Meet Vanesa Moreno | Writer-Director/Cinematographer

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

Hi Vanesa, why did you pursue a creative career?
After immigrating to the U.S when I was 5 years old, my parents pretty much instilled in me that I could do anything I want in this country. I decided to pursue a creative career because it felt like it was my calling and I had 0 interest in studying anything that wasn’t creative or artistic. I went to public university at VCUarts in Richmond, VA and it was my beginning of studying cinema as an art form and getting into filmmaking. I also got into filmmaking once I bought my own video camera at 16 from my retail job at Marshalls and I made my first short film. It was the first time I had edited, directed and shot anything for an audience so it was very inspiring when I shared it with friends and family who told me it hit them hard.

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’m most excited to tell my stories authentically from my personal experiences of living as an immigrant and latina growing up in the 2000s. I lean on my community a lot in terms of finding stories to tell which is how I got to make my latest short film Sofi with my two friends from college. We wrote the script together and came up with the concept of it with my college roommate and it was very rewarding to brainstorm together and be in this artistic mode with the two of them through Facetime. I think what sets my art apart is also the fact that I’m a very collaborative person and I want to be very transparent with my intentions of filmmaking. I want to make sure that my crew is taken care of and motivated to tell my story with me by my side. I’m proud of being able to say that my first short film Let’s Make Jam features a Bolivian actress who we were able to source from the internet (thank God!). I was looking to find an actress that resembles me and my features just because I want to be able to represent this certain group that looks like me and I was able to do it successfully. Also, crowdfunding Let’s Make Jam and hitting our goal was the most rewarding thing ever. To be able to count on the people that donated their own money to make my short film happen is just the best thing I could have done for my first project. It definitely wasn’t easy getting to where I am now professionally. I had to build my way up as a camera assistant to then director in my life in L.A. I want people to know me as a writer-director and cinematographer and I’m working on that path for me currently so I am not confined to just doing camera department stuff.

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.
I live in Highland Park which I love deeply with my whole heart. It reminds me a lot of back home in Bolivia where I grew up. The houses look the same and I hear my neighbor’s roosters at like 6am. I would take my best friend to VIlla’s Tacos in HLP, I love those tacos so much it was one of my first taco spots I discovered when I first moved. I would take them to Laguna Beach, I haven’t been there yet but I’ve heard so many good things about it as its one of those clean beaches in SoCal. I would also take them to my favorite bar called Anarchy in Downey. I think it’s a cool spot because they play alot of Spanish rock and indie songs which I love. I also really like Stories in Echo Park and Skylight Books for finding new books to read and get. I would also take them to my comfort spot – The Altadena Library. I love the architecture there so much and the drive is always gorgeous as it reminds me of VIrginia (where I’m from) with the big trees. I am a huge movie theater person too so I’d take them for an indie movie screening at the Aero Theater or Los Feliz Theater with American Cinematheque. I’m a member of their organization so it’s super cool when they have a Q&A screening happen every once in a while.

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?
I think I want to shout out my teachers from high school and college as well as the internet. I took a film photography class that taught me so much about image-making and allowed me to have an outlet to express myself and my art at such a young age. I think that class really wired me in to study and pursue filmmaking and image-making. My professors in art school also validated me and my scripts and essays I had written and it made me feel more sure to pursue this field of work. I felt like I was a step ahead from most of my peers in college too because I had networked and connected with filmmakers and artists from around the world through twitter and instagram that it allowed me to move to L.A and connect with the film scene here.

Website: https://morenovanesa.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/v__nesa

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanesa429/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/numberongem

Other: vimeo.com/vanmoreno

Image Credits
Picture credits to: Margaret Leyva and Jesslyn McCartney