Meet Lesley Elizondo | Filmmaker, Cinematographer, and Educator

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

Hi Lesley, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
A large part of ‘making it’ in the entertainment industry is luck. The luck of being at the right place at the right time to meet the right influential person that will back you whilst launching your career forward. Unfortunately, you cannot work toward getting lucky. What you can do is sharpen your artistry, hone your skills, and make yourself an exceptional candidate so when the luck comes knocking, you rise to the occasion. That is where I am in my career. I’ve dedicated the past ten years to developing my knowledge and perfecting my technique to create compelling and beautiful moving images.

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.
I am a chicana filmmaker, cinematographer, and educator born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I have written and directed eight short films and lensed over forty narrative, documentary, non-profit and commercial projects. I teach cinematography at the University of California Irvine, University of California Los Angeles Extension, New York Film Academy, and at Scottsdale Community College. I am most proud of how far I’ve come. I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film Production, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Language and Literature from the California State University of Long Beach, a Masters of Fine Arts in Cinematography from the University of California, Los Angeles and have traveled the world with my work . I’ve stayed true to myself and expanded my education whilst developing the ability to create gold with sand. My journey has not been easy and obstacles continue to rise, but I love telling stories and I have a true gift for image making that I cannot lay to rest, at least not yet.
When times are tough, I need to be better at refocusing my energy toward the achievements I’ve worked hard for. In this line of work, we often find ourselves deep in the struggle of getting the next gig and it’s hard to keep from framing our careers around this never ending search. Thus, remembering our triumph is essential. I recently heard the following quote which I remind myself when I am experiencing difficult times, “I did not come this far to get this far,” and truly, it will be a disservice to myself to stop.
I am most honored when I get the opportunity to collaborate with talented filmmakers and sharing in the success of our completed work. My latest accomplishment was the result from the co-directional and cinematographic work on the short documentary “Basta” which won the ‘Best Documentary’ award in the Official Latino Film Festival as well as being featured at Barnard College’s Athena Film Festival and the UnLonely Film Festival. In 2019, my cinematography work on the experimental piece titled “Ya Basta,” which challenged the public perception of undocumented janitorial workers, was featured in a week-long video installation in Sacramento and Washington DC’s capitol buildings. In past years, my directorial work and cinematography has been featured in the North Hollywood Film Festival, Senorita Cinema Film Festival in Houston, the Pride Arts Center Film Festival in Chicago, the Stella Adler Academy Hollywood Short and Sweet Film Festival, and the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase.
I am meticulous and dedicated with what I do and I hope that my work speaks for itself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve lived in LA my whole life so I know quite a bit of the city. The funnest outings have been instances where we drive all over discovering new places. If have to plan an itinerary for a fun day in Los Angeles, we’d start by sun bathing at Will Rogers State Beach then head down to Santa Monica for brunch. We’d then catch an indie film at the Laemmle Royal in west LA and have lunch nearby. Finally, we’d head to downtown for early cocktails and dinner and end the night dancing in WeHo.

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?
No one gets to where they are alone and I am no exception. My shoutout list is extensive, but these notable groups have definitely topped the list.

First a shoutout is due to the guidance of my peers and close friends who have shared stories of their experience and lent their advice when summoned. The act of community is invaluable when it comes to navigating the industry, so to the friends that always pick up the phone and answer my emails, they deserve my deepest appreciation.

An earnest shoutout is deserved to the professors at Cal State Long Beach and at UCLA who gave me the foundation of knowledge and allowed me to expand beyond my abilities. These incredible humans showcased a special dedication to the craft of filmmaking and to their students which inspired me to become an educator with the hope of guiding the next generation toward artistic expansion much in the way that I had been.

Finally, a prime shoutout goes to organizations like the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, Women of Color Unite, and Women in Film which have supported and uplifted artists of marginalized communities through education, funding, mentorship and have opened industry doors that would otherwise not be accessible. People in these organizations are doing the hard work to change the status quo and have believed in me enough to lend their support.

Website: http://www.lesleyelizondo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesleycine/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-elizondo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesley.elizondo.9

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPKTCxtNbNQ-C4C1TNxMfVA

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6463454/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1