Meet Derek Pueblo | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Derek Pueblo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Derek, why did you pursue a creative career?
As a kid I loved making people laugh. I was the 4th of 6 children, and I think getting a reaction out of people made me feel seen. Maybe it made me feel more important… I’m not sure, but I know I loved the way movies made me feel. All of my play with my siblings was re-enacting my favorite scenes, or acting out imaginary sequels with my favorite characters. That love of getting a reaction from an audience never went away, and when I was a teenager and found that I could make even more jokes and thrills with a camera and lens, I was hooked. I’m enchanted with the power of film and art to expand the mind and help people imagine scenarios from perspectives other than their own. To walk in someone else’s shoes. Usually I’m just trying to make people laugh or sit on the edge of their seat, but I believe my favorite films have shaped who I have become as a human. They’ve made me grow spiritually and mentally. They’ve made me more compassionate and caring. But also careful – If I’m ever presented with an opportunity to walking down a dark spooky tunnel alone, I’m not doing it. I’m getting backup, strapping on a headlamp, so we’re not dropping our flashlights. Getting armed to the teeth, and THEN we can go in and face the baddies. (Sorry, I watched the horror movie Barbarian recently – it was SO good, but I’m still scarred. Haha)

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Movies are a big magic trick. The audience knows that what they’re watching is pretend. But all of the artisans involved in the creation of film are trying to get the audience to suspend their disbelief long enough for them to laugh or be scared or to cry. To feel. There’s no such thing as “perfection” in art, by its nature art is subjective. But I’m always trying to make the magic trick perfect. Trying to remove the barriers to belief and feeling. I always want to keep going, making it better. Films aren’t released, they escape. The deadline hits and you can’t make any more changes, but I’m always looking for ways to make them better, and I may never be completely satisfied with the result, but I love the process, and I still love the reactions of an audience. Powerful storytelling isn’t about plot points, it’s about revealing emotional events for characters we hope and fear for. If we can use action to tell story, then we have the audience eating out of our hands. My most gratifying moments have been watching Road House with a packed audience at SXSW, and hearing the roar of laughter and groans of pain when our stunt gags worked. And last month watching a short film – Vaha’a | The Distance Between (that I 2nd unit directed and co-wrote with my friend Pingi Moli) premiere at the Hawaii International Festival. I couldn’t hear the audience crying as clearly as the people laughing at Road House at SXSW, but I’m proud of the way that film has moved people and made them think.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I spend most of my time writing or editing either in my apartment or one of my collaborator’s places, or a film studio, or a stunt gym, so I feel like I’m slightly under-qualified for this question, haha. BUT if my friend was interested in training stunts, I would highly recommend the stunt gyms: Tempest Freerunning or JAM. I live in North Hollywood and there’s a coffee shop near my place called Republic Of Pie, and I love their vibe. Super chill and cool, and they often have live bands playing music. They have delicious looking desserts, but I’ve never had one because… I’m trying to have abs over here. My go-to for food is Sweet Green, because I can make a super healthy vegan bowl. When I’m writing with Scott Winn in Hermosa Beach, we often go for a bike ride along the strand, which I definitely recommend. I’d take them on the subway (I love riding the subway) to see a play at the Latin American Theater Company downtown. If they’re getting ready for a role in an action movie, I might take them for a drive up to Simi Valley for some firearms training and to shoot targets at Taran Tactical’s range with Tetiana Gaidar and Taran. I might take them on a hike to the Griffith Observatory, or to visit The Getty, The Getty Villa. Or I’d be excited to visit other places I haven’t been to yet but have heard great things. There are so many places in LA to take in art and be inspired.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are SO many people. So many collaborators who have encouraged and inspired me. I think the most direct path to where I’m at now goes through my friend Scott Winn, who I’ve worked with in many capacities over the years – as a cinematographer, director, co-writer. He was hired to direct a documentary about Lilly Singh, and he brought me on as a Cinematographer. Lilly and I became friends on that shoot and then I started helping her shoot skits. She acted in a short action film I made, which eventually connected me with King Bach, who became a friend and collaborator. He brought me on to shoot and direct some projects for his channel. Three years ago I was 2nd unit directing the action sequences of one of his short films, Miles Ryder (which is now getting turned into a feature film). Steve Brown was stunt coordinating the short film. He had just finished working on Avatar 3 and saw the passion and efforts I put in on King Bach’s short and he invited me to come on his next project with Garrett Warren. I’ve been working with Steve and Garrett ever since, learning how the masters of action cinema make the most engaging and exciting sequences. I think a main reason we connected was their passion for story, character, performance. Not action for action’s sake. Punches, explosions, car chases are boring as hell on their own. But if we can make the audience care about the characters, then they’ll be on the edge of their seat. And that’s what we want. Honestly, I have dozens more close collaborators and friends who have shaped me as an artist and deserve credit. I’m not sure if we connect with other artists just because of talent, or if it’s more about who we enjoy spending time with as friends. It’s probably both. Really cool people who we enjoy geeking out with about our craft.

Instagram: derekpueblo

Youtube: derekpueblo

Other: Best contact is probably my email: derekpueblo@gmail.com

Image Credits
Lissette Arroyo, Ofa Fonua, Adam Rivette, Garrett Warren