Meet Fernanda Ramos-Francia Y. | Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fernanda Ramos-Francia Y. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fernanda, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up, Sundays meant double features at the movies with my family. It was a ritual that sparked my imagination and also nurtured a deep sense of curiosity. Around the same time, I became obsessed with The Devil Wears Prada, convinced I was destined to be the next Andy Sachs or Carrie Bradshaw. I imagined myself in New York, writing for a living and having article-worthy adventures with my friends.

But somewhere along the way, I had a realization. I didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of those characters, I wanted to create the characters myself – write them to life.

The moment I picked up a camera to make my first short film, I knew I had found my path. I really do believe stories have the power to spark change and make the world a more empathetic and compassionate place. I’m proud that I get to be a small part of that.

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.
Moving to the United States to pursue a career in film has come with challenges, but it has all shaped me into the filmmaker and person I am today. When I first started at Syracuse University, I was majoring in Political Science. I knew I wanted to double major in film, but I also knew it wouldn’t be easy to transfer into the film program. I spent my first year knocking out as many Political Science requirements as I could while finding my way into the student film community. After my first semester, I applied for an inner-school transfer and wasn’t accepted. I didn’t let that stop me. I kept working toward my degree while getting on as many student sets as possible.

By my sophomore year, I was finally accepted into the Television, Radio & Film major. That experience taught me something I still carry with me: working hard and wanting it badly enough really does make a difference. In fact, working on sets before having the academic film background gave me confidence that persistence matters just as much as training.

After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles and started working as a Visual Effects Production Assistant, an area I knew almost nothing about. It taught me so much about the filmmaking process and shaped me into a stronger producer. And when I decided to apply to USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program after that, I was lucky enough to get in. While in grad school, I started working at Dirty Films, where I’ve been able to keep refining my skills and growing as a filmmaker.

I graduated from USC with an MFA and a community of filmmakers I know I’ll be working with for the rest of my career. I’ve worked incredibly hard to get to where I am, and no matter the obstacles, I’ll keep going because I love what I do.

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?
Every year since I moved to Los Angeles, my best friend from back home has flown in to celebrate my birthday. Over time, we’ve perfected our itinerary. What I love most about LA is that every neighborhood has its own vibe, so we try to cover as much ground as possible: beach days in Hermosa, hikes on beautiful Griffith trails, thrifting in Silverlake, and museum afternoons at the Academy Museum or LACMA. Growing up in Mexico City gave me high standards for food, and LA’s food scene has absolutely lived up to them. From breakfast burritos at The Rooster to burgers at Easy Street, handrolls at HRB, and late-night tacos at El Chato, the options are endless!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
None of what I’ve accomplished so far would have been possible without my parents. They bought me my first camera, read every draft of every script I’ve written, and sat through countless “strange” movies with me. They’ve been there every step of the way. At its core, filmmaking is about collaboration and community. I’ve been lucky to have not only their unwavering support, but also a community of people who continue to push me forward and remind me why I love what I do.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfernanda.rfy

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/ramos-francia-ylizaliturri

Image Credits
Suneina Badoni, Jacob Piller