Meet Richard Manriquez | Filmmaker & Writer

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

Hi Richard, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Waking up early to a morning ritual. I start with “Morning Pages” (Created by Julia Cameron “The Artist’s Way…”), yoga, and transcendental meditation. The specific mediation can be substituted with other meditation practices, but the morning pages and yoga (and movement) work are consistent.

Another thing I do is use a calendar to plan out my week and day. These include my morning rituals, writing sessions, creative development session, strategy session, review contracts, and meetings.  I become more efficient at executing what needs to be done.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a filmmaker with three primary purposes; actor, writer, and producer.  I am currently in the process of writing and developing several projects relating to Latinx and Indigenous experiences.  My past experience has been working on video and feature film development. Originally, my path was set to being only an actor. And through several opportunities and listening to my “instinct”, it expanded to screenwriting and producing.  I had to be willing to surrender myself and get out of my way.  I’ve had many challenges; frustrations, and setbacks. I had to develop discipline and learn process. Look things will evidently happen and when it does happen and your project disappears, fades, shutdowns how will you face it? Will you sulk for weeks? months? Will you allow yourself to be present to accept new opportunities? When you are present, you become readily available to create, to exchange ideas with other creative and supportive people.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Try the self-realization center (Mt Washington and PCH), visit the Autry Museum, especially during November when the Autry puts on the largest Native American arts fair in Southern California, called the American Indian Arts Marketplace. Check out the Native Voices theatre (at the Autry), or if you need something more filled with sketch comedy come to The Second City Hollywood. Some of my favorite restaurants are “My Vegan Gold” (Silverlake),  and “Something Vegan” (Burbank).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
For my artistry, I want to give a shoutout to Alex Taylor, who is my acting teacher. I studied under Alex at The Sanford Meisner Studio in Burbank CA (later became The Taylor Studio). While there, I got to put a lot of hours into my craft of acting. It was the beginning of a life-long journey of the self and what it means to be.

With writing, I would attend numerous stage-readings at Native Voices at the Autry, which is currently the only Equity theatre company in the country “…devoted exclusively to developing and producing new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations playwrights”. Here I got to see, hear, and feel other indigenous artists create. Tsulan Cooper, was instrumental in sharing invitations and mentoring me in my artistry as well. She encouraged me to get in-touch with my indigenous roots. If you get an opportunity to see Tsulan perform, it is a powerful experience. She is an artist; she is present. My shoutout is to Native Voices and ensemble member Tsulan Cooper (Ainu, Sauk and Fox).

Instagram: RichardMonri
Twitter: RichManriquez