Meet Taylor Orcí | TV/screenwriter

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

Hi Taylor, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
When I think about risk, I think about value— as in, you judge what you value in life by what you risk giving up for it. I also think of risk in terms of a kind of gamble, do I double down when things feel slow? What do I choose to risk to stay in the game of this industry and is it worth it? I like to think I take pretty big risks. I try to keep my overhead pretty low so I have more room to do that. I broke up with someone who later said they wished they took bigger risks like I did, and I was like homie you could have said that like yesterday but you were too busy gaslighting me telling me I was reckless— and good luck working for your Dad! Anyway, they say leap and the net will appear, but sometimes it doesn’t and you fall flat on your ass. If you wanna take risks, which are essential, you gotta learn how to fall not if, but when it happens.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think one time Stephen Colbert said he got to where he was from “a series of overnight successes” and I think of that a lot. To make a living as a writer I used to think you had to do 7 impossible things. Win a film contest, have a video go viral, get into a competitive talent showcase, etc. After that, you’d be set. Now since the contraction from a few years ago I’ve changed my thinking and I believe now you must either get lucky or continue to do impossible things but never feel like you’re “safe.” Also if you can do anything else as a career, do that thing. And try to live your life and make sure you don’t believe that you are your job. That’s toxic, I mean it’s ll toxic, but just like do all the impossible things but also have a garden or something. Touch grass. You’re a human first and that’s where all art starts anyway.

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?
The model trains at Descanso Gardens. That place is like a drug, but it’s nature— it changes your brain. Maybe I’m just describing what nature is? Then have lunch at Nori and Rice nearby. It’s affordable and tasty!

There’s a house in the valley with a dinosaur on the roof. I show everyone but I don’t know the exact address but it’s by Radford Studios. At night a little red light comes on and up lights it. I love that dinosaur.

The pupusas at the Studio City farmers market on Sundays are hands down the best I’ve ever tried. While your there snag a churro croissant from Homeboy Bakeries. Perfection.

Leo Carillo Dog Beach in Malibu if you’ve got dogs. Then have lunch at Neptunes Net off the PCH and pretend you’re in the Fast and Furious Franchise.

There’s a pool on the roof of the West Hollywood library. I’m not kidding. I’ve lived here my whole life and never knew. It looks like one of those swank hotel pools I used to sneak into when I was broke in my 20s.

Grab a drink at the Academy Museum and then head over to LACMA for a free jazz in the park picnic

Barnsdall Art Park featuring the Hollyhock house is one of my favorite places to meet up with friends. Great views of the city.

Cheech Marin is not only a hilarious actor but he’s low key been collecting Chicano Art for decades. He now has a museum. Go to that.

Jackson Market in Culver City is a market/deli that has some delicious sandwiches. It’s in a residential neighborhood and kind of comes out of nowhere. That place is great.

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?
Tanya Saracho, who staffed me on Vida from Twitter— she’s the real deal. What an icon. I can’t wait to she what she cooks up next.