Meet Laura A. Garcia | Producer and Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura A. Garcia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura A., we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
I feel that the most important lesson that my career has taught me is that you should always be willing to pivot and adapt. Like most things in life, it’s never a straight arrow up – it has peaks and valleys. I’m also a big advocate of realizing that you might have to take one step backwards in order to take two steps forward to advance your career.

I graduated during the 2008 writer’s strike and had visions of working in the film industry. As most people know, scripted content was on a standstill as reality TV exploded during and after the strike. I pivoted and jumped head first into reality TV. As I was working in reality, I was gaining credits, experience and confidence, so when an opportunity opened for me to transition into scripted tv, I had a full resume.

In reality, I worked my way up to the Post Production Supervisor position on multiple shows, but when the scripted opportunity came, the position was for a Post Production Coordinator, which is a step backwards. But the important part was that even though it was a step backward in title, it was a step forward in my career. Since then, I’ve worked my way up to Co-Producer within the company and have made numerous contacts.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m extremely proud of the first thing I wrote and directed, “Laundry Man”, a short film about a pile of laundry that comes to life and stalks it owner (that was inspired by my husbands heap of laundry).

My husband and I have a joke about his laundry – that when it gets to a certain height, it’s time to do some laundry. Once when I was walking into our bedroom in the dark, I got freaked out that it was an actual intruder – turns out, it was just Laundry Man!

As I was on a flight to do my first directors shadow, the idea popped in my head – this would make a great short film! Everybody can relate to it!! By the end of the plane ride, I had a script ready to go.

So, over the course of a weekend, a handful of friends gathered at my apartment and we shot the short. Since then, Laundry Man has screened at multiple film festivals, won Best Short Short at the Fort Myers Film Festival in 2024 and has over 2.7 million views on Youtube.

Laundry Man developed my love of directing and creating worlds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First, I would take them on a private golf cart tour of the Universal Lot. The company I work for is located on the Universal Lot so it’s great to be able to show them all the nooks and crannies.

For food:
El Huarique Peruvian Kitchen – Peruvian street food that is located at the Venice boardwalk.
Ekkami – A mom and pop neighborhood thai restaurant located in Marina Del Rey
Nobu – an upscale Sushi joint located seaside in Malibu where theres a good chance to see a celebrity or two.

For drinks:
Tonga Hut – a low key tiki bar in the valley that have drinks that pack a punch.
Fox Fire – a dive bar in the valley where they shot PTA’s “Magnolia”

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Although there’s numerous people in my community that are supporting me, I would have to say that my biggest cheerleaders are my husband, Smith Glover and twin sister, Alicia Garcia. They are both super supportive in every aspect of my career and personal life.

As I’ve transitioned into directing, I would like to acknowledge a handful of people have been extremely supportive by letting me shadow them on various shows:
Reza Tabrizi (Chicago Fire – Producing Director), Brenna Malloy (Chicago Fire – Guest Director, but now on Law & Order: SVU as the Producing Director), William Eichler (Chicago Fire – Director and DP) and Chad Saxton (Chicago PD – Producing Director). They’ve all mentored me by teaching me the fundamentals of TV directing, how to work with actors, doing script analysis, composing shots and blocking, creating and elevating the scene, camera techniques, practicing the art of collaboration, and the politics of Guest Directing.

Instagram: @mslauragarcia

Youtube: @LauraGarcia-ri9sf