have to come up with your own ideas. I was a character layout Artist/ storyboard Artist at king of the Hill, family guy, etc. It was fun and exciting in the beginning, but after a while it felt like I was part of an assembly line; you’re working on somebody else’s visions. You would have to answer to the director, the director had to answer to the supervising director, the supervising director had to get the ok from the creator and he had to run it through the producer. A scene that took you two days might be thrown out the window by the time it gets to the producer. Then you end up working for a paycheck; you’re no longer an artist, you’re a businessperson. And that’s perfectly all right for some, but I knew that eventually I wanted to tell my own stories.
BFC: What is Carne Asada and Cold Beer?
Yorland: I always admire artists that base their art on their own personal experiences (Scorsese, Felini, Bergman, Cassavetes, Oliver Stone, Almodovar, etc) and who are not afraid to display their own demons in order to express their art. I believe that when it’s personal, then it becomes unique; because nobody has lived one’s life, so you avoid cliches. And that’s how Carne Asada & Cold Beer was born; out of friendships, relationships, frustrations and a need to express myself through this medium we call film. I believe this is what I was born to do; Tell stories based on my culture and the world around me.
I’m hoping that I can show a side of young Hispanics living in LA never seen on screen before. I want to show that there are groups of Latinos that are not in gangs but are pursuing their dreams and careers while trying to understand relationships and their own craziness. I believe we are all a little crazy.
I’m shooting Carne Asada & Cold Beer in Digital Video (CannonXL2) 24p, and then I’m going to transfer it to film. I would like to show my film at the Sundance film festival and other venues that promote the expression of alternative cultural perspectives.
BFC: I am fascinated by your process, can you share a bit about how your script has developed?
Yorland: The script is always evolving. I find that while I am shooting the film takes a life of its own, it tells you where to go and that’s the exciting part. Though there is no set script I am always trying to fallow the progression of my storyboards. At first I think of the film visually and let the dialogue grow out of the sequence of images as a natural and organic process.
BFC: What are some of the challenges you are facing making the film?
Yorland: There are many challenges in making the film. There’s the challenge of getting the actresses/actors, getting them to show up, especially when you are not paying them, which leads to the main challenge; financial challenges. Especially when you’re financing it yourself. I guess the good thing about it, is that it challenges your creativity, to work with what you have; after all, it is an independent film. What my friends call “a ghetto film”. You gotta start somewhere.
Be sure to visit Yorland's web site to see his storyboard for his next film. He has began filming and BFC is looking forward to keeping you updated on his progress.