Meet Tony Marquez | Filmmaker/Director & DGA Assistant Director

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

Hi Tony, why did you pursue a creative career?
I chose a career in the arts, specifically filmmaking, because I believe in the power of storytelling and the importance of self expression. I thought about the phrase “a picture
is worth a thousand words” and how much could be said through the art of moving
pictures.
I first picked up a DSLR camera in high school and started taking basic photo and video
editing classes. From there, I started to break away from the generic lens of a uniformed
private school and started to see the world differently. In college I started taking actual
filmmaking classes covering film theory, history, production basics and hands on/on set
learning. It was during that time I learned how powerful film could be, and how it could
used as an art form to tell stories that connect people from all different parts of the
world, cultures and backgrounds.
As a now professional in the film industry and a continued film enthusiast, I love the
connection this medium brings to people. Filmmaking is a collaborative process – “it
takes a village” as they say, and it’s so cool to me how many different people I get to
meet and connect with on various projects. Separate from working in the industry, I also
love how audiences’ enjoyment of the art form can connect and bring together so many
different people. Movies can be an escape from reality for some, or a form of
entertainment, but they can also can serve as important social commentary and be
educational. Storytelling allows us to express ourselves in so many ways, and gives a
medium to present heroes and morals for others to aspire to. As Nicole Kidman says
before every AMC movie, “Our heroes feel like the best part of us, and stories feel
perfect and powerful.”

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 like to make films with meaningful stories, and particularly stories drawn from my experience as a Filipino American filmmaker. My latest film titled, FilAm, deals with
finding your identity and what it means to be Filipino American. Prior to FilAm, I made
multiple short films about the pandemic experience and social unrest in the United
States. The next short film I have in the works will shed light on the relationships
dementia patients have with their loved ones, and the difficulties of caretaking.
Over the years, I have developed a more mindful approach to my art and grown my
artistic voice. I used to want to create just for the sake of creating and working hard,
staying “on the grind”. I did learn a lot of valuable lessons from my early days of
working nonstop, and it helped me grow in my professional career by always looking to
find work, but living and working in Los Angeles is incredibly hard. I adjusted the phrase
“it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” to “it’s who knows you” and really made a
point in my first years in Los Angeles to network as much as possible. My art really
started to grow, though, when I learned how to take a step back from the hustle and
grind, and think about what I really wanted to say.
Taking time off to rest and recoup, to explore the world and just have fun, helped me
find my true voice. A lot of the stories I like to tell are cathartic, they stem from either my
own life experiences or from an underrepresented group or voice that I learn about
along the way. I truly love the connection film and art can bring to different groups of
people, and I believe there’s a strong power in storytelling’s ability to put us in someone
else’s shoes and help us relate and empathize with each other. It is a beautiful way to
bring people from all various backgrounds together and find peace with one another.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting Los Angeles, they’d know to expect a lot of good food and outdoor activity, as I’m a big foodie and outdoorsy person. When I first moved to LA
from Washington, DC I lived in Pasadena so we’d start there. I would take them to Little
Flower Candy shop for coffee and a light breakfast then travel through the La La Land
Bridge into Old Town Pasadena and visit the shops and historic landmarks like City Hall.
I’d make a joke that it is one of the few neighborhoods that have grass then eventually
bring them to The Huntington Gardens, where I still frequently go for meditative strolls.
We’d eat lunch at a burger joint usually featured in Pasadena’s burger week, maybe Pie
n Burger, and of course get ice cream somewhere after. I’m a huge ice cream fan and
would show my friend all the spots – Salt N Straw, Afters Ice Cream, Magpies, to name
a few. We’d then adventure near Little Tokyo, Chinatown and DTLA as well. Delicious
ramen would feed my anime nerd soul, and if they are really my best friend they’d
appreciate it as well. We’d check out some local breweries as well – my new favorites
are Brewyard and Paperback because I live in Glendale now and they are a good
walking/uber distance from me. Going back to the outdoorsy stuff, it wouldn’t be a
proper LA visit without some beach days. I’d show my friend all the touristy stuff at
Santa Monica and Venice but would dedicate an entire beach day somewhere more
chill up in Malibu with a group of friends. We would also go on a hike or two, something
more casual like to the Hollywood Sign, or the beautiful Eaton Canyon if the waterfalls
were running.

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?
There are so many people who have helped me on my journey to success, and who continue to. I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my late mother who passed last October,
2023. She won’t have the chance to read this but I know she’s looking down on me. As
an Asian American it is very typical for our parents to want to push us towards a more
stable career – medical professional, lawyer, engineer, etc. My mom was my rock,
though, and my biggest supporter. She provided me with everything I needed to get to
where I am today.
She was first generation Filipino American and moved to America in the 1970s when
she was 20 years old, which is something I could never fully imagine. She worked hard
and built a successful career as a doctor in the United States Public Health Service, and
she taught me what a good work ethic and disciplined life looks like. She provided for
our family and never second guessed helping someone in need. I lost her due to heart

failure but more painful was the dementia/Alzheimer’s she suffered from. My next short
film script is about her last few years, and her relationships with my two sisters who
became her main caretakers, and the roles of mother and daughter flipped to caretaker
and mother. I will be shedding light on dementia and what it looks like to be a caretaker.
We are currently in the development stages, but a website and social media links for the
future project are on the way.
I would also like to thank Natalie Pickens, who recommended me to be on ShoutOutLA,
and her friend Ali Starrlight who was recently on ShoutOutLA as well. Natalie and I met
back in 2018, on the set of Criminal Minds where we were both beginning our
professional careers as Production Assistants, and she was one of my first friends in
Los Angeles after moving from Washington, DC.

Website: https://tonyfmarquez.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmarq223/

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4962161/ https://www.filammovie.com/

Image Credits
Headshot by @nishellemariephoto at @radianceheadshot